[spidermonkey09]

People not being able to complete it and it being a waste or time are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I’ve no doubt it has made you better at that particular set or exercises but whether that has improved you climbing performance or whether it represents the best way to spend -5 mins training are different questions. It has little opportunity cost overall I guess as long as it’s not leaving you too tired to do other things.

Fair point; I suppose I think it would fall squarely into the 'general conditioning' bracket for me. Maybe not explicitly climbing related but certainly cant harm, and probably helps. No doubt I could do more targeted, focused core training for climbing but I find it a good way of using that part of my body, which in the absence of much climbing or a board, could (very) easily be neglected!

Tangentially, I think its interesting how different people get on with different formats of training video. I have tried the hip mobility one csl linked in PC twice this week; both times I wanted to punch the narrator for talking way too fast and not explaining the stretches at all. To a punter like me thats the most important bit!

[User deactivated.]

Everyone saying its a waste of time should try and do it

Fair point as my original comment was very much an armchair opinion. Will try tonight after my regular rings routine and report back in next week's powerclub!

[spidermonkey09]

Fair point as my original comment was very much an armchair opinion. Will try tonight after my regular rings routine and report back in next week's powerclub!

Here comes the downgrade! 

[cheque]

This is routes-specific (and onsight specific too) but no matter how strong and/ or fit I get in winter, whenever I get on the rock again in spring calf-pump always kicks me in the arse the first couple of times out. I don’t know what the answer to that is, possibly just walking around on tiptoes for hours at a time.

Squats are really good I reckon. You don’t need a spotter or huge plates if you do them with dumbbells.

I need Tony's encouragement to Bring It rather than the soothing tones of that nice BD lady's and her android demonstrator.

Ab Ripper X may have only have a tiny transfer to climbing but it is fucking hilarious.

[Fultonius]

This is routes-specific (and onsight specific too) but no matter how strong and/ or fit I get in winter, whenever I get on the rock again in spring calf-pump always kicks me in the arse the first couple of times out. I don’t know what the answer to that is, possibly just walking around on tiptoes for hours at a time.

I've always suffered from pathetic calf endurance. I've nearly failed a number of insights due to having to hang off of my arms to let my calves de-pump. Even after a full winter of skiing and ice climbing!

The only thing that's ever made a difference is fell running.

[JJP]

If I am doing a proper board session I don`t tend to do other strength stuff in the same session.  I do some pull ups, rings stuff and maybe some body weight squats etc as part of warm up and to get going.  I would do more intense arms and legs stuff on days I couldn`t climb on the board due to forearm/ fingers needing a break.  That said I am rarely disciplined enough to do these sessions!   

[nai]

If AbRipper is about banging out as many reps as possible without regard for form I'd avoid it at all costs.
I would any similar program but especially where the back is so vulnerable
I'll take Esther's quiet prompts about engaging muscles and maintaining form, i.e. doing the exercise properly, over being screamed at to fuck myself up to so I can do one more useless rep

[Oldmanmatt]

If AbRipper is about banging out as many reps as possible without regard for form I'd avoid it at all costs.
I would any similar program but especially where the back is so vulnerable
I'll take Esther's quiet prompts about engaging muscles and maintaining form, i.e. doing the exercise properly, over being screamed at to fuck myself up to so I can do one more useless rep

[Will Hunt]

If AbRipper is about banging out as many reps as possible without regard for form I'd avoid it at all costs.

Fortunately Tony has you covered. He never screams and correct form is both demonstrated and encouraged.

"You need that break? You better take it."
"Let's make it pretty."

Interesting that almost all the detractors have never done it.

[cheque]

Interesting that almost all the detractors have never done it.

Those who have hate it too.

But they love it!

[tomtom]

I’d like to point out that as a detractor I’ve not done any ‘ab’ workout....

I thoroughly recommend this all body conditioning video

https://m.facebook.com/HCUKLive/videos/654263498457712/

[Oldmanmatt]

I’d like to point out that as a detractor I’ve not done any ‘ab’ workout....

I thoroughly recommend this all body conditioning video

https://m.facebook.com/HCUKLive/videos/654263498457712/

‘Reckon he pinched that outfit from Fiend...

[nai]

If AbRipper is about banging out as many reps as possible without regard for form I'd avoid it at all costs.

Fortunately Tony has you covered. He never screams and correct form is both demonstrated and encouraged.

"You need that break? You better take it."
"Let's make it pretty."

Interesting that almost all the detractors have never done it.

Sorry I misinterpreted "Tony's Encourgaement to bring it" as encouragement to keep repping.

No I haven't tried it, I flicked through a bit and decided to watch the scissor kicks sectiona ll through, no mention of what should be happening with the lumbar spine which is crucial, should be the first point made. Then trying to overstretch that guys hamstrings. No.

Probably an age thing and having a prolapsed disk already but I'd call that dangerous and definitly wouldn't recommend anybody use it.

[Will Hunt]

I look forward to the UKB approved version: Dad Ripper X.

[cheque]

Index Tracker X

[tomtom]

Index Tracker X

That’s for Pete’s get rich quick thread.

[Oldmanmatt]

Boulderers Belly Buster X..

[Nibile]

Interesting that almost all the detractors have never done it.

It could be because the detractors know their fuck*** sh**.

[Will Hunt]

So, what are the climbing specific "core" workouts that we ought to be doing which a) don't take forever to complete, b) aren't excruciatingly boring, c) require no equipment, and most importantly d) are culturally acceptable by merit of being endorsed/demonstrated by a climbing brand ambassador. I'm very willing to try them.

[monkoffunk]

I can’t think of anything that fits ‘c’, but would imagine that variations on hanging leg raises combined with something for posterior chain is most climbing specific.

For what it’s worth, in lockdown I’ve been doing some core stuff more to keep conditioned than with any idea of improvement. Based around Tom Randall’s recent video.

I’ve also tried out this:

https://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/dumbbell-exercises/4131/the-ultimate-dumbbell-arms-workout

With the idea that if I’m doing no climbing I’ll just loose all over all strength and my upper back neck was recently too painful to do hang based stuff.

Rightly or probably wrongly I sacked off workout 3 and did my own thing incorporating dumbbell bench press, hanging leg raises, press ups and some leg stuff.

At some point I’d like to condense that down to the most useful things I could add it maybe once a week for when I have a board.

[Steve R]

Leg raises off a bar or fingerboard, can vary arm lock angle.  I like arms at 90 degree lock lift, legs kept straight and raised to above horizontal horizon with ankle weights on.  I aim for 6-8 slow reps with good form but failing on last rep.  3/4 sets.  decent rest in between sets but usually do pistols, press ups and weighted pull ups at same time in a rotation.  Straighter arms, toes all the way to bar also good but can feel a bit crunchy on the shoulders for me (probably doing it wrong or too weak somewhere).
 
If I'm not used to doing leg raises, just 2 sets of 6 reps can leave me with severe doms in abs for days - not desirable outcome but demonstrates to me it's hitting the right areas pretty hard.  Also do timed L-sit holds and V-sits on the ground. 

Satisfies a, b and c (apart from ankle weights though I'm sure something could be improvised).  No idea about d.  Would be interested if anyone else does this and what climbing relevant core areas it misses as don't really do anything else. 

Disclaimer, my abs are more 'Zydrunas Savickas' (pre-transformation) than 'Will Hunt' to look at.

[Oldmanmatt]

So, what are the climbing specific "core" workouts that we ought to be doing which a) don't take forever to complete, b) aren't excruciatingly boring, c) require no equipment, and most importantly d) are culturally acceptable by merit of being endorsed/demonstrated by a climbing brand ambassador. I'm very willing to try them.

Will, it’s not that.

I spent the last 8 years working as a Personal Trainer (a proper, qualified, REPs registered one) and dealing, day in and day out, with running a climbing gym and talking to people with their own training plans, writing training plans. I’m a Lattice assessor  and blah blah blah blah whibble.

I quit. I’m done with trying to deal with people.

I really spent hours and hours reading and studying every bit of research, every new paper and article I could find. Spent good money on subscriptions and memberships etc etc.

All anybody ever wants, is some “quick fix” minimum effort (at least mentally) magical system, preferably celebrity endorsed.

But, it doesn’t work like that. Everybody is different, everybody has different strengths and weaknesses, different needs.
Sometimes, you’ll set somebody the same progressions, you set the last ten clients, because everything in their assessment pointed to the same starting point, yet they just don’t progress. So, you chart a different path, different exercises, that subtly take a different route to the hoped for goal.
This is a massively abbreviated description of a quite complex process. I have worked with every thing from a Tetraplegic ( he went from wheel chair to climbing V2 and walking with a stick (that he carried, mostly) in a little over two years) to National level OCR competitors. I trained youngsters for entry into the Marines and Para reg (from couch to combat, in one case). Plenty of climbers, including three over 75.
Again blah blah blah blah.
Because there are certainly hundreds of people like me across the UK, if not thousands. You’ll find several working at every wall or gym you set foot in.

Up shot:
Everybody needs to find what works for them. However, the chances are, that won’t be some “Blaster”, endorsed, half hour sufferfest.
It might be, for you, but most likely not.
There are a variety of simple and easily achieved exercises and progressions that have proven benefits.

As an aside, take some time to look at why the Sit Up, in almost all it’s forms, is dropping out of favour. Look at why many militaries, globally, are dropping it (it’s always worth looking at what organisations who train thousands of people, continuously, find useful or harmful).

[tomtom]

In the same way that there’s rarely one size fits all method for injury rehab?

[Oldmanmatt]

In the same way that there’s rarely one size fits all method for injury rehab?

Yeah.
(He said, un-ironically, if sheepishly).

Depends on where you’re starting and where you want to get to.
There’s a world of difference between, “I just want my knee to let me walk the dog, without leaving me in agony” and “I want to Ski again”. The difference between “I want to Ski again” and “ I want to Ski competitively again” is probably even greater.

[Oldmanmatt]

This is routes-specific (and onsight specific too) but no matter how strong and/ or fit I get in winter, whenever I get on the rock again in spring calf-pump always kicks me in the arse the first couple of times out. I don’t know what the answer to that is, possibly just walking around on tiptoes for hours at a time.

Squats are really good I reckon. You don’t need a spotter or huge plates if you do them with dumbbells.

I need Tony's encouragement to Bring It rather than the soothing tones of that nice BD lady's and her android demonstrator.

Ab Ripper X may have only have a tiny transfer to climbing but it is fucking hilarious.

I’m busy with “family” stuff, and already in the dog house for having my head in my phone...

But, are you doing calf raises, as well as squats?