[User deactivated.]

1 year ago i did 163% BW for a 7 second, 2 arm hang. Post trip I got up to 178%. I actually changed the edge which will have made some difference (smaller but less rounded which I prefer). Was expecting to get much weaker given I’ve not really tried anything close to my limit for 9 months…

Life's not fair...

I might try to do some work towards a one-arm pull up too given I’m awful at them. Not bothered about doing one as such, but I’m keen for some steeper stuff so strengthening my biceps, chest and shoulders is probably a useful thing…

I firmly believe it's better to just do weighted pullups for general pulling strength than any 1 arm regressions or front lever variants. They're just so much easier to load consistently and get into the correct rep range (massive water jugs work in the absence of weight plates!). Can't go wrong with a bench press and a standing overhead press for chest and shoulder strength either if you have gym access. I don't think those 3 exercises can be beat for upper body strength. Once per week, 4 sets of 3-6 reps leaving 1-2 reps in reserve, easy!

I think the absence of any training (pretty much ever) means I’m picking up some easy gains at the moment!

And that’s interesting, thanks! Also much easier to do the weighted pulls.

I’m intending to do Monday evening gym sessions as there’s some leg exercises I’d like to do for running which will be way easier in a gym, so I’ll start to add weighted pulls, bench and shoulder in then too.

Two summers ago I did a spell of going to CrossFit twice a week. I always went to shoulder or chest sessions as they were what I was crap at. I was just sport climbing outdoors at the time and noticed how much stronger I felt after a few months of CrossFit. That’s was lots of bench, OH press etc as long as all the other throwing balls etc around. So makes a lot of sense to get back to doing some of that.

Would you say DB vs Barbell press makes a difference for bench? DB is easier without a spotter I suppose unless you’re using a smith machine (which I hate….).

If you got noticeably stronger from crossfit then you'll definitely get stronger from lifting with proper rest times (at least 3 minutes) and higher loads! Barbell bench presses are the king when it comes to pressing strength but dumbells are fine if you are concerned about the lack of a spotter. I'd stay away from the smith machine.

I mentioned stopping 1-2 reps short of failure because it's just as effective for strength gains, it reduces fatigue (effectively allowing for greater strength gains in the long run via increased training volume), it reduces injury risk, and it also makes benching alone safer. Unfortunately, studies show that newbie lifters severely underestimate how many reps in reserve they have, so going to failure in the first week might actually be beneficial for benchmarking. You'll be sore, but you need experience going to failure to know what failure minus 1 feels like.

Edit - if you're doing them all in one day I'd suggest ordering them 1. bench press, 2. weighted pullups, 3. shoulder press. This is because there's quite a bit of overlap between the two pushing movements.

[Coops_13]

M: G1. 20mm HC up to +80lb. Kilter 30deg. 2 V4, 2 V5, 1 V6. 40deg 1 V6, 2 V7, 3 V8. Ring muscle-ups

T: Drive 9.5hrs to Moe's

F: Moe's Valley. Warmed up on the Spider V3 before going and flashing IsRail V6. Put down IsRail Direct V8 pretty quickly after that. Went to check out Gryption V9, very hard. One to come back for. Moved to Underwhelmed V6 which I had to fight to get up. Ended the day doing The Swan V7 (should have flashed) and Spectro V6

S: Mario Land. Warmed up flashing Toadstool Traverse V5 then spent a long time figuring out the moves on Dinosaur Direct V8. Eventually figured it out but couldn't send - close. Was pretty done by this point so failed miserably on Power Up V7 and Habitat for Humanity.


S: Long drive home due to weather (12 hrs on the road)

[Wellsy]

1 year ago i did 163% BW for a 7 second, 2 arm hang. Post trip I got up to 178%. I actually changed the edge which will have made some difference (smaller but less rounded which I prefer). Was expecting to get much weaker given I’ve not really tried anything close to my limit for 9 months…

Life's not fair...

I might try to do some work towards a one-arm pull up too given I’m awful at them. Not bothered about doing one as such, but I’m keen for some steeper stuff so strengthening my biceps, chest and shoulders is probably a useful thing…

I firmly believe it's better to just do weighted pullups for general pulling strength than any 1 arm regressions or front lever variants. They're just so much easier to load consistently and get into the correct rep range (massive water jugs work in the absence of weight plates!). Can't go wrong with a bench press and a standing overhead press for chest and shoulder strength either if you have gym access. I don't think those 3 exercises can be beat for upper body strength. Once per week, 4 sets of 3-6 reps leaving 1-2 reps in reserve, easy!

I think the absence of any training (pretty much ever) means I’m picking up some easy gains at the moment!

And that’s interesting, thanks! Also much easier to do the weighted pulls.

I’m intending to do Monday evening gym sessions as there’s some leg exercises I’d like to do for running which will be way easier in a gym, so I’ll start to add weighted pulls, bench and shoulder in then too.

Two summers ago I did a spell of going to CrossFit twice a week. I always went to shoulder or chest sessions as they were what I was crap at. I was just sport climbing outdoors at the time and noticed how much stronger I felt after a few months of CrossFit. That’s was lots of bench, OH press etc as long as all the other throwing balls etc around. So makes a lot of sense to get back to doing some of that.

Would you say DB vs Barbell press makes a difference for bench? DB is easier without a spotter I suppose unless you’re using a smith machine (which I hate….).

If you got noticeably stronger from crossfit then you'll definitely get stronger from lifting with proper rest times (at least 3 minutes) and higher loads! Barbell bench presses are the king when it comes to pressing strength but dumbells are fine if you are concerned about the lack of a spotter. I'd stay away from the smith machine.

I mentioned stopping 1-2 reps short of failure because it's just as effective for strength gains, it reduces fatigue (effectively allowing for greater strength gains in the long run via increased training volume), it reduces injury risk, and it also makes benching alone safer. Unfortunately, studies show that newbie lifters severely underestimate how many reps in reserve they have, so going to failure in the first week might actually be beneficial for benchmarking. You'll be sore, but you need experience going to failure to know what failure minus 1 feels like.

Edit - if you're doing them all in one day I'd suggest ordering them 1. bench press, 2. weighted pullups, 3. shoulder press. This is because there's quite a bit of overlap between the two pushing movements.

I really need to get back on the heavy weighted pullups and bench press. I can still bench my bodyweight for 5 reps (75kgs) but I really would like to bench 100kgs some day.

[User deactivated.]

I really need to get back on the heavy weighted pullups and bench press. I can still bench my bodyweight for 5 reps (75kgs) but I really would like to bench 100kgs some day.

I'd imagine your current pressing strength is probably sufficient for any climbing, but benching is fun! I reckon you could perform a 100kg single if you were bothered enough to run a 6 week peaking program.

I got up to 3 plates (140kg) back in the day, but now I don't program any benching at all as it will only hinder my climbing at this stage, due to the recovery cost. I still do a few sets of overhead presses each week and that alone seems to ensure my max bench hovers around 105-110kg whenever I test it. It's nice to know that a minimal amount of training can maintain quite a bit of strength!

[abarro81]

Unfortunately, studies show that newbie lifters severely underestimate how many reps in reserve they have, so going to failure in the first week might actually be beneficial for benchmarking. You'll be sore, but you need experience going to failure to know what failure minus 1 feels like.

I don't lift much (but then this is advice for someone who doesn't lift much, so maybe that's perfect), but I'd be cautious about that. If I do some bench after a few months off (e.g. having been away) then if I try above maybe 50-70% RPE my pecs are done for a week with DOMS. Going hard on session 1 would guarantee a few weeks off weights! I wonder if it might be better to start easier for 2-4 weeks then do a week of working out where failure really is?

[User deactivated.]

Unfortunately, studies show that newbie lifters severely underestimate how many reps in reserve they have, so going to failure in the first week might actually be beneficial for benchmarking. You'll be sore, but you need experience going to failure to know what failure minus 1 feels like.

I don't lift much (but then this is advice for someone who doesn't lift much, so maybe that's perfect), but I'd be cautious about that. If I do some bench after a few months off (e.g. having been away) then if I try above maybe 50-70% RPE my pecs are done for a week with DOMS. Going hard on session 1 would guarantee a few weeks off weights! I wonder if it might be better to start easier for 2-4 weeks then do a week of working out where failure really is?

Agreed. As a more experienced lifter I hadn't really appreciated how sore you might get!

[tommytwotone]

Goal - fully rehab knee, be able to fall off, back to Font 7a


M: Nowt
T: LSD after work. Rehab in gym then usual pottering round stuff up to V4. Got a decent amount of volume in.
W: Zoom physio check-in - good news, she confirmed I'd be good to start working on landing / jumping stuff
T: LSD after work. Updated rehab (inc jumping off and up a step!), and did a bit of very low "landing practice" in control off the wall. Well psyched.
F: Nowt
S: Took youngest (5 yo) to Depot Armley, never climbed there before. Only really went as there's a decent amount of stuff for kids. Really good session, was there for about 3 hours, just wandering round taking it in turns with him doing kid's climbs and me doing anything easy that was nearby.
S: Swimming en famille in the morning for an hour.

[abarro81]

Agreed. As a more experienced lifter I hadn't really appreciated how sore you might get!

Yeah, if it's something you've not done ever or for a long time it's unreal how much pain can result from an exercise where you finish thinking that you basically didn't do anything!

[jwi]

A trick I learned from a weight-lifter turned climber is that if you get really really sore from a novel exercise do a second session of the same exercise. Sounds bonkers but it worked. I got so sore from squats I could barely walk, dragged myself to the gym and did another bout of squats. DOMS was much better after.

[tommytwotone]

That's interesting - after my first "impact rehab" session last week (jumping lunges, jumping squats, jumping up and down steps), I had terrible DOMS in my quads, assume because I haven't used them in c.9 months like that!

Wish I'd got back on it next day now.

[Fultonius]

Slacking a bit. Not much to report, easy week after Spain. One general boulder session where I felt mediocre power wise but quite good at boning in on holds.

Gym after, shoulder stuff (face pull with y-extensions), bench (60kg 1rep max    so  ), core (supermans) and some wrist curls.

Abbs and pecs doms next day.

Recap from Spain is that enduro training really helps (d'uh) and I managed a 7b+ fairly casually 1st rp after a brief bolt to bolt a few days before. Realistically could have on sighted that level if going well and I felt like I was recovering well at all the rests.

Heading to Slovenia end Feb/March so just going to count the last 8 weeks as baseload and try to have a mini peak while away, hence focusing on more aeropow style sessions. Didn't seem to lack any fingerstrength   for anything I tried while, except for a manky cruxy 7a+ that everyone rjggtyl considers  and was well harder than the 7b+ 

[duncan]

M - Westway leading to 6b, falls practice.
T - Poorly, nothing.
W - Underpar, so just did finger exercises: pick-ups front 2&3 to 24kg.
T - front 3 hangs on a big (26mm) edge, pick-ups front 2&3 to 26kg.
F - Westway leading to 6b, falls practice again.
S - Shoulder and wrist conditioning: side planks, dumbell rows, reverse biceps curls etc. Went to a gig (Ballboy, Edinburgh-based John Peel favourites who peaked in the early 00s). Great fun and as a friend is in them I was on the guest list, get me!
S - Drove down to Somerset. Shuffled for 2.5km on Weston prom, felt surprising good: billiard table flat and a following wind may have helped.

Falls: 36
Try-hards: 0

[Aussiegav]

Falls: 36
Try-hards: 0

Try Hard  love it.


Trying hard.  IMO is the biggest limiting factor for most people. Train as much as you want, but if you’re not prepared to put it all on the line when you need it, then failing is guaranteed.

[duncan]

Falls: 36
Try-hards: 0

Try Hard  love it.


Trying hard.  IMO is the biggest limiting factor for most people. Train as much as you want, but if you’re not prepared to put it all on the line when you need it, then failing is guaranteed.

Thank you, I agree.

It has been a strength in the past but less so in recent years. Experience of debilitating injuries? Lacking the necessary mental band-width? Trad. habits? Fear of falling? Fear of failure? Not climbing with people push me often enough? I'm trying to analyse what promotes trying hard and, for me, this starts with writing down when it happens and when it doesn't.

There is a balance to be struck of course, always going 100% would not healthy even if it was possible but getting close has been very satisfying on the rare recent occasions I've managed it.