The theory

The outdoor is the goal. The training should be different from climbing, since the goals are different and training in the gym is just a tool. Ideally you maximize your training sessions to get the most out of them. That includes focus and attitude, quantifiable progression and all the diet and rest after.

Periodization

This is how the author splits training plan into 3 (or 4) parts:

  • Fitness (optional)
  • Strength
  • Power
  • Send

The reason is so you gradually build up to a “peak” performance and are ready to send your project.

The timing is essentially up to you but his recommendation is 6 weeks for each phase, where 5 weeks is training and 1 week is recovery before the next phase.

It’s recommended to do strength before power to get that muscle confidence to move faster.

The send phase can last 2-3 weeks but it’s also quite personal.

Strength vs. Power

Strength is muscles ability to stay engaged against resistance, so static climbing. Power is quickness by which your muscle can contract, so dynamic climbing.

Plan

Overview

| Week    | Phase                   |
| ------- | ----------------------- |
| Week 1  | Strength                |
| Week 2  | Strength                |
| Week 3  | Strength                |
| Week 4  | Strength                |
| Week 5  | Rest                    |
| Week 6  | Power                   |
| Week 7  | Power                   |
| Week 8  | Power                   |
| Week 9  | Power                   |
| Week 10 | Power                   |
| Week 11 | Rest                    |
| Week 12 | Send                    |
| Week 13 | Send                    |
| Week 14 | Send                    |
| Week 15 | Send                    |
| Week 16 | Optional Fitness / Send |
| Week 17 | Optional Fitness / Send |
| Week 18 | Optional Fitness / Send |
| Week 19 | Optional Fitness / Send |

Weekly

| Day | Workout              |
| --- | -------------------- |
| Mon | Core and Cardio      |
| Tue | Session 1            |
| Wed | Core and Cardio      |
| Thu | Session 2            |
| Fri | Rest                 |
| Sat | Outdoor/Gym          |
| Sun | Fitness and Strength |

Workout

Session 1

  • Warm up - 20 min
  • Isolation - 60 min
    • Hang board (strength) / Campus board (power) - 30 min
    • Pull up - 15 min
    • Rings - 15 min
  • Climbing - 40 min
    • V-max - 40 min
  • Core - 20 min
  • Cool down - 20 min

Session 2

  • Warm up - 20 min
  • Climbing - 1h 40 min
    • V-max - 60 min
    • Climbing drill - 20 min
    • Climbing drill - 20 min
  • Core - 20 min
  • Cool down - 20 min

Warm up

  • Sun salutations
  • Band - shoulder press
  • Band - shoulder rotation
  • Band - Rotator rotation
  • Wrist stretch
  • Finders stretch

Exercises

Hang board

  • Open hand
    • fully extended fingers, minimum forearm engagement
  • Full crimp
    • thumb over fingers, strong position, a lot of force on fingers
  • Half crimp
    • fingers without thumb, most effective and safer than full crimp

Your shoulders and elbows should also be engaged. If you can’t do the proper form than don’t do it.

Repeaters

  • 5 holds, 1 set per hold, 5 minutes per set: 25 minutes
  • To perform, hang with both hands, shoulders and elbows slightly engaged for as long as you can. Let go, and rest 5 seconds. Then hang again, again till failure. Rest 5 seconds. Repeat 3 more times for a total of 5 hangs with 5 seconds rest in between. Complete for 5 different holds.

Max hangs

  • 2-3 holds, 2-3 sets per hold, 5 minutes per set: 20-45 minutes
  • To perform, hang with both hands, shoulders and elbows slightly engaged. If you can hang for more than 8 seconds, add weight in 5 pound increments.

Finger ups

  1. Hang with open hand position, feet on.
  2. Using only fingers, pull into full crimp.
  3. Release hands back into open hand position.
  4. Repeat and rest.

Ring rows

  1. Hanging on one arm, legs apart for stability, flat back and core engaged.
  2. Begin pull, engage scapula, keep shoulders down, drive with hips, and back flat
  3. Reach as far as possible with other hand
  4. Reverse and repeat

V-max

To perform this exercise, basically just boulder and try as hard as you can! Pick climbs at or above your maximum level but that you think you could send within a few sessions (3 or so). The boulders you choose should be geared towards your goals and should help you to work on your weaknesses. The steeper the better! In a 30 minute Limit Bouldering session, you should work 2-3 problems, making sure to rest between attempts.

Hang arounds (strength) (climbing drill)

  • choose a problem few grades below max
  • start climb and make a first move
  • after first move, cut feet, focus on engaging core and arms
  • return feet to the wall, next move then cut feet
  • move and cut until the end

Hover drills (strength) (climbing drill)

  • 2-3 grades bellow max
  • overhanging works best
  • start climb, hover hand over each handhold for 3-5 seconds, then grab and move the feet

Match it (strength) (climbing drill)

  • start climb
  • make a first move, then match hands, move to next hold
  • climb the problem, matching every hold

Foot on pulls (power)

  • 2-3 sets, 5 minutes per set, 10-15 minutes
  • To perform, place both hands on one of the lowest rungs, also placing your feet on the wall behind the board (there are usually feet here for this). Pull your chest to your hands quickly and use the momentum to reach with your right hand as far as you can, grabbing whatever rung is at that length for you. Let go and match hands low again. Repeat leading with left hand. Complete 5-10 reps total.

Ladders (power)

  • purpose is to build campusing power
  • hang on the lowest, pull up one by one
  • you can change hands, you can match, you can pull higher…

Dyno drill (climbing drill)

  • To perform, pick a jug somewhere on the climbing wall, between 6 and 10 feet off the ground. Using other holds in the area, try and make up as many dynos to the jug as you can, coming from all different angles.

4x4s (power endurance)

  • To perform, choose 4 boulder problems below your max (it helps to choose problems of different grades, progressively getting easier). Either climb all 4, or climb one 4 times, but without resting (other than how long it takes to chalk up and get to the start again). Then rest 4 minutes. Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 sets. If you cannot complete a problem in the series, climb till failure and move to the next one.
  • Take as long as necessary to climb the 4 problems, rest 4 minutes between sets.
  • To perform, choose a few problems below your max, though they should all be on the same section of the wall. Climb the first one, then down climb, using any holds, back into the start without touching the ground again. Climb it again, and repeat until failure. Rest 2-4 minutes and repeat with other problems for allotted time. Alternatively, link-up different boulder problems instead of climbing the same one.
  • Take as long as necessary to climb the link-ups until failure, rest 2-4 minutes between sets

Backstep Drill (technique drill)

  • 4 boulder problems, 5 minutes each, 20 minutes total.
  • To perform, choose a problem a few grades below your max. Climb the line, but backstep for every move, switching feet and direction for every hand move. If necessary, complete using any feet, though use smaller feet for more effectiveness.

Static vs Dynamic (technique drill)

  • 4 boulder problems, 5 minutes each, 20 minutes total.
  • To perform, choose a problem a few grades below your max. Climb the line as staticly as possible. Rest one minute. Then, climb it again purposefully using momentum to make each move.
  • The purpose of this exercise is to teach the techniques necessary for static and dyanmic climbing, as well as to familairize the climber with the difference between the two styles.

One-Leg Drill (technique drill)

  • 4 boulder problems, 5 minutes each, 20 minutes total.
  • To perform, choose a problem a few grades below your max. Climb the line using only one leg. Rest 1 minute. Then climb the line again, this time using the other leg.

Technique

Points of contact

  • you have 4 points, 2 hands and 2 feet
  • ideally you go for 3 points but if 2 points then aim for the oposite

Rest vs. Lock off

  • with engaged arms you have a good control but you use a lot of energy
  • whenever possible, lock off to use your skeleton to do the work and save energy

Foot work

  • usually you want your toe to be a point of contact
  • do not just stand on your feet but think about pulling with the foot
  • It is worth taking the time to set your feet with intention and precision before the next moves
  • watch where you place your feet

Hips

  • focus on pushing forward and up with your hips, you will keep your weight under your hands, providing for a better grip, and over your feet, providing for better contact and more support.

Over-gripping

  • learn to relax on holds and to hold them with the minimum strength necessary is a good way to conserve energy so you can have more juice at the crux
  • when grabbing each hold, make a conscious effort to only grip as hard as necessary to hold on and no harder

Nutrition

  • just eat healthy

Mentality

  • “self” - we are no our thoughts and we the less we attach to that, better we can be
  • on discipline - freedom is not attained in giving into your impulses, rather, it is attained in controlling them
  • on will and attention - will is fickle but not so much when you put in some planning and attention
  • just don’t forget to have some fun

I try and remember that, no matter how cool we think we are, we’re just a bunch of weirdos running around the woods climbing on small rocks.”