What is training?

by Rich Simpson

Training for climbing is any activity where you intend to specifically improve your climbing ability with a goal in mind. The training can be anything from jogging 20 minutes 3 times per week; losing weight and increasing fitness for a summer trip to Pembroke or the Alps, or very intense campus board sessions for increased power and finger strength.

Love it or loathe it, the term training is sometimes associated with "losers" who spend all their time in the gym, never climb on real rock and don’t understand what climbing is all about. If this is your attitude, then you just keep plodding along, but don’t be surprised when your mate who you taught to climb the previous year, begins to climb all the classics at the crag while you look on and wish. The choice is yours, make excuses why you haven’t climbed those dream lines, or do something about it.

Obviously training is very varied, in terms of volume and intensity and can be anything from one day per week for a beginner, to 5 days a week for a world-class climber attempting the hardest climb in the world. However, through small amounts of climbing-specific training, you should see your level increase.

Why Train?

Whether it’s a beautiful classic VS (5.6), desperate E10 (death-defying 5.14), or hard sport route that you aspire to climb, it will be more accessible through focused specific training. Training will not only increase your physical ability for climbing it will also increase confidence and general well-being throughout day to day activities. Everyone who has been for a nice Sunday morning run will know the feeling afterwards is more than worth the hard work on the road. And so long as you are sensible about it, the same can be said about training for climbing.

A bit about our training articles

With help from world-class climbers Malcolm Smith and Ben Moon, I have compiled tips and exercises which will improve your climbing. I will look at all aspects of climbing / training and will give sound advice that will help you no matter the level you climb.

The following are some of the topics we will be discussing:

• Goal setting

• Warming up and warming down

• Volume and Intensity

• Strength training exercises

• Endurance training exercises

• Training frequency

• Mental training

• Injuries (they happen to us all)

Each article will include photos and videos where necessary to help you understand the correct way to complete the exercises I suggest. I will also include a beginner / intermediate / advanced section in each article where you will be able to class yourself in one of the above categories by completing a brief questionnaire about your climbing level and experience.

This will help you to get the most from your training and avoid injury.

Even the beginner training sections are suited for someone who is physically fit and has a good base level of climbing experience.