The training of this component of your climbing arsenal is an intriguing area for discussion and certainly involves a lot of question as to how best train it. In this article, I hope to divulge my own thoughts on the matter.
For starters, let's have a look as to what strength actually is. Sometimes people get mixed up between strength and power, there is a very notable difference. Strength is basically the ability to do anything at maximum resistance for a length of time under around 7 seconds. When talking about strength in climbing, we usually refer to either finger strength or arm strength, however it can include the core and legs too.
When training strength, you want to look towards quality sets of exercises as opposed to volume (like when training stamina). The way your muscles respond to maximum resistance training with full recovery between every set is different to how it responds to massive volume of moves with little rest between e.g. Laps on boulders or routes. When working with little rest between sets, your muscles don't have enough time to recover and end up working within a different energy system than the one needed for strength gains.
FINGER STRENGTH + ARM STRENGTH
The question many ask is, how do we train finger strength? The answer is relatively simple, we just need to apply exercises to our training routine that corresponds with the principles I've mentioned above. A favorite for many is bouldering. Bouldering is probably the best way for the majority of climbers to improve finger strength. The reason for this is that it involves actual climbing as opposed to just exercises that simulate climbing positions e.g. fingerboards and campus boards. In the end of the day, that's what we are trying to get better at isn't it? So if we can employ exercises that involve doing climbing, then we are hitting two birds with one stone i.e. Satisfying the physical training as well as the technical... And of course the having fun part too : P
When bouldering to improve finger strength, it's sometimes a good idea to structure how your sessions are planned. If I feel that I am weaker on crimps than I am on slopers, it's only natural that I would try and avoid them because I find it hard, however, you should try and avoid this attitude at all costs. If you want to excel in climbing, you need to become an all-rounder, so if you notice weaknesses on certain hold types or styles of climbing, address this now!
Since strength is isometric (static), it makes sense that when you are bouldering, you look for problems of a more static nature. To train strength specifically, I even force myself to climb super static between all the moves, sometimes even locking off for up to 3seconds between every hold. Aswell as being a good strength training exercise, it's also a good technical exercise as it forces you to have good body position, otherwise the exercise becomes increasingly difficult.
Of course, after bouldering for strength, there is also fingerboards and campus boards. There has been a lot of debate in the past (and presently) as to whether or not these tools are appropriate for finger strength training, especially towards children under 18. In fact, the BMC have just stated their position against the use of campus boards for children under 18. We can knock on all day about this sort of stuff, so I'm not going to delve into that right now, but there is plenty of good forum debate on both ukclimbing.com and ukbouldering.com
Campus boards and fingerboards are in my opinion excellent tools to improve any climbers finger strength. They are invaluable for experienced climbers, however, intermediates and first time users should be aware if the repetitive nature ofthe training and consult a coach on his/her opinion as well as recommended exercises before attempting.
As strength is isometric (static), the campus board becomes less strength orientated than the fingerboard, however, you can be creative wi the way you use it that can make it more strength based. For example, locking off statically between the rungs as opposed to moving powerfully with momentum. If locking off statically without feet is too hard, you can put your feet on the backboard (as long as the wall has been fitted footholds) and take body weight off.
The fingerboard is my favorite isometric strength training tool. It's incredibly simple to use and a very easy way of developing good levels of strength. The exercises I tend to perform on the fingerboard for strength are:
1) Deadhangs (Max Hangs) 2) Pull Ups 3) Lock Offs 4) One Armers 5) Lowers 6) Litzing - if that's how you spell it?
The last two it's unlikely you've heard of. They are relatively new exercises in my weekly routine, but I have grown to love them.
Deadhangs are my favorite, simply because they are the basic idea behind climbing I.e. Hanging. The concept is to hang of a hold with one or two hands until failure. Of course, if you are training strength, look for a maximum hang of between 1 second and 7 seconds. Usually, if I ak failing at 1 second, then I take weight off my body using a pulley, until I can hang for 3 seconds just. From then on, over the course of the training cycle, I will try and build up my finger strength in that position until I can hang that hold for a maximum of 7 seconds. What I will usually do when training like this, is wait until I can comfortably hold the position for 7-10 seconds consistently throughout the entire set on a given day and only then will I make it harder, either by taking weight off the pulley, or by making the hold smaller. From then on, I will begin work on the more intensive position until I can repeat the process of improved finger strength all over again.
Pull ups are a classic, however, because they involve movement, they really don't follow the rules of strength training being an isometric exercise. I tend to be fairly loose with this idea and feel that if I am working at or below 3 reps, it's ok! You can make pull ups hard by making the holds smaller, moving up more statically or even adding weight? When adding weight, I pay close attention to what I am holding onto I.e. I am not keen on weighted two finger and one finger pockets. Be sensible with this one...
Lock offs, another classic! Holding a static lock position at anywhere between 120 and 0 degrees is excellent strength training.
1) 0 degrees is full lock (chin above bar) and is in my opinion the easiest.
2) Just below at around 45 degrees is noticeably harder - I like to mix up one arm pull up training at this point by doing reps between 0 degrees and 45 degrees.
3) 90 degrees is again harder still but probably the most common position to lock off at. If for arm strength and general lock strength, use a bigger hold, but mix up on edges and pockets for that added finger strength training.
4) 120 degrees is just off deadhang stage and is bloody nails! When performing 1 Armers, I always find it's at this point of the consecutive rep that I find the hardest part.
When performing lock strength exercises, it's probably a good idea to train on a flat jug as opposed to a bar or incut jug. The reason for this is that when climbing, a lot of your lock strength is determined by your wrist stabilizing the position. When hanging from a bar or oversized jug, you lose out on this training effect. The best hold I have seen for doing 1 Armers and locks on is the middle slot jug on the beast maker 1000 and 2000 series.
1 Armers are such a good exercise, but like the pull ups, I don't go past 3 reps. If you find 1 Armers hard without assistance, then just use a pulley with some weight taken off your body, it's not cheating unless your using it to get your fat butt up routes and boulders, this is just training (is training cheating though?).
Lowers are a really amazing exercise, however, much caution must be used when doing them. Lowers are basically the opposite of a pull up, except you start from the top and work your way down. Because of the nature of the contraction (eccentric), they build strength up quickly and effectively. I might add weight when doing lowers of jugs, but take weight off when doing them of smaller holds.
And finally, Litzing. This is something that I have recently come into knowledge about but have found them a really enjoyable and slightly amusing form of finger training. Imagine doing fingertip pull ups, literally! Basically, you move from open hand, to half crimp and into full crimp position in one movement whilst in deadhang position. Once into full crimp, move back into open. I do sets of 1 rep, 3 reps and 5 reps. Note that these are incredibly intensive finger exercises and should be performed with caution.
So that more or less covers all finger-related strength exercises. We also covered some exercises such as pull ups and one Armers that incorporate the whole arm as well, however, when training is focussed on your lock strength or pull strength and not your finger strength, move onto the slot jugs and look for your max resistance on them as opposed to edges, pockets or slopers.
So that covers the fingers strength and arm strength. Below are some example finger strength and arm strength programs to follow for fingerboards, campus boards and pull up bars.
Enjoy
ROBZ]]>[email protected] (Training)Strength TrainingWed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000