By Eric J. Hörst
I'm commonly asked what is the best training program or exercise for climbers, and I'm usually quick to answer 「it depends.」 This always leads me into a deeper conversation, but the executive summary is usually that 「the best training program for you is likely one you aren't doing!」
While many climbers I work with believe whole-heartedly that they are already on track with their training, a short Q & A with them usually reveals a less-than-perfect program and, in some cases, training that is largely a waste of time. Don't get me wrong, I meet a lot of hard-working climbers who really do take their training seriously—many pride themselves on always leaving the gym in a physically destroyed state. However, just because your training yields a crazy pump or makes you feel like a power-mongering bad ass, doesn't mean that it's effective. (For example, doing a CrossFit 「workout of the day」 would destroy most climbers, but it's not an effective training program for sport climbing.)
Enter sports science and the principles of overload and periodization, which state that an effective training program must be progressive and variable in nature. Equally important is the principle of individualization—a commandment that dictates the importance of training in a way that targets your limiting constraints relative to your current project or goal.
While I can't detail a personalized program in this short article—there is no one-program-fits-all for climbers—I will provide some general guidelines, tips, and a few exercises that will empower you to train more effectively. If you are really serious about getting it right, I encourage you to hire a veteran climbing coach or educate yourself so that you can embark on an intelligent self-directed program. (Tip: The three must-read books to study are Gimme Kraft, the Anderson brother's Rock Climber's Training Manual, and Training for Climbing, by yours truly.)
Is your Training On-route or Off-route?
Okay then, let's first suss out the effectiveness of your current training program. Your energy is being somewhat wasted with 「off-route」 training if you are: 1.) going to the gym and doing the same workout as previous months, 2.) training by way of another climber's program (copying what they are doing), 3.) training inconsistently (missing workouts or entire weeks of training), or 4.) going to the gym and 「climbing until you get a sick pump and can't climb anymore」 (I hear this one all the time).
How to Accurately Target Your Training
Sharpening your training aim begins by identifying your near-term climbing goal (is it bouldering, sport climbing, or multipitch related) and then correctly assessing your limiting constraints with regard to this goal. What's really holding you back? Is it maximum grip strength, pulling power, or forearm strength-endurance? Or, is it something more covert like poor climbing economy, fear, or perhaps core strength?
Something else to consider is your injury history and whether there are any underlying muscle imbalances or behaviors (i.e. under-resting, over-drinking, poor nutrition or sleep habits, etc.) that are holding you back. In designing a program, strive to improve on all things that affect your climbing, not just the time spent physically training. Peak performers in sport get all the puzzle pieces in the right place.
Having identified your climbing goal and related limiting constraints, cast-off on a dedicated 4- to 6-week training program that stays on-route (targeting your weaknesses) with every single workout. Do this consistently, three days per week, and you will soon break through your performance plateau.
What if you can't identify any glaring weakness or limiting constraint? The default training focus, then, is simply to 「get stronger.」 While improving grip strength is always paramount, you will most benefit from more comprehensive strength gains that includes your lock-off, shoulders, core, and posterior chain muscles (overlooked by most climbers).
With this goal in mind, I'll leave you with five important strength-training exercises. Don't just do one or two of these—coach Hörst instructs you to do all five!
1. Weighted Fingerboard Hangs – The hangboard is the single most effective training tool, yet so many climbers fail to properly use it (a few fingertip hangs at the end of your climbing session will have little benefit). Conversely, doing two or three hangboard sessions per week will gift most climbers with a noticeable bump in crimp strength in as little as two to four weeks. Here's how to increase your maximum crimp strength. Using an edge (depth between ½」 - ¾」) do three 7- to 10-second hangs each followed by just 50 to 53 seconds of rest (i.e. each hang-rest couplet is exactly one minute). These hangs must be near-maximal intensity, so you'll likely need to wear a weight belt (or hang weights from your harness) in order to limit each hang to just 10 grueling seconds. Use only the half-crimp grip (no thumb lock) and do three sets of three hangs with a three-minute rest between each set.
2. Weight Pull-ups (with top lock-off) – Doing high-rep sets of pull-ups will build endurance, but beyond a point it won't make you stronger. If you can do 15 solid bodyweight pull-ups, you should begin adding weight. Hang weights from a dip belt or harness, or use a weight vest. Add enough weight to limit you to just 5 to 8 reps, and be sure to hold a two-second lock-off at the top of each pull-up. Do three to five sets with weight, always beginning with at least one bodyweight warm-up set.
3. Dip – My favorite push muscle exercise, and a must-do for climbers. Begin by doing them on parallel bars and graduate to dipping on rings (much harder). Do 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps—a full rep begins at a 90-degree elbow bend (no lower) and ends in the straight-arm position. Strong climbers will need to add weight to maintain the proper rep range.
4. Windshield Wipers (aka. Ice Cream Makers) – Climbers do all kinds of crunches and planks in the name of anterior core and oblique training. If you are strong at these, it's time to add Windshield Wipers to your routine—these will hammer your entire core, as well as work the shoulders and arms in a very good way. Here's how to do them: Grabbing a bar palms away, pull-up to a 90-degree elbow bend, then lean your head and shoulders back while lifting your legs and bending at the hips to gain a 「V」-shaped body position (with your ankles a foot or two beyond the bar). Now hold this position and rotate your hips left and right (swinging your legs like a windshield wiper) about 45-degrees each side of the starting position. Do three sets of 6 to 12 reps (hard) with a three-minute rest between sets.
5. Pistol Squat (or free weight squat or deadlift) – You may be surprised to learn that the muscles of the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, among others) are crucial for creating core stiffness as well as powering the hip extension and kipping motions that are fundamental to hard climbing. If you have a good strength coach to instruct you, consider adding two brief squatting and/or deadlifting sessions per week. (We're not talking a body building or powerlifting program—don't go there!) For those who are self-coaching, I recommend training with single-legged Pistol Squats, which you can perform during rest breaks at the climbing gym. An ass-to-grass pistol squat is the long term-goal, however, lack of strength, flexibility, and balance prevent most climbers from being able to do this. So instead, I recommend doing the pistol squat with a bench, box, or chair (~ 18 inches high) positioned behind you. Squat down until your rear end touches the box, then press back up. Extend your arms and free leg in front of you for balance, and concentrate on tracking your knee out over your foot (don't let it collapse inward). Do two or three sets of 10 reps each side. Lower/raise the bench height to increase/decrease difficulty.
Eric Hörst (pronounced 「hurst」), a former world-class climber, is a renowned coach and author of best-selling books such as Training for Climbing and Maximum Climbing. Learn more atwww.TrainingForClimbing.com.
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