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Jazza11
Aug 17, 2009, 6:44 AM
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I hav'nt actually started climbing but i really want to their is a climbing gym just near me so thats a plus but i wanted to know about becoming fiter and pre-pairing for climbing as i am hardly health at all right now i was wondering if someone could give me some tips on how to increase my health and fitness specificaly for climbing like should i buy a new bike or get a exercise bike to improve my cartiovascular fitness??? any advise is welcome and much appreciated.
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uni_jim
Aug 17, 2009, 6:47 AM
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when i wanted to play baseball, i started off by bowling as often as i could.
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blkela
Aug 17, 2009, 7:31 AM
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For a beginner you should start out with something aerobic (running, biking, swimming, power walking, etc.) and also some low level weights with high reps to build your endurance. Get a hand-strengthener (the squeeze type) to develop finger and forearm strength. That and eating right should get you started.
Go to the gym and see what they have to say. They could probably give you a better analysis for you too.
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uni_jim
Aug 17, 2009, 7:46 AM
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just go and climb dude! only once you want to start pushing your climbing should you have to train for climbing.
Climbing, believe it or not, is a sport for all bodytypes, now tie in and pull down!
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Hooky
Aug 17, 2009, 8:03 AM
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Just start climbing. You'll probably feel that you are too weak and need to strengthen your arms and fingers but unless you are in a really bad shape, this is probably due to your poor climbing technique. Also try climbing on a real rock, in my experience it requires much less strength to just stay on the rock (as opposed to gym) and is much more rewarding.
You can do some general conditioning to improve your overall fintness level and generally strengthen your arms - this also prevents injury. You will also greatly benefit from flexibility training (stretching).
Whatever you do, stay away from any climbing specific conditioning, like campus boards, finger boards etc. You absolutely do not need this and would only risk an injury.
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Carnage
Aug 17, 2009, 3:46 PM
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blkela wrote: For a beginner you should start out with something aerobic (running, biking, swimming, power walking, etc.) and also some low level weights with high reps to build your endurance. Get a hand-strengthener (the squeeze type) to develop finger and forearm strength. That and eating right should get you started. Go to the gym and see what they have to say. They could probably give you a better analysis for you too.
this is awful advice. just climb
no actual rock climber i've ever talked to actually recommended a hand strengthener. it will not help your rock climbing.
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LostinMaine
Aug 17, 2009, 7:03 PM
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Carnage wrote: blkela wrote: For a beginner you should start out with something aerobic (running, biking, swimming, power walking, etc.) and also some low level weights with high reps to build your endurance. Get a hand-strengthener (the squeeze type) to develop finger and forearm strength. That and eating right should get you started. Go to the gym and see what they have to say. They could probably give you a better analysis for you too. this is awful advice. just climb no actual rock climber i've ever talked to actually recommended a hand strengthener. it will not help your rock climbing.
Let's make an assumption that a "hand strengthener" was just that... something to strengthen your hands. If that was true, how is it that a hand strengthener will not help with holding onto a rock? At the very least, it might increase the time for a new climber to become gripped from holding on too tightly.
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ckirkwood9
Aug 17, 2009, 8:02 PM
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Carnage wrote: blkela wrote: For a beginner you should start out with something aerobic (running, biking, swimming, power walking, etc.) and also some low level weights with high reps to build your endurance. Get a hand-strengthener (the squeeze type) to develop finger and forearm strength. That and eating right should get you started. Go to the gym and see what they have to say. They could probably give you a better analysis for you too. this is awful advice. just climb no actual rock climber i've ever talked to actually recommended a hand strengthener. it will not help your rock climbing.
I agree w/the blkela. Climbing is very fore-arm intensive.... most people don't have very strong forearms (unless they work construction, race bicycles/motorcycles, or eat lots of spinach! lol)
Hand trainers also work the climbing-specific forearm muscles, and while balance, flexibility and core strength are supremely important, a little bit of forearm strength will go a long way on a long day at the crag, ESPECIALLY for a beginner while they're learning the finesse of climbing.
Many beginners forearms/hands burn out long before their motivation does SO Stronger forearms will never hurt. (nor will stronger lats/abs/shoulders/legs/hands/toes/etc for that matter - so most strength/endurance exercise will help a new climber.
Anyway - I say get one of the blue rings (that look like a dog chew toy)
http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/black-diamond-forearm-trainer-reviews
(by the way - 4.6 out of 5 stars from 58 reviewers)
Carry it with you, mindlessly squeezing the heck out of it...
They're also good for those times in most climbers lives when they're forced to focus on life (as opposed to climbing). I've found that climbing strength and endurance goes away fairly quickly if you don't keep climbing. The forearm trainers will help you keep some of this strength until the crazy work or life schedule quiets down and you can get back to the rock.
Cheers.
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shockabuku
Aug 17, 2009, 8:38 PM
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Save your money; go climbing instead of buying those "forearm strengtheners". I've never known a climber who said they were of any use.
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qtm
Aug 17, 2009, 8:53 PM
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shockabuku wrote: Save your money; go climbing instead of buying those "forearm strengtheners". I've never known a climber who said they were of any use.
You can build a cheap "forearm strengthener" with a 1' section of 1-1/2" dowel (or just a stick from the back yard), 3' of cord, and a 1/2 gallon milk jug filled with sand or dirt.
Clove hitch the cord to middle of stick. Tie cord to milk jug. Hold out in front of you and roll to lift the jug, and unroll to lower. Adjust level of sand to suit your needs.
Does give you a good pump... not sure if it does anything for your climbing, but it doesn't cost much to build.
(This post was edited by qtm on Aug 17, 2009, 8:53 PM)
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blueeyedclimber
Aug 17, 2009, 8:53 PM
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ckirkwood9 wrote: Carnage wrote: blkela wrote: For a beginner you should start out with something aerobic (running, biking, swimming, power walking, etc.) and also some low level weights with high reps to build your endurance. Get a hand-strengthener (the squeeze type) to develop finger and forearm strength. That and eating right should get you started. Go to the gym and see what they have to say. They could probably give you a better analysis for you too. this is awful advice. just climb no actual rock climber i've ever talked to actually recommended a hand strengthener. it will not help your rock climbing. I agree w/the blkela. Climbing is very fore-arm intensive.... most people don't have very strong forearms (unless they work construction, race bicycles/motorcycles, or eat lots of spinach! lol) Hand trainers also work the climbing-specific forearm muscles, and while balance, flexibility and core strength are supremely important, a little bit of forearm strength will go a long way on a long day at the crag, ESPECIALLY for a beginner while they're learning the finesse of climbing. Many beginners forearms/hands burn out long before their motivation does SO Stronger forearms will never hurt. (nor will stronger lats/abs/shoulders/legs/hands/toes/etc for that matter - so most strength/endurance exercise will help a new climber. Anyway - I say get one of the blue rings (that look like a dog chew toy) http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/black-diamond-forearm-trainer-reviews (by the way - 4.6 out of 5 stars from 58 reviewers) Carry it with you, mindlessly squeezing the heck out of it... They're also good for those times in most climbers lives when they're forced to focus on life (as opposed to climbing). I've found that climbing strength and endurance goes away fairly quickly if you don't keep climbing. The forearm trainers will help you keep some of this strength until the crazy work or life schedule quiets down and you can get back to the rock. Cheers.
Then you are agreeing with BAD advice. Muscles strengthen very quickly when compared to tendons. The best thing for a beginner to do is to just climb and focus on technique. Tendons can take months or even years to strengthen, and this is usually where beginners too eager to get strong and pull down hard, get injured.
Josh
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LostinMaine
Aug 17, 2009, 9:10 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: Then you are agreeing with BAD advice. Muscles strengthen very quickly when compared to tendons. The best thing for a beginner to do is to just climb and focus on technique. Tendons can take months or even years to strengthen, and this is usually where beginners too eager to get strong and pull down hard, get injured. Josh
I have known many climbers to get injured immediately climbing "hard" the first few times ever climbing. It is very stressful on the body to be exposed to heights, overusing their arms and not using their feet, trusting ropes, etc.
Someone using a hand strengthener can make great strides with climbing (going through PT helped me a lot with climbing). I see no reason not to recommend a hand trainer because there is fear that someone might try to climb too hard after using it.
People with overzealous and foolish personalities will always find a way to hurt themselves without any assistance.
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lrossi
Aug 17, 2009, 9:13 PM
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Jazza11 wrote: I hav'nt actually started climbing but i really want to their is a climbing gym just near me so thats a plus but i wanted to know about becoming fiter and pre-pairing for climbing as i am hardly health at all right now i was wondering if someone could give me some tips on how to increase my health and fitness specificaly for climbing like should i buy a new bike or get a exercise bike to improve my cartiovascular fitness??? any advise is welcome and much appreciated.
Start with sentences. Eventually you can move up to paragraphs.
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blueeyedclimber
Aug 17, 2009, 9:23 PM
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LostinMaine wrote: I have known many climbers to get injured immediately climbing "hard" the first few times ever climbing. It is very stressful on the body to be exposed to heights, overusing their arms and not using their feet, trusting ropes, etc.
In reply to: Someone using a hand strengthener can make great strides with climbing (going through PT helped me a lot with climbing). I see no reason not to recommend a hand trainer because there is fear that someone might try to climb too hard after using it.
In reply to: People with overzealous and foolish personalities will always find a way to hurt themselves without any assistance.
People with overzealous and foolish personalities shouldn't climb. Period.
Josh
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LostinMaine
Aug 17, 2009, 9:35 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: LostinMaine wrote: I have known many climbers to get injured immediately climbing "hard" the first few times ever climbing. It is very stressful on the body to be exposed to heights, overusing their arms and not using their feet, trusting ropes, etc. what was getting injured? Do you really think a hand strengthener could have prevented it? In reply to: Someone using a hand strengthener can make great strides with climbing (going through PT helped me a lot with climbing). I see no reason not to recommend a hand trainer because there is fear that someone might try to climb too hard after using it. It's called specificity of training. Look it up. In reply to: People with overzealous and foolish personalities will always find a way to hurt themselves without any assistance. People with overzealous and foolish personalities shouldn't climb. Period. Josh
Easy, there. I'm not out to pick a fight. No need to use the "look it up" line... I spend most of my time "looking it up."
To answer specifically. Nope, I don't think a hand strengthener would have fixed the problem. I never suggested or implied that it could. I simply mentioned that people get hurt due to the stresses that first-time climbing can put on a body. I just didn't see how strengthening a muscle group that is used commonly for climbing would be a "bad" thing.
I am quite aware that specific training regimes exist for climbing or any other activity. The original question was not "how can climbing help me train for climbing" it was more along the lines of "is there anything I can do aside from climbing to help me prepare for climbing." Your advice is simply to climb (which I agree with). However, not everyone has the luxury of climbing at the drop of a hat. Surely there are a series of exercises that are not climbing, that can help with climbing (wasn't there a program out from several strong climbers like Longo or John Gill?).
I also agree that foolish people shouldn't climb. That doesn't mean that they won't, though. I see no reason that an overzealous person should not climb, though. Being overly enthusiastic isn't a negative trait, necessarily.
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minibiter
Aug 17, 2009, 9:45 PM
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Go climb.
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blueeyedclimber
Aug 17, 2009, 9:54 PM
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LostinMaine wrote: Easy, there. I'm not out to pick a fight. No need to use the "look it up" line... I spend most of my time "looking it up." To answer specifically. Nope, I don't think a hand strengthener would have fixed the problem. I never suggested or implied that it could. I simply mentioned that people get hurt due to the stresses that first-time climbing can put on a body. I just didn't see how strengthening a muscle group that is used commonly for climbing would be a "bad" thing. I am quite aware that specific training regimes exist for climbing or any other activity. The original question was not "how can climbing help me train for climbing" it was more along the lines of "is there anything I can do aside from climbing to help me prepare for climbing." Your advice is simply to climb (which I agree with). However, not everyone has the luxury of climbing at the drop of a hat. Surely there are a series of exercises that are not climbing, that can help with climbing (wasn't there a program out from several strong climbers like Longo or John Gill?). I also agree that foolish people shouldn't climb. That doesn't mean that they won't, though. I see no reason that an overzealous person should not climb, though. Being overly enthusiastic isn't a negative trait, necessarily.
Not tying to pick a fight or be rude. IT's just that I have seen many people give the advice that your giving, when it's wrong advice. It's not dangerous advice, it just won't really help a beginner. THe op was asking if there was any additional exercises that would help in the beginning and the only correct way to answer that question is to say climb, climb and climb some more. The only different advice I could give is if someone was overweight or needed to shed a few pounds. Then adding cardio to lose weight would be a good idea.
As far as training programs from high-end climbers, training does help once you get to a more advanced level.
In reference to your implication that people can get hurt from the stresses of firs-time climbing, you are correct. The first time you climb, or do any new activity for that matter, you are using new muscles/muscles groups in a way that you possibly haven't before. When you use a hand strengthen before climbing, you are training your muscle to do a certain activity. If when you climbed you only needed grip strength, then the hand strengthener might help.
So, back to my original advice....THe best and most effective way for a BEGINNER to break into climbing and see the most improvement is to climb.
No hard feelings.
Josh
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shockabuku
Aug 17, 2009, 9:58 PM
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LostinMaine wrote: blueeyedclimber wrote: Then you are agreeing with BAD advice. Muscles strengthen very quickly when compared to tendons. The best thing for a beginner to do is to just climb and focus on technique. Tendons can take months or even years to strengthen, and this is usually where beginners too eager to get strong and pull down hard, get injured. Josh I have known many climbers to get injured immediately climbing "hard" the first few times ever climbing. It is very stressful on the body to be exposed to heights, overusing their arms and not using their feet, trusting ropes, etc. Someone using a hand strengthener can make great strides with climbing (going through PT helped me a lot with climbing). I see no reason not to recommend a hand trainer because there is fear that someone might try to climb too hard after using it. People with overzealous and foolish personalities will always find a way to hurt themselves without any assistance.
That doesn't equate to recommending one. And no one, so far, who has a credible amount of experience is recommending one.
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blkela
Aug 17, 2009, 10:31 PM
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So basically what you are saying is that the magazine "Rock & Ice" gives bad advise. Because that is where that came from. Then that would also mean that you are saying that some of the most experienced climbers are full of shit.
Interesting....
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shockabuku
Aug 17, 2009, 10:34 PM
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blkela wrote: So basically what you are saying is that the magazine "Rock & Ice" gives bad advise. Because that is where that came from.
Sometimes. Who doesn't?
blkela wrote: Then that would also mean that you are saying that some of the most experienced climbers are full of shit. Interesting....
Yep, some are. Who's "some of the most experienced climbers" that wrote that? And what did they say?
Ads (and articles) make money. People will say almost anything to make money.
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LostinMaine
Aug 17, 2009, 10:46 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: So, back to my original advice....THe best and most effective way for a BEGINNER to break into climbing and see the most improvement is to climb. No hard feelings. Josh
On this, I could not possibly agree more.
Also, I know you're a decent dude. I think we met, oh... maybe 5 or 6 years ago at the base of Maria... or perhaps it was before the film festival in New Paltz? Can't remember anymore. It was in my gunks.com days. You were a good guy (and I presume you still are!).
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blkela
Aug 17, 2009, 11:00 PM
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I was just loosely quoting a beginners training regime for someone that said they have never climbed and was not in the best of shape. If you want to know which issue it was that said this it was the "How to Climb, The Complete Guide".
That said, I have NO intention of following their plan, mostly because I work on a drill rig which keeps me in fine shape when I'm not climbing.
(This post was edited by blkela on Aug 17, 2009, 11:01 PM)
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blueeyedclimber
Aug 17, 2009, 11:27 PM
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LostinMaine wrote: blueeyedclimber wrote: So, back to my original advice....THe best and most effective way for a BEGINNER to break into climbing and see the most improvement is to climb. No hard feelings. Josh On this, I could not possibly agree more. Also, I know you're a decent dude. I think we met, oh... maybe 5 or 6 years ago at the base of Maria... or perhaps it was before the film festival in New Paltz? Can't remember anymore. It was in my gunks.com days. You were a good guy (and I presume you still are!).
I have met a lot of people over the years so it's very possible we've met. I am not very good with names, and i didn't see any pictures in your profile that were clear, so I'll just have to take your word for it.
Josh
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