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ctardi
Oct 8, 2004, 5:30 PM
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I have just recently started climbing, doing about 5.9 - easy 5.10 indoors right now. The main thing holding me back is my arms and hands. What are some good exercises to help me be a stronger climber?
Also, I have found I get very raw hands from belaying, what is the best way to prevent this from happening?
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coylec
Oct 8, 2004, 6:11 PM
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In reply to: I have just recently started climbing, doing about 5.9 - easy 5.10 indoors right now. The main thing holding me back is my arms and hands. What are some good exercises to help me be a stronger climber?
There are several good books on training. My personal choice is "Training for Climbing" by Eric Horst. The recommendations that follow are based from this book. For beginning climbers, Horst recommends a mix of 70% actual climbing, 25% general conditioning and %5 sport specific training. He recommends that you climb up to four days per week and at as many areas as possible. You'll want to climb for volume rather than difficulty -- this way you can learn a wide range of skills and tactics (which will be more benefitical than getting good at a few hard routes). You want to engage in general conditioning -- focus on optimizing body composition, improving your flexibility and toning your antagonist (a type of muscle which provides an opposing force to the primary muscles of action) muscles. You can do a few sport specific exericeses, but priority should be given to actual climbing. Doing sport specific exercises when you're not ready is going to hurt you, period.
There are a couple of "general condition exercises" that will help. You'll need to work these muscle groups. For your forearms, there are reverse curls, barbell wrist curls and reverse barbell wrist curls. For upper arms, bicep and tricep curls. For the shoulders, you have pull-downs, pull-ups, trap-lift, and more. If you are doing routes that emphasize small holds, you may want to consider taping your fingers.
As always, be careful - start slow.
If you are trying to get ready to climb, just get into good shape. General conditioning will be great. My personal opinion is that you will want to develop lean muscle over bulk muscle. High rep at moderate weights will be more effecitve than low rep at high weight. You don't see many climbers that look like a bodybuilder, eh? Regardless, before beginning any exercise regime, consult your physician or doctor (I sound like a commercial, eh?)
In reply to: Also, I have found I get very raw hands from belaying, what is the best way to prevent this from happening?
In time, you will build calluses. Glove are also an option. I like the metolius climbing gloves (the 3/4 finger gloves), while others prefer the full finger gloves. A cheaper option is using leather weight-lifting gloves (don't use the all cloth gloves -- the rope will burn through quickly).
coylec
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johnathon78
Oct 9, 2004, 1:52 AM
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raw hands from belaying? Wear a glove on your brake hand. I wear a leather glove that I picked up form wal mart for like $4...works great, I also rappel with it.
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dutyje
Oct 9, 2004, 3:13 AM
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More power will help you make the moves, sure. But I bet, with improved technique alone, you'd be able to climb several letter grades higher. I can't even count the number of times I've said "that's just a raw power move" or "it's easy enough you just need to have the strength to pull it off" -- only to find myself on the same route a month later, getting up and down like it's nothing.
My advise would be to focus on technique. The arm strength, while important, will cover up your technique problems and prevent you from improving down the road.
Take a look around. I bet you'd be surprised how many fat wimpy guys can climb much harder than you. I'm not usually surprised, because I am a fat wimpy guy.
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ctardi
Oct 9, 2004, 4:34 AM
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I find my technique is not what is holding me back right now, it is mostly small holds and big reaches that give me the most trouble. Mostly, not being able to hold on, or pull myself up with one arm.
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vegastradguy
Oct 9, 2004, 4:55 AM
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careful with small holds. as a new climber, your tendons have not strengthened fully yet and you can injure yourself much easier than someone who has been climbing longer.
avoid injury and focus on your technique and footwork. (btw- i dont think there are that many .10's (at least in the gym) where i've needed to pull my body up with a single arm on a small crimp...i usually just stand up on whatever foot is highest.)
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anykineclimb
Oct 9, 2004, 4:56 AM
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In reply to: Mostly, not being able to hold on, or pull myself up with one arm.
Based on what you r just said it IS technique your need. If you're climbing .9s and .10s you shouldn't ever need to pull yourself up with one arm.
You stated you recently got into climbing which I interpret as less than a year, possibly less than 6 months.
Do you know about stances? hip postioning? foot work?
In reply to: mostly small holds and big reaches that give me the most trouble
You need to look down to your feet. if you encounter a long reach, look to see where you can move your feet higher.
I you haven't heard the analagy yet; climbing is like moving up a ladder.
You're not doing pull up up it. you're walking up with your legs and holding yourself on with your arms.
Do the same on the wall. move your feet high, stand up, move your hands. repeat.
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ctardi
Oct 9, 2004, 5:25 AM
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I should also add, that I am very short, and have ratehr short arms, so do end up with alot of reaches.
I move my feet up as high as i can, and still find the final hold just out of my reach :( I've had to do a few jump and grab with the tips of your fingers, and don't like them, as I'm not strong enough yet to not have pain when doing these.
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climbtothebeet
Oct 9, 2004, 5:35 AM
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be careful doing dynos like that when your tendons are stil week, im not at the point yet were i would get into the habit of doing those things, havnt been climbing enough, and i dont go often enough.
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overlord
Oct 9, 2004, 8:53 AM
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if you just started id reccomend climbing.
your tendons are most likely still to weak to handle the more agressive training tools and youre more likely to injure yourself than to improve to a noticable degree.
for beginners learning good technique is more important than strength.
but if you really want to get stronger, boulder 3 times per week, at leas a days rest between training days. its also good to have a good partner who can point out your weak spots (both technically and pure strength related) so you can work on them.
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anykineclimb
Oct 9, 2004, 1:56 PM
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Hmm, might be a route setter issue..
Are all the routes like this? How tall are you?
I had a friend that I worked with who was 4'11" and could outclimb a lot of people. Pretty funny when a 6' guy says he can't finish a route because of a reachy hold; then this short chic sends it with no problem!
Done any climbing outdoors yet? same problems?
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bobd1953
Oct 9, 2004, 3:25 PM
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bobd1953 moved this thread from Beginners to Technique & Training.
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ctardi
Oct 10, 2004, 12:24 AM
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great, you guys have offered some awesome advice, and I am just waiting for a gym membership to go through, then I will start living at the gym. hehe. I'm goin out gear shopping next saturday, so will see what kind of gloves I can find, also see if they have that book that coylec mentioned.
also, unrealated, but when i hit spellcheck, it just comes up with "You must choose a Database Type in the Spell Configuration file." how do i fix that?
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overlord
Oct 10, 2004, 9:31 AM
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just curious... what do you need the gloves for???
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ctardi
Oct 10, 2004, 4:27 PM
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Belaying. I get a very raw right hand from it. Please, no jokes :lol:
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sully264
Oct 10, 2004, 5:10 PM
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Do you like to keep your partners really tight on TR? When i belay very tightly sometimes my hands hurt, but if i relax and keep a little play in the system, i usually have no problem.
That's just my experience
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ctardi
Oct 10, 2004, 6:46 PM
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No, I only keep it tight if the people ask me to, otherwise there is a bit of slack. It could also be the way I belay, not hand over hand, but the other way. Involves running your hand up the rope....
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uitdoorqi
Oct 11, 2004, 2:28 AM
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Does it get raw or sore and cramped? Are you running a loaded rope through your hands? I use the same technique as you and haven't ever had a problem. Eenteresting.........
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ctardi
Oct 11, 2004, 5:42 AM
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My hands get raw, it might actually be more from letting climbers decend, but I am not too sure. I will ask someone at the gym if I am doing anything wrong. I'm going into vancouver saturday to get some gear, so will probably pick up some gloves then....
Thanks for the help guys! :D
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kachoong
Oct 11, 2004, 5:55 AM
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In reply to: My hands get raw, it might actually be more from letting climbers decend, but I am not too sure. I will ask someone at the gym if I am doing anything wrong. I'm going into vancouver saturday to get some gear, so will probably pick up some gloves then.... Thanks for the help guys! :D
....the only way to get tougher hands in this case is to NOT use gloves, otherwise you'll always need them.... ever heard of guitar learners wearing gloves? Your hands will toughen up with time.... if your hands are raw from letting the climbers down on top rope, then your letting the rope through too fast.... if the rope feeds too fast because of climber weight, think about an alternative belay device with better friction so you don't need to hang on so tight....
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