Climbing is a skill sport, but strength also plays a huge role in climbing success. As you progress up the grades in climbing, strength grows in importance. In this video, Lyti and I do a simple strength assessment, including pushups, pullups, crunches, a one-rep max hang and max duration hang. This measurement represents our baseline strength prior to starting a specific training regimen. We’ll test again after two months of training to see how we’re progressing.
Like any significant venture in life, setting climbing goals is a key first step toward success. Matt has recruited his friend and climbing team member, Lyti, in a quest to achieve their summer climbing goals. Read on and watch the video to hear more about how they’re going about achieving those goals.
There is a lot of gear you need to be a well-rounded climber. In this post, we give an overview of gear you might want for several stages of your climbing career, from the first time you head to the gym for some bouldering, to climbing multi-pitch trad routes. We’re focused on route climbing here, not bouldering, ice climbing or mountaineering.
Clipping a quickdraw while leading is an essential skill that every climber needs to master. In this article and video, we cover four rules for making a good clip and three methods of actually clipping the rope. Read on if you feel you need to up your clipping game.
A belayer during the lead climb needs to pay full attention to what’s happening with the climber to minimize the risk of injury. You need to be aware of what the climber is doing, what the risk of a fall is and if the fall happens, whether your climber is going to hit something on the way down. Read on for 7 tips for giving a great lead belay.
An advanced top rope belay sounds like an oxymoron, but top roping is a low-risk way to work moves on a hard route. If your climber is at their limit, even on top rope, having a careful, attentive belay can help them do a better job working the moves. Here are a few tips that will help you be the best top rope belayer out there.
Max Hangs are a great way to gain climbing strength quickly. If you're stuck at home without the equipment for two-handed max hangs, then one-hand versions are a great alternative. This blog post goes over the details you'll need to execute this protocol.
7x3 repeaters are a great way to add strength endurance into your rock climbing training regimen. If you're into route climbing and you need to gain endurance to help maximize your send potential, then this hangboard protocol is a good choice.
Density hangs prescribe hanging for 30-40 seconds on a particular grip. This length of hanging increases muscle and tendon density in your forearms, increasing muscular strength endurance and lowering your risk of tendon injury.
With COVID-19 raging in the outside world, we're all forced to hangboard a lot more for training. When you hangboard, make sure you're engaging your shoulders properly to reduce risk of injury.
Heel hooks are critical for maintaining balance on some climbs. Learn more on the best methods for engaging your heel and reaching rock climbing nirvana!
