While rock climbing is a powerful stress reliever, it can also be a source of stress when you want to get the most out of your rock climbing gym session. There is never enough time in a day. There are many things to do, places, and people to see. So how can you fit in a rock climbing gym session while your precious time is fleeting? Luckily it’s a simple fix – plan ahead. Plan when you’ll climb and what workouts you’ll do.<\/p>\n
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First: plan when you’ll climb. If you’re looking to maximize each gym session, make a plan for each day you climb. We’ll get to the specific details of that component in part two but know that you will only have time to train some of what you want each day.<\/p>\n
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Start by choosing what you want to focus on in your climbing and how much time you realistically have in your current schedule. Know that rope workouts will generally take longer because of switching off with a belay partner (unless using an Autobelay) and that boulder workouts are more time effective. Then choose an appropriate number of training days and times to write in a digital or physical agenda\/calendar. Putting it into your schedule is consciously reminding yourself about the training session and ensuring you make it to the gym.<\/p>\n
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While the number of days you choose to rock climb varies by person, here’s a general guideline. Please note that these recommendations are not specific to any climber. If you want to learn more about how to train for climbing, ask your local gym about setting up a personal lesson with a pro. Train hard, train smart, train safe!<\/p>\n
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Guide to Choosing # Training Days per Week<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n With your training schedule established, you can now plan what the individual climbing gym sessions will entail. Assuming you are a climber who wants to improve all aspects of their climbing (technique, power, power endurance, etc.) when you train, your training breakdown will vary depending on how many days you will be at the climbing gym. For someone who can put in four one and half hour sessions per week, you will have greater flexibility to focus on one area at a time. However, if you only schedule two climbing days per week for 2 hours each, you’ll have to focus on combination drills and exercises that target multiple systems and muscles.<\/p>\n We’ve created a sample guideline to start you on your planning path. While we won’t dive into specific exercises (that is a whole blog in itself), we will delineate them into power, power endurance, endurance, and general fitness categories. Once you know which system you’re targeting daily, you can research the best exercises to train that area.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Quick Definition Break<\/strong><\/p>\n It is vital to make sure you understand the difference between power, power endurance, endurance, and fitnessIf you are already familiar with these terms, skip ahead; if not, take a moment to familiarize yourself with them before continuing to read.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Power: <\/strong>Max effort at high intensity for a brief period. Focuses on utilizing your maximum strength.<\/p>\n Power Endurance: <\/strong>Anaerobic capacity training. Moderate volume but high intensity.<\/p>\n Endurance: <\/strong>Aerobic capacity; your ability to climb for an extended period without succumbing to the pump (lactic acid buildup).<\/p>\n General Fitness: <\/strong>Combining core work, strength training, and mobility to maintain an athletic base.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Training Breakdown for Maximizing Your Gym Session<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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