Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

Crushing Tip #18

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Chris Sharma on "Spicy Noodle", White Mountain, Yangshuo, China.

CORE! (Its not just for apples anymore)

Do you feel a little shaky when you climb?  Do you have a hard time keeping your feet on when you get to the steeps?  Then, it may be time to focus on your CORE!

Core strength is very important for climbing and overall health.  Improving your core will help keep you balanced and strong, allowing you to keep your limbs on the wall and make those difficult moves.  Edgeworks offers many classes to help strengthen your core muscles including yoga, pilates, and bootcamp (included with membership or day pass).  Or if you are looking for something a little more personalized, Edgeworks is now offering personal training sessions with our personal trainers, Marisssa and Patrick ($50/hr or $200 for 5hrs).

Whatever you choose, don’t forget: while we may be striving for that six pack to show off in our summer wear, the core consists of much more than just our tummy.  So get balanced – work your CORE!

Crushing Tip #17

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013

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Sequencing

We have all heard of visualization, muscle memory, and mental preparation as ways to enhance sport performance. Well, these tools work for climbing too, and good climbers frequently use these strategies before they climb during the ritual called “sequencing”. Sequencing has multiple levels of intensity, but essentially it is the act of planning your path up a wall.

The three steps of sequencing a route:

  1. Identify your holds and imagine what they feel like and how you will use them.
  2. Visualize an order of progression or “sequence” of holds you will use.
  3. Act it out! Literally, from the ground move your arms (and legs) as if you were climbing the route that you are about to climb.

 

That’s it. By sequencing a route you have mentally prepared yourself for what is ahead, visualized the path and movement, and have taken your body through the physical motions in order to trigger muscle memory.

Crushing Tip #16

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

To get the most out of your climbing workout you should structure your day at the gym. Try following these three steps as a general rule of thumb for planning your climbing sessions.

1. Thoroughly warm-up: Do some general activities that warm the body like biking or running and warm up your joints by moving them through their full range of motion such as doing arm circles. Then traverse and/or do some easy climbs to get your climbing specific muscles warm and ready to go.
2. Try new things: While you are fresh get on some harder climbs that involve using new technique.
3. Get a workout: Climb routes that you already have the sequence on to build endurance or strength.

Now, go get started!

Crushing Tip #15

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

Rest is an important part of any training plan, but that doesn’t mean you should go home and play x-box and eat cookies on your day off. Try adding cardio and core workouts to your off days. Adding cardiovascular workouts to your regimen can make those long climbs seem a bit shorter and those hard moves seem a bit easier. A cardio workout can be attained by completing just 30 minutes of continuous activity such as going for a jog, using a cardio machine or attending our Cycling class.  Edgeworks also offers Pilates and Yoga to help build core strength.

Crushing Tip #14

Monday, October 1st, 2012

Climbing is all about pushing your limits, facing your fears, and learning about what your body and mind is cabable of. In this short video, professional climber Chris Sharma talks about fears and limits and how climbing through the fear pushes you to discover more about your abilities.

http://vimeo.com/47333482

Looking to further improve your climbing? Check out our Private Lessons or ProRock Coaching programs.

 

Crushing Tip #13

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

It’s frustrating to hit a plateau, whether it’s at 5.7 or 5.11. Climber Steph Davis has some tips for overcoming your plateaus and moving on to harder routes:

“If you feel like you have a solid base in your difficulty range, one way to step up your progression might be to start working on routes that are out of your current ability range. So if you feel solid at 5.9, start your climbing day by doing a few routes you can do (so you warm up and have fun), and then choose a 5.10 or 10+ to work on. Go through the whole exercise of figuring out the moves and then redpointing it, whether it only takes 2 tries or 8. If it happened quick for you, try an 11- next time for your project route.

When you start getting on routes that are too hard for you, it gradually changes your perspective about the climbs that are more in your regular comfort range. Just make sure you keep doing climbs that are easier for you also, so you continue to like climbing and get to experience the flow of movement on routes that aren’t at your limit..”

Looking to further improve your climbing? Check out our Private Lessons or ProRock Coaching programs.

Crushing Tip #12

Sunday, July 1st, 2012

As a new climber, it’s tempting to hit the gym every day and max yourself out. Allowing your body to rest and recouperate, though, is essential in being able to climb your best. For newer climbers, Steph Davis recommends the following:

“Remember that you need rest days for muscle and tissue to rebuild, and your fingers are not used to being weighted so much. Three days a week should be the max, and with 4-7 you are flirting with tendon issues. Try not to tape your fingers if it’s not necessary. If you have energy to burn and you just can’t stop yourself, consider focusing on core strength. There are countless variations of crunches, leg raises and planks you can do. I think improving your core is one of the single best things you can do for climbing. In between your gym sessions, you could do some cross training of your choice: running, biking, swimming, yoga or weight lifting. This will keep your circulation going, improve your lungs, and in the case of yoga, give you even more muscle gains on your “rest” days.”

When you’re stoked on climbing and getting better, it can be easy to push your body to the point of injury, so make sure you remember to take those days off to let your body rebuild and recouperate!

Looking to further improve your climbing? Check out our Private Lessons or ProRock Coaching programs

Crushing Tip #11

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Climb smarter instead of stronger. Train yourself to always find the easiest way up a route regardless of the grade. For example, if you are on a 5.9 and you are a 5.11 climber you could skip holds and muscle your way through just to get to the top, but that would neither make you a stronger or smarter climber. You might as well take that opportunity to find the easiest path to the top. If you feel like you are doing a move that is too hard for the grade STOP. Take one step back and try to figure out a better way. If you consistently do this on easier grades you will do it better on harder grades enabling you to climb at a much higher level. I can’t count the number of people who are putting in 5.12 effort on a 5.11 climb. Wouldn’t you want to be putting 5.12 effort on a 5.12, or a 5.13? I sure would… Always think critically about the way you are climbing something and you will learn more from the experience. Send smart and then you will send hard!

Looking to further improve your climbing? Check out our Private Lessons or ProRock Coaching programs