You Aren't Actually Training.
Training is extra popular right now. Everybody and their mom want to train, has training advice, and can give you a three minute video depicting their training. This may sound like a plus, particularly for someone who sells training programs, but that isn't necessarily the case. Just take a look at your Instagram feed. Click on the first training video you come across, and you'll find 27 comments from people tagging their friends.
"We HAVE to do this!"
No, you don't.
It's a good bet that it won't help you at all, or if it does, it's only because you're so untrained that you'd probably get that much stronger just by watching Cliffhanger. You already know my thoughts on doing the same workouts as your friends, so we don't need to go into that.
What you want to do is workout. This isn't training. Two totally different animals.
Semantics, you say. Blah blah blah. But for me, these are important semantics. So what's the difference?
WANT MORE? READ THE REST IN: The Hard Truth: Simple Ways to Become a Better Climber
Skaters do one important thing much better than climbers: they chase mastery instead of success.
It's exactly the same amount of challenging for you no matter what number anyone attaches to it.
How often do you give 100%? REALLY give 100%? I make my living coaching climbers, and I seldom see a climber try their hardest. Myself included.
While in the gym, for the most part, boulderers are closer than sport climbers to training the correct way.
It's easy to get discouraged by how quickly the pros seem to put down the hardest projects.
I get it. Talking is easier than doing. What it isn't, however, is nearly as satisfying.
Nate snapped the banana in half. Clean break, right through the middle. Like a ninja.
You can almost always find a reason to continue training the short-sighted way.
There is NO single workout that any group of people can follow to get the optimum results for each of them.
Newbs, rejoice! You get a whole post. A short one, but your very own set of training wheels.
So how do you get better faster? There's a simple answer. You don't.
After much deliberation over a list of about 25, I've decided on the 5 ways I see experienced climbers derail their progression.
I hear them coming from every corner of the gym… excuses.
The fact is, you WILL NEVER get to within earshot of your potential if you don't have a complete skill set.
Our egos are ruthless. I've seen climbers stop a workout early because they didn't want to "look bad".
Fact is, seeing the "chains" as the sole representation of success is holding you back.
Our very own coach Jess West provides valuable insight as to how setters can smartly and safely train for their goals.
Sod’s Law states: “Anything that can go wrong, will always go wrong, with the worst possible outcome.” Turns out, Sod generally spends his time at the climbing gym.
Routesetting is hard and hard on the body. Jonathan Brandt has continued to improve as a climber while simultaneously running the setting crew at Climb Nashville.
There is NO single workout that any group of people can follow to get the optimum results for each of them.
Professional setter Chris Danielson is the absolute go-to guy for any big comp or gym consulting project.
A climber since 1994, Kris was a traddie for 12 years before he discovered the gymnastic movement inherent in sport climbing and bouldering. Through dedicated training and practice, he eventually built to ascents of 5.14 and V11.
Kris started Power Company Climbing in 2006 as a place to share training info with his friends, and still specializes in working with full time "regular" folks. He's always available for coaching sessions and training workshops.
Redpointing is an ultimate success built on the backs of many failures.