This is the second in a five-part series on energy system training as a conceptual model for organizing your workouts to obtain better results in the long-term. This episode (and the next) focus specifically on the Anaerobic Lactic energy system and how to best train for adaptations that will increase your anaerobic capacity.
This is a cutting-edge topic with huge potential, especially for advanced and elite climbers, to open up new levels of strength, power, and endurance. By thoughtfully and accurately applying my energy system training guidelines, you will be able to train more effectively and, hopefully, obtain gradual training gains for seasons and years to come!
Podcast Rundown
0:20 – Introduction & comments on why the energy system training conceptual model is valuable...especially to advance and elite climbers.
3:17 – "Thank yous" for all the feedback on the first Energy System podcast. My offer to answer YOUR questions via the next “Ask Coach Hörst” podcast…coming in late May. Submit your question on Twitter @Train4climbing and please include your name, home town, and years climbing. Keep your question short and focused.
5:40 – A first look at the anaerobic lactate energy system...and what we're going drill down into over the next 50+ minutes.
8:00 - Warning about old information and bad advice (and questionable training protocols) that are widespread in the public domain, regarding energy system training. Climbing is a novel activity and in this podcast I am presenting a climbing-specific breakdown of energy system training that may be much different than what you've read or heard for other sports...or other coaches. The science has changed somewhat in recent years...
9:37 - Example: "Lactic acid"...a commonly used term by many laypersons, as well as many athletes, coaches, and even some academics not on top of the latest research on bioenergetics. Listen and learn! Lactate anions and protons (H+) are 99% dissociated at human physiological pH...so talk about "lactate" and "proton" (or acidosis), but NOT "lactic acid"!
13:20 - The 3 parts of this podcast: 1. a review of the three energy systems, 2. an in-depth look at the strengths & weaknesses of the Anaerobic Lactic energy system, 3. a detailed presentation of numerous training strategies & protocols for increasing anaerobic capacity (due to length, this third section is in a separate podcast (#24).
14:50 - Part 1: Overview of the 3 energy systems..and how they overlap and interact.
15:48 - It's all about synthesizing and breaking down ATP to power muscle contraction (and relaxation). Did you know you breakdown your body weight in ATP each day? True story!
18:40 - Review of the ATP-CP system...the source of anaerobic power (highest rate of ATP production & splitting).
21:25 - Teaser on the Anaerobic Lactic energy system.
26:16 - Teaser on the Aerobic energy energy system...the pathway by which ATP can be generated for sustained exercise beyond ~2 minutes, although only at about one-third the power output of the Anaerobic Lactic energy pathway.
29:10 - The unique nature of climbing makes understanding the constant interplay of the 3 energy systems difficult to grasp...and even harder to properly train.
30:10 - For example, frequent occlusion of blood flow to the finger flexor muscles forces a high dependence on anaerobic energy production...and, thus, makes rapid fatigue (drop in power output) a common problem. You can help reduce this dependence by climbing faster and reducing the length of time you grip small/difficult hand holds.
33:00 - A bit on developing climbing research...and about this summer's International Rock Climbing Researches Association (IRCRA) conference in Chamonix France this summer.
34:02 - Drill down into how the Anaerobic Lactic system works. The three energy systems overlap, but it's the Lactic system dominates in sustained near-all-out exercise lasting 15 seconds to about 1 or 2 minutes.
36:25 - About the byproducts of anaerobic glycolysis...and how the limit this energy pathway and your capacity to produce ATP via the anaerobic pathway. Details on the source of fatigue and the training adaptations that you are after.
40:10 - Learn how lactate forms...and how lactate is actually a good thing (NOT a bad thing, per the common belief).
42:45 - Learn one of the secrets of Adam Ondra's climbing prowess. Details on my IRCRA conference presentation...breaking down Adam Ondra's ascent of Silence (5.15d) and Margo Hayes' ascent of Biography (5.15a).
44:20 - The drop in power output from 45 seconds to 75 seconds of sustained difficult climbing is profound...as the lactic system begins to fail and the oxidative system becomes the primary source of ATP production around 60 to 75 seconds into near-all-out activity.
46:30 - The importance of lactate, anaerobic enzymes, and lactate transporters to enable continued anaerobic lactic energy system production...and increase anaerobic capacity.
49:20 - Learn what happens to all the lactate created in your climbing muscles.
51:30 - Importance of training up all 3 energy systems...and trying to "keep all 3 balls in the air" from a performance perspective.
53:00 - Why it's helpful to learn about bioenergetics and sports science--it will empower you to train smarter!
54:45 - Final point: Think of anaerobic power as maximum rate of ATP product (in a 5 second burst)...and view anaerobic capacity as the volume of ATP you can generate in a given period of high-power anaerobic exercise/climbing (say, in 45 seconds or a minute of all-out climbing).
55:28 - Wrap of this part of the Anaerobic Lactic system podcast--breaking this stemwinder of a podcast into two Parts...the next will be released just a few days after this one and it will cover training protocols for developing a greater anaerobic capacity. So tune into Podcast #24 for that important information!
56:00 – Final send off - PLEASE SHARE the T4C Podcast!
Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing
Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.
Music by: Misty Murphy
As a change-up to my typical long-format, single-topic drill down podcast, I present to you the first episode of "Ask Coach Hörst"! Listen in as I answer 10 listener questions covering a wide range of topics from in-season fingerboard training, training for big wall stamina, training to excel at climbing AND another sport, and much more. Each question & answer runs about 5 minutes.
If you'd like to submit a question for the next, please leave it as a comment the pinned post on my Twitter @Train4Climbing -- include your first name, location, and years climbing.
1:06 - Question #1. A student climber (5.13b) with access to a small university gym (45 degree wall & campus board only) wants to know about doing weighted hangboard training on a portable hangboard...and the pros/cons of training two consecutive days?
6:29 - Question #2. SoCal climber asks how to do hangboard training for "gains" when there's year-round outdoor climbing...that is, no poor-weather off-season to do targeted training.
13:07 - Question #3. A climber with no access to a commercial climbing gym inquires how to train route endurance while only having a hangboard and campus board for home training?
19:20 - Question #4. How to best ramp up training for big wall stamina this summer season?
22:20 - Question #5. How to integrate a progressive overload hangboard training program with outdoor climbing for performance?
24:24 - Question #6. How much aerobic cross-training is too much...that is, what volume of aerobic training would it take to begin hindering climbing performance?
31:15 - Question #7. What to do during rest breaks between fingerboard or pull-up sets? Also, what about during rest periods between redpoint attempts?
37:47 - Question #8. How long does the "just go climbing approach" to improving climbing performance apply? At what point should a climber delve more deeply into intensive strength and power training?
42:00 - Question #9. How to best train for both rock climbing and mountain climbing?
45:42 - Question #10: Advice on how to advance from 6c to 7a and, hopefully, 7a+ (5.12a) while also playing (and training for) rugby? How to best train for both sports at a body weight of 80kg?
52:10 - Wrap up...How YOU can submit a question for the next episode of "Ask Coach Horst". Visit my Twitter @Train4Climbing and leave a comment to the pinned "Ask Coach Horst" podcast.
53:00 - Teaser on the next episode of the T4C podcast on...Energy System Training Part #2. Don't miss this episode on how to train more effectively!
Music by Misty Murphy
Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing
Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.
This is the first of a two-part FIVE-part in-depth look at energy system training as a conceptual model for organizing your workouts to obtain better results in the long-term. This is a cutting-edge topic with huge potential, especially for advanced and elite climbers, to open up new levels of strength, power, and endurance. By thoughtfully and accurately applying my energy system training guidelines, you will better target individual energy systems to improve cellular signaling and reduce inferring/conflicting signals. This episode focuses on the alactic system that fuels high-powers and the important--and novel--adaptations in the muscle cells, extracellular matrix & fascia, nervous system, tendons, and cardiovascular system. It’s a rich topic that will take a couple podcasts (or more) to unwind and learn to effectively apply to climbing. Let's get started!
Podcast Rundown
0:20 – Introduction
1:15 – Mission statement of the Training For Climbing Podcast
7:40 – Request for you to SHARE this podcast!
8:20 – Introducing the “Ask Coach Hörst” special edition of the Training For Climbing podcast…coming in April. Submit your question on Twitter @Train4climbing and please include your name, home town, and years climbing.
9:55 – Overview of the 3 energy system: Anaerobic Alactic (ATP-CP), Anaerobic Lactic, Aerobic
14:20 – Anaerobic Alactic (ATP-CP) System
16:00 – How the Aerobic energy system supports the Alactic system
17:52 – Anaerobic Lactic System (Anaerobic Glycolysis)
20:37 – Aerobic/Oxidative energy system
21:50 – Bertuzzi study of climbers’ relative energy system utilization
24:02 - A deep drill down look at the Alactic energy system
26:30 – Biochemistry of the ATP-CP system. The Löhmann Reaction.
33:22 – Is consuming supplemental creatine (to load intracellular CP) a good thing for climbers?
40:50 – Adaptations of Alactic Training
45:00 – 1. Neural adaptations – What are they? How do you trigger then with training?
48:20 – 2. Architectural adaptations - What are they? How do you properly train them?
54:25 – 3. Tendon remodeling – What is it…and how it can increase force output and power?
59:15 – Alactic system exercise training protocols. How often should you specifically train this energy system?
1:01:00 – Four climbing-specific exercises that can produce Alactic system-related adaptations and increase muscle efficiency.
1:09:22 – Learn the 1st Rule of Eric’s “Train Club”
1:10:42 – Suggested work-to-rest ratio for Alactic training
1:14:00 – Programming alactic-focused workouts
1:15:20 – Final send off - PLEASE SHARE the T4C Podcast!
Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing
Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.
Music by: Misty Murphy
This episode covers a lot of territory…beginning with a look at the very unique Hörst family winter training program. Next up, is a deep look into using autoregulation to adjust your daily training for optimal results. The podcast wraps up with a look at the benefits (or not?) of running as part of a training-for-climbing program.
Podcast Rundown
0:15 Podcast introduction on the 3 main topics: Horst training, autoregulation, and running.
2:00 Eric’s announces winners of T4C raffle…the winners are Mike Ramos (USA) and Harry Crews (South Africa)
3:32 Details on how to get a free download of the eBook “10 Must-Do Exercises for Climbers”, and what you can learn from this free book.
6:18 Part 1 – How does the Horst family train in the winter? It’s a question I’m often asked…and so I’ll give you an indepth description of our home gym, our winter workouts, and how we prepare for the outdoor climbing Spring and Summer seasons.
11:00 Disclaimer….your training program should not be modeled after ours--but you certainly can gain lots of useful insight and ideas.
12:15 About the Hörst boys as multi-sport athletes, and how that effects our training for climbing.
18:15 Our winter Mesocycle details for December, January, and February. We employ a very polarized approach for December and January—the focus is maximum strength/power and aerobic development. Listen in for details…
25:12 Then in February we shift gears to a pre-season focus on strength/power endurance training.
30:30 Important considerations for teenagers—and the rest of us—on sleep and nutrition!
32:48 Part 2 - Autoregulation. What it is, and what are the benefits? Learn how to use it to optimize your training and get better results.
38:20 Details of our standard warm-up protocol…which also provides the basis for our autoregulation.
45:00 How you can employ autoregulation in the gym—what adjustments to make and when.
52:15 Part 3 – Running as training for climbing—Is it a good thing, a bad thing, or an “it depends” kind of thing?
54:30 Definition of VO2…and how important a high VO2max is for hard climbing. What does the research stay?
1:00:40 – Learn the important difference between climbing-specific aerobic training and generalized aerobic training.
1:02:00 – In terms of running…how often should you run? What speed and distance is best for a climber—sprints, tempo, race pace, or long slow distance runs?
1:08:00 Research on the benefits of a strong generalized aerobic system on climbing performance. If you climb roped routes or participate in bouldering comps, this is must-know stuff!
Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing
Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.
Music by: Misty Murphy
I hope you’ll find this New Year’s podcast informative, thought-provoking, and mobilizing! After all, uncommon success comes to people who have big dreams, a clear vision and plan, and a bias for action—these are the keys to success in the climbing world…and the everyday world!
In this podcast I serve up 5 generalized tips for improving your training and climbing-related activities to perform better and achieve more in 2018. Towards the end of the podcast I also serve up 5 tips becoming more productive, positive, and happy in all you do in the days and years ahead. New Years is a great time to re-engineer yourself, redefine your personal mission and goals, and to change habits and your personal MO to become more effective in all you do. Let’s get started!
Podcast Rundown
1:00 - Introduction to “10 tips for the New Year” podcast….and the importance of having a bias for action.
2:00 – Strive to distinguish between high- and low-value activities. Which dominate your time?
3:20 – Key point: When “good enough” is good enough….and when “good enough” equals shitty!
5:20 – This New Years…step back and see the big picture of your life: What’s your primary mission?
6:00 – Develop a strategy…set goals and make a plan of action.
6:45 – Key point: Happiness comes from making progress in important activities or areas of your life (not from things).
7:30 – Surround yourself with likeminded goal-oriented, action-oriented individuals; avoid complainers and naysayers.
8:00 – Overview of the two main parts of this podcast:
PART 1.) 5 tips for more effective training for climbing in the New Year. These tips will be rather generalized—listen to the previous podcast (#18) for specific programming guidelines for your ability. PART 2.) 5 tips to improve your personal effectiveness—how to get more important things done with each minute and hour of every day.
10:30 – Details on book raffle (on January 16th)…learn how to enter. Email a snapshot of your iTunes or Amazon book review to: Horst@TrainingForClimbing.com
12:00 – Part 1: 5 global (big picture) tips for improving the effectiveness of your training—and to become a better climber—in the New Years. Importance of setting process goals (resolutions) for achieving your outcome goals.
14:00 – Tip 1: Climb more often. Becoming a better climber starts here!
17:12 – Tip 2: Train to get stronger. Critical for achieving the higher grades!
24:40 – Tip 3: Do some “smart” endurance training. Key point: Simply climbing until you get pumped, it’s an effective long-term endurance-training strategy. Learn about the continuum of endurance types (and training strategies).
38:20 – Tip 4: Dial in your dietary and recovery habits. Small changes in these areas, integrated over days/weeks/months, can make a majority difference in the climbing performance. Learn how!
48:18 – Tip 5: Commit to twice-weekly antagonist & stabilizer muscle training….which will improve your climbing posture, support more efficient movement, reduce injury risk, and perhaps even feedback to give you a stronger grip! What about free weight training? Learn the best approach to add a few supplement lifts without adding unwanted muscle mass.
55:35 – Closing tips for more effective living in the New Year. Here are 5 tips—or habits to change and/or develop--to get more important things done each day, improve your personal effectiveness, increase the rate of progress toward your goals, and experience more happiness day in and day out! Consider adopting a few of these as your New Year’s Resolutions!
58:20 – Resolution #1: TURN OFF notifications on your smartphone—these will rob you of deep concentration and the important flow state….and steal your effectiveness and your destiny! Don’t be a slave to your phone—be its master.
1:01:45 – Resolution #2: Limit time spent on low-value entertainment and “time killing” activities like surfing the Internet, viewing social media Apps, watching TV or movies. While it’s okay to spend a small amount of time each day relaxing with these activities, they can quickly consume many hours of your life…and rob you of real life, real action, real relationships, etc.
1:04:50 – Resolution #3: Develop good sleep habits…which begins with limiting exposure to blue light in the hours before bed. Avoid use of electronic devices before bed OR wear blue blocker glasses (my approach) which are available for ~$25 from Amazon.com.
1:07:25 – Resolution #4: Reduce needless conflict in your life and steer clear of toxic people (both in person and on social media). Strive to be a compulsive doer…and avoid criticism and negatively. Work, recreate, and communicate with doers….and avoid critical, negative, toxic people.
1:12:00 – Resolution #5: Don’t compare yourself to other people—instead find your own unique personal journey!
Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing
Music by: Misty Murphy
Learn a proven and effective approach to off-season training, broken down for beginner-, intermediate-, and advanced/pro-level climbers. Eric discusses how to handle nagging injuries, refresh motivation, and develop an winter-season training strategy to climbing your hardest next year!
Podcast Rundown
1:00 - Podcast introduction including a discussion of new projects and my T4C YouTube channel.
2:00 - Brief intro to Jerry Moffatt's MasterMind...the best-selling Gimme Kraft, and Claudia Ziegler's "The Young Savages" book (featuring Adam Ondra, Shauna Coxsey, and more!)
5:50 - T4C Raffle! Eric explains how you can win a free copy of The Young Savages or a signed copy of Training For Climbing (3rd edition)
7:43 - Introduction to...End-of-season & off-season training strategy.
11:40 - Step #1: Take 2 weeks off from training and climbing, then evaluate your physical health. If still experiencing any joint or muscles pain, then get it resolved--see a doctor or physio. Do NOT try to "climb through" your injury! Learn how to "train around" it.
19:40 - Step #2: Begin an intelligent, well-designed and executed off-season training program that addresses technical & mental weaknesses and physical constraints. Program recommendations will be served up for beginner, intermediate and advanced-level climbers.
22:08 - The best off-season training approach for beginner climbers is....
27:52 - Eric explains his "training target" analogy.
28:15 - Intermediate program recommendations
37:00 - The importance of training the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizer muscles--not just for injured climbers!
38:06 - Learn how the brain acts as a governor limiting your grip strength in body positions that severely stress the shoulder joint. Yes, a stronger rotator cuff = stronger fingers! Specific exercise guidelines are found in chapter 6 of Training for Climbing.
41:32 - Advanced/Pro-level off-season training tips. Physical testing and expert coaching is essential to hit the bull's eye of your training target--vital for opening up the next grade.
48:00 - Importance of seeing the big picture (and mission), while nailing the critical training details (the bull's eye!).
49:10 - Warning about training too much, thus exceeding your recovery ability...and getting lackluster results...and risking injury.
51:30 - Wrap up and closing comments.
Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing
Music by: Misty Murphy
If you occasionally struggle with the fear of falling, then this podcast is for you!
While the fear of falling is most acute among beginner and intermediate climbers, it's a fact that advanced climbers and the pros also experience a bit of falling fear from time to time. After all, fear is an important self-protective response—the goal, then, isn’t to eliminate fear, but to manage it…which is the focus of this podcast.
My Lithuanian friends, Dei and Ben, have created a series of excellent YouTube videos (called “Day in Nature“) with the common theme of exploring the fear of falling. I was happy to join Dei and Ben (and their YouTube channel viewers) for this online coaching session, in which I answer their fear-related questions and share a variety of mental training tips to better manage fear and advance their climbing ability. No matter if you're an indoor climber, boulderer, or sport climber, I trust you'll find some useful tips and techniques to address your unique vertical-world concerns and fearful experiences.
Ultimately, learning to expertly manage fear is a long-term endeavor—there are no quick fixes—and so I hope this hour-plus-long podcast will help kick-start your journey to becoming a more confident, in-control, and courageous climber!
Podcast Rundown:
1:07 - Introducing Jerry Moffatt's MASTERMIND!
2:04 - Eric's intro to coaching the fear of falling.
3:45 - Beginning discussion with Dei & Ben of "Day in Nature"
5:00 – The goal of controlling fear rather than letting fear control you!
10:00 - Legitimate fears vs. phantom fears.
11:30 - The importance of taking practice falls (in a very safe, controlled setting).
13:40 - How to combat fears of the rope getting cut...or a bolt pulling out.
18:45 - Developing the skill of managing fear is a long-term process....that takes effort over months & years.
19:30 - Why do some people conquer fear faster than others?
22:30 - A look inside Alex Honnold's brain (via MRI)...and his "quiet" amygdala.
27:23 - How to handle fear of runouts between bolts?
31:24 - Value of reading books on mental training (such as Warriors Way, Maximum Climbing, MasterMind).
37:00 - Mental training should be comprehensive...and not just focused on managing fear. This is a rich area with potential for huge breakthroughs in performance!
38:12 - Mental training literally changes your brain (neuroplasticity).
38:30 - Using breath-focused meditation as training (at home) and for performance (at the crag).
40:50 - For expertly skilled climbers, further improvement often comes down to mental training...and getting stronger!
41:15 - What about grabbing the rope (or quick draws) when falling?
43:10 - Tips for returning to climbing after an injurious fall.
48:45 - Why are children often less scared of falling than adults?
53:10 - What about fear when clipping the second bolt of a route?
56:23 - How to assess a fall…determining a "safe fall" vs. a dangerous fall situation?
59:55 - What about climbers who never fall (because they climb so far below their maximum ability)? How much harder might they be able to climb by becoming willing/able to fall?
1:03:50 - Who was the most fearful that I've ever coached or climbed with?
1:06:00 - The difference between Anxiety vs. Fear.
1:07:01 - The importance of "mete-cognition"...for improving your mental game and performance (in anything).
1:08:45 - Recognizing and breaking fear "triggers".
1:10:16 - Just as you train your muscles with exercises...it's essential to use mental training exercise to strengthen your mental muscle!
1:12:20 - My two favorite mental training exercises are....
1:14:44 - How to do effective visualization? (Hint: It must be more than just a mental rehearsal of sequence!)
1:16:30 - Closing comments by Dei & Ben.
1:17:30 - Eric wraps up podcasts...and asks YOU to share it with a few friends!
Music by Misty Murphy
Eric describes in detail his vision for improving the effectiveness of training programs via advances in training & testing technologies, nuanced program design, and genetic testing and epigenetics. This is a fascinating podcast rich with clues for improving the effectiveness of your training, reducing injury risk, pursuing your genetic potential, and for living longer and prospering in the vertical world.
If you enjoy this podcast, please share it with your climbing friends via social media....and consider writing a review in iTunes. You can support this podcast by purchasing a book(s) at www.TrainingForClimbing.com. Thank you, and enjoy!
Podcast Rundown
2:00 – Intro to the future of training for climbing.
5:00- Importance of climbing research and veteran coaching in pointing the way forward.
8:35 – Comments on Adam Ondra’s ascent of “Silence”…the world’s first 5.15d/9c.
18:00 – Overview of past training innovations…campus board, hangboard, etc.
20:35 – Recent innovations…the Treadwall, Moon Board, Lattice Wall, Zlagboard, etc.
24:40 – The need to establish standardize testing of climbing-specific strength, power, endurance….to determine the relative strength of the three bio-energetic systems.
25:10 – My vision for the future of training for climbing—broken into three parts:
29:18 - #1: Stop guessing; start testing. The importance of accurate physiological assessment. Leveraging "big data".
47:05 - #2: Smarter program design--short-term nuance with a good long-term aim. Importance of understanding hormetic stress and cellular signaling to getting the most out of your training investment.
57:00 – #3: Genetic testing and training program design with epigenetics in mind.
1:07:25 – Closing thoughts.
Music: Misty Murphy
In this podcast, Eric Hörst presents many practical tips for climbing your best on a roadtrip…and for training in safe and effective ways, by steering clear of popular training myths and dogma.
Rundown
1:10 – Reflections on a roadtrip—tips for performing your best while on an extended climbing trip.
3:20 – Learn about the “golden period” of a roadtrip—when you are typically the strongest and most powerful…and be able to climb the hardest.
4:10 – Why the best-trained climbers actually get weaker (and lose high-end power) during a multi-week climbing trip.
7:45 – What’s the best ratio of climbing days vs. rest days, while on a long climbing trip.
9:55 – Importance of diet and sleep for optimizing recovery and performing your best on a roadtrip.
13:38 – Upon returning for a long roadtrip, how long should you break from serious training & climbing?
15:20 – Eric comments on Adam Ondra’s mega-project…perhaps the world’s first 5.15d.
18:08 – Introduction to the “Training & Performance Mythbusters” segment.
20:38 – Myth #1: Hangboard training is only appropriate for advanced climbers. (Learn the truth….that hangboard training is useful—for developing finger strength AND building stronger tendons & pulleys—for all climbers other than beginner and recently injured climbers.)
29:55 – Myth #2: Campus training, as commonly shown in social media feeds, is something you should be doing…because campus training is the best method of developing a stronger, more powerful upper-body for climbing. (Learn the truth….and how “pre-hab” training is essential before adding campus training to your program.)
36:45 – Myth #3: The widely publicized “10,000-hour Rule” of practice applies to climbing….therefore you must climb as often and as much as possible so as to accumulate the 10,000 hours needed to become elite. (The truth? Applied to climbing…this rule is bogus! With good coaching, smart training, a high-level of motivation/dedication, and favorable genetics, you can become a high-level climber in far fewer than 10,000 hours of practice.)
40:02 – Myth #4: Body building and other “fitness” magazine (and web sites) are a good source of effective training techniques that you can apply to climbing. (Hear Eric bust this myth!)
43:45 – What about novel bodybuilding techniques, such as the recently popularized Blood Flow Restriction training? It’s been “proven” effective by research, right?
47:12 – Learn why it’s best for a climber NOT to have large, bulging biceps….or excessive muscles elsewhere.
48:40 – Myth #5: The latest diet fad (whatever it may be) is likely useful to a serious climber. (Eric will address the currently popular ketogenic/LCHF diet...)
53:00 – How about popular dietary supplements, such as fish oil, a multi-vitamin, creatine monohydrate, and such?
57:40 – Episode wrap up
Music by: Misty Murphy
If you’re a passionate climber who works full-time (or in school), then you likely train indoors during the week with the goal of climbing your best outdoors on the weekend. In this podcast we’ll dig deep into the rich topic of things you can do to optimize your weekend climbing. I’ll cover a wide range of things—perhaps a few that you’ve not thought about—you can do to arrive at the crag fresh and ready to send your project, on-sight at a high level, or climb for volume and maximum fun! While this podcast will be most meaningful to weekend warriors who specialize in sport climbing, the many tips I serve up will also be quite useful for boulder specialists and multi-pitch climbers.
Rundown:
0:50 – Introduction
2:50 – Things that contribute to “low-gravity” send days.
4:35 – Tip 1: Arrive at the crag physically fresh and 100% recovered from your last training or climbing day. Easier said than done...
8:40 – Tip 2: Get your sleep and diet right in the 48 hours leading up to your send day. Performance nutrition is especially important for advanced climbers… Listen up for vital tips!
17:45 – Tip 3: Conduct a quality warm-up before getting on your redpoint or on-sight goal of the day. I’ll take you through what it takes to get your muscles warmed up and nervous system turned on.
24:07 – Tip 4: Make the most of your Day 1 freshness…as you likely won’t be 100% recovered for your Day 2 of climbing. There are a few ways to approach this in order to best invest your time Day 1 and 2.
29:12 – Tip 5: Try to master each project route with the goal of nuancing each move, sequence, clip position, and rest to make it as efficient as possible. In aggregate, striving to refine all aspects of your climb will save you energy and increase the odds of a send—and it just might open up the next grade for you!
39:30 – Tip 6: Rest the right amount between redpoint attempts. I’ll give you science-based guidelines that you can employ and modify, according to how you feel.
44:50 – Tip 7: Breathe optimally, not maximally! Many climbers—and athletes in general—don’t know how to breathe properly to maximize oxygen availability to the muscles. The common practice of overbreathing actually lowers oxygen availability! This is powerful information—listen closely, then begin to become a more conscious breather until you do it right unconsciously.
52:30 – Tip 8: Eat and drink in small/modest amounts throughout the day, but be careful not to overeat and/or overdrink! Many climber tend towards eating and drinking too much during their climbing day with the belief that more is better. Ironically, eating and drinking too much can have the opposite effect.
58:55 – Bonus tip: Get your head right before going for the send. Anticipate success, but accept that a failed attempt is okay…because it’s part of the journey of working and eventually sending the route! As you climb, remain in the moment—take on the route one move at a time—and let the outcome evolve organically.
1:03:30 – Special feature! My thoughts on Alex Honnold’s incredible free-solo of El Capitan, and a throwback to a podcast interview I did with Alex in 2008 after his barrier-breaking free-solo ascent of Yosemite’s Half Dome. Though more than 8 years age, this short interview is quite interesting and revealing. If you’ve seen or heard a recent interview with Alex, it’s remarkable to observe that he’s pretty much the same guy today—as a world-renowned rock star—as he was a 23-year-old just getting his started as a pro climber, per this interview. Enjoy!
1:18:50 – Closing comments
Music: Misty Murphy
Climbing is one of the most complex sports on this third rock from the sun, and training for climbing is an extraordinarily complex activity in its own right. While beginners should mainly climb as their training, progressing from the intermediate rank to advanced and elite ability demands an increasingly focused, demanding, and nuanced climbing-specific exercise program. In this podcast I'll provide an overview of how to best structure your off-season (for many of us, winter season) and in-season (when you most often climb outside for performance) training program. While off-season training should be designed and scheduled to produce significant gains in strength, power, and endurance...your in-season training should be programmed and scheduled in a way to maintain current levels of strength/power/endurance while fostering recovery between weekends (or days) of outdoor climbing...so that you can climb your best when you venture outdoors!
If outdoor climbing performance is really important to you, then it's essential that you arrive at the boulders or crag 100% fresh and ready to give your project your best possible effort. Obviously, we're all different--more different than we are similar--so there's no single "best approach" or "best schedule" for training. Your challenge is to suss out the best program for YOU (and not copy what others are doing), and to actively modify your program and workout schedule to account for fatigue, injury, time availability, shifting goals, and changing strengths & weaknesses. This one-hour podcast will hit you with a lot of important information and ideas on scheduling and executing your off-season and in-season workouts to produce the largest gains, while also helping you to arrive at the crag physically fresh and ready to crush on your performance climbing days!
Podcast Rundown:
2:30 - Introduction to structuring annual training program
4:00 - Philosophy of off-season vs. in-season training
4:00 - Philosophy of off-season vs. in-season training
9:00 - Overview of off-season (for most of us, winter season) training goals and strategy
14:00 - Benefits of a largely polarized approach to off-season training
17:00 - Targeting specific energy systems -- when best to engage in ultra-pumpy anaerobic lactic energy system training
20:00 - Addressing injuries in the off-season; Training around bouldering competitions in the winter season
21:20 - Winter training tips for beginning climbers wanting to improve most quickly...and develop long-term climbing mastery
23:50 - Intro to scheduling of in-season training
26:00 - The importance of impulse control and self-awareness to effective in-season training
34:20 - The best training program for you is....
36:20 - Long-term improvement--how many years can you expect to improve at rock climbing?
40:50 - In-season tips to get your mid-week training "right"...so that you arrive at your project fresh on the weekend....and can climb your best
42:40 - Importance of targeting each energy system at least once per week during your on-season
46:30 - General structure of mid-week training for weekend "roped climbing" (sport or trad routes)
52:40 - Structure of mid-week training for weekend bouldering outings
57:05 - The importance of quality sleep and nutrition in training results and performance outcomes for advanced & elite climbers
1:00:00 - Wrap up and closing comments
Music: Misty Murphy
Copyright 2017 Eric J. Horst
Training For Climbing, LLC
A question I'm often asked is how much time—or attempts—should you put into a project route, before taking a break and working on other climbs. My short answer (with a few caveats) is that it’s best not to get bogged down by long-haul projects—you will improve as a climber faster by sending lots of routes just below your limit, rather than hanging all over (and repeatedly falling off) a single project route that's beyond your limit.
In this podcast I'll detail my "10-4 Rule" of projecting, which gives guidelines and solid reasoning to keep your projecting efforts brief...to around 10 attempts over 4 days. (Personally, I halve these amounts and, thus, limit myself to a total of about five attempts over two days.)
Podcast rundown:
00:55 - Introduction: How much time should you spend projecting limit routes?
3:12 - The "10-4 Rule" for effective projecting and steady improvement
12:55 - Caveats: When to break the 10-4 Rule
16:20 - Bonus: The "80-20" guideline for outdoor climbing time
20:48 - Ask Eric!
21:22 - Can someone who gets into climbing as a young adult progress to climb at a world-class level?
27:00 - "Last minute" training advice for a slightly out-of-shape route climber going on a climbing trip in one week?
29:50 - Final remarks.
Podcast #11
Training: The Past, The Present, The Future
This episode is more of a free-form podcast rather than single-topic focused, as in the previous podcasts. I hope you enjoy it!
00:15 - Introduction to Podcast #11
00:46 – The breakthrough climbing achievement of the year….Margo Hayes ascent of La Rambla, the first consensus 5.15a redpoint by a female.
3:05 – Similarities between Margo Hayes and Alex Megos – Smart training with a long-term perspective.
6:55 – Feature topic: Training for climbing….the past, the present, and the future.
9:25 – Comments on Eric’s 40th anniversary in climbing…and 30 years as a coach, researcher, and author. Insight into Eric’s sources of inspiration…and quest for innovation in training for climbing.
11:10 - Training for climbing….The Past: John Gill – The Father of Training for Climbing. Did you know he climbed V9/5.13+ moves in the 1960s!
16:10 – Training for climbing….The Present: The training information glut of 2017. But can you distinguish the good from the bad (advice)?
19:45 – Training for climbing….The Future: I predict a revolution! New testing and training technologies, more effective training protocols and programming, and the path to 5.16a!
27:25 – Question & Answer: “Ask Eric”
27:38 – Question 1: How do I determine my optimal body weight…in the quest of gaining a higher relative peak finger force (strength-to-weight ratio)
28:00 – Question 2: What do you think of one-arm hangboard training…with the free hand gripping a helper sling?
37:10 – How to submit a training question to Eric
38:20 – Closing comments
Music: Misty Murphy
Photo: Bruce Wilson
Download all the monthly training podcasts for free by subscribing to the "Eric Horst's Training for Climbing" podcast on iTunes. Please leave a review on iTunes!
In terms of physical attributes, increasing relative peak finger force is central to taking your climbing to the next level—think of this as the finger force you can apply to a rock hold in relation to the body mass the fingers must support. Improving this finger strength-to-weight ratio is possible by increasing the numerator (greater finger strength) and decreasing the denominator (lowering body mass).
While there are many different fingerboard training methods/protocols/programs (some good, some bad) in the public domain, this podcasts will present four evidence-based protocols that work. Experienced climbers, with no recent history of injury to the fingers/elbows/shoulders, can employ one of these maximum-grip-strength protocols on a twice-a-week basis as supplement to time spent climbing. Aggregate number of climbing and finger training days per week must not exceed four—resting the fingers a minimum of three days per week is essential for neuromuscular recovery and finger tendon remodeling. Break this rule and you’ll likely end up “broken”….in one way or another.
Podcast Rundown:
1:14 - Review of 5 reasons why stronger fingers are central to taking your climbing to the next level
4:24 - Intro to maximum finger strength training on a hangboard
4:50 - Importance of "Relative Peak Finger Force"
10:10 - 3 Hangboard training modalities
13:33 - Training protocol 1: "Minimum Edge"
19:14 - Training protocol 2: "Maximum Weight 10-second Hangs"
25:20 - Training protocol 3: "7-53 Weight Hangs"
32:00 - Training protocol 4: "7/3 Repeaters"
41:00 - How to fingerboard with good technique...to protect & strengthen your shoulders.
45:05 - Hangboard training program design - How to integrate your with your other workouts and performance climbing.
53:00 - Closing comments
Music: Misty Murphy
Download all the monthly training podcasts for free by subscribing to the "Eric Horst's Training for Climbing" podcast on iTunes. Please leave a review on iTunes!
While climbing is, first and foremost, a mental and technical skill sport, long-term improvement—and pursuing your genetic potential—demands getting stronger in a number of climbing specific ways. Numerous research studies have confirmed that elite climbers, compared with non-elites, have higher grip-strength-to-mass ratio, greater forearm endurance, and a higher rate of force development in the finger flexors. Therefore, assuming that you have solid technical and mental skills, training for stronger fingers is paramount to taking your climbing to the next level. In this episode you'll learn 5 reason why strong fingers matter--this will set the stage for the next podcast which will cover effective fingerboard training techniques.
0:15 - Intro
1:00 - Research on Finger Strength of Elite Climbers
1:42 - Reason #1 Why Strong Fingers Matter - They Can Grip Smaller Holds
3:00 - #2: Stronger Fingers Can Endure Longer
9:10 - About Zlagboard
11:55 - #3: Strong Finger Can Rest on Smaller Holds
15:25 - #4: Strong Fingers Have More Stamina
18:15 - #5: Strong Fingers Make Climbing More Fun!
18:50 - Summary
20:10 - Closing Comments
Tune in next month for detailed coverage of effective fingerboard training for stronger fingers!
Music: Misty Murphy
Download all the monthly training podcasts for free by subscribing to the "Eric Horst's Training for Climbing" podcast on iTunes. Please leave a review on iTunes!
Welcome to the launch of the new Training for Climbing podcast! This is one full hour of rich training-for-climbing content, so you may want to take notes or listen twice! Here's an outline of the show:
1:00 - Podcast overview
8:30 - Topic #1: Training program design
9:45 - Beginner-training program tips
14:20 - Effective training for intermediate-level climbers
17:45 - Advance & elite off-season program design
22:15 - Periodization schemes
30:00 - Topic #2: The importance of getting stronger during the off-season
32:20 - How stabilizer-muscle training can make your fingers stronger
34:50 - Overview of hangboard and campus training for maximum strength and power development
36:30 - The "7/53" hangboard training protocol
39:20 - Weighted pull-ups training
41:00 - Complex training
42:50 - What about endurance training?
48:00 - Topic #3: How to make the most of your gym training time
53:30 - Two MOs of gym climbers
56:10 - 4 Tips for effective gym training
58:00 - What is "junk training"?
1:00:00 - Closing comments
Listen closely. Apply. Send!
Music: Misty Murphy
Download all the monthly training podcasts for free by subscribing to the "Eric Horst's Training for Climbing" podcast on iTunes. Please leave a review on iTunes!
In this episode we’ll examine two of the most common fears among climbers--the fear of falling and the fear of failure--and I’ll arm you with several strategies for managing, and perhaps even eliminating, these fears once and for all!
Music: Misty Murphy
You've spent the winter and spring training hard in the gym...yet for some reason your new physical prowess isn't translating into better performance outside. If this sounds familiar, then this podcast is for you! Climbing is, first and foremost, a mental and technical skill sport, so climbing your best demands that you refine your mental and movement skills, in addition to getting stronger. This podcast will detail 8 things you can do--both on and off the rock--to climb better this summer...and break through to the grade level!
Music by: Misty Murphy
In this podcast we’ll take a look at the most fundamental aspect of effective climbing: risk management. After all, if you get hurt—or worst—then all your time spent training and climbing is for naught. This is critically important and potentially empowering information, so please listen in!
Music by: Misty Murphy
Photo by: Eric McCallister
In ascending a boulder, cliff, or mountain, you are expressing skilled movement. While climbing may seem to be a relatively simply and intuitive skill, moving with balance and precision in the vertical plane is actually quite complex. The exquisite, flowing movements of an elite climber result as a harmonious aggregate response to the contractions of agonists and antagonists muscles, and a wealth of sensory exteroception and proprioception. This complex process of acting with skill and will, while ingesting a vast array of sensory stimuli, requires many years to master. And despite the unattainable goal of perfection, it’s in striving for perfection that you depart on a trajectory toward true mastery.
In this podcast you will learn how to foster your sense of proprioception and how to use proprioceptive cues to succeed quickly on crux moves and max sequences.
Photo by Dan Brayack
Music by Misty Murphy
Despite being as intuitive and natural as walking or running, climbing can be a remarkably complex and demanding activity. Consider that the climbing gyms and crags of the world offer a playing field of infinite variation and demand for skilled performance. Compound this with the potential for adrenaline-releasing risk and the perplexing challenge of ascending a gigantic wall, and it becomes apparent that that climbing is indeed a most complex sporting activity.
The goal of this podcast, then, is to provide a primer on the subject of skilled performance that will empower you to learn and develop climbing skills most effectively and rapidly. While the mass of climbers stumble through the maze of trial-and-error learning, your knowledge of how the brain wires motor programs and executes novel moves is a lever that opens the door to learning strategies for accelerating technical improvement...and progress into the higher grades!
Music by Misty Murphy
Ever wonder what makes great climbers great? Learn the “X-factors” that help make greats like Ondra, Megos, Skinner, Hill, Gill, Caldwell, Jorgeson, and other climbers who break barriers and do the “impossible.” Learn how you can train–and live–with greater personal power…and grow towards achieving “impossible” goals, both on and off the rock!