ARCing After a PE Set

[tahmad]

Hi All,

This is my first time doing a focused PE session - I'm mostly a boulderer doing problems that are less than 10ish moves, but have some longer projects and figured PE was a weakness I should be working on anyway.

The RCTM very strongly suggests doing a 20-30 minute ARC set after you finish your PE workout.  This makes total sense - I just notice that the PE set gets me so worked in the forearms that the ARC set usually feels harder too. 

Question, then, is - do yall normally reduce the intensity of your post-PE ARC set?  I.e. make it shorter, do easier routes, a less steep wall angle, etc - or do you do your normal ARC set?

Asking because, as I understand it, one of the major roles of the post PE ARC set is to flush fresh blood through the forearms and clean out any harmful leftovers from the PE workout.  But if I do my normal ARC set, i feel fairly pumped, so I'm wondering if I'm still getting that positive impact, or if its just more pump.  I'm definitely not about to fall off the wall or anything, but I'd call it more of a threshold pump (i.e. sustainable but definitely pumped) than, say, a light pump.

Thanks!

[MarkAnderson]

You've correctly noted the point of post-PE ARCing: to cool down/flush out any "toxins" in the muscles. The point is NOT to get more pumped. That would essentially be what runners call "junk miles," just adding useless fatigue to your forearms.

So, you need to either rest long enough between PEing and ARCing that you can ARC without getting pumped, or reduce the intensity of ARCing so that you don't get pumped.

Think of it the same as a cool down climb at the crag. You wouldn't lower off your super-pumpy send and then immediately run over to lap a 5.10. You would take off your shoes, eat/drink/spray for a while, maybe belay your partner, etc, and then after some long-ish period of time (at least 15 minutes, maybe more like 30-45?) you would do the cool down pitch.

Post-PE ARCing should be essentially the same. Obviously, you may not have the time to rest 30-45 minutes after your PE workout, in which case you should develop some sorta compromise. Perhaps rest 15 minutes, then ARC on easier terrain than usual, etc.

All that said, I don't do post-PE ARCing. Nor do I cool down on crag days. I just don't have the time. Do as I say, not as I do, etc.

[tahmad]

Ha! Thanks, very helpful. I'll probably just ARC on a vertical wall instead of a slightly overhung one.

Appreciate the response!