Technical solutions to power endurance problems?

[srossabi42]

At the moment, my climbing shows signs of being limited by power endurance. On routes that I am unlikely to send in 10-20 tries, I can usually do all the moves within 2 tries, 1 or 2 hang within 4 tries, but not really improve over the next several tries. While I certainly could improve my fitness, I think I have technical deficiencies that need to be addressed.



My climbing style is heavy on deadpoints and lockoffs. I do a pretty good job of getting my feet up high, but when faced with a difficult move I am more likely to bear down and deadpoint then I am to find a more technical and static solution.



I don't recover well at rests, especially in overhanging terrain. They are not totally useless but I'm not leaving them feeling fresh. Part of the problem may be that I often sag into the rests. Maybe if I kept some body tension, it might allow my forearms to recover better. I try to take deep breaths and slow my heart rate at rests, but it is certainly possible that I am not regulating my breathing enough on sustained sections of routes. Also, a hold has to be pretty amazing for me to get anything back. If a rest is just ok, I tend to charge past.



I have a few ideas about how to address these problems.

-Climb routes at onsight level as slowly and statically as possible, forcing myself to move my feet more and use marginal rests

(I can typically onsight climbs 2-3 letter grades lower the climbs I am unlikely to send in 10-20 tries, and do climbs a letter grade or two lower in less than 5 tries.

-Climb routes at onsight level back to back. I think this would force me to climb more efficiently and use more marginal rests

-ARC and only allow myself to rest on rests I might find on routes at my limit



Do any of these sound like a good plan to address my weaknesses? Do you have other suggestions?

[scojo]

On routes with a long sequence of medium to hard moves (a route that's getting you pumped or powered out), I often find that I can make a lot of progress on the route by learning to climb the sequence faster.

Deadpoints are usually more efficient than lock-offs and you can usually do them faster.

Don't only work out the optimal beta for all of the moves in the sequence, but work out the beta for the rests as well: how to grip the hold in a way that gives the best recovery, how to use your feet to take more weight off of your fingers, how to position your body, how long should you stay in the rest before moving on, etc.

I don't really see how trying to onsight routes slowly and statically will benefit you. It sounds like it'll just reinforce slow and inefficient climbing. If the problem is that you're pumping/powering out in a power endurance sequence, climbing that sequence slowly and statically is usually not the most efficient way.

[brendann]

scojo summed it up pretty well. It sounds more mental than physical to me. Lockoff climbing is one sign of fear-of-falling.
One approach not mentioned would be to climb with a group of people who have climbed your goal route. The beta suggestions from as many sources as possible will show you where you can be more efficient.

[MarkAnderson]

It sounds like you also need to practice shaking out at taxing rests. If you don't do it very much you will suck at it, and your body won't be used to recovering under stress. If you think there is a physiological problem in addition lack of shaking skill, I'd recommend ARCing on a steep wall with good, juggy shakeouts (like, try to ARC on too-hard terrain for up to 5 minutes, then shake out as long as you need, repeat as necessary).

[srossabi42]

Thanks, I appreciate this. I'll be sure to work on rest beta (edit: and shaking at rests, I'll definitely try the too hard ARCing), climbing faster, and collecting beta from many sources. It could certainly be mostly mental. I tend to hold my breath on difficult or tenuous clips, but I rarely take. So for sure some fear of falling but I'm probably also lacking some confidence that I can do these limit routes
Thanks again!

[Chris W]

The more time goes by, the more it seems that whenever I think I have a PE problem, it turns out to be more of a strength, power or "mental" problem. Not sure it that's the case for you or not.

Also, regarding technical solutions, I've found that just because I can do a move a certain way, it may not be the best way to do it, especially on a redpoint attempt.