Maintenance training on other aspects?

[Sander]

I've received the book last week and I am blown away by how much useful information it contains! The most valuable asset probably is sharing the Rock Prodigy training program though. Thanks a lot! I have a question regarding the program.

Most training programs have a more or less similar periodization. But usually each phase puts an emphasis on one aspects rather that training it exclusively. I a strength phase, some maintenance work on power and endurance is scheduled, in an endurance phase some maintenance on strength and power, etc. The Rock Prodigy program doesn't do this. I'd be interested to know more about the thoughts behind this. Is it to reduce training volume? Are there any results favoring (leaving out) some maintenance work on the other aspects? Wouldn't I lose a lot of endurance not training it through 7-8 weeks of exclusively training for strength and power?

Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks again for sharing this brilliant book!

[focus]

sw -
check out this video by Steve Bechtel on Block Periodization. Sounds in line with what your are referring to.
vimeo.com/67435188

[Sander]

Yes, that's what I meant! Thanks for sharing the video. I'm curious why the Rock Prodigy program opts for a full focus on a single aspect during each block instead.

[jessebruni]

I think the short answer is that yes, you will lose endurance during the 7-8 weeks of strength and power training, but that's okay. Using the basic rock prodigy method you are still allowed to ARC the day after your hangboarding, which should help you maintain general climbing fitness, so while your endurance will go down, it probably won't go down too drastically. Remember that by getting stronger your endurance improves by virtue of the fact that all the holds will feel bigger and easier to hang on to. During the power phase you get to do Warm up Bouldering ladders, which I find keeps my endurance in a decent place, but I think a bit of endurance loss is normal. Then you get to the power endurance phase and, at least for me, any endurance which I'd lost previously comes back pretty quickly.

So at least for me, loss of endurance is minor. If I were to take extra days to work endurance, or just try to maintain the level I'm at, I would be too tired to try hard on the strength and power days. That's my 2 cents.

[kerwinl]

Nov 26, 2014 13:04:46 GMT -7 Sander said:

Yes, that's what I meant! Thanks for sharing the video. I'm curious why the Rock Prodigy program opts for a full focus on a single aspect during each block instead.

Forgot where the quote came from but:
"The first step after a peak is down, you can choose whether you fall off, or step down." 


As you progress in your training you will be forced to focus on a specific motor ability to make gains, the rock climbers training manual uses this system as the stock template. Block periodization solves some of the problems related to the detraining effect, but at the cost of increased complexity for the overall plan. I have found that a very simple planning method to get most of the benefits of a block plan, without most of the hassle. The idea is that one workout per week is devoted to maintenance of non-trained motor qualities, the other 2-3 training sessions are focused on advancing your currently trained quality. This has the function of making most of your workouts extremely focuses (easier to progress), but prevents a big drop off in your non-focused areas. Block plans can allow you to make a step down, vs. falling off. 

This said, be smart about what actually need to maintain. Finger strength and aerobic endurance are the two out four motor abilities that I choose to maintain. Power and power endurance are too specific with too short of a peak to worry about maintaining for me.

It lays out like this for my training cycles:

Base/ARC(3-4 weeks): 3-4 ARC sessions per week, 1 fingerboard

Strength(4-6 weeks): 2-3 fingerboard sessions per week, 1 ARC

Power(3-4 weeks): 2-3 Limit Boulder Sessions, 1 fingerboard/ARC session combined into 1.

Power Endurance(2 weeks): 2 Power Endurance Workouts, 1 fingerboard/ARC session combined into 1.

[joekr07]

Is there some kind of scientific viewpoint/studies in other sports that could be applied here? Is it really beneficial to "maintain" e.g. endurance during the strength/power phases.

More opinions than facts?

[Sander]

Although endurance goes as quickly as it comes, I don't really see a necessity to train it during the strength and power phases if you want to climb your endurance projects during the performance peak. You'll have the endurance back by then, as you've been training it for a few weeks just before. What I'm mostly curious about, if it would help to do some power maintenance during the power endurance phase, to carry the gains of the power phase into the performance phase... Anyone thoughts on/experience with that?

[MarkAnderson]

Jan 15, 2015 6:49:12 GMT -7 Sander said:

What I'm mostly curious about, if it would help to do some power maintenance during the power endurance phase, to carry the gains of the power phase into the performance phase... Anyone thoughts on/experience with that?

Yes, you should be doing this, and this type of Power maintenance is built into the various Seasonal Training Plans in the book.  If you look at the LBC workout on page 161, you will notice it begins with a WBL and then 20 minutes of Hard Bouldering.  On page 197 we explain this thinking a bit further.  Page 81 also briefly mentions that the program should shift towards non-linear periodization as you enter the Performance Phases.

[Sander]

Thanks! I noticed that the warming up routine includes some maintenance already, but somehow I missed the non-linear periodization advice on p81. Thanks for pointing it out! I think I'll throw in an occasional campus or LB session during the PE/performance phase to keep the power a bit 'crisp'.