2,3 or 4 seasons per year

[Chris W]

I'm trying to figure out a way to climb more, which is nothing new. I'm thinking about adding in a third performance phase to my yearly planning calendar, but I'm wondering how to do it.

1) The best times to climb at my local crag [Birdsboro, PA] are spring and fall, specifically March-April and October-November. Planning a performance peak for those times means that I have an odd chunk of time in the summer and the winter. My plan thus far has been to train strength and power in my barn during my mini summer and winter seasons. This leaves me with time for two full Rock Prodigy seasons during the prime climbing times here of spring and fall. Less climbing = happier wife. Spring and fall = more climbing partners and belayers.

2) I could add in a summer season with a full Rock Prodigy schedule, 15-16 weeks long. This would put my summer performance peak smack in the middle of the most consistently hot and humid months of the year in south central PA. My dream routes at home are in perma-shade, which helps. I could climb at the crack of dawn if I could find belayers, but it will be very humid with temps in the 60's. I suppose I could try Tight Grip and see if it helps. I could travel somewhere cooler, but it would probably involve plane tickets out west (Mark, you said Wild Iris is always cold) which would be expensive. It would involve several days of travel with very small children, which could be very difficult. Warm summer climbing temps = happier wife. Warm and humid conditions = poor performance conditions. Summer season = more available partners

3) A full summer season would also push my fall season performance phase into late November and December, missing the best weather conditions. I could get lucky and have sunny days in the 40's or it could be snowy and fridge in the 20's with a howling wind. I don't mind climbing when it is freezing, but even I need to be able to feel my fingers. I have a hard time doing that when the temps are in the 20's and there is even a slight wind.

4) I could plan a winter season with a full 15-16 week Rock Prodigy schedule. I would start base training in November and end up with a performance phase in February. This is often one of the coldest months of the year here. My thermometer in the barn at 04:30 today read 3 degrees, but fortunately I'm hangboarding right now. I am very unlikely to find belayers for February. I could plan a trip somewhere warm for a winter season, but traveling with my crew is difficult and, while 30 degrees in Tennessee is fine for me, my wife wouldn't be happy. Also, a winter season would push my spring season performance phase into May, which may be too hot.

5) Should I just suck it up and be grateful for having two good seasons? Sorry about the long post, and thank you in advance to anyone who reads it and helps me figure this out.

[jessebruni]

I personally would go with option #2, but this could be due to the fact that temps in the 60's during the hottest summer months sounds pretty awesome to me. I don't know what kind of rock you're climbing on up there and how much friction matters though. I personally don't think conditions matter too much until you start getting up to 5.13's in general (although every route is different). Down here in Texas it's pretty common for people to climb through the summer, and personally I've climbed up to one letter grade lower than my best in the middle of summer. You just have to find a route to work with incut holds so friction isn't as important. Stay off the stuff with lots of slopers.

This is all assuming you don't want to just kill yourself being outside in the heat. As I said, 60's is sending temps down here, but we're pretty conditioned to hot weather, so if you're sweating in 60 degree weather and instead feel comfortable in a t-shirt in 40 degree weather than perhaps you're more of a cold weather person and you'd be better off with option 3. Either too hot for you or too cold for you, choose the one that you're more able to tolerate. For me that's definitely too hot for me.

[Chris W]

Our rock at Birdsboro is a bit polished. It's an old quarry and has a lot of blocky features, ledges, finger buckets and crimps. An early AM 65 degrees wouldn't be too hard to find, but it's more common to be in the 70's at sunrise. The humidity is pretty oppressive, which is the real problem. It's in the 90's all summer long (and still in the 70-80% range in the winter) and I sweat like it's going out of style. Anyway, choosing a performance peak in the summer would certainly make my wife happy. Happy wife = Happy life

I've thought about using a 10-12 week cycle in the winter to focus on bouldering. The problem with that is that, while I do enjoy bouldering, I really prefer to climb on a rope.

Would there be a benefit to 3 strength cycles per year versus 4? Would there be a benefit to 3 performance phases per year over 2? Anyone have any experience planning for 2, 3 or 4 performance phases and thoughts on how well they worked out?

[Charlie S]

Under normal circumstanced, I'd suggest traveling south for a winter peak, but you guys on the east coast are getting slammed with snow. Seriously, send some out west! We're getting drier over here!

I've been doing 3 seasons a year, and had to tweak year #1. As it stands, peaks occur in January, May, and September/October. This allows for a good spring/fall season, completely skips the summer, and allows for a warm road trip (or long weekend) in January.

4 cycles feels a bit compressed for me. Not enough time for rest between cycles.

[Chris W]

How much actual climbing do you get from your winter season?

[Charlie S]

2014 looked like this (I started the RCTM near the end of January):


And 2015 currently looks like this:


We've also had an extraordinarily dry winter, which has kept most rocks dry.

[ericg]

Hi Chris,
I have the same issue living in New England. Up here the two best months are May and October. With mid September-October being the best weather climbing conditions of the year. So I want a full training cycle leading up to these months. I have essentially give up a summer season because you can't get a full cycle leading up to the best months of the year if you peak in July. In the past I have tried to move my spring season earlier and squeeze in a summer season. When I did this injured my finger and it that basically ruined the rest of the year, I attribute part of it to not getting enough rest. So I won't be doing it again.

I think number 4 would be ideal. Especially if you can swing a trip to somewhere with good winter climbing, Spain or Vegas come to mind. But I haven't been able to pull this off. So I basically, do your #1 is what I have been doing. With extra strength and power phases in winter is what i have done the last two years. The issue I find with this that my endurance has taken a hit. So I think next year I will do a winter cycle and just redpoint routes in the gym for my peak cycle if I can't take a trip.
Eric

[jonfrisby]

I'm a NE climber as well. I'm currently doing April/October for my main two peaks, with a short bouldering season in winter and another in summer. If you don't love bouldering, maybe do a trad cycle in the summer with a long ARC, short strength/power phases, quick PE, and then send some long pump trad routes. I may be doing a 10 pitch trad climb in August, so I may do this instead of the summer bouldering season. Another option for these two month seasons is to do a high/low approach - as discussed extensively at powercompanyclimbing.com, Kris Odub Hampton's site. That's kind of what my short 2 month seasons look like because it allows you to mix your ARCing into the strength and power phases, which allows you to shorten them (I'm not sure whether he would recommend this, but I've gone with it to a reasonable success).

My schedule: 4 months (Jul-Oct) leading up to October sending, 2 months finishing at the end of year (Nov-Dec), 4 months leading to April sending (Jan-Apr), 2 months finishing end of June (May-Jun)