Extremely low intensity slab climbing for skill practice

[GavinC]

Hello Mark, Mike and others,

I am about to begin a base fitness phase, and am wondering if extremely low-intensity, low-angle slab climbing can be used on rest days, between ARC days, to practice skills. By low-intensity, I mean close to 0% exertion in the forearms and upper body (they're graded between 5.7-5.10 based on the footwork difficulty). They can be walked up as if they were a set of stairs. There are many feet big and small, and lots are smears, and would allow for lots of extra footwork practice and outdoor mileage. However, I understand that there are motor processes that need rest during the rest phase, and am not sure if this would "over-train" them.

Thanks

[MarkAnderson]

I think it would be fine. I'm not sure how helpful it would be though. Slab smearing is a pretty specific skill. It would surely make you better at slab smearing, but I wouldn't expect that to translate very well to vertical or steeper terrain. But, if you have the time, it's a great way to get outside and do something fun without interfering with your training.

[GavinC]

Great, thanks! I think I'll use it for down-climbing and other footwork drills. If it transfers to other outdoor climbing, great! If not, then it'll be fun aerobic exercise (and I'll get really good at easy slab smearing lol).