Powering down

[sean]

So I hopped on a very atypical climb for me this weekend, a 40ft 12b which basically consists of a 30' to 35' continuous boulder problem with everything from dynamic stabs to decent holds, delicate balance moves on small and non positive sidepulls and a final all out deadpoint to a sloper.  I like it because it's everything I'm not, aka a true power route.  I'm typically game for either pumpy enduro fits or thin technical stuff with minimal rests.  On this particular route, I came face to face with something I've never really felt, "powering out".  Basically, not getting pumped or feeling like my fingers were holding me back, just having no more explosiveness or contact strength.  Any thoughts on how to address this weakness in the gym?  Most of my PE training leaves me silly pumped, but never this lack of power.  Just as a reference, I'm just starting to dig into the power phase with limit bouldering and will hopefully start campusing this week.  I can't really imagine it's a lack of true high end power as that was the name of the game at my former home crag (the gunks) which consisted of boulder problems split by 100% recovery rests.  This feels like really high end power endurance.  Should I start to put a premium on 12-20 move PE where the goal isn't getting pumped?

As a side note, how do you know you're ready to try again when dealing with these sort of routes/boulder problems?  I'm used to being ready when I no longer feel any pump effects or my fingers stop hurting.  With this route, I felt fine until I stepped back on the wall and felt like I had no pop.

[MarkAnderson]

Power Endurance is a spectrum, with "High Intensity, Low Repetition" at one end, and "Low Intensity, High Repetition" at the other. It sounds like your route is in the HI,LR range (although I would not call "a 30' to 35' continuous boulder problem" a "true power route"--a true power route is a 4 move boulder problem with a bunch of fluff tacked on). I usually train for these types of routes by doing longer boulder problems, in the 8-15 move range. Some times I may feel like I need some type of interval training too, in which case I will do a lower rep Linked Bouldering Circuit (in the 20-30 hand move range).

If you're not accustomed to this type of climb it can seem overwhelming, but if you do it enough your body will adapt to this type of climbing.

As far as how long to rest between burns, use a watch to track your rest. Try different rest periods, and see what happens. Eventually you will figure out the appropriate rest duration.

[brendann]

This PDF from Alex Barrows outlines the two forms of Power Endurance Mark referenced. Plus some good exercises for training each type.

[sean]

Seems like it fits into what Alex calls Anaerobic capacity (high end PE), and looks like he trains that range similarly to Mark (long boulder problems). I guess this kind of highlights why we really need a "goal" route for the season, or your PE training would just be all over the place (opposed to the general "I want to climb 5.XX this year").

I referred to this climb as a true power route mainly because it's probably the first route I've really tried that is a series of powerful sequences (dead points, slaps, etc) without any recovery, geeze that sounds like the definition of a PE route now that I've written it out. I've done the bouldery routes (something like the sting at the gunks, which is essentially three big moves separated by great rests) and I guess I've never really put that mentally in the power category as it just felt like a quick campus workout. I need to get my terminology together.

Thanks guys!

Sláinte