Should I extend my base fitness phase?

[erick]

Im just coming off a very successful sport climbing season and I have been really wanting to up my game when it comes to placing gear. My season goals include alpine rock climbing to about 5.12 on gear. My plan was to try out the big wall free climbing training plan from RCTM. During the two week base fitness phase I wanted focus solely on skill development before moving into HB season. Since I live in Washington that means I have been climbing at Index a lot.

I am in my second week of base fitness and my granite/index skills have been improving but are no where near my crimpy sport skills. For example, on a vert/gently overhanging sport routes I can onsight 12b pretty regularly. At index I am falling on 11+ regularly but I don't feel like I am lacking fitness. I am never pumping out or feel like I don't have enough power to do any particular move. I know my onsight grade while placing gear will be different than sport climbing but, I am wondering if I should extend the base fitness phase (at the expense of HB workouts) in the hopes of upping my skill level even more. Or should I stick with the tried and true method of getting even stronger so I can spend more time fiddling in gear while hanging off finger locks? I would love to be just as confident on gear as I am on bolts, which I am not at the moment.

[MarkAnderson]

Extend the phase. It sounds like strength/fitness are not the weak link. Focus on the weak link.

[ericg]

If your goals are alpine rock I don't think index is a worthwhile place to do your self assessment. Go try some routes at squamish or even leavenworth, they will be much more comparable in terms of style of climbing. If you have a specific index route you just need spend time developing that specific technique. I learned to climb at Index and basically climbed exclusively there until I moved. When I moved I had redpointed exactly 1 12a (full iron horse) but I would be working these climbs (11+/12a) with people who climbed solid 13 at little si. At the time I thought they all had head issues because they where obviously so much stronger than me but really they just didn't have that specific technique. Now when I do visit my parents and get a day out at index I don't climb any harder there despite being much stronger.