Another ARC intensity question...

[Alex D]

Today I switched climbing gyms, and as such I had to switch from traversing for my ARC sessions to full-length routes on an autobelay system. I'm struggling to figure out whether I'm climbing at the right intensity, though.

The routes on this autobelay were 5.8, 5.10a and 5.10b, and I found myself getting an increasing level of pump on the 10a, due to its style. It wasn't a debilitating level of pump - I didn't fall and wasn't on the verge of pumping off the wall, but I had a noticeable burn and noticeable level of forearm swelling. I was probably at about a 7/10 level of pumped-ness. I think I remember reading in the RCTM (I'm away from the book right now) that the swelling is what we want to avoid, if I recall correctly.

I know it's difficult to gauge what somebody else is physically feeling just through a verbal recounting, but based on my description does it sound like I'm going too hard? I would reel back the pump somewhat by using less-than-optimal rest positions, and it gave me sufficient recovery to make the following moves. Highest I've on-sighted is 11a, both indoor and outdoor, so perhaps I need to move to lower grades for ARCing.

Thanks,
Alex

[brendann]

Your ARC-to-Onsight ratio seems roughly in line with mine.
I wouldn't worry about swelling as long as it's not rock-hard and debilitating.
7/10 seems like a reasonable level of exertion.

[Alex D]

Apr 12, 2017 9:29:06 GMT -7 brendann said:

Your ARC-to-Onsight ratio seems roughly in line with mine.
I wouldn't worry about swelling as long as it's not rock-hard and debilitating.
7/10 seems like a reasonable level of exertion.

Thanks for the response, glad to know I'm not doing anything obviously wrong!

I've seen you (and others in this forum) talk about staying slightly below the anaerobic threshold, crossing over it just briefly on occasion by accident. What would change subjectively when we cross this threshold? Are there any distinct sensations that would tell us we've crossed over? I'm thinking it could be having a burning pump, as opposed to just a swelling pump, but I could be wrong.

[brendann]

The feeling is that I will fall off in the next ten moves.
Another way to look at it is that your grip strength diminishes with each move and you can't bring it back to a steady state.
This threshold is obvious in running because it involves the lungs and taps a primal fear. It takes a bit more observation to feel it in your forearms.