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Post by tedwelser on Nov 16, 2014 21:47:30 GMT -7
I am considering doing two strength cycles during winter season by skipping the performance phase. I realize that the performance phase is supposed to be the reward for the training, but I feel more motivated to build strength for spring sending season than spend time and energy on intermediary goals this season. Basically I would do the first half of the bouldering training cycle (HB, then power) from chapter 15, rest as for the end of a season, do the first half again, rest, then start a normal sport climbing training season for spring.
Why? I feel like my motivation and psyche for training are much higher than they are for sending routes in the short term. Second, I feel like the major barrier to my progress is finger strength. My fall sending goals were to onsight or flash 11d/12a, and I sent all the goal routes I could get on in either 1 or 2 tries. However, at the end of my season I got on a potential project for spring (Tuna Town 12d). After the 5th bolt or so I went bolt to bolt to learn the moves, and did each section pretty easily. However, it was striking to me how important it will be to feel stronger on the medium crimps in the middle of the route (2 bolts prior to the big, semi wet pocket). Tuna town is the sort of route where you have to rest and recover while hanging from your hands, and the medium size crimps are just too strenuous for me to feel relaxed on them. So many of the holds are semi crimps with a thumb catch and I am much stronger on open hand holds, than these semi crimps. I feel like I will need all the strength building that I can get between now and May.
Problems with this general plan? Anyone else try skipping a performance phase to augment their training progress, especially when confronted with a season where you will not be able to work towards your most motivating goals?
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Post by robdebruyn on Nov 17, 2014 6:39:53 GMT -7
I was thinking of doing something similar. Living in New England, I don't have much opportunity for climbing during the winter. I was planning on doing two full cycles (minus the ARC phase). As a teacher, I get a week long break during April. This allows me to peak during that week, where I'll make a trip to RRG, NRG or Rumney, depending on weather.
In my first cycle, I will complete the hang boarding, power, and PE phases. My plan was to rest for a week and then start the cycle over. I'm wondering if resting at my performance peak and then starting training is a bad idea physically. I understand that it might be hard mentally, but my thought is that getting two cycles in will do more for me in the long term than trying to stretch out one long cycle. Can anyone say if there are downsides to skipping your peak phase to rest and start hang boarding again?
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Post by jessebruni on Nov 17, 2014 9:31:47 GMT -7
It seems to me that a performance phase is really just an extension to the power endurance phase. Training intensity goes down because you're trying to perform, but ultimately you're still doing routes, and probably getting a decent amount of power endurance work in, though probably not enough to stimulate growth. I think you would want to consider that, if you skip the performance phase, will you also skip the rest phase? What about the base fitness phase starting the next cycle? I would imagine (and this could be totally off the mark) that if you skip performance phase you should still have a rest phase, and still have a base fitness phase. Since your performance phase is gone you could probably get away with only a week long rest phase instead of 2 weeks, and probably a much shorter base fitness phase (I'm thinking 2.5 or 3 weeks at the level you're climbing). I would of course wait to hear from Mark before continuing.
Also, Tuna Town is awesome.
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Post by tedwelser on Nov 18, 2014 21:28:26 GMT -7
Thanks to both Rob and Jesse for your comments and insights. I worked a bit today on planning out my training plan for this winter. The one fun dimension that is not prominent in the plan is that I recently discovered a new bouldering area in Athens, and will be spending my weekend climbing time either scrubbing/sending problems there or climbing for fun at our home wall, with an eye towards taking it easy on Sundays. here is the link: boulderingathenscounty.blogspot.com/2014/11/winter-plan.htmlEdit: Jesse- Jesus Wept looks awesome too! But with a real heart breaker at the end. |
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Post by tedwelser on Nov 18, 2014 21:41:51 GMT -7
The gist of the plan is to rest/arc and then HB, campus/limit; rest, repeat.
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Post by jessebruni on Nov 21, 2014 10:12:35 GMT -7
Seems to me that this would work. Just make sure you don't overdo it and end up injuring yourself. Let us know how it turns out!
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Post by Drew H on Apr 22, 2015 5:49:52 GMT -7
Did this workout for you? I have an odd time gap between now and the fall. Summer climbing in the southeast isn't great, and if I do two full cycles I'll be training through the fall and peaking during the winter.
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Post by Chris W on Apr 22, 2015 13:21:50 GMT -7
Drew, are you training for bouldering or route climbing? When do you plan to peak for your fall season?
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Post by Drew H on Apr 23, 2015 6:50:24 GMT -7
Route climbing at the New. I'd like to peak in mid to late October when conditions are nice and crisp! I was planning on posting a more detailed question tonight after I take a look at the book and try to come up with a game plan. My tentative plan, as of right now, is a shortened cycle starting mid May that will take me through the beginning of July. Once July hits, have another rest week and start a true training cycle in mid July so I can peak in October.
The mini cycle will be about 7 weeks, not including 1-2 weeks of rest. Off of the top of my head I'm thinking:
1 week of ARC
2 weeks of Hangboard
2 weeks of Power
2 weeks of PE
1-2 weeks of rest
Alternatives would include:
-2 weeks of hangboard, 1 week of power, 3 weeks of PE. PE is one of my weaker areas - I can pull hard but I'm not the best jug hauler
-Dicking around in the gym and climbing hard on the weekends (IE my "training" routine for the past 4 years)
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Post by MarkAnderson on Apr 23, 2015 8:23:16 GMT -7
If time is short, and PE is your primary weakness (relative to your goals), consider combining your Power and PE phases, along the lines of what you would do once you were in maintenance mode. For example, a session might look like: 45-60 minutes of bouldering (including ARC warmu-up, WBL, Limit Bouldering) 5 minute break 30-50 minutes of Campusing 5 minute break LBC or route interval (10-20 minutes depending on length/# of sets/length of rest periods) See this blog post for an example of this type of Non-Linear Periodization. |
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Post by Drew H on Apr 23, 2015 17:04:57 GMT -7
Awesome, thank you so much Mark. I have a couple of questions:
-Do you think I should start this short cycle with one week of ARC, two weeks of hangboarding, and four weeks of the power/PE combo? Or just continue my current cycle with the NLP power/PE workouts? I have one more weekend to climb in my current cycle before a rest period.
-The power/PE workout seems like a long workout, do you do shortened supplemental exercise workouts following the climbing session?
Thanks again!
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Post by MarkAnderson on Apr 23, 2015 19:16:08 GMT -7
-Do you think I should start this short cycle with one week of ARC, two weeks of hangboarding, and four weeks of the power/PE combo? Or just continue my current cycle with the NLP power/PE workouts? I have one more weekend to climb in my current cycle before a rest period. If you have 7 weeks, I would do 1 wk ARC, 3 wks HB, and 3 wks Power+PE -The power/PE workout seems like a long workout, do you do shortened supplemental exercise workouts following the climbing session? Yes. On a campus day I do 3 sets of SEs, skipping all pull exercises and biceps curls. On a LB-only day I do all exercises, but only 2 sets each. |
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Post by Chris W on Apr 23, 2015 20:10:08 GMT -7
Last year I did a spring HB phase (right when the RPTC came out), summer shortened season just to sample the training (first time using RP method), full fall season and shortened winter season (to boulder). This spring I'm finishing up a full spring season. My shortened seasons were primarily focused on strength training, namely hangboarding.
-I improved on almost every grip on every season
-I HAVE NEVER DONE ANY HANGBOARDING before this
I feel like doing these shortened seasons and skipping the performance phase (had a lot of reasons for this including weather and family issues) with a focus on strength training really has helped me, but I'm willing to bet it is because my baseline strength was so low that I have had tons of room to improve quickly. Not sure if this will work for me in the future or would work for someone with more training experience.
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Post by Drew H on Apr 24, 2015 10:06:59 GMT -7
Ok great, thanks again Mark. I really appreciate your help.
On the LBC days, the supplemental exercises feel SO HARD. My shoulders are wrecked after LBC sessions and everything else feels fatigued. I love it.
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Post by MarkAnderson on Apr 24, 2015 18:04:54 GMT -7
I love that feeling. I used to get it daily when I was a competetive runner*, but as a climber I find it's rarely productive to dig that deep. IF you feel like your SEs are suffering because of this, consider taking a nice long break between the two activities. I'm usually completely wrecked after the LBC, and need about 10-15 minutes to get my shit together. Even then my hands are useless.
*I probably could have been a much better runner if I understood the value of rest and recovery in those days. Instead I just went as hard as I could every day, always peaked about a month too early, and was completely burnt out by the time the important races happened.
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