Read Training for Climbing, 2nd: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance (How To Climb Series) for Free Online Page B
Authors: Eric J. Horst
regaining your old form, the long-term and most significant improvements in climbing ability will still result from effective skill practice until late in your career. Only at the lofty grades of 5.12 and above does sport-specific strength become a major limiting factor.
Figure 1.6 Performance Losses
Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID)
Serious climbers would be wise to train and climb in accordance with the cornerstone principles of the field of exercise science. For example, knowledge of the SAID Principle (specific adaptation to imposed demands) can be leveraged to maximize the effectiveness of your training for a specific climbing goal or dream climb.
The SAID Principle explains that a certain exercise or type of training produces adaptations specific to the activity performed and only in the muscles (and energy systems) that are stressed by the activity. For instance, running produces favorable adaptations in the leg muscles and the cardiovascular system. But the muscles and systems not stressed show no adaptation, so even heroic amounts of running will produce no favorable changes in, say, the arms. Of course, the adaptations that result from running do transfer somewhat to other activities that depend on the same body parts and systems (such as mountain biking or hiking). Bottom line: The SAID Principle demands that effective training for climbing must target your body in ways very similar to climbing (body position, muscles used, energy systems trained, and so forth).
Figure 1.7 Continuum of Specific Adaptations for Various Subdisciplines of Climbing
Similarly, your body adapts in a specific fashion to the specific demands you place on it while climbing. If you boulder a lot, you will adapt to the specific skill and strength demands of bouldering. If you climb mostly one-pitch sport routes, you adapt to the unique demands of zipping up, say, 30 meters of rock before muscular failure. If you favor multipitch routes or big walls, your body will adapt in accordance to the demands of these longer climbs. Or if your outings are alpine in nature, your physiological response will be specific to the very unique demands of climbing in the mountains.
The vitally important distinction here is that while all these activities fall under the headline of “climbing,” they each have unique demands that produce very specific physical adaptations. Therefore, the training effect from regular bouldering will do very little to enhance your physical ability for alpine climbing. Figure 1.7 shows that the specific demands of sport climbing are much closer to those of bouldering. Consequently, the adaptations incurred from frequent bouldering will largely carry over to sport climbing (especially short sport climbs) and vice versa.
Due to the SAID Principle, your practice and training on the rocks should be spent mostly on the type of climbing in which you wish to excel. It’s no mistake that the best boulderers in the world rarely tie in to a rope. Likewise, the best alpine climbers spend little time working 30-meter sport routes. Targeting your training on the specific demands of your preferred form of climbing is the essence of the SAID Principle.
In the end you must make a philosophical choice whether you want to specialize—and therefore excel—in one or two of the climbing subdisciplines, or become a moderately successful all-around climber. Certainly there is merit and reward in both approaches.
Summary of Training for Climbing
1. Training for climbing is any practice, exercise, or discipline that increases absolute climbing performance.
2. Mental training begins by increasing your commitment to all things climbing (while reducing time, energy, and thought invested in lower-value activities and hobbies) and continues with the development of uncommon self-awareness, and superior thought control and risk management skills.
3. Skill practice is paramount, since climbing skills and
Figure 1.6 Performance Losses
Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID)
Serious climbers would be wise to train and climb in accordance with the cornerstone principles of the field of exercise science. For example, knowledge of the SAID Principle (specific adaptation to imposed demands) can be leveraged to maximize the effectiveness of your training for a specific climbing goal or dream climb.
The SAID Principle explains that a certain exercise or type of training produces adaptations specific to the activity performed and only in the muscles (and energy systems) that are stressed by the activity. For instance, running produces favorable adaptations in the leg muscles and the cardiovascular system. But the muscles and systems not stressed show no adaptation, so even heroic amounts of running will produce no favorable changes in, say, the arms. Of course, the adaptations that result from running do transfer somewhat to other activities that depend on the same body parts and systems (such as mountain biking or hiking). Bottom line: The SAID Principle demands that effective training for climbing must target your body in ways very similar to climbing (body position, muscles used, energy systems trained, and so forth).
Figure 1.7 Continuum of Specific Adaptations for Various Subdisciplines of Climbing
Similarly, your body adapts in a specific fashion to the specific demands you place on it while climbing. If you boulder a lot, you will adapt to the specific skill and strength demands of bouldering. If you climb mostly one-pitch sport routes, you adapt to the unique demands of zipping up, say, 30 meters of rock before muscular failure. If you favor multipitch routes or big walls, your body will adapt in accordance to the demands of these longer climbs. Or if your outings are alpine in nature, your physiological response will be specific to the very unique demands of climbing in the mountains.
The vitally important distinction here is that while all these activities fall under the headline of “climbing,” they each have unique demands that produce very specific physical adaptations. Therefore, the training effect from regular bouldering will do very little to enhance your physical ability for alpine climbing. Figure 1.7 shows that the specific demands of sport climbing are much closer to those of bouldering. Consequently, the adaptations incurred from frequent bouldering will largely carry over to sport climbing (especially short sport climbs) and vice versa.
Due to the SAID Principle, your practice and training on the rocks should be spent mostly on the type of climbing in which you wish to excel. It’s no mistake that the best boulderers in the world rarely tie in to a rope. Likewise, the best alpine climbers spend little time working 30-meter sport routes. Targeting your training on the specific demands of your preferred form of climbing is the essence of the SAID Principle.
In the end you must make a philosophical choice whether you want to specialize—and therefore excel—in one or two of the climbing subdisciplines, or become a moderately successful all-around climber. Certainly there is merit and reward in both approaches.
Summary of Training for Climbing
1. Training for climbing is any practice, exercise, or discipline that increases absolute climbing performance.
2. Mental training begins by increasing your commitment to all things climbing (while reducing time, energy, and thought invested in lower-value activities and hobbies) and continues with the development of uncommon self-awareness, and superior thought control and risk management skills.
3. Skill practice is paramount, since climbing skills and
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