Training- is it for me?
Endurance. It seems like a simple word, right? So how do you get endurance? Surely this is straightforward—don’t I just climb for longer? Well, no! I’m here to dispel a few very common myths about endurance and to make things much easier to understand. Stop wasting time and effort training the wrong things that won’t get you results.
If you are new to our articles, you need to know Alpine is a dual bouldering gym facility. Our second venue at Currumbin has been set up as a Performance centre and we can now cater to the highest level of the sport. This intro is important as our coaches are constantly banging our heads against our climbing walls answering the same question—“but you’re a bouldering gym and I need endurance”. Let me emphatically blow this out of the water before I get into the details of how.
Adam Ondra is arguably the current best lead climber in the world and owns two bouldering gyms. Janja Garnbret, the female counterpart, states she trains 100% on spray walls, also bouldering height. So if our rock stars are choosing to train on bouldering walls, then it must be possible to get “endurance” at a bouldering gym. Right? So let’s break down the how.
Think closely about that last outdoors project you sent, or your current one you may need a little bit of help with. I’m sure there are easier and harder sections to this route. I mean that’s the very definition of a crux—the hardest section. These undulations in energy mean this “endurance” terminology gets a bit more complicated. So let’s break down the different attributes we are going to need to send your next project.
Aerobic Fitness
Not unimportant by any means, this is the slow, easy plod if you’re going on an adventure multi. It serves well for long walk-ins and getting to the crag fresh. The main benefit to aerobic fitness is your pump can get dispelled slightly quicker, but for this, I would make a solid case that running fitness would serve you better and also get you to the crag faster. Aerobic fitness tends to be the most misunderstood aspect of endurance. Don’t neglect it, but I assure you, you won’t be in an aerobic state when going through your crux!
Anaerobic Fitness
This is climbing’s latest fad, but with good reason. I’m sure you have heard coaches and YouTubers using the term “power endurance” many times. This is where power (definition = strength + speed) goes for long enough that endurance becomes the second part of the phrase. This naturally means that the body can’t just use oxygen and sugars for its energy anymore. Your body is at the point it is producing a “by-product” into your blood, lactic acid [lactate and hydrogen ions, causing cellular acidosis]—or PUMP! We harp on about this energy system a lot as there are many different facets within here, but this right here is what you will need to get to the chains. A higher anaerobic fitness [Anaerobic Capacity and Lactate Threshold] will mean the higher your body can push before that nasty pump starts creeping in.
Repetitive interval training, like 4x4s on a spray wall, raises your lactate threshold and gives you a higher point of aerobic before going anaerobic – the very definition of fitness!
Recovery
We now have hit the minefield. Recovery sounds like a strange term to bring up in an endurance article, but stay with me; this is where we can help you get to a new high point. When looking at your current project, I’m willing to bet there are a few good rest spots, even if you haven’t found them yet. Have a think about that feeling when you hit one of those jugs or knee scums or even a good open-hand drag. What does it feel like after a few shake-outs? How much do you get back, and is it enough for the rest of your route?
Believe it or not, this is a big consideration of how we adapt the body in training. There are certain ways we can train the body to a faster active recovery or even look at ways to have more attempts during your day out, probably getting you closer to your end goal. There are many different types of recovery that we look at, including the main common focus of “have I recovered enough for my next training session?” (and should you be fully recovered for your next session?).
Hot tip for boulderers: you will benefit a lot from having the ability to bounce back faster between attempts. Imagine your progress if you can do 10 more attempts each day.
In a very small nutshell, these are the things our coaches and Climbing Assessments start looking at with every individual. Our weekly training classes are designed around the time of year and the climbing season in QLD, including boulder and lead disciplines.
If you have an interest in improving your performance or getting more in shape for that next outdoor weekend, then come down and join our training. You can start these sessions at any stage, and our coaches will help get you started and adapt any training to meet your current level and goals. Check out our training schedule here.
Want to learn more about how training can help your climbing? Check out our article “Training – is it for me?” or chat with one of our coaches in the gym today.