Training For Climbing Series: Endurance Phase Workout 1

Localized Endurance Phase (Total 6 weeks, 18 workouts)

Preparation: Climbing gear, running shoes, Clif Bar/banana, protein shake

Example Workout: 2 or 3 days per week, alternate days

Warm up (fifteen minutes):

1. Five minutes treadmill at 6.5mph with 2 degree incline, or light jog outside
2. Thirty jumping jacks
3. Ten perfect push ups
4. Ten perfect body squats
5. Ten glute extensions on hands and knees
6. 20 abdominal crunches
7. Rotator cuff recruitment with free weights or no weight, 3 to 5 light reps per side

Workout (1.5 to 2 hours):

1. Ten minutes traverse without touching the ground. Be smart, but work hard! Don’t allow too many good rest positions, but understand how to rest. The time you spend on the wall will increase as the weeks go on. 15 minutes next week, 20 minutes thereafter until you are able to spend 30 minutes on the wall without interruption by week 6.
2. Scout and read 5 top-rope climbs in your effort range of about 30 to 50 percent. These should all be relatively easy flashes. Try to choose climbs of varying styles within a similar grade.
3. Climb these routes with as little rest between as possible. If you fell or pumped out at all, they were too hard. If you didn’t break a sweat or experience a slight pump, they were too easy.
4. Gear and shoes can be set aside for a 10 minute water break and a small snack, high in simple carbs and a tiny bit of sugar like a Clif Bar.
5. Running shoes on for the final push!
6. 10 pull-up negatives super set with #7 (2 sets)
7. Footwork Ladders (2 sets)
8. 10 hanging leg raises super set with #9 (2 sets)
9. 5 perfect tricep dips (2 sets)
10. Warm down by doing Yogasana/stretching with guidance (8 minute flow from YouTube or something similar)

Recovery: Make sure to take a short break after the climbing and before the workout to grab water and a quick snack. A high carbohydrate snack with a little sugar is the best way to properly modulate energy during the workout because it will be accessed and burned off immediately for muscle energy. After the workout, it is imperative to consume a low carb, low sugar, high protein snack like a powdered protein drink or bar. Shoot for something over 30 grams of protein. Couple this with a properly balanced diet (1:1:2 – Pro:Carb:Veg) , and your body will have all the micros (vitamins) and macros (energy sources) that it needs to fuel the workout and build muscle. Adult males especially, need protein supplementation to acquire a baseline of strength, maintain it and build strength and power over time during high-intensity athletic endeavor.

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