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Build up phase

Training plan and video to training plan bottom of page.

Welcome to the build up phase, also known as hypertrophy.

This 4 - 5 week phase (January) is designed to get the body and

the fingers ready for the training and climbing to come. The intensity is medium to high, 70% - 80% or 8 - 12 reps or 8 - 12 seconds or 8 - 12 moves depending on the exercise.

I also like to do this as a circuit training which raises the cardiovascular intensity and raises a good sweat. I like the saying,

"Sweat is weakness leaving the Body!" Gimme Kraft

Isolated finger strength with chest and lats:

I start off with the fingers, full crimp, half crimp, slopper, or the shape of holds that matche the routes I will be climbing. With my feet on the wall I hang on the holds for 10 seconds then rest for 5 seconds and repeat this 10 times. Adjust the size of the grip or angel of the wall to get a good 10 second hang. I do 2 sets of full crimp, 2 sets of half crimp and 2 sets of slopper. After each set I do 10 pull ups, assisted if need be. The first 3 sets are followed by 10 push ups with my hands on a Bosu balance trainer and my feet in the TRX. And the second 3 sets are followed by 10 TRX flys with my feet on a Bosu, which makes 6 sets of pull ups and 3 sets of push ups and 3 sets of flys. For the hangs always do the smaller grips first then moving onto the larger ones. Make sure to keep your arms slightly bent and shoulder pulled back and down. (30 minutes)

Compound finger strength with triceps:

After the hangs and TRX I do some lock offs on the same size/shape holds as in the hangs. The boulder and the angle of the wall should be so that you do about 8 - 12 moves for each hand at a medium to high intensity, on the pre set boulders there and back climbing slowly and controled. The first 3 sets are follwed by 10 TRX tricep extentions feet on the Bosu and the last 3 sets are followed by 10 TRX body extensions and kneeling on the Bosu. (17 minutes)

Compound body strength and core:

Using the holes in the Torque Trainer I traverse across firstly using holes at head height then shoulder/chest height, palms down (standard grip) then waist height, palms up (under cling grip). With my body close up against the wall I lock off each position for about 3 seconds. I also make sure to keep my shoulders pulled back and down. These three exercises work the triceps, biceps, pecs, shoulder muscles, lats, core, gluteus and legs. Adjust the angle of the wall to allow for a traverse there and back and you should have done about 10 lock offs per arm. I do the head height holes followed by 10 TRX crunches with my hands on the Bosu, then the chest height holes followed by 10 TRX ab pendulums with my hands on the Bosu, then the undercling holes followed by 10 TRX hamstring curls and my shoulders on the Bosu. I repeat this 3 times. Before each lock off make sure your body weight is evenly placed on both feet. (30 minutes)

One or two laps of dynamic lunges adds some movement to the session and gets the blood flowing.

Some good stretching will close off another excellent 1.5 hour session. I like to do this phase on Tuesday and Thursday and some easy climbing on the weekend and a good 30 to 60 minute jog on rest days will speed up recovery and increase your cardiovascular capability.

In the 5th week start the transition to the power phase. In the two sessions slowly increase the weight and make the changes so you can start the first power session with the correct angel of the wall size of grip and so on.

Build up Training

5 - 10 min warm up. hopping, loosen hips, shoulders, wrists and fingers. Easy climbing with some low intensity lock offs. Light finger curls at end.

climbing specific exersises, can be done alone and the non specific exersises done the next day.

Isolated finger strength: 30 minutes

Full crimp:

10 x 10 sec. hang 5 sec rest.

6 x pull ups - 10 x TRX push ups, feet in TRX hands on Bosu

10 x 10 sec. hang 5 sec rest.

8 x pull ups - 10 x TRX push ups, feet in TRX hands on Bosu

Half crimp:

10 x 10 sec. hang 5 sec rest.

10 x pull ups - 10 x TRX push ups, feet in TRX hands on Bosu

10 x 10 sec. hang 5 sec rest.

10 x pull ups - 10 x TRX flys, kneeling on Bosu

Slopper:

10 x 10 sec. hang 5 sec rest.

8 x pull ups - 10 x TRX flys, kneeling on Bosu

10 x 10 sec. hang 5 sec rest.

6 x pull ups - 10 x TRX flys, kneeling on Bosu

Compound finger strength: 24 minutes

Full crimp: