Training
One Piece At A Time
Tags: Motivation, Planning, Steve Bechtel, Training
By Steve Bechtel When we think about strength training in the weight room, most of us go to the “big” lifts: squats, bench press, pull-ups, and deadlifts. This isn’t wrong. A program built around these exercises can help you build tremendous strength and durability, but it’s easy to see that these aren’t exactly climbing-like movements….
No Days Off
Tags: Motivation, Planning, Steve Bechtel, Training
By Steve Bechtel It seems like we all have defaults when it comes to exercise and training. Some of us just can’t get enough, and sneak in a hard workout at every opportunity. Others want to do just enough to still do the sport, but want to invest their time elsewhere. There are issues at…
Why and How We Train the Core
Tags: core, Motivation, Planning, Steve Bechtel, tension
By Steve Bechtel It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of “abs” in a workout, but I’m not a fan of not having a strong midsection, either. Confused? Me too. The core musculature can, and should, include about anything that is attached to the hips. We include: The rectus abdominis The transversus abdominis…
Execution Volume 3: The Path to Being The Best Climber You Can Be
Tags: climbing training, execution, Goal Setting, Jacob Carr, Planning, Scheduling, Strength
by Jacob Carr Action. This Is The Way. Now that you have a framework on how to attack a project-level route and a way to practice execution in the gym you can now put them into practice and allow yourself to perform on the rock. You can act on what you want. You…
Once More Unto The Breach
Tags: Aging, Motivation, Planning, Steve Bechtel
By Steve Bechtel The last thing I want to think about again today is getting older. I don’t really like to talk about it and I certainly don’t like doing it. But for me, and probably for you, the worse alternative is getting old quickly. As I look at the people I grew up with,…
Fundamentals Of Drill Sessions
Tags: Alex Bridgewater, Performance, Planning, Visualization
By Alex Bridgewater I work with an athlete that has had some recurring issues with his fingers. He is a strong boulderer and despite his efforts to keep his fingers up to snuff, he often would develop some sort of joint inflammation that would set him back. For a while we would drop back on…
Hard To Kill
Tags: climbing training, execution, Strength, Ty Vineyard
by Ty Vineyard Your fitness may be the difference between failure and success, or even life and death. Many do not think about this, even athletes who consistently train. SOF Operators, mountain guides, firefighters, and many other professionals highlight the importance of being “hard to kill.” Consistently operating in high consequence environments demands an approach…
Execution Vol 2: Developing Responsibility for Yourself
Tags: climbing training, execution, Goal Setting, Jacob Carr, Planning, Scheduling, Strength
by Jacob Carr The next step in execution will refer to your tactics around redpoint climbing. How do you spend your time at the crag? You can handle an undirected crag day by learning how to take responsibility for yourself and what you accomplish on a given climbing day. This means, deciding what your intentions…
Execution Vol 1: Better People Make Better Climbers
Tags: climbing training, execution, Goal Setting, Jacob Carr, Planning, Scheduling, Strength
by Jacob Carr I get the hunch that most climbers, if they were asked, would rather not train for climbing. Ever. If they could, they would be the best version of themselves on the rock by just climbing, no hangboarding-only redpointing flawlessly. If you’ve read anything by Steve Bechtel you’ve probably heard him say, “If…
Rachel’s Momentum Drills
Tags: drills, Movement, Rachel Speer, Skills, tension
By Rachel Speer I’ll be the very first one to admit it: I hate dynos. I would much prefer to figure out a way to do a move statically, even if it takes ten times the energy and strength than it would to just… for lack of a better word… yeet myself up the wall….
Optimizing First Gear: Training The Alactic Energy System
Tags: aerobic endurance, alactic, alactic intervals, alactic power, Planning, Power Endurance, Steve Bechtel
By Steve Bechtel Anyone who has been in sports for very long has probably heard of the energy systems, or the ways in which our bodies supply energy. When we run down a road for an hour, we are producing energy from a different source than when we pick up a heavy barbell. And when…
New Year, Different Resolution
Tags: climbing training, Goal Setting, Jacob Carr, Planning, Strength
by Jacob Carr Welcome to the new year! Congratulations on setting your new resolution, it is no small task to think about resolutions, goals, etc. let alone setting and executing them. One of the things I love about setting aside time for these types of actions is that it provides us time to reflect and…