Strength
Forearm Hypertrophy Training
Tags: Forearm Training, Grip Strength, Hangboard, Strength
By Steve Bechtel Unless we’re talking about super lean people, about the last thing any climber wants to do is get bigger. The bigger you are, the more you weigh, and the harder it is for you to climb. But climbers can really benefit from creating more mass in the forearm musculature; it helps improve…
Strength Session Design Part 2
Tags: Movement Preparation, Progress, Session Design, Strength Standards, Training, Weight Training
by Steve Bechtel I wrote my first article on strength session design a few years back, and I thought it might be useful to update that article with the changes we’ve made to our programs over the past few seasons. In general, climbers agree on the need for climbing – sport specific movement – to…
Pull-Up Progressions: The Rules
Tags: Progress, Pull-Ups, Strength Standards, Weight Training
by Steve Bechtel Sometimes, the simplest movements are the hardest to master. When we look at the value of particular resistance exercises, it’s hard to dispute that a very few movements can make or break a training plan. Working with just a squat, a deadlift, a push-up variant, and pull-ups, you can develop a life-long…
Introduction to System Board Training
Tags: Finger Strength, Rhythm, Specific Strength, System Training, Unilateral Training
By Steve Bechtel The System Board is simply a small climbing wall outfitted with regularly spaced matched pair of holds. Although anything from 2 pair to 10 pairs are common, most companies providing packages of these holds sell them in sets of 6-8. More critical than cool tiles, however, is to set them up with…
Hangboard Training for Finger Strength – A Primer
Tags: Finger Strength, Full Crimp, Half Crimp, Hangboard, Hangboard Ladders, Open Hand, Strength, Training
By Steve Bechtel The hangboard is perhaps the best tool for developing finger strength in climbers. Unfortunately, it is too often “over-sold” by manufacturers as a one-stop training device for all climbing movement. When your desire is stronger fingers, let that be your goal; don’t be fooled into trying to get a pump or do…
Hangboard Ladder Training 1
Tags: Finger Strength, Hangboard, Hangboard Ladders, Max Hangs, Repeaters, Strength, Training
By Steve Bechtel Over the past few years, we’ve seen some incredible climbing gyms opening around the world. We’re talking multi-million-dollar indoor crags here, some so diverse and huge that you might never want to wander outside again. Strangely, though, the gyms aren’t cranking out superstars as fast as you’d think. I had a great…
Making Sense of Hangboard Programs
Tags: Finger Strength, Hangboard, Hangboard Ladders, Max Hangs, Repeaters, Rock Prodigy, Strength, Training
by Steve Bechtel I’ve been asked to weigh in more than a few times on various discussions on which was the “best” method of hangboard training. Although this is much like deciding which is the best dumbbell workout, it got me thinking. To truly decide what the best hangboard program for you is, you’ve got…
Training Contact Strength
Tags: Campus Board, Contact Strength, Finger Strength, Hangboard, Rate of Force Production, SAID, Strength, Training
By Steve Bechtel Contact Strength is a term unique to climbing. It refers to one’s ability to grasp a hold with maximum strength “on contact.” The ability for different climbers to do this varies widely, and many climbers have to “ramp” their strength a bit each time they grab a new hold. Although we see…
Strength Training for Rock Climbing (Part 3)
Tags: Strength Standards, Strong, Training, Weight Training
By Steve Bechtel There was never supposed to be a third part to this article, but I’ve received a few good questions about what was in the first two parts, and I’d like to elaborate. One of the biggest misconceptions about resistance training is the belief that it can directly improve your sport performance. Resistance…
Improving Arm and Back Strength
Tags: Isometric, Progress, Specificity, Strength Standards, Upper Body Strength, Weight Training
By Steve Bechtel Fingers aren’t the only part of a climber that can be weak. On hard routes and particularly in bouldering, we often see arm and back strength as a limiting factor. The ability to move between holds effectively, to lock off on holds, and the ability to keep your body close to the…
Pull-Ups Are a Waste of Time
Tags: Inverted Rows, Pull-Ups, Specificity, Strength Standards, Weight Training
By Steve Bechtel There’s nothing like a title almost everyone disagrees with. It’s a sure-fire way to make people at least look at the article. So, now that you’re looking, I’ll be more clear. If you’re interested in actually improving your climbing ability, you’d be wasting your time if pull-ups were a major part of…
Leg Strength as a Limiting Factor, Revisited
Tags: Force, Leg Strength, Squats, Strength, Weight Training
By Steve Bechtel This is a re-post of my article “Leg Strength as a Limiting Factor” published in 2009. I’ve updated it with a few more ideas and a couple of videos that better illustrate the exercises. — Sure, your fingers peel off the hold and you fall, but is it always the fingers’ fault?…