Posts

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…

Watch: Realistic Resolutions

Tags: climbing, in-depth video, Planning, Program Design, Programming, Steve Bechtel, Tactics

Many of us set ambitious New Year’s resolutions, but it is uncommon to see folks who actually achieve these big goals. Why is that? What is it that prevents us from following through on these things we want so badly? In this video Steve talks about setting realistic resolutions and how to break them down…

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…

Watch: Crag Nutrition

Tags: climbing, in-depth video, Nutrition, Planning, Program Design, Programming, Tactics, Taylor Carr

Many climbers tend to not get adequate nutrition before, during, and after their climbing day. A good plan and some preparation will go a long way towards helping you perform better and recover faster. In this video Climb Strong nutrition coach Taylor Carr goes over what are some good options for meals and snacks plus…

BLOG: Start Again, Start Better

Tags: Planning, Steve Bechtel, Steve's Blog

By Steve Bechtel The birds they sang at the break of day; Start again I heard them say. Leonard Cohen Last year did not go as planned. This year can be better… if you let it. My friend Neil Anderson, one of those great strength coaches you’ve never heard of, says that more…

Watch: Power Training

Tags: climbing, in-depth video, Planning, Program Design, Programming, Steve Bechtel, Tactics

We all want to feel powerful when we climb, and we often train with specific intent to increase it. The problem is that although power is a performance metric, we struggle to build training that actually directly addresses it. Power, as defined in sport science is strength applied at speed. If we built it as…

Put Down the Sugar Cookie and Try This Smoothie Instead

Tags: diet, mindset, Nutrition, Performance, Taylor Carr

By Taylor Carr, MS, ISSN-SNS, PN1 Did I get you? I’m sorry, but there is no smoothie out there that can take the place of the first bite of a warm holiday cookie. And not the kind filled with black beans, Stevia, or kale that make you think you’re making the “right” choice. The…

BLOG: Now Is No Time For Resetting or Resting

Tags: Planning, Steve Bechtel, Steve's Blog

By Steve Bechtel Ahh, the holidays. Snacks in the break room, cookies on the table, and a little bit of extra cheer at the end of the day. Work schedules are off, kids are home from school, and there are all kinds of other special things going on this month. No wonder we don’t…

Watch: Block Programming

Tags: climbing, in-depth video, Planning, Program Design, Programming, Steve Bechtel, Tactics, Training Logs

In this video Steve explains some of the basic forms of periodization commonly used in training for climbing and dives into why he likes Block Programming. Block Programming eliminates some of the problems with classic or linear periodization models and allows for flexibility well suited to climbers. This model features training cycles of a highly…

6 Takeaways From Coaching Youth Climbers (That Every Rock Climber Needs to Hear)

Tags: Assessment, coaching, effort, ken klein, Planning, Volume, youth

By Ken Klein Coaching youth climbers is the most rewarding work I have done in my life. It just so happens that it may also be the most exhausting as well. When I started coaching Team Whetstone in Fort Collins, Colorado, there were 17 kids on the team. When I left that count had jumped…

What Got You Here? Do You Even Know?

Tags: Assessment, Planning, Steve Bechtel, training logging, Training Logs

By Steve Bechtel Maybe this was a really good year and you sent a project or two. Or maybe it was more like my year last year and you weren’t all that happy with how things went. The biggest question to ask, in either situation is this: “What did I do that led me to…

Watch: Better Training Logs