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Lunchtime bouldering

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 DundeeDave 10 Oct 2013
Hi All,

I was just looking for ideas of how to use a 45 minute lunchtime bouldering session?

I reckon, once I've got from work, got changed and allowing for a shower after, I've got 45 mins of actual activity time at the wall so this would have to include: warm up, cool down(?), bit of a stretch.

Not really bouldered much before but heard it might improve my climbing...

Any suggestions gratefully received,

David
 Exile 10 Oct 2013
In reply to DundeeDave:

First thing to say is it's worth doing as it's all time climbing.

I use short sessions sneaked in on the way to / from work and the random things I would say about it are:

Decide on your climbing goals so you can make the most of the session - if you want to climb harder boulder problems train for power, sports routes train power / power endurance, trad routes power endurance / endurance, (although power is always useful in my experience.)

If all your climbing is time pushed make your training almost route specific - at the moment I'm doing more endurance training on a fingers vertical wall because that replicates a route I want to do.

Don't fall into the habit of doing the same session each time because you don't need to think and it makes you feel good - it's easy to design a hard training session and throw yourself at it and then four months down the line still be doing it despite the fact it's become easy.

Maximise your time climbing - can you run to the wall squeezing a squash ball in each hand to warm up?

If you're warming up on the wall also use the time to practice technique.

And loads of other stuff I'm sure I've forgotten!
 ti_pin_man 10 Oct 2013
In reply to DundeeDave: agree, a 45 min session should be specific, even this can be working on a weakness, footwork drills or whatever, maybe body movement, or as suggested steep walls for a project. 45 mins isnt long enough for a decent climb but perfect for a goal.
 AlanLittle 10 Oct 2013
In reply to DundeeDave:

I've had two periods in my life of regularly doing short training sessions.

One was when I was commuting between Manchester and Liverpool, and used to stop at Pex Hill en route on nice mornings. Obviously real climbing is better than a climbing wall, but I fell into the bad habit of doing pretty much the same circuit every time on problems that I had totally wired, so probably not the most effective use of my training time.

The second was when I recently worked for a company that had a little bouldering grotto in the corner of the office gym. I had two 45 minute lunchtime routines that I used to do.

(1) Endurance. 10 to 15 minutes ARC circuits, 10 to 15 minutes playing on project problems as active rest / to relieve the boredom of endurance circuits on a small wall, another 10 to 15 minutes ARC circuits.

(2) Power: warm up with a short ARC session or technique exercises on easy problems, then pulling hard on project problems. Need to be very careful about adequate warming up and rest when trying to train power in a short session - not the most tendon-friendly activity.

Definitely felt benefits from these sessions, as they enabled me to train a lot more regularly than my one or two evening/weekend sessions per week away from family would otherwise have allowed. But you need to be very careful with shoulders, elbows, finger tendons if you suddenly increase your training load. Training in a gym was a plus for me in this respect, because I could throw in a few sets of rotator cuff & wrist extensor exercises as part of my warm down.
 pork pie girl 02 Nov 2013
In reply to DundeeDave: I sometimes do lunch time sessions but get just over,an hour. The,best type of sessions I have for lunch breaks i've had so far has been when i've done circuits with about 15 to 20 moves per circuit that I can manage there to four sets of but at the end of each set i'm knackered and falling off. This takes me about 3 minutes. I then train my core for,about one and a half to two mins.. So and and lower back.. Testing the,arms. Then I jump back on and do my three sets of circuit again. I do this three times (so i've been round the,first circuit 9 times) I then do the,same with another circuit.. In total I do about four different circuits.. The,last circuit will be a but easier and allows be to shake out a but .. I'm pumped but it's note,endurance. The other circuits feel like power endurance.

If I could climb for longer,after this type of session I couldn't as my arms are knackered. Also like doing core and even done stretching so I sort of east, don't get bored..I set a stop watch for the sets of circuits -3 mins and rests-1.5 /2 mins. Keeps me on track,,and focussed.

I'm,mainly sports climbing at the moment . So this works we'll for me.

I don't work problems during lunch time sessions as feel like it's not enough time
..I work power by doingproblems when I have a lot more,time or working routes.

Ppg

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