UKC

I need to build home training area....system board indoors? Outdoor garden Moonboard? campus board? Rock rings? Which would you go for?

Partner and I are expecting our first baby and as happy, and scared! as I am, I'm also pragmatic....no 3-4 evenings a week at the climbing wall or weekend climbing trip...at least till junior learns a figure of eight.

And, as I'm gonna be the stay at home dad....I'm working towards training as much as much as possible at home.

I found this portable campus board, space saving (pics are at the end of the article)

https://rockclimberstrainingmanual.com/2014/04/29/how-to-build-a-campus-boa...

This HIT wall is also interesting:

http://nicros.com/training/training-articles/building-a-hit-system-wall/

With regard to System walls, am I right in thinking you can make and set your own system board? Is that right? I couldnt find a supplier in UK. It's less severe an angle (20degreees) than the moonboard which is good in some ways.

And where's a good place to get loads of holds if you need to fit out a system board?

Our flat is getting rebuilt so its the perfect time.

Welcome suggestions and advice.

In reply to afshin:
I guess the answer to the question. Is all based upon the following - what do you intend to train for?

If it's hard bouldering a moon board is hard to argue with. However, something else may be better for training endurance for example.

In reply to afshin:

I've built a few people boards the past few years along the lines of your needs/situation (kids!). Dependent on the grade you climb... my advice would be to go for a board between 30 & 45 and have a set up of a mix of system holds and random holds set around them. Also a line of jugs/mini jugs down the middle.... for reversing down the board for endurance circuits.
You may find (from my experience!) that your sessions will be shorter than usual and may get cut even shorter at a moments nappy changing notice... having a system style set up with problems/exercises you are familiar with can make a short session very productive, if you stick to a routine of problems with timed rests... Undercuts problem, crimps problem, gaston problem, pinch problem etc etc.. you can bosh through them pretty quickly and get a full workout.. it will also force you to train everything balanced and not favour one side... which tend to happen with a randomly set board.

There's some wooden system board holds here http://crusherholds.co.uk/wooden-climbing-holds

In reply to afshin:

Just relating my personal experience in case it's helpful. I am mostly a boulderer and sport-climber these days, about 7c in both.

I've got a Moon board, a HIT board, and a 30-degree wall (and some rock rings, etc.) in my garage. The Moon Board gets the most use, by far. It's great for limit bouldering and for power-endurance, as long as you can do repeats on Font 6c or so.

The only thing the Moon board isn't the best for is training endurance. I'm only able to do repetitions of about 60 seconds on there, with equal rest. And it's hard on the fingers (both tendons and skin). There are videos of people who climb more in the F8b+ and over range doing multi-minute circuits on the Moon board, though.

The HIT board is pretty great too, and I used it a lot before building the Moon board. Now that I have the Moon board I feel like the HIT strips are pretty redundant, but the HIT pinches still give good value.

Inspired by Paul Crusher R, I might put a line of low-profile jugs down the middle of the moon board so I can downclimb more easily and do the endurance thing better. Also, rumor is that the new Moon holds will make this a bit easier, and give the ability to set problems down to Font 4/4+.

In reply to Paul Crusher R:

Also, to respond to the "training after having kids" part of this, I think Paul Crusher R. makes a really great point - you have to figure out a way to train in short sessions, but this can actually be a benefit, as it keeps you focused.

Two that I like (each takes less than 45 minutes).

1) warmup for five or ten minutes, then pick 4 problems of increasing difficulty (e.g. v4, v5, v5, v6). Do problem one 4 times in a row with no rest. Then rest 4:00. Then do problem two 4 times in a row with no rest. Repeat that for all four problems, then do some core work at the end (leg lifts, crunches, whatever you like).

2) warmup for five or ten minutes, then do 10 x 1:00 on, 1:00 off on steep board. I do this on the moon board and it's pretty darn hard by the end. Then do some core work after. As one gets stronger, I think there'd be a benefit to reducing the number of repeats but increasing the time "on" while holding the rest to 1:00.

Also, the HIT strip protocol from Horst takes about 45 minutes all the way through, and is really good power-endurance.

In reply to moonpalace:

Would be good to see some photos of your set up

In reply to afshin:

This is our adjustable wall.

youtube.com/watch?v=t2gSQCVxnho&

Being able to easily change the angle with the winch makes it very versatile.

For example, you can increase the angle for subsequent reps to make it progressively harder. Or you can change the angle so that climbers of differing ability can do the same routes.

In reply to afshin:

You can certainly make your own system board. The basic idea is that it's symmetrical so you can train both your L and R side of your body on the same moves and spot weaknesses on one side.

You can also make any board you like with plywood and T nuts and bolt on holds.

The choice between campus board, systems board and Moonboard I think mostly depends on how you like to train. The more you enjoy it the more likely you are to use it. But if it's your sole means to train then the Moonboard will probably most benefit your climbing because it is climbing. The climbing is fairly basic but there's still a skill component. Campusing is more about one aspect of climbing: developing power and contact strength. A systems board is kind of in between I suppose.

Also worth pointing out the the Moonboard has a new set of holds and configuration about to be released imminently and some of the holds are bigger than before possibly making endurance / power-endurance training more feasible. You can also build the board at 25 degrees if you want a less steep and thus easier board.

In reply to Removed User:

Your wall's amazing! May I ask some tecchie questions...would love to replicate it....which winch/components? How its attached to the wall? 8x4 18mm plyboard with 2x4in for framing? ....can you climb at any angle or just vert and the final tilt position? Any bounce on the wall as you climb?

Its super cool. The hidden flip top is a nice touch!

In reply to moonpalace:

Thanks for the tips and good workout guides. If I go for a moonboard I may have to limit the angle to approx 20degrees due to space restrictions.

Upshot being I may end up going with a custom system board, with adjustable angle.

I'll create a new post for recommendations for suppliers of holds, there's so many on the market and wide variety of prices.

In reply to afshin:

Adjustable is good and very simple to do.

I'm also intrigued by MGRT's board, what was used to motorise/control the tilt and the pop-up piece.
jk

In reply to afshin:

The wall can be used at any angle. Indeed it can be reclined all the way over and used as a guest bed. The top panel is handmatic (my hand is just out of shot). I did consider automating it but decided it was not worth the hassle.

It is:
25 cm upstand bolted to wall,
250 cm high hinged wall
150 cm wide
2 x 4 frame (4 uprights)
Hinged off four heavy duty door hinges
18 mm ply

I used a 250kg hoist. This is attached at the top right corner of the hinged panel. It then runs through two pulleys on the wall behind (actually the ceiling joist) back to the top left corner of the panel.

Chains are bolted through the ceiling joists above as backup. These can be shortened using carabiniers. They also make it completely solid. Although in practice it is fine with just the winch cable.

Most of the bits were from Screwfix. The bolts to connect the chains (and pulleys) to the wall/ceiling were from Ebay (M12):

http://www.gsproducts.co.uk/12mm-200mm-stainless-steel-long-shank-eye-bolt/

You can use either karabiners or something like this to shorten the chains:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hardware-solutions-snap-hook-m10-zinc-plated-pack...

In reply to afshin:
P.s. the majority of the holds were from Tim Wager.

http://www.wagerholds.com

I have made quite a few myself as well using some left over oak decking and an angle grinder.

In reply to afshin:

PPS. Make sure you use a 'hoist' not a 'winch'. As hoists use a ratchet mechanism which is obviously much safer.