08/16/2022
When we think back on a very long and hard climbing session, we can often identify a point in time where we ended up taking things too far. This is the point of diminishing returns. Any additional benefits from pushing past this point become outweighed by detriment (Accumulated fatigue, Prolonged recovery time, Increase injury risk).
This may sound like being lazy and not working hard enough; but, I see it from a different perspective. We actually want more intensity, more effort, more focus, and more intention behind every rep or every move on the wall. BUT, once we hit that point of diminishing returns, shut it down and shift into recovery mode.
In other words: maximize the return on your energy spent by making your efforts count! Then, follow that up with proper rest and recovery - so that you can come back and do it again with the same intensity and effectiveness sooner rather than later.
Our physical output is a limited resource - make good use of it!
Now bringing intensity and effort doesn’t mean that every session needs to be at your physical limit; because even with lots of rest, that will eventually catch up with us as well. But, every session can be still meaningful and have effort behind it. Sometimes that looks like repeating a few moderately challenging boulders with an emphasis on perfecting technique, sometimes that looks like submaximal off-the-wall training for the maintenance and health of your body, sometimes that looks like going for a PR, and yes - sometimes that looks like trying your heart out on the proj. These are a couple examples of completely viable sessions, but we need a variety to be sustainable.
All this is not to say that going ‘all-in’ is never a good idea. Sometimes we really do have to fight with everything we have for as long as we can. But that sure as heck can’t be every session, not even close. There is no way we can sustain that.
Thank you and for the fantastic YouTube content 👌
08/03/2022
Ultimately, my goal is not only to help you recover from pain and injury, but to help you better understand your body, your training, your climbing, and how this all fits together within the greater context of your life.
With this approach, we can achieve outstanding results that are long lasting. As an added bonus, throughout the process you will develop the understanding and tools to continue moving forward for years to come with consistent gains and longevity in the sport/lifestyle we all know and love.
08/02/2022
🏔 People of Squamish 🌲
Meet Michelle.
Michelle has a good point 🤔
We should listen to Michelle.
Michelle has been pushing her limits on Squamish granite for over a decade. About 5 or 6 years ago, she began to really consider her climbing long term, and how to continue performing at a high level for decades to come. Over the next few years, through her own research, and with some help from coaches, she developed a training regime to keep her feeling healthy and strong on a consistent basis. One of the biggest improvements she has felt is in the resilience of her shoulders, in which she gives a lot of the credit to her favourite exercise: the overhead press. Although, she admits – it’s a hard exercise! And a bit of a love/hate thing 😅
Some other staples to her program include: the deadlift, bench press, weighted pull-ups, and weighted hangs. She typically integrates 2-3 sessions of strength and conditioning per week depending on the time of year and her goals. Typically doing the exercises before climbing on indoor days, and after climbing on outdoor days. She highlights consistency as a key component to the success of her program!
Building pure physical strength has never come natural to her; but, at 42, Michelle continues to break PRs in her training. And, even though in recent years she hasn’t put the time and effort into reaching the next climbing grade, she finds progression through challenging herself on boulders that are outside of her style (powerful and reachy). Although she has had a recent setback (hernia repair), she is looking forward to upping the ante yet again in the future on a steep and powerful project 💪
Pic 2: Muddy Waters - V10, a climb that she injured her shoulder on, but then came back to crush - feeling much stronger and more resilient !
Pic 3: Resurrection - V9, tall and reachy, and now one of her favourite hard climbs to repeat
Pic 4: Putting in the work
What a privilege to have a community of people to share our passion. I love taking the opportunity to listen to the unique perspectives of climbers and what they have learned through their climbing journey.
07/20/2022
How it is possible that pro climbers often report training hard 6 days a week…
1 - A lot of them have been climbing for 10+ years, and since they were kids. Their body is very well-conditioned to the stresses of climbing and training
2 - Elite climbers likely have genetic advantages that support faster recovery and just overall resilience
3 - They typically have less day-to-day life stressors that either fatigue us further, or impact recovery (mental and physical). E.g. even a stressful non-physical job can have a large impact on recovery
4 - Not every professional climber reports training like that. Nathaniel Coleman is an example - who has said publicly that he often trains 4x, sometimes 3x per week, and overall much shorter sessions than other colleagues. I speculate that we hear more about the people who train a ton because it is more salient and gets our attention
5 - If you carefully listen to some pro climbers break down what their training is like, it’s not 6 days per week of limit training/climbing. They are exceptionally good at reading their body, and knowing when is a day to push and when is a day to take it easy.
‘Training’ can mean A LOT of different things. Training ‘hard’ does not have to mean physical exertion. Perhaps when pros report training hard every day, a part of what they mean by that is putting in significant daily effort into their health, fitness and career.
Perhaps in this context: ‘Hard’ = Overall Effort
6 - Would some pro climbers do even better if they took more rest?! I’ve heard multiple interviews with pros that admit they struggle with the feeling of always having to do more, even though they realize it’s not always productive long term
7 - The taboo X factor — PEDs? … maybe. A lot of people might only associated PEDs with body builders and increased muscle mass; but the reality is, PEDs are used for recovery and to sustain large volumes of training; also to maintain an abnormally low body fat percentage. I do not advocate for this approach to improving climbing performance - but it is a reality that must be can’t be ignored when considering why some athletes are able to sustain such a high workload
07/10/2022
🏔 People of Squamish 🌲
Meet Jake.
Jake has a good point 🤔
We should listen to Jake.
Jake is a relatively new Squamish resident, but has quickly accumulated a prolific granite tick list with countless moderates, 10s of double digits, and even a hit a new level with sending his first 8A+/V12 - ‘The Method’.
What I find particularly interesting about Jake’s approach to climbing is how often he does boulders multiple times. Not just your typical warm-ups either, hard stuff that he had to project to send in the first place!
In this case, the pursuit extends beyond simply ‘getting the send’, but strives toward the feeling of perfection. The feeling that you have this climb tamed and under control. That you have solidified the physicality and skills required to do it again on command. Gaining the confidence that the send wasn’t something that you somehow squeaked out and barely got away with.
This approach isn’t all sunshine and roses. You risk coming up short, and falling victim to the dreaded ‘un-send’. But that’s the whole point isn’t it - if it wasn’t challenging and uncertain, you wouldn’t continue to learn and grow.
Jake: “ One major thing I learned from Udo Neumann (head coach of the German national climbing team) is:
Take something that feels hard and make it easy.
Also, if you primarily climb on your own, film yourself often to continue learning and refining your skills “
Jake puts A LOT of send videos on YouTube - so if you are looking for some Squam beta footage, check his channel out!
What a privilege to have a community of people to share our passion. I love taking the opportunity to listen to the unique perspectives of climbers and what they have learned through their climbing journey.
