How to maintain your strength and power over sport climbing season with Lattice Coach Josh Ibbertson.

Photo credit: Marsha Balaeva

For many people, summer means sport climbing season. However, over a long sport season, it can be hard to maintain top end strength and power. 

Ever feel your strength begin to tail off after a sustained period of sport climbing, even though you’re feeling fitter than ever?  

The good news is that a relatively low amount of high intensity work can be enough to keep your strength and power topped up well into the season.

1. Build recruitment exercises into your crag warm up

Completing some high intensity exercise at the end of your warm up will not only get you well recruited for your session, it will also provide the stimulus you need to maintain your top end. 

Focus on high intensity, low volume strength and power. For example…

2. Incorporate bouldering

Include a short indoor bouldering session every 1 or 2 weeks with a focus on high intensity and quality over volume.

Keep your session short and stop before you notice a drop in the quality of your attempts. This way you will maximise strength and power gains whilst minimising fatigue.

Alternatively, try building in some outdoor bouldering sessions, preferably trying problems that are powerful rather than technical.

3. Include higher intensity climbing

If you’re the sort of person who goes for onsighting or quick ticks, try incorporating some projecting on routes close to your limit.

Whilst volume is great for building fitness, including some higher intensity climbing will help to keep all your plates spinning.

Having some variation in your climbing can present you with new challenges which is also great for staying motivated! 

4. Try hard!

Finally, when you’re on your project, give it your all!

Trying really hard on those crux sections will keep recruitment levels high and maximise your chances of success.

There’s no more specific or better form of training for your project than pushing yourself to your limit on the actual moves!

How do you stay strong over sport climbing season?

Let us know in the comments!

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