Climbing with weights

I have been doing laps on an overhang once a week with a weighted backpack (in addition to simply climbing 2 more days a week) to improve my strength and endurance. I feel that this has to be very beneficial, but I was told at the gym that it isn't really that great. Any insights? If it isn't a good method of becoming a stronger climber, what would you recommend?

Thanks

Its probably a better method for becoming stronger than doing nothing.

However, if your profile ino is correct, you do not need to become a stronger climber; you need to become a better climber. You need to be more skilled, enlarge your arsenal of techniques and you ability to apply them. Climbing with a weighted backpack will probably NOT help with this. If anything, it will make your technique worse, as it throws off your center of mass.

Here is what you should do: get a copy of "The Self-Coached Climber". Read the technique stuff, watch the DVD, and do the exercises described. Your friends at the gym may say you look silly, but you will look less silly than someone climbing with a weighted backpack :)

zing.......

mkeown wrote:zing.......

Did I come off as mean? Wasn't trying to, just being realistic. I tell everyone (that asks) that you should be able to climb 5.12 without any strength training. Just climb regularly & work on your technique.

i'd say 5.11, but most people will probably need some sort of strength training, whether it be consistent training in the gym, hangboard, campus board, etc.

well, I'm talking about sport climbing 5.12, not "real" climbing.

And there's a big difference between 12a and 12d, both of which are "5.12"

definitely a substantial grade difference between a and d at all levels (ie 5.10, 5.11, etc). for me, i find in general that if i am not consistently strength training 11c or 11d is pretty hard for me, and that 12a or harder i probably won't be able to get.

one thing that makes it kind of hard to compare, is that when i feel strong, i climb more confident and agressive, and tend to have better technique. you know how it goes, a small foothold is no big deal when you've go jugs, but when you are pumped and the hands aren't that great, it is often difficult to get yourself to trust the small footholds.

A weighted back pack? I went from climbing 5.9 to 5.11d across eight months, and a weighted backpack was never part of the equation. Climb smarter, not harder. Technique is a huge component of climbing. If you want to get stronger, get a finger board, hit the campus board, try the 45 wall if your tendons are strong enough. System boards can help as well. Only time you should be using a weighted back pack is when you're doing weighted pull-ups.

Depending how much weight is in your pack you might be more likely to get injured instead of hurt. Basically, your tendons/ligaments and muscles are not used to that much weight. This is particularly true if your movements are dynamic. If you pop a tendon it will not matter how much weight you can climb with.

Strength training for most sports should be done in a controlled setting. If you want strength lift weights, do a campus board, etc.

I've always believed that climbing is 90% technique, 10% strength and 100% mental!

Nah it wasn't mean. I thought it was funny cause its true.

Monomaniac wrote:I tell everyone (that asks) that you should be able to climb 5.12 without any strength training.

Now that is mean.

Edit:

Monomaniac wrote:well, I'm talking about sport climbing 5.12, not "real" climbing.

Never mind.

Climbing with a backpack full of weights on a 45 degree wall sounds dangerous. Maybe good training for Alpine though.... ;)

Monomaniac wrote: Did I come off as mean? Wasn't trying to, just being realistic. I tell everyone (that asks) that you should be able to climb 5.12 without any strength training. Just climb regularly & work on your technique.

I'd tend to agree with this. Maybe downgrade a little to 5.11, but everybody's physicality is different. In my experience, I can climb 5.11 after a long break. I can climb easy 12's when I'm climbing 3+ times a week(gym TR's since we're just talking about physicality here). I don't have any formal strength routine.

I think 5.12 is the big jump for most people when they need to get systematic about their training.

Evan

Evan1984 wrote: I think 5.12 is the big jump for most people when they need to get systematic about their training. Evan

I'd agree. It's the only way to get past that plateau.

If you are going to use weights to train, I'd recommend using a weight belt similar to ones used for scuba diving. You wear it UNDER your harness so you don't risk it coming loose.

Only problem with using weights is you have to have a goal/project and keep using the weight belt. You can't use the belt on some routes and not on others. You have to get used to the added weight (meaning climbing with the belt for month or so) so when you approach your goal/project, you will feel lighter. Otherwise, you're just adding muscle for no reason.

IMHO, you only use weight continuously so that once you take off the weight you feel lighter which gets you psyched.

A side note...you should be finishing the routes with the added weight. If you can't finish the route, you're not gaining any benefit, just added muscle. Climb smart.

I would like to add that losing weight adds the same benefit as building bigger muscles, a larger strength to weight ratio. It another option to climbing with weights that doesn't have the injury risk.

Also, I will second the comment on climbing 5.12 without weights. You don't need big bulky muscles if you move efficiently and milk footholds.

I'd think it would be more beneficial to climb harder routes without the weight; you can put the same amount of effort into a more sport specific workout. Also, if you are newer to climbing, remember that your muscles strengthen significantly faster than your tendons. You might be strong enough to climb with weights but you are definitely risking injury.

That said, I've always wondered if one was training solely for trad climbing, would it be beneficial to train with a rack on? Just be careful not to land wrong on a big bro...

Waffleman860 wrote:I have been doing laps on an overhang once a week with a weighted backpack (in addition to simply climbing 2 more days a week) to improve my strength and endurance. I feel that this has to be very beneficial, but I was told at the gym that it isn't really that great. Any insights? If it isn't a good method of becoming a stronger climber, what would you recommend? Thanks

I don't really believe in climbing with either a weighted backpack, a weighted scuba belt, or anything like that. To reiterate, it changes your center of mass and thus has the potential to "teach" your nervous system to coordinate your movements to climb with the altered center of mass, thus interfering with your normal technique and actually resulting in poorer performance, not better.

Research usually only bears out this concept of "over-weighting" or "under-weighting" the body or the sport equipment (like a bat, racket, etc.) when it is done with very, very small increments of weight addition or subtraction in either direction. Otherwise it fucks with motor control pretty badly and is thus very counterproductive.

Now, if you could fashion a full body suit with tiny weights sewn in a totally even distribution over the entire thing, then maybe training with a little extra weight could help you. Of course, you would look like a dork, but that's a small price to pay for crushing...right?!?

Does extra fat on my belly count? So I am not getting fat but rather training.... Wow I feel better about myself now.

Aerili wrote: Now, if you could fashion a full body suit with tiny weights sewn in a totally even distribution over the entire thing, then maybe training with a little extra weight could help you. Of course, you would look like a dork, but that's a small price to pay for crushing...right?!?

What about a full body suit woven from golden thread...that would look totally phat!

Monomaniac wrote: I tell everyone (that asks) that you should be able to climb 5.12 without any strength training. Just climb regularly & work on your technique.

I agree with Mono here. Climbing has so much to do with technique, and less to do with brute strength. Look at how many "strong" climbers can't do a one-arm pull up. These climbers are "strong" because of their impeccable footwork and body awareness, not because of their brute strength.

I think climbing with weight would hurt your body awareness and footwork. Don't do it.