Campus Board Training

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKtEQzo-K2c

This is a campus board training routine I have been performing and have been adding onto for the last 6 months. It involves strength and endurance training on easy and difficult rungs. Using this routine has helped me to boulder my first v10 and hopefully harder problems in the future. This is only my perspective of training for rock climbing and may not be suitable for others' training standards or needs. ALL CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BEFORE PERFORMING CAMPUS RUNG EXERCISES AS IT COULD BE DANGEROUS AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY!

Link to training details here:

Training Link

I'm also curious to know other routines for core strength and in general other climbers routines that work well for them, thanks in advance for any responses!

A comment, and a few questions:

Comment: Overall, this seems like a good program, although I might suspect that you are overdoing the volume in each session? A 3-hour session is a long time for power workouts. In particular, you mention that you warm up until you are slightly past peak performance...shouldn't you want to dedicate that peak performance to the campus board, not the warmup? It seems like the input of most of the sages of Mountainproject is that, for power (like campus workouts), you should go higher intensity, lower volume.

Question: Beyond this workout structure, what is the structure of your overall training plan? How often do you use the campus board? Do you cycle on and off of it? What have your results been, in either strength increases and/or iprovement of climbing level?

JCM wrote:A comment, and a few questions: Comment: Overall, this seems like a good program, although I might suspect that you are overdoing the volume in each session? A 3-hour session is a long time for power workouts. In particular, you mention that you warm up until you are slightly past peak performance...shouldn't you want to dedicate that peak performance to the campus board, not the warmup? It seems like the input of most of the sages of Mountainproject is that, for power (like campus workouts), you should go higher intensity, lower volume. Question: Beyond this workout structure, what is the structure of your overall training plan? How often do you use the campus board? Do you cycle on and off of it? What have your results been, in either strength increases and/or iprovement of climbing level?

I can see your point about the peak performance dedicated to the campus board. The reason I do this is because I want to dedicate most of my energy in climbing, either bouldering or routes. I feel like I need the overall body use in climbing, if that makes sense. I have heard of higher intensity,lower volume but I also want the endurance along with the power. However, I am thinking about getting a routine together doing this with a weight vest (high intensity, lower volume). Maybe like do one day with weight vest routine and the other an endurance routine.

I also sometime use hangboards in my routine (dead hangs on all holds, frenchies, levers, etc.). I usually do the campus board 2 times/week and climb a total of 3 times/week. I plan on changing the campus routine when sport climbing season starts, such as making it more of an endurance routine and not so many power moves. My climbing has improved significantly since starting training on the campus rungs. I have gone from v8 to v10 in a matter of months. I have yet to see how it has improved sport climbing for me but I will find out this spring. Thanks for your questions and suggestions!

I played on a campus board last time I did MaxR and I'm starting that phase again now. Even basic laddering on the biggest rungs was pretty hard but I can do longer moves on the medium and small okay.

Does it just take time to develop the movement and contact strength? Holding on isn't an issue but the power to move accurately and quickly is definitely one. I only boulder V5/6 so campusing isn't a big part of my routine but I sort of wonder why I suck so badly at it. I'm going to use it a bit this time too just to see if I'm any better.

I played on the campus board last weekend after a good warmup. Even with taped fingers (skin issue) I can tell I'm a lot stronger than a few months ago. I could easily go one more rung on long moves but my laddering was just as bad.

Thoughts?

Chris Plesko wrote:I played on a campus board last time I did MaxR and I'm starting that phase again now. Even basic laddering on the biggest rungs was pretty hard but I can do longer moves on the medium and small okay. Does it just take time to develop the movement and contact strength? Holding on isn't an issue but the power to move accurately and quickly is definitely one. I only boulder V5/6 so campusing isn't a big part of my routine but I sort of wonder why I suck so badly at it. I'm going to use it a bit this time too just to see if I'm any better. I played on the campus board last weekend after a good warmup. Even with taped fingers (skin issue) I can tell I'm a lot stronger than a few months ago. I could easily go one more rung on long moves but my laddering was just as bad. Thoughts?

Sounds like you're doing pretty good so far if you're improving at making longer moves. When i tried the rungs for the first time i struggled with laddering as well. I just kept at it doing 1x1 laddering until i could do 2x1 and then just took off from there. Just keep working at it and if you commit enough time you will improve at it just try not to get discouraged! Good luck!

Chris Plesko wrote: Does it just take time to develop the movement and contact strength? Holding on isn't an issue but the power to move accurately and quickly is definitely one..... Thoughts?

There is definately a technique element to laddering up a campus board, Specifically, a big part of it isn't just pulling with the arm on the higher rung, but also being able to press out the lower rung.

So I tried again today for about 20 minutes and the laddering is getting better. I managed four continuous 1x moves by the end which is nice improvement plus some improved long moves and matching. I still don't think it's a huge deal at my level but I'll give a little attention to it when I get to the gym and see how it goes.

Chris Plesko wrote:So I tried again today for about 20 minutes and the laddering is getting better. I managed four continuous 1x moves by the end which is nice improvement plus some improved long moves and matching. I still don't think it's a huge deal at my level but I'll give a little attention to it when I get to the gym and see how it goes.

Glad to hear that there was improvement! Keep at it!

Anyone have any experience with a bachar ladder (similar to campus rungs)?

I've used a Bacher Ladder a little bit. I didnt really feel like it had any advantages over a campus board beyond maybe engaging muscle groups on a different level since it's not a fix structure (i.e. - it swings around as you move on it), but my elbows sure as hell hated it. I didn't encorporate it into my regular training routine for that reason.

bowshaaa wrote:Anyone have any experience with a bachar ladder (similar to campus rungs)?

Expect tendonitis after one or two sessions.

I kind of assumed the Bacher ladder had downsides to it, since I havent really heard of it until recently and no one I know uses one, but thanks for the info AdamB and JohnWesely

Anyone have a favorite hangboard? Why is it your favorite? What exercises do you perform on it? Do you feel it helps? Thanks in advance for your replies!

So far I've tried the v5.12 dragon, the so ill iron palm, and the Metolius simulator. The simulator is still my most used board but it is no where near perfect. It has a ton of completely useless fluff holds but it gets the job done. I have yet to cycle over to my drcc dragon board but the pinches were a huge disappointment to me (pretty much the only reason I got it). Some day I'll check out the beastmaker 2000, it looks pretty sweet!

As far as exercises go, weighted pullups, weighted typewriters, and max weight deadhangs, all short duration and long rest periods. I also warm up everyday on a hangboard. I find that if I do 2-3 second hangs for a duration of 20-30 minutes I can really stretch all of my finger joints adequately, instead of just jumping on problems. During that time I slowly work from jugs to (front finger)=pointer and middle finger half pad pockets. If you feel any type of pump whatsever you re doing it wrong.

What are typewriters? Totally new term to me. Thank you.

The Stoned Master wrote:What are typewriters? Totally new term to me. Thank you.

http://lazyhclimbingclub.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/campus-training-part-2-frequency-exercise-overview/

Read this. All your questions will be answered.

Thank you.

@josh villeneuve thanks for the input, looks like you have a pretty good workout. My favorite hangboard is the Moon fingerboard, probably the most intense holds I have been on (very tiny edged crimps) an has 2 nice sloper holds that allow you to remain open handed while doing lock offs, pull ups, frenchies, etc.

The Stoned Master wrote:What are typewriters? Totally new term to me. Thank you.

Typewriters are, in my opinion, not very effective on hangboards. I do a similar workout on the Atomik bomb holds. They give you more room for extension on your lockoffs.

bowshaaa wrote:Anyone have a favorite hangboard? Why is it your favorite? What exercises do you perform on it? Do you feel it helps? Thanks in advance for your replies!

http://www.powercompanyclimbing.com/2012/08/bare-naked-hangboarding.html

(edited to add: this isnt my blog, just one that is awesome/where I got the idea I mention below)

put one together a while ago. I've been doing an Eva Lopez esque routine on it (5 reps, 10 second hangs with max weight, 3 minutes of rest between each rep).

I think I might opt for a 3/4 inch rung, so my rungs are 3/4, 1/2 and 3/8 inches instead of his 1/2, 3/8, 1/4 if I built the board again, but I'm adapting well.

In a couple weeks I think I'll switch to body weight repeaters on the 3/8" rung for a 4 week session, then back to max weight hangs.

frankstoneline wrote: powercompanyclimbing.com/20… put one together a while ago. I've been doing an Eva Lopez esque routine on it (5 reps, 10 second hangs with max weight, 3 minutes of rest between each rep). I think I might opt for a 3/4 inch rung, so my rungs are 3/4, 1/2 and 3/8 inches instead of his 1/2, 3/8, 1/4 if I built the board again, but I'm adapting well. In a couple weeks I think I'll switch to body weight repeaters on the 3/8" rung for a 4 week session, then back to max weight hangs.

That's dedication when you make your own board, very impressive. I really like your setup you have. I may have to try something like this and I bet it's cheaper than a commercial hangboard. Also nice blog, very good content. How do I subscribe to your blog?