Low intensity climbing or high intensity training?

The main question I have is, with limited time is my time spent better doing some low intensity climbing or high intensity training?

I little bit more info on my situation: my main goal by the end of this season is to break into the .12’s outdoors (spare me any talk about grade chasing). I am currently climbing a lot of .11’s with the chance to onsight at about 50/50. My mental game has been great lately. I climb a minimum of 3 times a week but usually only one very intense day of sport climbing per week. My question comes from me being in the situation that I have a couple hours after work to climb but limited options in where I can go. I do not have access to an indoor gym. Currently my options for these short evenings of climbing are climb low intensity sport routes (that’s I have sent multiple times), Low intensity bouldering (again, very familiar with), project very difficult boulder problems (problems that in all honesty are probably to hard to be beneficial), or do some high intensity hangboard and or campus board training. I seem to be at a spot in my climbing where all of the local spots close by either offer things that are to easy or to difficult. Only on my days off from work can I go out with enough time to push myself.

I tried to look for other articles or threads addressing the issue but couldn’t find any info for similar situations to mine. Two big take aways from most training articles I came across are climbing is more beneficial than training and “try hard.” So is not trying hard but climbing better than trying hard and training at my current level of climbing?

I am leaning toward hangboarding on these days but was curious on other people’s opinions.

Depends on a lot of things.... like history of recent (less than 1y) injuries, how old you are, how long you've been climbing, what your current weaknesses are, etc.

imo before you address that question you would need to consider what your strengths & weaknesses are as well as what type of routes you're going for. Misguided strength training could make you stronger faster on things that don't matter. Lower intensity stuff that's well targeted will not get you as strong but may very well make you a better climber nonetheless. If you have a bit of extra fat lying around, the single best thing you may do could be to go do some cardio, loose a few pounds. Maybe you can barely touch your ankles, in which case flexibility may be the most beneficial things you can do....

I know that's not what you asked for, but I would encourage you to at least consider in your thinking the long game. Of course one could see training as a thing to do to get to a certain point at a certain time. Kinda like you just said. However in itself getting fit/strong enough to climb 12a this summer may have absolutely no relation to how hard you'll climb in 2 or 5 years. On that time horizon, doing something regularly that's well thought is probably going to matter a lot more than whatever you do the next few months. So finding exercises that you actually like to perform and a rythm you can actually maintain would be great from that perspective.

A final thought - given your question, I assume you are not, and likely have not before, been training. I would advise against high intensity stuff in that case (like 3-5 reps of whatever exercise you include). Typically before you get into a strength training period, you do some general preparation before and perhaps hypertrophy (if you believe in that). General climbing isn't the same as focused, targeted physical preparation. Going from no training to foot-less campusing is a pretty sure-fire way to end up out of commission for months on a pulley rupture. If you really want to do finger stuff, I would suggest unweighted hangs. If you have access to a trangression board I would recommend it. It's great to follow on your progress and it's super regular.

EDIT: if you DO start hangboarding, don't let your ego get in the way and do start with feet on (can be just tip of big toe). Get some proper technique first (engage shoulders, don't fully extend arms etc.).

Franck Vee wrote: If you have access to a trangression board I would recommend it. It's great to follow on your progress and it's super regular.

If you have a pair of vice grips, use it on your fingertips to help you get used to the feeling of the transgression board.  Eva Lopez has some phenomenal training strategies and scientific research to back it up but the transgression and progression boards are horribly painful.  

Eric Carlos wrote:

If you have a pair of vice grips, use it on your fingertips to help you get used to the feeling of the transgression board.  Eva Lopez has some phenomenal training strategies and scientific research to back it up but the transgression and progression boards are horribly painful.  

Yeah I might just have forgotten about that. But then you don't HAVE to use the 6mm edge - probably can't startup even without weight actually....

Franck Vee wrote:

Yeah I might just have forgotten about that. But then you don't HAVE to use the 6mm edge - probably can't startup even without weight actually....

I pretty much only use wood for hangboarding anymore.  So much easier and better on the skin.  

I’m with Eric, the Lopez boards are terribly painful. Although maybe you could file off some of the texture.

I like wood myself.

Why not try hangboarding a couple of times a week and if you feel like you are losing technical skills, just switch back to more of the lower intensity routes available and not as much board time?

I will often hit the hangboard for min edge training after a session of easier route climbing. You can think of it as a long warmup and skills practice before the strength workout. With your current schedule it could be reasonable to do 2 endurance days where you stay on easier terrain and 2 power/strength days where you're doing the high intensity sport/bouldering OR the easier routes followed by high intensity hangboard

I would ask where in the 11s are you--low 11s with 50/50 onsighting--you need to focus on tech skills and likely dial in how to send better.  High 11s--then don't be afraid of the too difficult routes.  Get on them on top rope and have your belayer keep tight to take some weight off on the moves. I find focusing on the small holds and precision movements of difficult climbs helps up my game.  The "try hard" attitude is key--make every session count.  I get so bored hangboarding, but that's me--others may find its really helpful, but I would rather put in work on rock.  A lot of climbers think their session is only worth it if it is long--but really, I can get a great focused workout pushing on a short, hard grade that will stress and improve the fingers along with comfortability on the rock.

low intensity is useless. why aren't gamers or pianists v15 climbers? they are working with their hands literally all day every day. low intensity has no benefit. if you want to climb 5.12 or 5.13, it's better to have strength. if you have 5.15 finger strength, 5.13 will feel like a rest.  i think most estimates have reported around 25% can be done indefinitely while awake. some evidence suggests hyperbolic performance decline with respect to time. it's very close to asymptotic at 25% as well, so the 'coincidence' is fairly compelling.
high intensity is also better for you in the long term. overuse injuries will become a pain to rehab. not that it can't be done, but it's more time to dedicate. a workout that takes 30 minutes and completely burns you out is 10x better than a 3 hour workout that does nothing.
one last caveat. try hard, but not too hard. don't get injured. get adequate rests between sessions - you'll need them. this is also a good indicator that you're trying hard enough.

Aweffwef Fewfae wrote: low intensity is useless. why aren't gamers or pianists v15 climbers? they are working with their hands literally all day every day. low intensity has no benefit.

False. Sean Mccoll credits the piano for his finger strength when he started climbing. Obviously the piano didn't get him to v15 but increasing max single move output isn't the goal of low intensity training. You're training at low intensity to increase endurance, recovery, and stamina. Normal people physically can't train high intensity consecutive days or they'll get injured, but you can do something like the campus board monday and ARC tuesday and the ARC will give you increased endurance as well as shortening recovery time from the previous session.

https://trainingforclimbing.com/training-programs/