Home training without a woody

Hey guys, I apologize if this has been answered before. I’m having trouble finding an “at home training” thread that does not involve the use of a climbing wall.

My current climbing status is basically just shy of two years, completely took off for the summer unfortunately, just started back into climbing. Due to life happening, gym membership got too expensive and had to cancel. I really hope you guys tell me i can still progress without a gym lol

Im hangboarding every 3-4 days but the days im not are extremely boring and filled with an itch to climb. I know there has to be more I can do. So far, I’d like to add pull up training and one arm lockoffs. I probably can find some cheap weights somewhere also.

Also I almost forgot to mention, there is an old dam maybe 20’ tall made from rock and mortar close by that is very low quality, but could possibly be useful for traversing to build endurance.

Please point me to some resources or share personal experiences of how to effectively train with no gym and no woody. Thanks to all!

Edit: I do climb outside. Usually 2-3 times a month for the weekends as i am 3+ hrs away from any major crags. 

It's worth noting that the best way to get better at climbing is to climb. You can get stronger by hangboarding and lifting and doing pullups, but it may not make you any better at climbing. There is no replacement for technique and the mind-muscle connection you build on the wall.

Hangboarding is usually done as a supplement to climbing. If you were climbing regularly in the gym, hangboarding at the frequency you describe would be a smart decision. However, you are not getting any climbing volume, so you need to increase your volume on the hangboard in my opinion. 

If it were me, I would figure out a standardized warm-up that I like (band work, pushups, scapula retractions, bodyweight pullups, long hangs on big edges, easy repeaters, etc.) that I would do every time before I have a session. Then I would replicate my climbing session frequency and type on the hangboard. Sprinkle in your desired weight training/calisthenics afterwards and you'll be pretty good to go. For example:

Day 1 - Strength: Warm-up, max weighted hangs, weighted pullups (or assisted one-armers), ring chest flye, pistol squat, bar core

Day 2 - Power Endurance: Warm-up, repeater hangs, rows (weights or single arm ring), hammer curls, shoulder press, lateral raise, floor core

Day 3 - Maintenance: Warm-up, easy density hangs, lock off pullups, tricep extension, external rotations, wrist curls, floor core

Day 4 - Rest

Repeat 6 cycles and then change up the grip types/sizes to keep things interesting.

The protocol above would work for me, but it may be too much volume for you. You'll need to make your own program and determine how much training and rest your body needs. If traversing the dam is fun for you, you could replace day 2 or 3's hangboarding session (depending on the difficulty of the climbing). 

If you have the equipment, block pulls aka "no hangs" are very nice for heavy volume on edges and the best way to train your pinch off the wall in my opinion. Pinch training can also be accomplished in a similar way (and cheaper) if you can find a pinchable rock at the right weight. 

Some questions come to mind:  how much do you love climbing? do you have a job/income? do you have any space whatsoever to build a wall?  How old are you? Some basics: continue to get stronger in everyway in general, think compound movements, plus some specific climbing ones like pullups, general grip work.  Strengthen your shoulders from every angle (see rehab/prehab). Hangboarding is gonna be key for you, can do about any protocol but repeaters are a great place to start.  Just keep the loads in check, "own the load", keep frequency reasonable for recovery (depends on age, other grip training, etc.).  If can traverse on the dam great- start slow 15-20 min twice a week and increase volume by no more than 10%/week.  Also, look up Lattice "carcing" on youtube- do this.  What you want to do is build your strength (slowly) and aerobic base in your climbing muscles (I'm talking forearms here) for the future (lookup High/Low training).  Do not worry about "power endurance" unless you have some specific project outside.  Speaking of outside, when you do get out, climb everything you can talk your belayers into belaying you on.  How's your flexibility?  You have an "opportunity" here to work on lot of things other climbers need to do but don't.  NOW, the hard truth: this is all training for the future, a future when you can really train for climbing by climbing lots.  And until then you may suck at climbing or not actually progress very much.  IF YOU CAN, build a home wall, not that expensive if you can make all your holds out of wood or get old/used ones from your gym or other sources.  Even a small one will work wonders on addressing movement  For further reading, check out Climbstrong, Lattice, Powercompanyclimbing, Trainingforclimbing, Stronger by science, (great wt lifting/bodybldng site) many more, etc. lot of free stuff and great advice in these.  And DON'T GET HURT!!!  Give your hands and body a break 2 to 3 days a week.  Had to put my 2 cents in as have been in your shoes in past and know what I wished I had done.

eric

Ryan Kennedywrote:

Also I almost forgot to mention, there is an old dam maybe 20’ tall made from rock and mortar close by that is very low quality, but could possibly be useful for traversing to build endurance.

Before the brits built their basement woodies they did a lot of traversing on man made walls. Do you know any other climbers close to you? Maybe you could build a woody together.

Dave MacLeod would support your traversing of the dam.

Traverse the DAM

I did a session on the dam today. I was able to get pumped. At least I’m not at a complete loss!

Ummmm.... you don't wanna get pumped traversing the dam.  Should feel really easy to do what you want it to do.

sleepy Cwrote:

Ummmm.... you don't wanna get pumped traversing the dam.  Should feel really easy to do what you want it to do.

No, the whole point of traversing is to build endurance. This is pretty common practice

Honestly like a lot of people already said, flexibility, hangboard, weights and pull ups etc. But rings/trx bands can be a pretty effective way to train a lot of systems with shoulders and arms and core.  Additionally, if you can make eliminates on the traverse after it gets too easy it might be a viable option to increase difficulty. Just like someone already said: DO NOT GET INJURED!!! 

Ryan, you misunderstand how to build endurance for the long haul.  See the resources I mentioned.  Getting pumped only helps you in short term.

A year later, how is the dam traversing treating you? Zone1/2 low intensity enthusiasts would posit that you have wicked endurance by now, if you've stuck with it...