Calisthenics & yoga as primary training tools?

For those of us without regular access to weights (or even pullup/dip bars), does anyone have thoughts about just using unweighted exercise (ie yoga/stretching, calisthenics, hangboarding) as ways to train outside of climbing? Wondering to what extent gains will be unlocked via flexibility, mobility and general conditioning vs. raw pull strength. Any routines/methods/results you can share?

I do have a hangboard luckily. Just thinking I'll get a lot more done with simple at-home exercises in my spare time (even if they are less effective) rather than trying to carve out full hours at the gym.

I have found calisthenics to be very beneficial, as long as you keep after it and supplement with other forms of activity throughout the week. 

I have often wondered what benefits I could receive if maybe I did a chill session of yoga after a calisthenics routine. Only positive I could assume. 

Also, it may seem silly but peppering in light, quick exercise throughout your work day, if you can manage that of course.

I work a warehouse, so its easy to get my steps in and add set of lunges or burpees in as a I fulfill orders. My boss would love to know that they pay me to train a little here and there. 

Yeah - I just read Eric Hörst's "Training for Climbing" book - a lot of good stuff in there, but I'm not the next Alex Megos, and don't really need a bunch of data on mindset, etc. I'm 45 years old, just looking to more consistently send 5.12a-b in the gym, unlikely to ever get into the 13s. Too much training advice is focused on going full beast-mode, where I think I'd be a lot better served with an achievable, bite-sized, consistent routine more focused on mobility and injury prevention rather than going to the gym at 9pm for weighted pullups. Like you're saying, a set of pushups, pullups and burpees in between work tasks and 20 minutes of yoga every night is doable. Not sure if it will have a big impact on strength, but if it keeps me climbing that's good.

Just anecdotally, I do a yoga class once a week right before climbing in the gym. Every time I leave the class, I am stoked to climb and end up having a terrific session.

Neither calisthenics or yoga are going to get you up 5.12. Supplemental training is nice…it can help prevent injury, but it only works when it’s a supplement to sport specific training.

Basic training guidelines are to do 75% of your training in a sport specific manner,  Hangboarding and all the rest is in the 25% category.

Yes, well trained and experienced athletes can get by with hangboard only phases.  Most people will quickly digress in their climbing performance doing this.

Another way to look at it… you are training to climb routes, and most climbing sessions are going to be 2-4 hour range, or even all day. It’s not easy to replicate this with a hour calisthenic, yoga, or hangboard session. Even doing all three in a row is really not a replacement for a good climbing session in the gym or outdoors. 

I’m going to plug Pilates here as superior to yoga for climbing training. Google “move with Nicole” or “Lottie Murphy” Pilates for great free intro and intermediate YouTube classes. 

I’ve found it super helpful for developing the ability to hold tension only in the muscles necessary to hold a position while relaxing the rest of the body. Almost more of a neurological workout than muscular. 

Kevin Stricker wrote:

Neither calisthenics or yoga are going to get you up 5.12. Supplemental training is nice…it can help prevent injury, but it only works when it’s a supplement to sport specific training.

Basic training guidelines are to do 75% of your training in a sport specific manner,  Hangboarding and all the rest is in the 25% category.

Yes, well trained and experienced athletes can get by with hangboard only phases.  Most people will quickly digress in their climbing performance doing this.

Another way to look at it… you are training to climb routes, and most climbing sessions are going to be 2-4 hour range, or even all day. It’s not easy to replicate this with a hour calisthenic, yoga, or hangboard session. Even doing all three in a row is really not a replacement for a good climbing session in the gym or outdoors. 

Good thoughts. FWIW, I climb ~3-4x/week. Sometimes only 1.5-2 hours, sometimes 2-3 hours. So not hitting it super hard, but it's my primary exercise. I don't have a disciplined training strategy, just a few warmup routes and working my way up to projects. More trying to figure out if that 25% must include serious weight training (ie squats, weighted pullups, etc), or I'd be better served by more consistent mobility & strength training.

J W wrote:

May I suggest a slightly different approach to a general bodyweight calisthenics/yoga program?

If the goal is to consistently climb 12a/b in the gym, identify exactly why you’re not currently doing that.

Address those specific limiting factors, simple as that.

The rest of my comment may have no relevance to your situation, but generally speaking—

It’s entirely possible a climber doesn’t need any additional training; they just need to lose a few excess pounds.

If it is a fitness/power/technique issue, that can and should be identified.

You’re in your mid 40s (a few years younger than I am). I’ll take a shot in the dark and guess your power and mobility aren’t quite as high as they could be.

Do limit bouldering—pull as hard as you can on a few moves. Aim for slow gains over the long term, as the harder you pull, the greater the injury risk.

Increase your ability to open your hips, step high, and generate tension. Are you stretching several times per week? 

No apparatus needed beyond what you already have.

Of course, it’s always possible you just need to get better at climbing, which is accomplished by climbing more, and being more attentive while doing so.

Best of luck with your goal. I think it’s a reasonable and fully attainable one.

Great thoughts, thank you. Having a hard time figuring out what my limiting factors are. I could stand to lose 5-10 lbs but am relatively fit. Definitely hip mobility, core tension and overall forearm endurance are factors. I don't feel like doubling my pullup reps or hitting the squat rack is going to give me that big of a boost at this level. Beyond that I'm probably not pushing myself enough mentally - if my wife is belaying, I'll take on a hard clip or sequence where I'd normally push through with a friend on belay. Need to get her more comfortable lead belaying so I can get more comfortable falling and pushing further out of the comfort zone.

nowhere wrote:

I’m going to plug Pilates here as superior to yoga for climbing training. Google “move with Nicole” or “Lottie Murphy” Pilates for great free intro and intermediate YouTube classes. 

I’ve found it super helpful for developing the ability to hold tension only in the muscles necessary to hold a position while relaxing the rest of the body. Almost more of a neurological workout than muscular. 

Thanks, will check it out - have done some Pilates and that sh$% is hard!

Mid 40s, looking to stay in the solid 12 range but not feeling it come easily anymore? Fingers are almost guaranteed to be the primary path to solving the problem. Spend 30 minutes before your actual climbing on a max hang fingerboarding session. It will warm you up for hard climbing and bring real strength training into the picture. 

Most climbers in that grade range aren't really focusing on how strong their fingers actually are. Gains there will pay dividends that other modalities simply don't. When your fingers are strong everything else feels much more manageable.

Peter Beal wrote:

Mid 40s, looking to stay in the solid 12 range but not feeling it come easily anymore? Fingers are almost guaranteed to be the primary path to solving the problem. Spend 30 minutes before your actual climbing on a max hang fingerboarding session. It will warm you up for hard climbing and bring real strength training into the picture. 

Most climbers in that grade range aren't really focusing on how strong their fingers actually are. Gains there will pay dividends that other modalities simply don't. When your fingers are strong everything else feels much more manageable.

Good advice, and I suspect you're correct in my case. My failure up to mid 5.12s tends to come less from not being able to execute moves, and more from not being able to clip off a crimp while pumped at the top of a route. Finger strength/endurance wouldn't put me in the 13s, but it would make me much better in the 12s.