May & June Training, Nutrition, etc.

My training in May and June centered around gaining strength.  A short term negative side effect of strength training is weight gain.  This comes through muscle hypertrophy and some extra body fat.  towards the end of June I have concentrated on getting my overall weight back down, and hopefully retaining the increased muscle that I built up in the last six weeks.

soloing mixed ground on Les Courtes

In April, I calculated my lean body mass at 64 kg.  2 months ago, with about 10% body fat, my weight was between 70.5 kg. and 72 kg.  At the beginning of June I had increased my weight to almost 74 kg. but my body fat did not go above 11.3%.  The math than indicates that during my strength phase my lean body mass increased to about 65.5 kg., which means an increase of 1.5 kg. in muscle gain.

That sounds all well and good, but for all practical purposes that extra 1.5 kg. was simply what I call "dumb muscle".  In other words the newly gained muscle had to be converted into usable strength in all types of climbing applications.

The goal in body composition for climbing is the highest degree of strength at the lowest weight.  Additionally, you want to be able to recruit the highest possible percentage of muscle fibers when you exert force. So to paraphrase a cliche, quality of muscle over quantity.

boldering in the Watzmannkar

In May and June I had around 80 hours of training each month with over 30 training sessions.  I averaged 3,000 meters of elevation gain per week in my endurance training.  I did a lot of supplemental strength workouts paired with basic endurance climbing.  Along the way, I had a few days were I could test my fitness and effects of my training and diet.

First, my diet:  I have been eating a lot of protein to gain the extra muscle.  Secondly, I have been trying to condition my body to burn fat stores for energy.  I eat very little carbohydrates, and the carbohydrates that I do eat are complex carbs made up of mostly leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds.  I do not eat grains or simple sugar.  I have almost stopped eating fruit to limit fructose as well.

trail running & scrambling on the Untersberg

I have been doing a lot of training in a fasted state, trying to force my body to burn fat stores to fuel the exercise.  I have also restricted the amount of water that I drink during training  The purpose of these two practices is to physically and mentally adapt to functioning in a depleted state.  On long alpine outings, you can not possibly carry enough calories or always be well hydrated because of the weight of the food and water, or the time it would take to melt snow or cook.

I had a few different "test" days to evaluate how things were progressing.  The following are a few examples across a broad spectrum.  Basic alpine endurance was tested by climbing the Hochkalter (2600+m) over the Blaueis glacier route with a moderately heavy pack and doing "sprint" intervals at the upper part of the glacier where it steepens to 50 degrees.  I did 1900 meters of elevation gain in four hours and completed the descent to finish the training in under seven hours.

Gamsalmkopf south ridge

I did trail runs at a pace of 850 to 1000 meters of elevation gain per hour.  I did the standard hiking route to the top of the Höher Göll (2500+m), doing about 1500 meters of elevation gain (over a long distance) in 2.5 hours in a fasted state without food or water - though I had a real dropping spell on the descent and had to back off the pace.

Lastly, I was able to do a classic alpine rock climb with my friend Alex in the Reiter Alpe (Berchtesgadener Alps).  We did the Direct South Ridge on the Mühlsturzhorn (Hinterstoißer/Kurz, VIII-, VI+/A0, 350m) including a long approach with 1000 meters of elevation gain.  I did the 11 hour outing  in a fasted state with just drinking about a liter of water during a very hot day.  I had one spell of mental tiredness during the climbing, but overall felt really good and strong all the way through the descent.

Other small indications that I am on the right track with training and nutrition are the overall strength increases in pull ups, presses and fingerboard holds.  What has really shown improvement is my ability to generate power in climbing and running/hiking.  I feel a lot more dynamic while climbing and feel a "springiness" in my legs.

Italian ice in Cogne

I could on-sight my first 7a in the gym about a week ago.  I have been able to climb 450 to 500 meters in the climbing gym on endurance days.  I am in a phase of power endurance training in which I do climbing sets of up to 8 route laps without rest.  I have been able to push this up to 6c+.

I still have not reached my body composition goals with a standard weight of 68 kg.. (going down to 66kg. for hard sport climbing) and a body fat percentage of 6-7%.  I am now at about 70 kg. and 9-10% body fat, with my plans to reduce this further during my six-week stay in Kalymnos as I train hard sport climbing and off-day trail running.  I feel that I am primed to make some major advances in my sport climbing grades.

What is most encouraging to me is that I still can improve a number of elements of my training and nutrition, which will produce further benefits.  I always think there are ways of tweaking, balancing and adapting that bring about new physical and mental stresses that cause further gains.  I feel there are so many different elements in how I train, eat and live that I want to slowly adjust to get everything in harmony and working in a synergistic manner.

the search never ends

I have always loved jazz guitarist Pat Metheny.  In the 1980's, I first heard the Pat Metheny Group recordings.  There is a song of his on the American Garage album called, "The Search".  The tune fits into the fabric of the album as a part of the concept of the musical energy of young, idealistic, garage bands in the American mid-west.  The music is an aural metaphor of a basic philosophy of how to go through life.  Always trying, experimenting, evaluating, being open minded, knowing that you are fallible, and fully embracing change and evolution.  Because once one starts behaving in a way of repeating the same things, trying to repeat the past and fearing change, then training as well as life rots away, becoming boring, depressing and full of frustration.

July Outdoor Courses

In the last month I have been doing a few outdoor courses.  The latest was this past Sunday at the climbing tower at the Rif sport center.  The focus of the course was rope technique & safety for outdoor sport climbing.



A short list of resources that I recommend to the course participants are:

1) Sportkletterfibel, Österreichisches Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit
2) Seiltechnik (3. Auflage, 2008), Michael Lacher & Heinz Zak, Osterreichisches Alpenverein
3) Roch Projects (Salzburg & Berchtesgaden Kletterführer, Auflage 2011), Joachim Mayrhuber & Timo Gastager, Dreyer Ventures & Management
4) Vertical Secrets (Technik, Training & Medizin fürs Sportklettern), Peter Keller & Andres Schweizer, , turntillburn GmbH, Zürich

I enjoyed being able to help and work with all the Madels - thanks Martina, Nicole, Karolina and Nina for a great course!  Click on the slide show to get into the web album and download photos.

A Half Century

As some friends know, I recently turned 50 a couple of weeks ago.  Well, can't say I'm too happy about it, but it's okay.  One of my climbing heroes, Stevie Haston, wrote this on his blog and being that I'm not as skilled with written, or especially verbal communication, I'll just borrow it:

"When you hit my advanced years you can become a bit grumpy, when you are just intelligent enough to know that the world is fucked, but too stupid and powerless to help, you can get a bit sad, if you dwell on those things beware, its time to discover a cliff and get overhung, it’s the cure, its Paradise, its Odins Hall.

I used to take chances, sometimes big ones, and on the last climbing trip I did a bit of that, and it was very good, hanging off your finger tips, just friction between you and your life blipping out. It was nice. Life is not sacred, it’s the way that you live life that can be sacred."

Outdoor Courses: Level 1 & 2

I held my first outdoor climbing courses for the season this past weekend (19./20. May).  The program is part of the four-level outdoor course series for the Kletterhalle Salzburg / denkundstein. The level 1 course focused on climbing technique and transitioning from the climbing gym to real rock.  The focus of the level 2 course was learning all the necessary rope technique for single-pitch sport climbing.

Outdoor Level 1, Gaisberg, 19.05.2012

Outdoor Level 2, Rif, 20.05.2012

Thanks to all the motivated course participants who made the two days very enjoyable!  Click on the slide shows to access the photo albums and download pictures.

Kalymnos 2012

I will be in Kalymnos for the eighth(!!!) time this August and September 2012.  I will be giving two-weeks of structured climbing courses and be avalible at other times for personal training.  I am already thinking about it and looking forward to focusing on sport climbing in a carefree, holiday-like atmosphere.

Here's the promo video for The North Face climbing festival scheduled for the end of September 2012.  The transplanted English climber (he's now living in Innsbruck) James Pearson, sums up nicely what makes Kalymnos so attractive.

April Training Record

April was a month of predominately sport climbing.  I had planned to be in Chamonix for the first part of the month, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with my plans.  The weather was not really good in the Salzburg area either, so I was indoors in the gym and at sport climbing crags.

On the positive side, I sent four new 7a's in a relatively short time and flashed 2 6c's.  This confirms that my improvements in body composition and mental determination are starting to take effect.

April Totals

72 hours of training in month (actual time) / 18 hours of training per week

7,174 meters of elevation gain in month / 1,793.5 m per week

36 training sessions in month

2 rest/recovery days & 2 very long work days of <12 hours

weight = 70.1 kg., body fat at 10.4%, resting heart rate = 42, body mass index = 21.60

Endurance training activities included ski touring, trail running, mountain biking and hiking.  Sport specific training involved indoor & outdoor sport climbing, bouldering, weight training, circuit training, fingerboard, mobility & flexibility, alpine off-piste skiing and some sprinting intervals.

I have been focusing on food and nutrition for the last couple of weeks.  I have set guidelines of trying to eat enough protein at around 140-150 grams per day and keep my carbohydrate intake to between 50 and 100 grams per day.  I also have introduced periods of fasting and training while in a fasted state.  Occasionally I keep my total calorie intake to below 1,750 calories per day.

My goal with this nutritional focus is to rid my body of some of its last belly fat and get down to a set weight of 66 to 68 kgs.  To climb and perform at a higher level, I want my body mass index  between 20 and 21.

We all just want to be big rock stars

Spring is here and it's time to get out of the climbing gym start pulling on real rock!  I like hanging out with climbers who are fun, positive, want to improve and train hard.  I also am always searching for information that I can use to get better.

Here’s a great post from Sonnie Trotter’s http://sonnietrotter.com/roadlife/ website:

“About 12 years ago, I recall a day in Utah with my friend Dave Graham, a phenom climber who was making quick work of all the hardest routes in Hell Cave, including Ice Cream, 5.14c (8c-8c+).  When we climbed at the gym in the evenings, a group of us would begin doing fun campus problems,  big moves between medium sized holds.  Although I could not touch the crux of Ice Cream, I could for whatever reason do these problems,  so could all our friends.  Everyone except Dave.  I’m not trying to single him out, he’s one of the best rock climbers to touch stone, I was merely shocked that he could not lock off with one arm long enough to reach the next hold,  yet,  he can climb V12 like it’s no big deal.  So what’s his secret?  Is he weak?  Are we strong?  No AND Not necessarily.  What I realized is that Dave is not only light, which helps a little, but he’s also very, very strong in the right places to climb hard rocks.  Core, fingers and mind.

I love climbing hard as much as anybody, but it’s hard work to climb hard.  I mostly go rock climbing outside these days because it’s my real passion, and I try hard when I get the chance, but if we are going to invest any precious time or energy into specific training to climb harder,  what’s the best use of that time?  Well,  here’s a little secret, don’t train one arm chin ups.

The worlds most accomplished sport climber and boulderer Adam Ondra has recently completed his first one arm chin up according to Planet Mountain.com.   This fact only reinforces what I (and dozens of other climbers and coaches) have said for years, the key to climbing hard is not in the arms at all.  It’s mostly in the fingers and core.  Adam Ondra has onsighted more 5.14c’s (8c-8c+) than any human being EVER, climbed a handful of 5.15b’s (9a+-9b), and he’s just recently climbed a 5.14d (8c+-9a) on his very first try (though not technically a flash, he’s on his way to being the first person to do so).  In the bouldering field he’s equally as strong, having flashed V14, and climbed V16.  It seems if it can be done by anyone, it can be repeated by Ondra, and there’s no telling what he’s still capable of.  Especially considering he’s only 18.

I think, if you’re going to train specifically for climbing, keep it simple.  Here’s a few tips I’ve picked up over the years.

1) Focus on your strength to weight ratio, which means, stronger, leaner muscles.  Overall fitness is great, just as long as you’re not bulking up unnecessarily, unless you’re into that sort of thing.  More lean vitamin rich foods, and less Krispy Kreme donuts, more veggies, more protein, and more cardio exercise won’t hurt either.  Just add water, electrolites and antioxidants.  It’s all very simple and basic,  no need to do any sort of rigid regime here, just use common sense and a touch of will power.  No sweat.

2) Focus on your core .  If your core is weak it will tire quickly on steeper routes, and your body will sag, if you sag, you’re further away from the wall then you want to be, thus further from the holds you want to be grabbing.  If you’re strong, you’ll be tighter to the wall making moves feel easier and closer.

3) Stress your fingers.  If you don’t stress your fingers regularly, then they’ll forget how to dig into small holds, it’s a neurological connection.  Stress your fingers, crimp with thumb, half crimp, and open hand.  If you start doing funky things like one finger hangs I think it’s not very sustainable and you may end up getting injured,  if you must train one fingers for those 5.14d’s (9a) in the Frank, then do them for a period of time then lay off again for a little while to let them recover.  I personally prefer to keep it all very simple,  most if not all the holds I grab (even on really hard routes) are not often tweaky or one digit, they usually involve three or four fingers, but they are just hard to grab, so strengthen my fingers is still pretty crucial.   If you’re getting too strong for your finger board, don’t walk away, add a little bit of weight, but that doesn’t mean over do it.  Be sensible.  Again, this is very basic stuff, but it works if you actually do it, and don’t get carried away.

4) Climb as much as you can, as often as you can.  Sport climbing is not as hard on the body as bouldering, so get out, move the body around, get the blood flowing, get pumped, have fun, be nice to your fellow climbers and be thankful that you have the ability to do this.  If you have a local crag, be thankful for that too, some people live in Kansas you know.

5) Stay psyched.  Remember why you fell in love with climbing in the first place,  Climbing is like the coolest thing ever, it’s physical, beautiful and a wonderful mental exercise.  Achieving a new level is like discovering a different part of yourself.  Climb with people who force you to get outside, to expand your world, to keep you curious, and people that make you feel good about yourself and who laugh and don’t bitch about why the world is out to get them.  Mean people suck and climbing rocks doesn’t.”

If you don’t know the site topoguide.de, you should.  Volker Roth and his partner have collected a wealth of information about alpine, sport and all types of multi-pitch rock climbing in addition to their excellent topo guide books.

The article “Der Weg zum 10. Grad... „ (8a), in their quarterly on-line magazine (http://www.topoguide.de/topoguide-Magazin/Der_10._Grad.pdf) was the inspiration for me to finally confront and do something about the biggest thing holding me back as a sport climber: body composition.

There is a lot of practical information in regards to training in the topoguide-Magazin section of the site, and you can also subscribe to the on-line newsletter.

And lastly, the best book ever written about improving your sport climbing is now avalible in a German translation.  Dave MacLeod’s “9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes” should be required reading for anyone who has ambitions about getting better on rock.  You can buy the German version through the topoguide.de website, http://www.topoguide.de/Tourenliste/Neuzugange/9von10/9von10.html.

Don’t forget to go to the source at http://www.onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com/ to benefit from Dave Macleod’s unparallel insights about sport and traditional climbing, training, injuries, tactics, etc., etc.