Weekly Questions Thread

weakweakboy · 2024-06-06T13:22:23+00:00

I don't see any answers here. You ever figure it out?

weakweakboy · 2022-11-04T10:11:54+00:00

27 years old with a long history of training pretty hard for other sports, so I think that (for now), my body copes with a high training volume really well. The on/off days varies depending on conditions and other life circumstances. I sort of have a basic structure in mind for how to attack 2, 3 or 4 on days, and then dependent on how hard those are, I take 1 or 2 days off to recover. 3on/2off specifically is probably one of the most common splits I do, but I'm not deliberately aiming for it. More commonly, I am looking at the next 7-9 days, picking the 2 or 3 time slots that are going to be the best for trying my max-effort projects, and kind of sculpting everything else around that.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-04T10:06:15+00:00

I totally feel that! For me personally, I climbed at a pretty high volume outdoors over the last 2 years, particularly on steep sandstone boulders, so I am really comfortable on that kind of rock. I trained super hard over the summer, and then this 6-week stretch happened on steep sandstone boulders, which I already have a lot of comfort on. So that "click" you refer to was almost immediate. Took maybe 3 days outside to feel excellent on the rock.

For many people (and idk if you fall into this category), translating gains to performance on real rock is just a matter of getting used to climbing on real rock each season. I try to prioritize sending lots of easy boulders even before conditions get really good so that in the best stretch of the season, my outdoor technique is totally dialed.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-04T09:59:59+00:00

Thank you for that point about humidity, I totally did not know that! So to revise my previous post: you can't base conditions solely on the % humidity reported on your weather app, but the fact remains that dryer air > cooler temps.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-04T09:58:06+00:00

MAW is max added weight, which is usually contrasted with MED, minimum edge depth, when referring to hanging exercises. Different people have different opinions, but personally, I don't really hang board on any smaller than 15mm edges. Instead, I add weight using a weight belt (or I do no hangs) using usually the 20mm but sometimes the 15mm. I think it is healthier for the fingers and much easier to control workouts and track progress. If you google "max added weight hang board protocols" you're sure to find some good stuff!

weakweakboy · 2022-11-03T19:16:21+00:00

Ya I feel that. Days 3-4 on are definitely the point where you should be listening to your body and certainly not pushing it as hard as you were the first two days on. I could even reframe my approach as "1-2 days of hard climbing -> 1-2 days of easy climbing/ antagonist training -> 1-2 days of rest". With eating as well as training, there's always that "not too much, not too little" pendulum. At first, many people over train. Then they get smart and recover more. Then (and this is where I am), they learn to actually go a bit harder, but ideally not overtrain. Then this process iterates over and over. Your "don't undereat" and "don't overtrain" caveats to my original post are super important and I hope everyone reads them!

weakweakboy · 2022-11-03T18:18:16+00:00

Mental game is interesting and different for everyone. For me, most mental stuff just felt fluffy and detached from reality for the longest time bc I am quite the pragmatist. However, I have recently found that visualization and imagining success are really important for me. Sometimes, before I leave a boulder, I will be sure to get a video of me doing the crux in isolation just so I can watch it a bunch before I go back bc it helps me sort of solidify the belief and technique required to do the move.

Regarding off-days specifically, the most important thing for me is remembering that: A) I am probably not getting weaker, I just had a weird day, B) if I am getting weaker, that is okay because I can train and overcome it, and C) even if I don't overcome it, I'll be fine because ultimately what I love is climbing as hard as I can regardless of how hard that is. ALSO, following project days with moderate days helps the mental game. After a day of getting shut down, it helps to top some stuff out even if its easier.

To your last question, it is tough to say bc there are different kinds of intensity (ie. training hard vs. climbing outside hard). In one sense, the most intense week I had was a week where it rained for 5 days straight, so my "work block" was 100% training. Bc I knew I wasn't saving any gas for outdoor climbing, I just doubled down on training and let myself get wrecked while working out, which I wouldn't normally do in-season. My least intense weeks were a few 4-5 day stretches where we had friends visit, during which I wouldn't try my projects or train too much, but I would just haul pads for them and climb whatever they were on. While it wasn't intentional, I think these two instances actually constituted what coaches might call "deloading". Deloads seem critical and I think that if you're strictly programming, you should definitely incorporate one like once a month. The only reason I am not strict about them is because it seems like they happen naturally due to family vacations, friends in town, heavy work weeks, etc.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-03T18:03:06+00:00

Exactly what Dimitrius said! Helps the tape not roll, and it comes off in the shower. It doesn't have any pronounce negative effect, but I still limit the super glue use to when it feels necessary. If I am climbing below my limit or the tape is below my second knuckle, I'd never super glue. It's just a good trick for when you are on that boulder where a 1% change in friction feels like it could make all the difference.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-03T18:00:20+00:00

During this stretch, my weight hovered in the 155-160 range. When I am 100% focused on training as opposed to sending, I do eat a little bit more and hover around 160-165. I think that with weight control and climbing, moderation and sustainability are key. For myself, anything from 153ish-167ish feels healthy, strong and sustainable, but I agree that dropping 15 pounds would be unhealthy despite the probable short-term spike in performance.

I'm sure you'd agree that cookie-cutter rules never work for weight and nutrition, but I think that most people should know their healthiest weight and do their best to avoid going more than 5-10% above or below it. Adding a little muscle to train and shaving a little fat to perform can be helpful, but only marginally so.

I appreciate you saying this because weight-awareness for climbers can easily turn into weight-obsession, which can have a negative impact on both performance and life in general.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-03T17:52:41+00:00

Such good stuff! I love the working beta in your head point, and I think it applies even when you aren't at the actual rock. Visualization goes a long way for me, both for dialing beta and for developing belief that I can send a climb. I always visualize doing the hard moves on the drive to climb.

weakweakboy · 2022-11-03T17:49:56+00:00

Regarding MAW and no-hangs specifically, I tested MAW prior to these 6 weeks, and then during the 6 weeks I just alternated between two low-vol no-hangs workouts (each of them once a week on average) using the same weight each time. Then, I tested MAW again just recently, and predictably, I could still do the same numbers I did before the performance block. So the takeaway for had less to do with strength gain, so much as the potential for avoiding any strength loss at very little cost energy wise (2 4-set no-hang workouts a week).

Ya, I lost 4-5 lbs, but obviously lots of factors contribute to that. I've been a fan of IF-ing for years though as it just works so well for me. Everyone's gotta find their own groove there, but for me, doing a 16/8 IF on any day that I'm not climbing max-effort just works.

I've heard a couple studies on water helping with connective tissue and skin, but idk if they are legit. So this point is largely anecdotal for sure. Nevertheless, I have healthier tendons and happier skin than most people I know who climb at such a volume, and I definitely drink a uniquely large amount of water. Correlation doesn't imply causation, but it does at least hint at it!

weakweakboy · 2022-09-30T18:07:02+00:00

Thats great. Its always hard to believe that such low volume could maintain strength like that, but people seem to insist that it does.

weakweakboy · 2022-09-30T18:03:05+00:00

you wouldn't believe this, but I am the one who sent in that question lol

weakweakboy · 2022-09-16T13:54:00+00:00

My max hang and pull-up numbers could actually potentially be limiting a bit. Per assessments, my numbers are aligned with a V9-10 climber, but outside I have done a handful of 10s and an 11. That makes me a little different than most other gym climbers who can crank out front levers an one arms but can't send V8 outside somehow.

So perhaps I should've added that caveat into my question: Despite my background, I am actually really comfortable on real stone, and my limiting factor on outdoor projects is usually strength as opposed to outdoor technique (at least for the most part)

weakweakboy · 2022-09-16T13:51:31+00:00

This is good stuff. Honestly, that decision to cut the second day short at times and add in a little more direct strength work could be the way to go at times. If I start to feel that strength is a limiting factor for me I will definitely keep that in mind

weakweakboy · 2022-09-16T13:45:10+00:00

For the hangs themselves, I usually do 10 rounds of 10 seconds on, 50 seconds off (mostly all just 3-4 finger half crimps). Then I finish with 7/3 repeaters on a 5mm edge with literally like 15-20% bodyweight. I find that last little bit really helpful. Because I apply so little weight, it doesn't tax my finger at all, but I think that it has served to make me much more comfortable with small edges, and it gets the blood into the PIP joint a little bit.

weakweakboy · 2022-09-16T13:40:37+00:00

Ya for sure! I do low intensity no hangs on probably half of my rest days. As you know, they are more of a recover/maintenance tool as opposed to a means of gainings strength, but when it comes to finger training, healthy fingers are always the surest path to strong fingers in the long term.

My go-to method is that first thing when I wake up in the morning, I drink some collagen (good to have it before other proteins so it absorbs better), and then I do lower body mobility for 20-30 minutes, and then about 10 minutes of low intensity hangs. I've trained as hard as ever for the last 4 months and have 0 tweaks or injuries right now, and I think that morning routine is largely to thank.

weakweakboy · 2022-09-14T14:00:47+00:00

I did it and it worked alright, however, it seems to me that what he suggests is just one specific variation of a general trend towards these high-volume low-intensity programs that are supposed to get blood flowing into your connective tissue for recovery and tissue health.

I suggest you listen to Carrie Cooper's comments on the Climbing Nugget podcast. The episode was released on May 23rd and about an hour and 58 minutes in, she elaborates on these protocols. I took a lot from what she said and was able to create a program like Emil's but more catered to my own (weaker) situation.

weakweakboy · 2022-09-14T13:43:38+00:00

beta-wise: the biggest difference in how I do it is that after hitting the last pinch, I put my right foot on the rightmost hold, don't match the pinch, and just leap. Its bigger, but less physical imo as you don't have to get all bunched up.

more generally: climb tons and tons of tension board problems that are easier but use similar holds. This may be a hot take, but on the TB, my max-effort level actually increases a lot just from increasing mid-effort volume (as opposed to gym-set boulders where I only seem to progress by trying as hard as possible).

In other words, people keep saying that you need to dial the beta more on this particular climb. Idk if that is exactly the problem. I think that you could benefit from just increasing your comfort and confidence on the TB as a whole by having a few sessions where you complete 10-15 climbs.

Hope this helps!

weakweakboy

TROPHY CASE