Here at Training Beta we talk a lot about workouts you can do improve your endurance and avoid getting pumped on routes. While this type of training is definitely critical for success route climbing, it is also important to learn how to climb and rest efficiently. Lots of the time climbers fail not because they lack the necessary endurance, but because their on-route tactics did not allow them to effectively manage their pump level.
To help you learn pump-management strategies, here’s an article from Rock and Ice by Chris Ketchum that discusses this need to manage your pump level and outlines some strategies to help you do so.
“There is no escaping the pump, but many climbers are too quick to blame a lack of endurance for their aching forearms. In reality, missing rests and poor mid-route recovery strategies are more likely causes. It is easy to become absorbed—by the sequence, placing protection, etc. You can forget to switch on the “separate brain” that deals with resting, and neglect to think about flushing out the pump until too late. Conversely, your aim should be to take every opportunity to prevent it setting in, rather than waiting and trying to cope.” – Chris Ketchum
To help you climb more efficiently, Chris describes both how to find these effective resting positions and how to best utilize them. In detail he discusses:
- Finding rests
- Types of rests
- Recovery technique
- Advanced pump-management strategies
- Bouldering versus routes
Take a look and the full article by clicking through bellow. Effectively implementing these strategies will make a much bigger difference in your route climbing than another pump filled training lap in the gym.
That being said, if you are looking to stack the deck in your favor even more, check out our Route Climbing Training Program by Kris Peters. This subscription based program will make sure you have all the physical tools in place to succeed on your next project!
Click Here: Attack and Defend – Tips for Effective Resting
(Photo Credit: Matt Pincus; @mpincus87; Area: Rock Springs Buttress, WY; Climb: Soul Super Power, 5.13c; Climber: Jonathan Siegrist)
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