No matter what type of rock climbing you are interested in, eventually you are going to run into a hold that is too small for you to use. For this reason, training finger strength is the single most important feature of any effective training program. With this in mind, climbing training Eric Hörst of Training for Climbing wrote an article about the importance of maximum strength training and how to effectively perform it.
“In climbing, your level of maximum strength in the forearm flexor and pulling muscles (of the arms and torso) is a common physical limitation. Gripping small holds, making a powerful arm pull, and locking off with one arm all command your muscles to contract briefly with near maximal force. Interestingly, your ability to rest effectively on a barely adequate medium-sized hold and express strength endurance on a pumpy sequence is also a function of your maximum strength. Therefore, training for greater absolute grip and pulling strength is the single most important aspect of an effective training-for-climbing program.” – Eric Hörst
In his article, Hörst first discusses how for beginner climbers simply climbing three times a week is sufficient training to produce results. However, he goes on to suggest that for intermediate and elite climbers specific targeted training will be necessary to produce the appropriate training stimulus that results in strength gains.
To give you a framework to understand maximum strength training, Hörst describes what this type of training constitutes maximum strength training and what it is trying to achieve.
“Attaining a higher level of maximum strength is a matter of increasing neural recruitment, muscle hypertrophy, and building greater cellular stores of ATP-CP. The training goal is to maximize fiber recruitment and liberate ATP-CP at the highest possible rate for five to twelve seconds. Consequently, a properly executed maximum strength exercise will utilize a sufficiently high resistance to produce near-failure in around ten seconds. It’s important to recognize that any strenuous exercise performed for more than ten to fifteen seconds will train local endurance, rather than strength, as these longer efforts are fueled more by anaerobic glycolysis.” – Eric Hörst
With these basic principles in place, Hörst then lists exercises including hyper-gravity pull ups, one arm lock offs, and finger board hangs that you can incorporate into your training to help increase your maximum strength. Click through bellow to read the complete article and learn how to incorporate this type of training into your climbing.
Click Here: Overview of Maximum Strength Training
(photo courtesy of training4climbing.com)
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