Have you ever noticed that no matter how much you train you go through periods where you feel weak and tired?  While it would certainly be nice to feel like we were in peak sending condition at all times, this is unfortunately not how our bodies work and no matter what we do we will all go through periods of feeling strong and as well as those where we feel tired and run down.

To help explain this concept and to describe how understanding these natural cycles can be applied to our training, here’s an article by climbing coach and trainer Steve Bechtel of Climb Strong that discusses the importance of cycling training to create periods of peak performance and allow for times where our performance on the rock actually suffers.

“Biological organisms operate cyclically, not linearly. Whether it’s sleep patterns, yearly weight gain, or seasonal depression, nothing we do happens in a straight line. Although this is slightly disappointing, there is a bright side: you can use these cycles to your advantage, accepting the inevitable valleys to help push the peaks. By knowing when and how hard to push, and when to back off, you can have season after season of great performances.” – Steve Bechtel

In his article, Bechtel outlines the inverse relationship between volume and performance.   He describes how by planning your training into 6-8 week cycles, in which volume is increased and performance suffers as a result, then reducing overall training volume in the following weeks you can create a performance peek and the perfect time for sending.  Bechtel then goes on to describe some other options such as the one advocated by Steve Maisch which suggests climbers train hard for three weeks but take the fourth week of the month off from training to just climb.

Ultimately, this article does not suggest that one strategy for cycling training is superior to all the others.  Instead, the main goal of the article is to get climbers to abandon the idea of linear progression and starting thinking of their climbing and training as the process of creating performance peeks through the management of training volume.

Take a look at the complete article by clicking through below.  It definitely pays to learn this lesson before you inevitable burn out or get injured.  Also if you are looking for more from Steve Bechtel, check out his Strength Training Guide for information about how to best increase your climbing specific strength during your next training cycle.

Click Here: Climb Strong – Cycling Training

(photo courtesy of @mpincus87)

Other Articles You Might Like:

• Periodized Training for Climbing: Different Types and Pros & Cons
• TBP 036 :: Steve Bechtel Interview #2
• Concentrated Loading with Steve Bechtel
• Jonathan Siegrist – Start with the Mind