When used properly, the campus-board is one the best tools we have available for developing climbing specific power.  However, campus-boards are also the training tool that is most commonly used incorrectly.  If you are going to campus, taking the time to master the campus-board fundamentals is critical to not only getting the most out of your training, but also to stay injury free.

To help you get started campusing or correct any bad habits, here’s an article from Rock and Ice by climbing coach and trainer Neil Gresham where he outlines the campus-board fundamentals all climbers need to know before adding any campusing into their training.

“Campusing has clear benefits for improved contact strength (the ability to latch a hold at speed) and explosive arm power, yet this method of training has clear risks: incorrect practices can lead to serious injury, and your technique and core strength can suffer. If you don’t overdo it and stick carefully to protocol, a campus board is a potent weapon, alongside bouldering and hangboarding, to the strength training armory.” – Neil Gresham

Campus-Board Fundamentals

Before going into any of the exercises you can do on a campus-board, Gresham covers the following topics to make sure climbers correct any potentially dangerous/injurious habits:

• Safety Protocol
• Grip Types
• Number of Sets

Then, to give you an idea of the different exercise you can do campusing, Gresham outlines the basics like laddering, touches, bumps, and doubles.  Not only does Gresham describe how to do these exercises, but he also tells you how to progress their difficulty.  This way, as you improve and exercises become easier and easier you can continue to make power gains.

If you have never campused before, this article will give you a good idea of the campus-board fundamentals.  Click through below to read it for yourself.  Then, if you decide to add campusing into your training, proceed carefully and really take Gresham’s safe protocols to heart.  No amount of power gains is worth being sidelined by injury.

Full Article: Rock and Ice: Campus-Board Fundamentals

(photo courtesy of rockandice.com)

Other Articles You Might Like:

• FrictionLabs: Intro to Campus Board Training
• Beginner Campus Board Session Video
• Top 5 Campusing Articles
• Campus Training with Will Anglin