The Value of a Training Log for Climbing

Do you record your workouts? Climbing trainers may not agree on all the specifics of what exercises to do, but one thing they all agree on is that recording your training could not be more important. Here’s an article by Steve Bechtel of Climb Strong and author of our Strength Training Guide about the importance of keeping a training log for climbing.

“A training log or journal is probably the most useful tool a climber can use in his training. By keeping a good log, you can precisely identify training patterns that worked and those that didn’t. It’s a little inconvenient to make notes during a workout, and it might make you feel a little uncool, but the value is worth it.” – Steve Bechtel

As Steve argues, if you do not keep a training log you will not be able to identify what training actually worked and and what training simply made you tired without producing any meaningful gains. Additionally, as Steve points out training will not be effective if do not achieve the necessary overload and there is no way to guarantee that you do without carefully planning, recording in a training log, and increasing the load over time.

“Training requires overload within the framework of both the session and the training cycle. If you don’t carefully plan overload session to session, you probably won’t see the progress you could. As I’ve state before, just getting tired in the gym isn’t the answer. Pushing the loads the right amount higher and recovering correctly is how you really get better. The only way you can effectively do this is to remember what happened last time, and the time before, and the time before. Most of us just can’t remember that much.” -Steve Bechtel

Steve goes on to point out that any training log for climbing is better than none, but that the more detail you can include the clearer the picture you will have to evaluate your training. Steve even includes some examples of easy to use training logs to get you started.

Take a look and take your training to the next level!

Click Here: Write It Down- The Value of a Training Log for Climbing

(Photo courtesy of climbstrong.com)