How to Start Strength Training for Climbing like a Minimalist

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 What to Expect
00:28 Before Climbing Exercise: Grip Strength
02:30 Shoulder Exercises (Optional)
03:04 Climbing Session
04:48 After Climbing
05:23 Superset 1
08:04 Superset 2 (Optional)
09:55 Final Recommendations
📝 SHOW NOTES
Episode 141
www.hoopersbeta.com/library/h...
⚠️ DISCLAIMER
As always, exercises and rehab programs are to be performed assuming your own risk and should not be done if you feel you are at risk for injury. See a medical professional if you have concerns before starting a new training or recovery program.
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#trainclimbsendrepeat #climbingtraining #doctorofphysicaltherapy

[@HoopersBeta]

WIN a YEAR SUPPLY of MagDust Chalk from Rúngne Enter Here ▶ rungne.info/HoopersBeta NOTE: Most climbers I talk to who say they don't like strength training or lack motivation to do it is because they quickly stop seeing progress and feel like they're just spinning their wheels in the gym. The reason for that is almost always 1. they either do way too much or way too little, both of which result in lack of progress and 2. they don't do consistent progressive overload. Remember, progressive overload is key to making strength training fun, efficient, and effective. You MUST find ways to incrementally increase the difficulty of the exercises you do week in, week out so that you can stay in the appropriate intensity range and see consistent progress. :) FAQ: Q: Why 5-8 reps? A: We can build strength in many different rep ranges and at different intensities. 5-8 reps is a nice middle range for this routine because it's high enough to allow for solid skill learning with new exercises (aka getting acquainted with new movements and loads) but low enough to be efficient strength training when used in conjunction with the proper intensity (1-2 reps in reserve, in this case). Q: Can I do more (or fewer) than 5-8 reps? A: Yes, you can go higher or lower if you prefer. But, much higher than 8 reps will start to stray away from the purpose of this routine (building strength for climbing efficiently). Going lower than 5 reps can be perfectly acceptable or even preferred in some instances, but for newer lifters it's not particularly needed/important. Q: Can I do these exercises before climbing instead? A: Yes, some people even prefer this method. You could also split the supersets up and do some exercises before climbing and some after. This mainly comes down to personal preference and experience level. However, we tend to find it more "foolproof" to do the exercises after climbing. This is because inexperienced lifters don't always get the workout intensity quite right and can easily end up compromising their climbing sessions by doing all their strength training beforehand. This is not what we want to do. So, doing most of your strength exercises after climbing helps ensure you're *supporting* your climbing rather than taking away from it. Q: Why do I always feel super tired when I add in strength training? A: Some amount of extra fatigue is normal when starting a new training routine. However, there could be many reasons for consistent and excessive fatigue, some of which could be recovery- or work-capacity-related, but you should also pay close attention to the intensity at which you're performing the exercises. If you're going to failure every set, it will be very hard to recover from consistently.

[@Aaron-xq6hv]

You guys have gotten so much mileage out of those Anna videos. Anyway, this is very similar to what I've been doing since about September and I think it's been quite beneficial.

[@EmileModesitt]

Haha yeah I love putting those clips of Anna in random places

[@die_hertz]

I've started doing the same after following c4hps channel and even got a tindeq Progressor, nice to see more content confirming this is an appropriate way. My warm-ups definitely became high quality and I can climb hard right after them with no easier climbs done at all, which saves some skin and time

[@razmar1993]

Amazing content ! I rarely comment videos but this one is one of the best I've seen on this topic. It sometimes gets confusing, choosing among many exercises described in training videos (and books !). This is simple, clear, and goes straight to the essential with no time wasted. Thank you !

[@robdb1993]

Love this. A good reminder to keep it simple and consistent

[@-flowerbed-]

Thanks! I've loved doing these after climbing and I'm also going to do them as a supplement to climbing when I'm at college. This is really good beta!!!!!

[@jacksonwright427]

This may be the magnum opus of simple and easy strength training for climbers. I've had this concept in my brain for years but have never been able to articulate it anywhere close to as clearly and concisely as this video. Major props to the channel for bucking the trend of high end training concepts just being repackaged into "Beginner training plans" and making this into something that anyone from their first day or even their 10 year of climbing can appreciate and learn from. Keep it up, loving this

[@HoopersBeta]

Awesome, thank you!

[@jakubm3036]

such a quality and clear structured content. great channel

[@HoopersBeta]

Much appreciated!

[@RFrecka]

Autoregulation, nuance regarding load selection and intensity. Solid job, appreciate the addition of time management via intelligent supersets too with some traditional strength exercises. The movement optimist take with no stigmatizing specific forms is gold. Thanks for creating the content!

[@HoopersBeta]

Thank you, we appreciate the feedback!

[@julienguetty788]

Thanks! So much value out of this video

[@HoopersBeta]

Glad you think so!

[@fingerschinder1323]

Such a good comprehensive video! 🙌

[@HoopersBeta]

Thank you!

[@jonasjohajohanson9517]

Thanks a lot for this highly informative video. It helps a lot to get started with dedicated training for climbing. Your input is highly appreciated! Cheers

[@HoopersBeta]

Thank you for the feedback! Glad you found this video to be useful.

[@RossPotts]

Excellent subject matter. I’ve been looking for something like this, as I am plateauing at mid 5.10s.

[@MrTEHSTUPID]

This is just the content I come here for. Great video!

[@bullydungeon9631]

This is exactly what im doing lol, just started it up a few weeks ago so im slowly qdding it in rather than wrecking myself week 1.

[@TheBlackthornPlan]

Thanks for the great content!

[@HoopersBeta]

Glad to be of service :)

[@benlltt]

This video came at the perfect time for me, thanks!

[@HoopersBeta]

You're welcome! Glad it arrived just in time ;)

[@700leinad]

This is exactly what I was looking for, as I was thinking to incorporate some strength training to my schedule. So far, sacrificing a full climbing session for strength training just seemed unrealistic to be sustained as I have very limited time (and energy) due to work and no background in strength training. This seem to be the perfect entry point for me. I am, however, a bit confused about how many recruitment pulls (1:47) to do in total (warm-up + working sets): When I did 5 warm-up sets on my own pace and 5 working sets, would that mean I end up with having pulled 10 times per hand over a course of (15 + warm-up time) minutes?

[@hazboy13]

Thanks for the simple routine What would you advise for someone that has standard gym access during the daytime and tends to climb at a bouldering centre with minimal/no weights in the evenings? I have been doing daily conditioning (strength and mobility) in the gym 5xdays and then climing in the evenings 3x per week. Should I be looking to do the conditioning directly after climbing sessions instead? Also - is weighted lower body mobilty work enough or should I try to incorporate some lower body work in (deadlifts/squats etc?) I notice this isn't in your routine. Thanks again!

[@arselihp]

Great video. Would love to see a 10-minute expansion on item 2, the climbing session.

[@koban64]

Hello, thank you very much for the videos! I'm currently working on improving my climbing skills so I'm adding your advices to next year good resolution ;-) Also what do you think about Powerfingers (or other similar tools) ? I've been told they're a good for finger warm-up and tension release.

[@julianisface]

This is the single most useful training video on social media. Its so overwhelming to know where to start with training. I wish i had this a year ago!

[@HoopersBeta]

That’s great to hear, thank you!

[@die_hertz]

Following a similar program starting this Autumn and got from v5 indoors to finishing a few v6s in one session and projecting v7s over the course of 1-3 sessions. Not sure if I became stronger, probably not, but the quality of my practice has certainly increased Love Hooper's Beta ❤

[@HoopersBeta]

Excellent results, well done! Quality practice is way underrated. Thanks for chiming in :)

[@Nickpetikas]

Absolutely love your videos. I hold your channel as functionally relevant and important as Ben Patrick's ATG Content (KneesOverToesGuy). Everything from your supplement recommendations to your training-based videos have all been wonderful to view. It's hard to believe your channel doesn't have more subs?! Been climbing for over a decade now. Sprained my A2 pulley bouldering on November 8th... then made it worse on Thanksgiving Day top-roping in the Red River Gorge. Regardless, I always look forward to your content and share much of it with my close friends and folks that I meet at the gym.

[@HoopersBeta]

Hi @Nickpetikas, thank you for the kind words and sorry to hear of the recent injury! Wishing you a strong recovery. Hopefully some of our other content can help in your healing!

[@Nickpetikas]

Thank you! Got a clinical diagnosis a few weeks ago from a hand specialist at Ohio State University. Couldn't be more thankful for the timing since the outdoor season is over. Asking Santa for some of your apparel for Christmas. You should upload some outdoor sends! It would be cool to see you in action. @@HoopersBeta

[@AntonisK27]

Babe wake up Hooper's Beta dropped another banger!

[@KazuKev8]

I really like the simplicity of this routine. Would you still recommend recruitment pulls even for someone who has a little bit of experience hangboarding? I was looking to maybe have one day a week for max hangs.

[@robboss1839]

Very interesting. I recently replaced years of lifting with some climbing and I do exactly these things plus running.

[@HoopersBeta]

Welcome to climbing! Glad you're already on a good track.

[@GucciFeet]

Question: Does Myofacial stretches/ warm ups help with overall performance on the wall?

[@dominikstankewitz2000]

gold 🙏

[@jonkrause6714]

Truly a functional basic training format and love it - Thank you. I was actually looking at doing basic finger pull exercises because I don't like hang boarding. I already have the Frictitious port-a-board, but wrong measuring device (crane/weight scale). What app or devices can I get to track the progression? I finally admitted to myself last week my fingers are weak - took only 9 years climbing to realize it - ha ha. Been making too many excuses that i'm happy staying at a plateau - need to train.

[@HoopersBeta]

Hi Jon! In this video we’re using the Tindeq app, which is free and works well alongside the Tindeq Progressor models. We’ve also used G-strength products in the past, which also have their own app, but their force gauges are too bulky, heavy, and expensive for our purposes. Tindeq is the way to go if you want to get a force gauge with a reasonably useful app - in fact it’s the only consumer-friendly option I know of at the moment. Of course, if you don’t want to buy a Tindeq, there are other options for tracking finger strength training using weights and a port-a-board (see our video on Block Pulls with Dan Beall). -Emile

[@jonkrause6714]

@@HoopersBeta awesome and thanks. Just ordered the Tindeq. Will still look at other recommended videos.

[@wellbornyouth]

This guide is exactly what I need, thanks for creating it! (Though as someone whose shoulders were absolutely DESTROYED by bench press, I'll be subbing in something else for that)! I wonder if you could maybe also throw it into Crimpd as a workout so people could log it there?

[@HoopersBeta]

Glad to be of service! Perhaps we’ll talk to Crimpd about implementing it in the app :)

[@teresakutz8196]

I love this video! It's just want I needed! However, I've been doing the pull ups after my climbing session twice a week for over a month now and I haven't seen any improvement. My best guess is that I'm too fatigued after my session, because when I finish the session I can do 6 pull ups max, whereas after warming up I can do 9 or 10. So my questions are: would these exercises not work if I'm too fatigued? And how do I know when I should stop bouldering? (I know your said to stop when we notice a drop in preformance, but I can't tell when that happens. Any tips?) Thank you!

[@uhoh007]

Very Helpful. Someday I hope you will do a video on how aging effects our tendons and nerves, and strategies to avoid injury over 60. At your age I never considered it. 60? Not likely I'll make it, anyway ;)

[@TheXzenit]

Thanks a lot for thid video! It's exactly what I needed to start putting consistency into a tight schedule. One question about RIR: should we have 1-2 RIR during ALL sets? or should we do the last set until exhaustion? Thanks in advance!

[@HoopersBeta]

Glad you found it helpful! Typically we want to aim for 1-2 RIR for all sets. That means your first set might end up having higher reps than your last set sometimes. However, it is occasionally very useful to go to failure so that 1. You actually know where your 0 RIR is and can adjust accordingly for 1-2 RIR and 2. You can get acquainted with trying really hard, which is usefully mentally and can sometimes help you get past a little physical plateau as well. Hope that helps! -Emile

[@pipedreamsam]

This video has been quite helpful for me, but a question about the pull-up profession… am I really aiming to be doing 3x8 pull-ups at +50% bodyweight before progressing? That seems quite hard to me, but maybe I should set my ambitions higher?

[@carmelaanngilpo9064]

this is so helpful! the after climbing strenght routine, should be done after climbing or can do separate day?

[@HoopersBeta]

Your preference! Personally I’ve never found doing it on a separate day to work well, but I’m sure some people like it.

[@benghiskahn3673]

Oh how I envy your climbing gym. I dream of the day my gym provides even half of the setup you guys enjoy!😊

[@HoopersBeta]

A good setup is quite beneficial, yes. Talk to your gym's staff/management, maybe they are open to the idea they just don't know what the demand is among members. Or, see what you can modify and do on your own at home. Creativity is key when you don't have all the correct equipment.

[@freezeprinter9374]

such a in depth video!I was just wondering why the rep range you chose was 5-8 instead of 3-5 to failure which is frequently recommended?

[@charlienadeau5856]

I was thinking the same thing! Is it more closley aligned to the slightly higher number of moves in climbing than in regular strength training?

[@HoopersBeta]

Good question! 3-5 rep range to failure will typically mean higher loads/intensity than 5-8 rep range. If this routine is newer to you (which is more or less the target audience) then 5-8 is still a great range to build strength while requiring slightly lower intensity in load, making it safer/more approachable. If you're more experienced or are more focused purely on strength the 3-5 rep range is great.

[@HoopersBeta]

Also see our note about rep range in the pinned comment :)

[@albertopalladipelo3592]

I have a question about pull ups: you say at 6:30 that if we can do easily a lot of pull ups, we should go for weighted pull ups. May I ask you why? specifically why is better to increase weight, rether than increasing number of normal pull ups eventually we ll get more confidence in our body and endurance. Isn't what we re looking for? rather than more strength?

[@samdunkksu2b129]

How would you reccomend someone try to program and balance climbing with lifting if you’re actually interested in hypertrophy? Besides the needed calorie surplus, could you balance more intense weight training and climbing in a way that prevents overtraining and recovery, and without causing a regression in climbing performance? Or do you believe a dedicated period of weight training with minimal climbing is necessary try to optimize muscle growth? Or am I just overthinking and just need to eat more steak and potatoes

[@CharlieBrownThe3rd]

Another great video! A question about the finger pulls. I thought in a previous video about tenosynovitis it was mentioned that moving the fingers under load may aggravate symptoms due to increased friction. Would there be a higher risk of bringing tenosynovitis on with this method?

[@HoopersBeta]

Great question! That friction is associated with *extending* the fingers under very heavy loads. With recruitment pulls (and hangboarding), we can easily avoid doing that (it would feel very unnatural anyway). At most, we might flex our fingers a small amount if we’re trying to pull with our fingers as much as possible (as we discuss in this video), but that does not appear to be an issue from pulley-on-tendon-friction standpoint. -Emile

[@CharlieBrownThe3rd]

@@HoopersBeta thanks Emile! That's interesting, so I understand correctly. You mean allowing the fingers to open under load appears to cause friction, however contacting fingers under load doesn't have the same effect? It seems counter intuitive!?

[@zackkite]

Goddamn that's a beautiful boulder

[@BlakesBeta]

Pulling with just the fingers for recruitment pulls is good advice. I sprained a pulley doing one arm recruitment pulls because I was mistakenly pulling with my body too much. This can be way too much force for your fingers, especially without warming up some first.

[@HoopersBeta]

Yeah the pulling with just fingers makes it more of a "pure" recruitment also. Pulling with your entire body may make it more of a yielding isometric rather than an overcoming isometric (recruitment).

[@madraven5915]

@@HoopersBeta Aha! You are using the same terminology as Tyler Nelson. Is it correct to assume you were inspired by him for your recruitment pulls? He recently put up a great video on minimalistic finger work, which is similar, but shorter than yours. I do not mean to criticise, in fact I see it as a stamp of approval, that my two favourite training influencers share an idea.

[@bbr63000]

Hi ! Thanks for your work ! A question, when you say 3 minutes rest, 5-8 set for finger training, you mean a 15-24 minutes warm up/ training before climbing?

[@HoopersBeta]

Yup! Though you can shorten or lengthen the rest time somewhat depending on your personal preference and tolerance. -Emile

[@limmy7411]

I wouldn't have said overloading a barbell is safer than dumbbells. If DBs are too heavy you can drop them, try doing that with a barbell. The stretched bottom portion of an exercise is also the most effective as gaining muscle and you can get a deeper stretch from DBs compared to a bar. In fact you would get greater benefit even when using less weight. Although as long as you have a spotter either exercise is great.

[@HoopersBeta]

Some of it comes down to personal preference, because I would much rather bail on a 200lb barbell bench press than 200lbs with dumbbells (or even 150lbs for that matter). I also hate having to lift heavy dumbbells into position. As far as the muscle building component goes, that’s not really what we’re after here since we’re climbers, not bodybuilders or power lifters. We’re primarily after functional strength gains for climbing, not squeezing out every ounce of muscle growth we can get. -Emile

[@timothywong5570]

Thanks for the advice Hooper. Do you recommend any amount of rest between exercises, within a single superset? Reading online, the traditional superset is one where there is 0 rest between exercises, whereas a "paired set" is similar to a superset but you take a short (60-90 seconds) break between exercises, with the goal of reducing the total time of the workout.

[@HoopersBeta]

I personally like to take mini rests (~30s) within supersets just to reset my breathing and try-hard face haha. Of course, if you have the time you can take full 3-5 minute rests between every exercise if you like! Pretty much comes down to personally preference. If you find that your performance on the second exercise is significantly better when you take a little rest, I’d say it’s worth it. -Emile

[@timothywong5570]

@@HoopersBeta cheers Emile!

[@tqbe7954]

Does the shoulder external rotation have to be preformed having your palms face upwards? I have a small wrist injury which makes it a lot more comfortable having palms down. Amazing video.

[@HoopersBeta]

It doesn't have to be, but perhaps try a "thumbs up" neutral wrist position instead.

[@tqbe7954]

@@HoopersBeta Just tried this felt a lot more comfortable. Thank you

[@yusukeurameshi500]

I've been stuck at 20kg weighted pull ups 4-5 reps for about 2 months now, do you or anyone in comments have any way I could get past this plateau? Its so frustrating

[@MessiahQuinn]

Apologies for the frivolous question, but what trousers are those? Love the content/info!

[@HoopersBeta]

Prana Brion II (slim) - Glad you're enjoying the content!

[@Bulldog12189]

Genuine question: Why did you not include any leg(s) exercises in this routine? And how would you add them, if you have a bit more time to train?

[@HoopersBeta]

Great question! This minimalist routine is centered around the premise of “most bang for buck” for improving climbing performance. While we are huge advocates of leg strengthening for many climbers, I find that most climbers are held back by lower body flexibility more than pure muscular strength. Thus, to keep things as simple and approachable as possible (reduce the chance of turning people off due to complexity, time commitment, and/or excessive fatigue), we opted to include stretches instead of leg strengthening. That said, if climbers want to do leg strengthening, we say go for it! -Emile

[@baberainbow0025]

What you guys think about overhead pressing? Overrated as bench presses/ dips for the anterior delt too or actually useful?

[@HoopersBeta]

Copied from a response to an earlier comment: Overhead press is great and a totally acceptable alternative if it suits you better. Some of it will just come down to personal preference/goals. (Also, overhead press works *roughly* the same muscles). Pecs, triceps and delts are all prime movers, but of course that doesn't make all these exercises completely interchangeable. Because this is a "minimalist routine," we're essentially after the biggest "bang for buck" exercises. Bench press is different enough movement from dips to be a useful addition while targeting a bunch of relevant climbing musculature in a functional movement pattern. Overhead press doesn't quite reach that same bar while also often being slower to progress. That said, I still do OH press all the time! It's just not necessarily our first recommendation for people just getting into strength training for climbing and wanting a minimalist routine. -Emile

[@Cr1ms0nSE]

So the working sets for the fingers is the one described and the warm up sets are slower, gentler but with the same Max intensity?

[@HoopersBeta]

Yeah pretty much. You can do your warm up sets however you like as long as you eventually ramp to max intensity. I tend to do some light hangs on a hangboard at first just to get my fingers and shoulders warmer, and then I do a few hard recruitment pulls to really get the fingers warm, and then once I see (via tindeq app) that I’m pulling near my max, I start my working sets. But like I said, totally up to you as long as you get good quality working sets in. -Emile

[@DenisPausic]

I have sort of unrelated but technically related question, and I'm desperate for any advice from someone who actually understands the sport! I've had lumbar discectomy (L4-L5) 5 weeks ago, the rehab is going well so far, no pain since the surgery, I'm doing medical workouts (2x a day) I was given by physios at the hospital and waiting for physical therapy (at the special spa clinics they send you to over here), but the problem I have is that nor the doctor nor any of the physios knows anything about sport climbing, so any conversations I had about my rehab and eventual return to climbing has been quite disheartening.. I've been searching for sport physio I'd work with through my rehab, but so far I couldn't find anyone qualified with understanding of sport climbing.. could you share any advice when it would be safe to start hangboarding at least, even reduced load (my previous max hang was 145% BW), what would be the safe approach, or any advice whatsoever because my attempt of research on the topic is becoming desperate self torture of uncertainty? thank you!

[@K34RT]

What's the band you attach to the board for the recruitment pulls?

[@HoopersBeta]

Just a regular sling. Rope works fine too

[@ivanpaskalev9863]

Is it ok to train max hangs in morning, climbing evening and weighted pull ups and dips after I come home? I cant do pull ups right after climbing sessions 😢

[@HoopersBeta]

Sure!

[@havinleung1928]

dips and bench work roughly the same muscles - I’d personally do overhead presses instead of one of them but thats just my inclination as a former gymbro. Im curious to hear why you chose to do both?

[@HoopersBeta]

Overhead press is great and a totally acceptable alternative if it suits you better. Some of it will just come down to personal preference/goals. (Also, overhead press works *roughly* the same muscles.) Pecs, triceps and delts are all prime movers, but of course that doesn't make all these exercises completely interchangeable. Because this is a "minimalist routine," we're essentially after the biggest "bang for buck" exercises. Bench press is different enough movement from dips to be a useful addition while targeting a bunch of relevant climbing musculature in a functional movement pattern. Overhead press doesn't quite reach that same bar while also often being slower to progress. That said, I still do OH press all the time! It's just not necessarily our *first* recommendation for people just getting into strength training for climbing and wanting a minimalist routine. -Emile

[@rafaelsanna96]

TBH I'm pretty fine with my stregth climbing v10, flashing v7, just teach me how to get my hair to look as fine as yours.

[@seeteefunn]

Is there an alternative to dips? My gym has no rings, bars or machine.

[@HoopersBeta]

Best option IMO is just to buy a set of rings yourself. They’re fairly cheap and quite versatile. There are also dip variations that don’t require rings or a bar (just an elevated surface), but I personally would do pushups (or pushup variations, like archer pushups) over that type of dip. -Emile

[@samtheman5923]

Do you do these exercises on days that you go climbing or on days that you don’t go climbing and just throughout the day

[@HoopersBeta]

There are graphics all throughout the video showing how we recommend you schedule these exercises around a climbing session (aka the same day you're climbing). Of course, you can do them on a separate day if it suits your schedule or goals better (though personally I much prefer to have a full day of rest between climbing/training sessions rather than my "rest day" involving strength training). -Emile

[@denlolify]

Nice video, any tips on how to actually stop my climbing sessions once i feel my performance drop? hahaah i defintely dont have enough recovery for how hard/much i climb to add training..

[@HoopersBeta]

I've encountered the same issue (hard to stop climbing) many times. The most sustainable solution for me ended up being a matter of priorities. At a certain point I realized "I want to get better at climbing and a crucial aspect of that for me is getting stronger, so strength training is a must if I want to reach my goal. I don't want to keep climbing at the same level." Once I accepted that, I realized I was too tired to make progress with strength training if I climbed longer than about 2-2.5 hours, so if I wanted to actually accomplish my goals I needed to set a time limit. It was less a matter of "welp I need to stop climbing now, this sucks" and more like "I'm going to stop climbing now that I feel my performance dropping because I still want to beat my previous PRs at strength training today." So it was a mindset shift that actually turned "stopping climbing" into a positive (or neutral) decision, rather than a huge bummer. -Emile

[@denlolify]

@@HoopersBeta ah yeah that makes a lot of sense, thanks for typing this all out :) I guess the hardest part about it for me now is that my climbing buddy does not have the same mentality, but there is a way to make it work. I do want to get stronger as I feel its the main thing holding me back at this moment.

[@HoopersBeta]

Oof yeah it’s super hard when your climbing partner(s) aren’t on the same schedule or routine. I usually get to the gym early or stay late when that happens so I can still get my other training in, but I know that doesn’t work for everyone. An alternative is to have some sessions be “for fun/friends” and others be “for training hard.”

[@denlolify]

@@HoopersBeta good suggestions, thanks :)

[@coppas2643]

Is it a terrible idea to do this work out/similar on your rest days rather than your climbing days? I find I have less drive to workout after a strong climbing sesh and having something to do on a rest day feels nice as your active everyday.

[@HoopersBeta]

Definitely not a terrible idea if you try it out and you like it! I’ve never personally found it to be an effective method to split it up like that but some people seem to like it. I like having full rest days where I can just do really light activity. -Emile

[@Bellmanbror]

I literally searched for finger training on KZbin an hour after you posted this 😂

[@HoopersBeta]

Excellent timing! We’ve got several other videos in finger training too (“block pulls” and “mixed hangs”) so pick your favorite :)

[@ldmr3099]

I want to know why can max recruitment pull be done on every session, but not a max hang on hangboard. Is there really that much of a difference?

[@HoopersBeta]

Who says max hangs can’t be done every session? It all depends on how you program it and your individual recovery capacity. In the past I’ve done max hangs every session (~3x/week) for many months in a row. The reason we recommend recruitment pulls in this video is that they’re just so simple (minimal equipment, all you have to do is “try hard” rather than deal with weights and stuff - though that’s not to say recruitment pulls are necessarily a replacement for max hangs or vice versa). -Emile

[@iJonko]

Can you do these strength exercises also on your non-climbing days? I am new to climbing but my climbing facility does not have all the tools for these strength exercises. So I would go climbing 3 times a week and do these on 2 days a week on the non-climbing days.

[@HoopersBeta]

You definitely can. You might have to be a bit more careful about load management to make sure the strength training doesn’t compromise your climbing sessions since you’ll have less time between sessions, but it can absolutely done.

[@iJonko]

@@HoopersBetaThanks for the quick reply! I will be careful and do my strength training the day after climing instead of before :)

[@Lakaja.]

Can I do the strength training bevor the climbing session? Why do it afterwards?

[@HoopersBeta]

See pinned comment :)

[@TheMegaMrMe]

So skip leg day. Got it

[@HoopersBeta]

haha :) We debated putting other leg exercises in but as you continue to add exercises, you take it from a minimalist routine to a moderate routine and then the snowballing occurs. But our mega How to Train for Climbing video has leg recommendations you can implement if you'd like.

[@Rottenation]

Climbers don't have leg day, they have the approach to the crag or cycling to the gym and say it's enough

[@Rottenation]

So why do you recommend recruitment pulls rather than hangboarding?

[@HoopersBeta]

Simpler/easier to perform (more portable, less equipment, simpler progression) and more auto-regulated (harder to push past your limits compared to heavy weighted hangs). We don’t recommend recruitment pulls over hangboarding for all scenarios (they both have their place), but for this minimalist/introductory routine they’re a better fit in our opinion. -Emile

[@MrKobohobo]

What about leg muscles? Sometimes very important for bouldering...

[@HoopersBeta]

We’ve got plenty of videos on that! But this routine is biggest bang for buck exercises, and it’s hard enough to get climbers to even do those! Of course we recommend leg exercises to all climbers who are willing/able to do them 🤙 -Emile

[@Programme021]

If I do 5 to 8 sets of finger training before climbing, wouldn't I feel pumped before actually climbing ? I do it but only do 3 sets or so because of lack of patience and else I would feel like it would fatigue me for the session.

[@HoopersBeta]

Depends on your experience level and the type of finger training you’re doing. But 5-8 sets is quite reasonable for many people. It’s perfectly okay to work up to that over time though. However, if you find you’re getting significantly fatigued from just a few sets, you might want to revisit your training method. Your intensity may be too high. Also, fatigue is not always the same as “pump.” You shouldn’t really be getting any lasting pump from finger strength training (endurance training is a different story) but again if you’re very new to this it may take a little getting used to. -Emile

[@Programme021]

@@HoopersBeta Thank you for the quick answer, this is gold !

[@csmocah7]

Is it me, or is this my home gym Mesa Rim in CA?

[@HoopersBeta]

That it is!

[@PompousPicard1]

Is there a particular advantage to doing the strength training on climbing days, versus doing it on off days? My climbing coach had me doing a somewhat similar strength routine each climbing day, immediately after climbing (which I was doing 3-4 days per week), and after a month, my project grade ended up actually going down - which I think was due to overtraining/under-recovery. I’ve lifted weights far longer than I’ve been climbing, and I know how to push myself to lift really hard. I felt like doing it on climbing days, after a hard projecting session, was just too much.

[@bolderam]

Doing it on a rest day will just push you into a recovery hole. If your grade went down it was probably due to poor recovery - likely too much lifting or climbing in the week

[@PompousPicard1]

@@bolderam that’s possible, but not necessarily the case. Sometimes lifting can even help to stimulate recovery from other forms of exercise. I probably was lifting too hard, but the strength routine turned the entire thing (counting the warmup) into a 3.5-4 hour workout, and I was starting to feel like it was too much.

[@paulgaras2606]

I do 5 sessions per week, I like doing hard lifting on the last day before the rest day. I dont usually train or climb on Saturday or Sunday. That 5th session consists of submaximal climbing and then 3-4 excercises. Works great. I do train the fingers multiple times per week, usually at home after climbing. and do various isometric exercises that help to keep my knees hips and back comfortable every session.

[@AlexTheUruguayan]

This should be on Crimpd

[@HoopersBeta]

Shoulda gotten the double sponsor for this vid 😆

[@Crimpd]

@@HoopersBeta 👀

[@rainerernst7410]

I wouldn't train back more than two times a week because it takes more time to recover than for example shoulders because of it's size

[@HoopersBeta]

Totally dependent on the volume and intensity of your workouts (aka programming), among other things :)

[@rainerernst7410]

I Agree. I should probably specify: I have made the experience that my bodyweight (90kg) pull ups tend to exhaust my muscles a lot and lower weights might not lead to fatigue. But this video has the focus for strength training, and I think that you would get more growth out of two intense sessions, rather than three light session with small stimulus. - assuming you are able to recover from each in time. (I might be wrong, I just binged the Renaissance Periodization youtube channel and have myself as object of study)

[@HoopersBeta]

Still completely depends on the individual’s recovery capacity, fitness level, and programming. You can make great strength gains by packing all your training into one or two days. You can also make great gains by spreading it out over five or six days. Renaissance periodization even has a video about this exact topic where he discusses how many days a week you should train. It all comes down to what you have time for and how you spread out the load. For most people, 3x/week is better than 1x, but more than 3x and you start to see significant diminishing returns. 🤙 -Emile

[@rainerernst7410]

👍

[@paulgaras2606]

I think what wasn’t mentioned here is …. Periodization. You don’t need to do the same excercises forever . Sometimes you’ll get more benefit out of squats than pull ups.

[@HoopersBeta]

💯!! That’s just a little outside the scope of this video, but a great topic in general :)

[@pat0the0irish]

Given you've done an episode "10 exercises better than pushups" and other commentary in your videos, I'm surprised you recommend bench press. I thought we didn't use those pushing muscles enough when climbing for it to be worthwhile training?

[@HoopersBeta]

Not at all, those muscles are essential for climbing. They’re much more than “antagonists” as climbers love to claim. The only issue we have with pushups is that people often think 1. They’re the only supplemental exercise they need to do and/or 2. They will fix every little pain/injury/ailment they experience from climbing, like epicondylitis. Aside from that, pushups just aren’t really intuitive/easy to progress long term. -Emile

[@Synarius12]

You dont rest between the pull-ups and the dips ? 😅

[@HoopersBeta]

Depends on your fitness level, training goals, and personal preference :)

[@earnest_fluff]

No ohp?

[@HoopersBeta]

That almost made the cut! Was very close. Still a good exercise but harder to easily progress (among other factors) compared to bench press.

[@1806dl]

Rungne ads on every climbing platform 💀

[@HoopersBeta]

It’s awesome that they’re supporting so many creators!

[@alecryan8220]

No legs???

[@HoopersBeta]

We certainly considered adding that into the sets! Legs are an important component but we wanted to keep this routine simple and not create too much fatigue that could hinder climbing. You can still check out our full length How to Train for Climbing video for some awesome examples of leg training for climbers :)

[@alecryan8220]

Thanks! Great vid btw @@HoopersBeta

[@dizietz]

Maybe add Pistol squats or weighted deep squats to round this off!

[@HoopersBeta]

Or nordics!! (Depending on your particular leg goals of course)

[@dizietz]

​@@HoopersBetamy only complaint about traditional nordics is that its so easy to overdo them as a beginner because an extra 10 degrees makes them sooo much harder

[@HoopersBeta]

So true! They can be a little tricky. Band assistance seems to work fairly well though for modulation if you have an anchor point.

[@arnaudjouanin7561]

5-8 sets at max intensity before climbing session? Seems pretty extreme Climbing session checklist: completely agree 👍 pull ups after climbing session? 🫣 If it's after technical stuff, maybe, but otherwise just go home, the arms & nervous system will not be ready for heavy work. Best case scenario it'll be just bad form

[@AntonisK27]

In the video it's stated that over the course of the pull of 5-8s the intensity should increase up to maximum meaning that it will not be held for very long. This is a bit different compared to normal hangboarding where intensity is pretty high from the get go as the load on your finger over the hang duration stays constant. Overall the recruitment pulls will be less fatiguing but obviously trying this out for the first time one should not jump into doing 8 sets 3 times per week to max intensity right away.

[@arnaudjouanin7561]

True, if you only do the progressive loading and stop once it's in the red, you would be just exerting a little effort every time but at 1:20 (I just watched it again^^) the effort meter is shown to stay 3" at 100% which is a lot of effort, especially done 5-8 times I don't mean to criticize to be a hater^^ I just think you'd be starting your climbing session at like 65-75% finger strength potential instead of 90-100% But I guess it depends on people, some take shorter or longer to get warm

[@HoopersBeta]

Hi! I think the main point to make here is: while “workout intensity/fatigue” will be highly dependent on the individual’s current state of fitness, 5-8 max intensity recruitment pulls in this case will not actually be that fatiguing. In fact, they will even prime (“recruit”) your system for trying hard on the wall, which can save you time, skin, and fatigue from not having to do a ton of warm-up routes. An imperfect comparison could be: one attempt on a hard project with 5-8 fingery moves. Your session shouldn’t be over after one attempt on a project. Now imagine that project didn’t tax any other structures in your body except your fingers and doesn’t take any skin - even less fatigue overall! In the same way, a few max recruitment pulls should not compromise your climbing session (I actually climb better when I do them). Hope that helps! -Emile

[@arnaudjouanin7561]

@@HoopersBeta ok yeah from that angle, i see your point, it's a good comparison. I have the habit of not climbing on a strength training day so I can really go heavy on finger holds and weighted pull ups but I see the "recruitment" idea

[@FreefromTyranny]

Basically, this is C4HP recommended finger strength protocol

[@Buffalo93]

Maybe when it comes to the exercise itself, but whole video is entirely different. Here recruitment pulls are just proposed as an option for finger strength training, whereas C4HP makes a lot of claims why it's the best method, without really supporting them with anything. The issue with recruitment pulls is that you don't get any feedback on how hard you pull. It is not about being informed, but about getting feedback, encouraging you to do more effort. It just seems that its easier mentally to overcome gradually increasing weight in the same movement, than to statically pull harder with your fingers with the exact same set up over months. This is unless you have tindeq progress, which is why for me this recommendation seems to me as disingenuous, and basically a hidden ad. I hope I'm wrong about that. I'd like to hear more rationale, on why not to just load a pin with weights and do no-hangs, instead of buying 150$ gadget.

[@FreefromTyranny]

@@Buffalo93 you Get real time feedback if you use force board, tindeq, etc..C4HP protocols are absolutely research based and I’ve personally seen good results. They never said it’s better, but provides the same adaptations in a different way. I personally like not having to use a bunch of weights etc.

[@Keukeu45]

Doing pull ups after climbing sounds like trash mileage to me. In fact doing strength while fatigued doesn't sounds like the best idea ever.