We asked 5 Elite Climbers about Weightlifting

Today we are asking several important questions about weightlifting and resistance training to a range of elite rock climbers.
It’s widely accepted amongst coaches, physios and professional climbers as a powerful tool to enhance sports performance 🦾 and reduce the risk of injury 🤕.
Therefore it's no surprise elite rock climbers are using this form of training to supplement their on-the-wall practice.
But we still get many questions about which exercises are best, how often and how much we should be strength training, and if it's even worth our time ⏱️.
No one answer is the same, so try to take inspiration from each of these climbers and decide what is right for you! 🫵
0:23 - How much S&C do you do?
4:14 - How does it benefit you?
7:42 - Favourite Exercise?
11:06 - Overrated S&C?
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[@harperm594]

I think one thing to note is that these climbers are from the UK. I think it would be interesting to see how answers would differ amongst different climbers particular japanese climbers as in Emils recent video with Tomoa and Meichi they said that they do almost no resistance training or fingerboarding as part of their training, and yet these are two of the strongest boulderers on the comp scene.

[@hobgoblin7336]

I think they also said that leading European climbers are probably physically stronger than them. It's also notable that all the athletes in this interview (with the possible exception of Jen Wood?) are primarily rock climbers. Is the explanation simply that the hours of resistance training take the place for these climbers of the hours of movement practice on coordination dynos (high priority for the Narasakis as primarily competition climbers), where other factors (mainly skin & conditions) limit rock climbers' access to movement practice on rock?

[@baddingo4243]

Fair point. I would note that Tomoa has flashed V14 outdoors and climbed V15 in a few attempts. Other notable comp climbers, such as Janja and Ondra, have done little to no strength work. Janja I’m pretty certain only climbs, with most of that on a spray wall. That is true for Tomoa, as well, I think. Anyway, to each their own. Bottom line is no one “correct” method exists. You just gotta find what works for you, your resources, your schedule, your goals.

[@alexbiswas357]

@@baddingo4243 Natasha Oceane did an interesting video with Janja a couple of months ago that showed what Janja's training looks like if you're curious. It's more than just climbing for sure.

[@LatticeTraining]

This is a really interesting thread of conversation. I've not seen the Emil video yet. The Magnus video with Tomoa and Akiyo suggested they did weightlifting for speed climbing and bouldering prep. While I think there are a lot of valid points here I would approach learning from any top tier comp climber with a bit of caution. Firstly they will have won the genetic lottery and quite likely developed amazing speed and power with very little supplemental training. They will recover very quickly and have a level of training tolerance must of us will never develop. Modern day competitions are also far more complex technically, tactically and psychologically. So the priorities in training will change a huge amount with far more specific practice taking up their time. We are of course also looking at elite climbers here too. However most of them work a full time job, many started climbing after 18 years old and are a bit more relatable to the average climber. Regardless, I think the original question is a great one! How would this change in a different country?

[@baddingo4243]

@@alexbiswas357 I saw clips of that and just now watched the whole video. Yes, we should add that training, which seemed to be pre-hab or mobility in nature (?), to the mix.

[@theflaggeddragon9472]

Listening to Aidan rediscover the facepull is hilarious 😂

[@plastikmaiden]

Aiden has rediscovered the face-pull! Seeing the climbing community as a whole getting into strength and conditioning is really i teresting.

[@R3FL3XSN1P3R]

It's always important to think of the genetic outliers with these questions. The strongest 1% are likely hyper-responders, and are much more likely to get very strong and explosive from doing little-no supplementary training. The further down on that spectrum, the more you'll need to build it.

[@JohnSmith-tk3pw]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for bringing this up.

[@ComputerManDanMiller]

My biggest takeaway so far is that Ollie's shirt is gorgeous.

[@sergiogonzalezcancela4802]

I feel stronger, healthier and free injury since I do it, so I think is great doing it regularly, maybe not focusing too much on hipertrofy, but pure strength.

[@lisasnotes]

Please a technique specific video with these athletes! Specially techniques for rock climbing would be highly appreciated! Thanks for the hard work!

[@adamhaas141]

I like the format of this video. Please do one on technique! I think it's really valuable to see multiple perspectives on the same issue.

[@elig2714]

Agreed!

[@kevinbrubaker6076]

I really liked this video. Interviewing these athletes separately lets us into their candid thoughts on these topics. I've found in my own climbing that resistance training helps my body feel more resilient and solid, whereas just climbing with no resistance training leaves me feeling brittle. I would love to see a video of this format focusing on technique training. Other topics like finger strength training and mobility would be cool to see too.

[@LatticeTraining]

Thanks! We've already done one on finger strength here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hom3YWiBgcaqgs0si=UDxBoAPreEmlec_o

[@Lockon52]

I'm currently spending 50% of my time on the wall and 50% of my time off the wall. I've been slowly getting stronger and slowly climbing harder. I'm certain I would have plateaued a while ago if I just followed the common 'just climb' advice.

[@LuLzezRoflcopter]

I totally agree. Consistent slow and steady progress over time is superior to overtraining and rushing for fast gains. “Just climb everyday” is TERRIBLE advice for a new climber with weak muscles/joints/hands

[@LatticeTraining]

Interesting comment! I am currently drafting up a video to rebut the common advice of "just climb". I agree it's lazy and in many ways poor advice for new climbers!

[@slapthesloper]

I did weighted pull ups before I was a climber and got to about 160% body weight. After 5 years of climbing and consistently become stronger across the board my weighted pull ups are almost completely unchanged because nothing I do on the wall stimulates my pulling muscles enough to cause the top end to increase (fingers are almost always more limiting than pulling power) The only way I could really train it on the wall I think would be campusing on jugs so I’m looking to start training pull ups off the wall again and I bet being stronger at them would help me on the wall a bit.

[@AuDazzity]

Illuminating! Can't wait for the technique training video to drop!

[@AB-fh9zh]

Yes, keep going Lattice!

[@LuLzezRoflcopter]

Surprised deadlifts and squats weren’t mentioned much. I feel they helped my climbing. Specifically in jumping higher for dynos, and the amount I can pull through a heel hook blows the minds of guys I climb with. I think having strong hamstrings and quads makes these moves feel easy.

[@rundown132]

100% underrated lol, deadlifts also help with roof climbs

[@LuLzezRoflcopter]

@@rundown132 heavy compound lifts definitely increased the amount of tension my lower back and legs can handle. Knowing I can lift over twice my body weight increased my confidence on the wall under high pressure. Moves like underclings on a roof, awkward positions, for sure used to make my lower back and legs feel shaky, now I’m super strong and confident in those moves. Can’t agree more. That being said these people r pro climbers. They know more than me what they need to train to be the absolute best. For them the pros/cons are different. I bet having another 10-20 pounds of muscle at their level is ultimately is a detriment to climbing at these extreme grades. But as a casual, I’m totally fine with putting on 15 pounds of muscle to increase my squat working weight from 90lb to 315lb. There’s definitely benefits to being strong on the wall, but that added mass can hurt too.

[@andrewmccullough559]

@@LuLzezRoflcopter you explained perfectly what I was trying to communicate to a friend at the gym the other day. I was advocating for the deadlift for climbing, not only for activating and coordinating the posterior chain (his view), but for overloading. When you do reps in the 300+ lb range, your body gets acclimated to tension forces in the posterior chain unlike anything it will see in climbing or other lifts. You know the feeling -- if you'd never done it before and were subjected to those forces, you might think it's some kind of medieval torture! The tension forces in climbing feel so small by comparison -- half or less. The relative effort is so small, it's like your body will produce those smaller forces on demand, effortlessly, and joyously, as if to say "ah, now that is why we subject ourselves to the madness of that monstrous lift!"

[@LuLzezRoflcopter]

@@andrewmccullough559 haha thank you. Yeah agree heavy lifts and climbing are totally different muscle stimulus. Training one sport helps when getting into the other, but not replacements. Climbing will never be a replacement for heavy squats.

[@LuLzezRoflcopter]

@@andrewmccullough559 yeah there are countless studies showing the benefits of specifically heavy lifts. The cove-ate is it is a hard sport to master. It can be dangerous for the inexperienced. Start slow, get a coach.

[@Korky20]

Thank you! Really enjoyed the video. The concept is great. Please continue with this format.

[@Be_like_water]

I started climbing in a modified technique boot. Ranch style. Main source of improvement.

[@roberttveit307]

Thank you for a great video, really enjoyed the format.

[@queasybeetle]

If you are a amateur who doesn't climb as much should probably be doing some weights as it is more time efficient.

[@natebussard2670]

For me resistance training is more about keeping my body fit for climbing. Working full time, less emphasis on diet, and what it does for me mentally. Not gifted strength wise but lifting helps and it makes mind muscle connections which can be applied to the skill based sport climbing certainly is.

[@connordavidson2813]

Great vid! As a sports physio there was a lot of great advice, I would however suggest most climbers would benefit from lower volume (reps and sets) with higher loads (weight) as it will not fatigue their reserves for more climbing as much (if fatigue conditioning is not the the goal). Additionally, higher loads (within safe ability) will increase the working structures capacity better (think ligaments and tendon integrity) which will better reduce risk of injury than lower loads high reps, AND higher loads of lower rep sets improve strength gains more over time and most tricky climbing manoeuvres that require a large amount of strength don't usually involve more than 1-2 reps on the wall anyway. Final unsolicited advice, would be range of motion should never be compromised for load in climbers because of the positions you may end up in are more extreme, so for example a great leg strength exercise (no leg exercises were mentioned) would be hip abducted and externally rotated to the side on a stable box/surface facing close to a wall (mimicking the rock over) then basically doing full range pistol squats in this position at load you can only do around 5 reps/set. It's super sport specific and if you can't pistol squat you can jump yourself up to the top and then try to control the negative eccentric of the movement until you can do a full pistol squat yourself. Just getting into bouldering and getting a lot from this channel, would be keen to contribute in or see a physio/climbing conditioning coach specific video in the future

[@LatticeTraining]

As a flexibility coach I am in strong agreement about loading the full ROM!!! Great advice and good idea on a physio specific video.

[@gball8466]

At the end of the day, being a strong human is always better than being a weak human. Lean muscle mass is one of the key predictors of longevity and it protects the body from injury. If you don't lift, you should strongly consider adding at least a little to your training.

[@KarstenThoughts]

Wearing a Hawaiian shirt benefits Ollie's climbing more than weightlifting.

[@holstblock.web3]

This was the best Video on this channel!

[@LemonLimeFlavoured]

yes more please

[@TheRockinPunk]

I would like to meet an elite climber who can bench 100kg as well 💪 Personally I prioritise weight training during bulking phases and then climbing and bodyweight exercises during cutting and maintenance phases.

[@stephendaedalus7841]

How much b-roll of Aidan doing workouts do you have though lol

[@LatticeTraining]

We've filmed a lot with Aidan over the years, so quite a bit haha.

[@federicobonasera8097]

The title said weightlifting, but i think most of them heavily referred to pull up training.

[@21nGG]

Interesting

[@DrRaving]

Olie's shirt made me hit the like buton.

[@MasthaX]

Personally I am climbing because fitness/weights/running is just plain boring to me aside from some warming up and fingerboard stuff.

[@randomhoe40]

aiden gives me philosoph vibes :D

[@nicolasduenassarmiento2431]

I do Turkish Get Ups bc I fucking love them. Makes me feel good

[@snefansson]

This is probably going to be drowned in the comments but I'm curious: Why is face pulls never recommended? For me at least it feels like on of the best exercises for climbing (pull ups and one arm row excluded)

[@LatticeTraining]

What Aidan is describing is essentially a face pull. He just uses a resistance band because he does a lot of his training at home. Agreed its an amazing exercise for climbers!

[@PompousPicard1]

So all of these people skip leg day? 😂

[@biomorphic]

Professional climbers, who do almost exclusively competitions, spend most of their time on the spraywall. Sorato Anraku, Tomoa Narasaki (I would say all the Japaneses), Janja Garnbret, Toby Roberts don't lift weights that I am aware, or at least I never heard them say they do. Recently Tomoa said that he cannot even do a one arm pull up. Even though weight lifting is beneficial in almost every sport, including motorsports, beginners, average or advanced climbers do not need any specific training. We do just need to climb to get stronger. The spraywall, the moonboard, or the kilter board is all we really need. It is much more important to eat well, and rest, than lifting any weights. Consistency is the key. And to be consistent you need to rest to avoid injuries, which is indeed the reason why some athletes keep progressing and some don't. The best athletes are not the ones who train harder, but the ones who never get injured.

[@kadeempeace]

The best athletes are the genetically gifted. The problem with taking tips from pros like you mentioned is that genetic factor. I know climbers who rest a lot who still get injured. There is no special one pill. It’s simple, there are principles and methods. As long as you stick to the principles of physiology, you can increase, power,strength, endurance. Then practice the skill of climbing to get transferability.. Also almost all pro climbers started climbing young and through puberty which is the biggest factor for their adaption in climbing. People who started later in life will definitely see the benefit in General strength and conditioning.

[@JohnSmith-uk7gy]

Not getting injured is the biggest reason that most climbers should be doing some form of resistance training, though. I had constant shoulder and elbow issues until consistently training shoulder stability and antagonist work off the wall. Being strong throughout the body is beneficial both for climbing performance and simply feeling strong and healthy in day to day life. I don't think that resistance training is at all opposed to climbing a lot and consistently. For most climbers at any level, the limiting factor for how much you can climb hard is going to be finger fatigue. Adding 20 minutes of conditioning at the end of every session doesn't mean you are doing less quality climbing work, or will be less rested in the long run once you are adapted for it.

[@R3FL3XSN1P3R]

Hoopers beta said it best once- climbing itself does not adaquately prepare your body for the demands of climbing on your joints, tendons and muscles. The top 1% are all hyper responders to climbing, so this applies to them less. The average climber, if anything, will need more to overcome genetics.

[@thenayancat8802]

I really wonder where this magical thinking comes from, where one can acknowledge the benefit of resistance training in other sports, and yet think that [running, climbing, etc] is "just different" and it is better to spend your time just in the sport. A few weeks of pullup training can be transformative in a beginner's ability to climb overhanging terrain. Please, please stop giving this terrible advice

[@connorsheerin7563]

I know it’s not that relevant but tomoa can definitely do a one arm that was miechi who said he couldn’t but he still probably could

[@MSchon-qf3fl]

To be technical, weightlifting refers to the snatch and the clean and jerk. Everything else is resistant training.

[@randallgyebi978]

Well if you mean those specifically you would say Olympic weightlifting

[@OrionDuCros]

No that would be Olympic weightlifting you fool

[@mariesidman7905]

Those rows are absolutely awful for you from what i understand.

[@plastikmaiden]

The leg on a bench version does put one at a higher risk of a hernia and is inherently less stable than two feet on the ground with a hand on something sturdy for support. But I wouldn't call it absolutely awful by a long shot.

[@huntrayisabeast16]

Says who?

[@mariesidman7905]

@@huntrayisabeast16 a lot of bodybuilders, when you lift heavy people tend to "cheat" by swinging a little bit, swinging up with heavy weights in that position can injure your shoulder a multitude of ways. Before doucette became a weirdo he had a really good video on why it's not a good exercise. RIP

[@huntrayisabeast16]

@@mariesidman7905 well that sounds like people ego lifting...most climbers arent going to be trying to swing the weights all around because they kknow they arent doing a bodybuilding workout. its not a fault of the movement if people do it wrong xD let me ask you, in what world is pulling your arm closer to your body in a low position dangerous? sounds kinda ridiculous to me.

[@huntrayisabeast16]

@@mariesidman7905 barbell/dumbell rows blew my back up better than anything except pullups when i was younger, never felt painful at all. and i was rowing 100+lbs dumbells with almost no body english, at 140LBS bodyweight.