Hints to an effective gym work-out

Climbing at the gym is fun, for a lot of reasons.  Great people, wide variety of changing routes and grades, climate controlled, comfy floor and a host of other amenities.  It is easy to see why climbers, while they love the outdoors, still flock to climbing gyms all over the world.  Adventure Rock is no exception.  Climbing gyms are kinda like bars for active people, lots of camaraderie, laughter, pick up lines and good times.  Rockman will often walk through the gym and comment that Adrock is a sitting gym more than it is a climbing gym.  This atmosphere, unfortunately, can lead to less working out and more hanging out.  If you have been coming to the gym and you don't seem to be getting better or your performance has plateaued, here a couple of hints to a more effective gym work-out.

• Decide why you come to the gym-If you come to the gym to hang out , Great.  If you come to get strong for a trip to the Red, fine.  If you come to for fitness, totally cool.  What ever the reason you come to the gym it is important for you identify those reasons. It will help you.....
  
• Set some goals-Once you have idea of why come to the gym, you will need to set some goals.  I want to climb X grade.  I would like to be able to get to the top of the CCC trail without passing out.  I would like to be able to do this route or that  route.  What ever you decide your goal is it will help determine your workout in the gym.
• Warm up-Try to warm up slow and on moderate grades.  This will help reduce injury and help lengthen you work outs.
  
• Work out-We do call it a gym.  Based on your goals you should have some idea of what you need to do.  If you are working towards a bouldering trip you shouldn't be doing routes.  If you are working to increasing your endurance, stay out of the bouldering cave.
• Use your time-Get into the gym an appropriate amount to meat your goals.  No more, no less.  Coming into the gym to often will cause either ineffective workout or injuries.
  
• Get some help-For whatever the reason once climbers learn to belay they think they don't need any help.  There are many places to get help; Adrock offers personal training,there are lots of book out about training, online resources, other climbers, lots of options just don't be afraid to utilize help.  Often time a partner who pushes you can make the difference. Your partner doesn't help.....
• Lose the dead weight-This could be literally and figuratively.  It is easier to climb when you are lighter, however climbers carry around a lot of figurative dead-weight.   This weight could be a under-motivated partner, climbing with new climbers that chew into your work-out, trying to mac at the gym, people that want to tell you how to run your business.  Lose it all.  Tell people you are at the gym to work-out, not talk and try to say no to the doughnut, too.  
• Know your body-What do you need to do to get a good work out?  Back in the day Rockman would have to ~20 route for a good work out, these days its more like 7 or 8.  Keep a log if you need to.  Once you have a base of what is a good work-out you can keep better track of what you are doing and how you are progressing.  Knowing your body pertains to getting a climbing injury, as well, know when your body is telling you to take a couple days off.
• Failure is good-When you can't get up your warm-ups at the end of the night, you've done good.  Think about it, when was the last time you were so tired that you failed getting up a warm-up?  Maybe you should be doing a little more each time your in the gym.  Try doing laps on your last route or down climbing your last route or killer hangboard session.

If your goal is just to hang out, ignore most of this.  If you want to improve try a couple of these hints, while firing you partner is kinda harsh, most of these things are easy to implement.  Give them a try, the nice thing is you can always go back to hanging out  on the floor and telling people how to run their business.

In The Spirit Of Adventure,

Rockman


P.S.  For all of you faithful readers, sorry for that lack of posts this past week.  Rockman's brain stopped working altogether.  Hopefully were up to normal functioning now and will posting on a more regular basis.