August 25, 2013

Treadwall Training with Piz: Keeping a Logbook

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

This one describes the information that I record regularly about my training sessions.
I apologize about having to click on the you tube link, but blogger doesn't like videos that are longer than a few seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JwdvyhnXyY&feature=youtu.be

Start keeping track of what you do. You will quickly find out what you are and what you are not working on! Then you wont wonder why your training is or is not working effectively!

Let me know if you have any questions, I would love to discuss them here on the blog so everyone can learn.

Oh yeah, I will clearly describe my training cycle on the Treadwall in a future video. Stay tuned!

Have a great week!

piz : )

3 comments:

  1. Rob,

    Thank you for posting about training on your Treadwall. I'm curious that you don't mention adjusting the angle of your wall during training. I have my Treadwall set-up to be easily adjustable from 5 to 40deg OH.

    This level of adjustability gives me the ability to warm-up with 100' of jug climbing at 25deg OH.

    If I want to work more towards the power side of power-endurance, I'll work a variety (4-5) of 20' boulder problems at incrementally steeper angles (25-40deg) to create progressive overload and failure.

    Whereas, if I want to work more towards endurance end of the spectrum, I'll work link-ups at slightly less steep an angle than above.

    If I want to work hypertrophy, I'll climb longer durations/distance at an even lower angle than above.

    How do you incorporate steepness adjustments into your routine?

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  2. Peter, thanks for the comments. My wall is about 40 degrees overhung (which makes it a 50 degree wall for us in the States). I am unlucky enough that my ceiling height in the garage limits me to that as the lowest angle that I can train on. I can make it steeper to a 45, but that won't make too much sense for me or the other folks using the wall. With respect to the warm up, I set the easiest problem that I can and be sure to do a series of stretches and pull ups before getting on the wall. Sometimes that even involves a short run. Then I do 4 laps on the easiest route (which would come close to your 100' of jug climbing).
    As I have stated on earlier posts, I will share my various training programs in future videos, but it seems that you want to know how I accomplish a variety of things. I will say that at this point in time I am building the ability to go 16 laps on my wall at the current angle. I am also building particular grip and crimp strength through specialized setting. So my goal is not so much to be able to hang on and do power moves or just hang on forever at this point in time, but to be able to improve my ability to use crimpers or very bad crimpers over a period of time. I am going for a sequence which will look like, poor crimping edges to really poor crimping edges to big moves on poor crimping edges. My current project is a crack with a terrible edge, it is slightly overhung the entire way and the same move is required throughout with worse and worse holds. Additionally, I will have to fight a barn door with no feet so I am focusing on setting core tension problems. That being said the order in which I attempt my 4x4 problems is very important.
    With respect to your other comments, I like your methods and would assume that they pay great dividends when applied at a regular training interval.
    I hope that I have answered some of your questions. I look forward to hearing more about your systems. I will certainly share what I discover as I continue to go down the path of exploring training with a Treadwall.
    My main goal for the Treadwall Training with Piz is to get people not only use it as a warm up tool in their gym or home but as a all in one trainer. Additionally, I want to teach those people who are learning climbing the most important techniques. Finally, I want to make sure that people have fun using the wall and that no one gets hurt climbing indoors! Because we all know that climbing outside is always the ultimate goal!!
    piz : )

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  3. Rob,

    Thank you for such a detailed response.

    Sadly, low ceiling height is a common problem for any home climbing wall. I’m fortunate to have both a ground floor room with a vaulted ceiling and an understanding Wife. I am excited to hear you are using a Treadwall, as a key training tool, to achieve your climbing goals. Wow, a 320’ pitch at 40deg OH.

    I bought my Treadwall back in 2009 and have become convinced that an adjustable angle Treadwall is the most flexible training tool available. Unfortunately, it is tool that many serious climbers appear to view with derision, scorn or simply as a gimmick. I fully understand that view-point if it is derived from using a Treadwall at fitness gym (or even a climbing gym), if it is populated with poorly chosen or greasy holds and overlooked by the route-setter.

    I probably should have mentioned that the each one of the 4-5 boulder problems are set with similar holds. Essentially, 20’ of slopey crimps, 20’ of pockets, 20’ of pinches, 20’ of side-pulls and 20’ of positive edges.

    Some thoughts for your first-time user…

    1. Training on a Treadwall does require a little imagination and persistence. The motion of the panels may take first-time users a little while to get used to.
    2. First-time Treadwall users tend to compensate for the motion by over-gripping, straight arm-ing less than normal and/or climbing faster than their normal pace. So, it is useful to have several rest or recovery jugs.
    3. Many first-time users try to climb continuously rather than allowing the “auto-stop” to stop the wall enabling a climber to reposition and set-up for the next move.
    4. Also, it is important to avoid climbing too tall or too locked-off, i.e. after a dynamic move you may need to set your feet high and straighten your arms while you ride the wall down to expose the next hold on a specific route.
    5. Hold selection on a Treadwall is a perhaps a little more critical than on a fixed wall, i.e. not too precise, not too slopey and not deeper than 3”.
    6. Since a Treadwall allows you to train mileage it is possible to incorporate other aspects of sports climbing such as clipping. By screwing an eye-bolt into one of the threaded holes and hanging a bent-gate from it you can simulate clipping every 20’. For full effect, you can tie a short length of rope around your waist. The rope length needs to be short enough that it is drawn through the biner as the eyebolt disappears behind the wall, else you can train climbing with rope-drag.
    7. I recommend using a Treadwall in conjunction with a finger board. Typically, I do 7second on and 3 second off repeaters with added weight.


    I look forward to your posts on training on the Treadwall and ultimately success on your project.

    Regards, PLJ


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