Training with Piz: Get off Your A**!

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

This is not the first article or evidence that sitting too long will assist in killing you.
Quit procrastinating and talking about how tough it is to get off the couch and do it!

My buddy and coach Dave Wahl constantly finds and reads the best new studies about how and why to stay fit. This is just one more example. I just think that if you are having some kind of adventure then you won't even realize that you are working out and staying off your butt!

Take a few moments to read this article. It will require some effort, but it is worth it.

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2009/05000/Sitting_Time_and_Mortality_from_All_Causes,.5.aspx

Check out this Arcteryx video talking about the same thing! Will Gadd is telling it like it is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCpowcXopKE

Orson Video

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 

 

 

Our boy doing his thing!

More Ruby Canyon

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 On the summit! We had to cut our tag line and wrap the summit block to rap down safely!

 Wow!

 Camping

Trying to make myself feel safe with a lot of gear and wearing the helmet. I had to climb around some death blocks on our climb and I was glad to have the helmet on!

Ari leading up a splitter line! 5.12- two pitch and one double rope rappel. Gear to 4 inches

Ruby Canyon Colorado River Climbing Trip

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

Loading up at the put in.

Stroke, stroke, stroke! Paddling away.

Our team.

Hiking up one of the many canyons.

A beautiful tower on the left. It is pretty cool since there is a giant hole through the middle of it.

 

 

Climbing on some of the vanished desert sandstone.

Hike on the Grand Mesa

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 The students getting ready for the hike in the high winds! 40mph +

 Oh, the colors were beautiful!

 Plenty of water in the lakes on the mesa.

 Looking down a ski run at Powderhorn Ski Area and the wind in my hair.

Aspen trees!

Training with Piz: Random Photos

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 Who likes the plank?

 Ben trying to hold on for one of the many ways you can use a fingerboard.

 Caden testing his undercling skills.

 Cody doing some raised feet push ups.

 Justin wall sitting with the hand squishers

 Daniel doing one leg squats with the weighted balls.

Cody doing the sling pulls.

Matt and Jessica's Wedding

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 This is why you go to weddings!! mmmm

 The tables.

 The real party animal.

 The venue.It managed to not rain till everyone was inside. What a perfect day.

 Matt, no longer a lone wolf, but is now part of a wolfpack!

 Jessica, looking good!

 Yeah.

Final moments in Eureka, Colorado.

Another Day at Rifle

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 The kids playing at rifle. Rowan and Gabby

 Chocolate milk time at rifle

 Daniel Woods crushing just another Rifle route. 5.14c

Rowan learned about shadows, he thought that chasing them was the best!

Treadwall Training with Piz: One Route Requires Lots of Techniques!

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

The wall is at 50 degrees overhanging. Not so much by choice but by necessity.
This route was set with the intent of creating a variety of reaches and side pulls.
The grips consist of in cut crimp and large jugs. All holds are placed to be used as side pulls and sometimes they are very far apart.

Procedure

1. I want you to watch the video where Ben climbs the route.
2. What do you notice Ben doing in order to successfully climb the route without falling.
3. Ask yourself whether or not you have those skills.

What I want you to remember is that we are developing our skills by watching others who do things well and then trying to incorporate those skills into our own climbing.

Things that I noticed:

• If Ben missed the perfect grip, he resets on the hold and stays tight to the wall (core)
• When he makes those long reaches, he is sure to not only back step the same side of his side that he is reaching but also moving with velocity rather than just locking off.
• Sometimes a back step is not the right body position for the move, so he chooses to use a flag (where you hang one leg behind you and use it for balance and sometimes even momentum).
• Sometimes Ben needs to crimp and sometimes he needs to open hand. The hold and hand strength determine what grip position will work best for you. The overall goal is to always use the least amount of strength on every hold of a route. Being able to turn in off and on is one of the best skills that you can have as a climber whether you are bouldering or climbing routes.
• Dead pointing is when you almost lunge to a hold and hit it perfectly. Ben chooses to use that technique while completing this route. It requires confidence, grip strength, core tension and a lot of practice.
• Cutting your feet. Sometimes the most efficient movement on an overhang is to cut your feet. Watch Ben as he does this to regain his position.
• Core tension. If you have not noticed from this blog, core tension is what it is all about. YOU MUST have control of your body at all times in order to put your self in the best position for success on routes.
• Patience. Ben waits till the time is right to make his moves. He aligns his body, sets his feet and finds the right head space in order to execute the move properly. These are all skills required for sending!
• Compression is huge for side pulling and is directly related to core tension!

What else did I miss?

Unaweep Climbing

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

 The walls of Unaweep are loaded with the possibility for new lines. Fortunately, some of them are owned by climbers. The Access Fund along with the Western Colorado Climbers Coalition have worked together to purchase and maintain trails and walls for all climbers. It is a great place to hang and play on single and multi pitch climbs. A few locals have been establishing new climbs with gear and bolts and been replacing unsafe anchors or adding anchors to climbs that the first ascensionist failed to equip.
As the temperatures slowly drop, this canyon will host perfect temperatures and great and engaging rock climbs. Don't fear the Unaweep granite and the sometimes complex to read and protect routes.Whether you prefer to top rope or lead, there is plenty to do. If you are ready to new route there is a ton of rock to establish new climbs on.

 What cool features. I hope to find a way up this mess of cracks and slopers!

 Ah yeah, great views from Divide Road.

 Here is a wall that I don't know of any established routes! We just have to get permission from the landowner.

More goodness and potential.

Training with Piz: Ape Index

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

Let's talk about the Ape Index for a little bit.

It is a measure of the ratio of an individuals arm span relative to their height. That definition is used all over the Internet and is not specific to rock climbing, even though many climbers believe that it is a specific climbing term.

Anyway, if you have a positive ape index then you have a longer wing span when compared to your height and a negative one if your arms are shorter than your height.

What can this indicate about you as a climber and about what potential that you have as a climber?
Well here are the conclusion that I have arrived at after many years of observing those around me at the crag, gym or boulders.

• First and foremost it doesn't mean much. Most people use it as a crutch to provide a reason for failure/success. I have seen negative ape indexers send the same routes at positive ape indexers
• Many an accomplished rock climbers are not only "short in height," but additionally have a 0 or negative ape index.
• Having a negative ape index just makes a climber have to be better technically, in addition to needing to be dynamic and flexible. By being good dynamically, a climber can still reach what others may lock off to grab. Also, while being flexible, the climber can use a variety of foot placements and body positions to make accessing holds possible.
• Strength and power are also requirements for someone who is shorter, but that goes the same for someone who is taller and with a positive ape index.
• The argument that because you can reach it you have an easier time is just a partial truth. In some instances having a positive ape index is a clear advantage, but experience has taught me that just because I can reach it, doesn't mean that I have the skill to use it or climb the route or problem. The demands on the rest of your body are high, especially on overhanging and roof terrain.
• I would say that having the extra length from a positive ape index comes in handy on poorly bolted routes and when placing/removing traditional climbing gear.
• It is not cool when none of your long sleeve clothing fits properly and you must have things tailored.
• Personally, I have had the reach and it can do a few things. First it makes you think that you need to pull harder because you are so extended. (So I trained power to compensate for my bad technique) Secondly, it can make you get extended on your feet creating a situation where you are only used to being stretched out.(I became a predominantly a low foot technical climber) Then, you have to retrain yourself to climb with high feet/crunched up.(One stay at the Red gave me back the ability to climb with scrunched up feet.
• The bottom line is that your climbing style, strengths/weaknesses, favorite routes/boulders are partially determined by your body type. And that you can train to overcome any shortcomings that your body type may present.

Training with Piz: Weighted Straight Arm Sit-Ups with Tension Leg Extensions

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

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

The is a great way to work on your core. The sit up can be modified in many ways and here is one that involves being coordinated!

Instructions:

1. Grab a weight or dumb bell that you can perform a normal sit-up with (less weight for higher reps and building strength and more weight to work power and explosiveness).
2. Place a appropriately thick rubber band around your feet or ankle and perform leg extensions while doing the sit-up.
3. The goal is to extend your legs at the bottom of the move (as in when they are nearest the floor) while also being flat on your back and just keeping your hands off the floor behind your head.
4. Things to keep in mind, keep breathing regularly, keep tension in your legs the entire time and be sure to keep it fun. If you prefer a shake weight that mists your face that is an acceptable modification to the exercise.
5. As usual, I do four reps of this for 40 seconds as it fits into my circuit training program.