Recovery: What am I missing?

[rjackson]

I think Mark Twight advocates something similar (contrast showers?) but he's fucking nuts.

I've done the contrast showers in the summer, they seemed to work pretty well. I still do them occasionly after a hard major muscle group workout (usually upper body strength); it's good mental conditioning too.

Oh, and Twight may be a little psychotic but you have to admire him.

[JR]

On my 26th birthday I got my first 12 on TR (Ro). I took a month off during the same time of the year I took off in 2008. I came back and had a hard time on 8s and 9s (note that I did not even touch plastic and came out to the Red) on my first day back.

I'm confused. You went from 5.12 on TR, to having a hard time on 8's and 9's, and don't feel like that month off did any damage?? Where did those 3 number grades go???

Sure, they weren't there the first day back. However in just a couple to three weeks of regular climbing for fun I usually get all my strength and power back. Then I start training and progressing.

Thank you for the back story whatahutch. It does put your climbing into context. You have provided a nice case study for why climbers should not take a month off.

[JR]

I was an elite nationally competitive gymnast back in the day. I remember telling my coach I wanted to take 1 week off after Nationals... he looked at me like I was high and said WTF... get your ass back in the gym, 3 days off at most. But I was 20 something then. So, there is no one right answer. But, if you very serious and doing a sport at an elite level, a month of without some form of sport specific exercise is never done...

That being said, I am 40, and just want to climb 5.13. 4 weeks off did me good to allow some healing. Had I been more disciplined I could have still accomplished the healing while working on flexibility, core strength, and probably low intensity climbing to maintain some endurance. But I am sure I can still accomplish my goals despite 4 weeks off.

Thanks for the post climb2core. Spot on.

[Artsay]

Lee - sounds like you're doing a lot right but do you use heat at all? We got a jacuzzi last year for recovery and it's wonderful.

I take super hot showers, but Id much rather have a jacuzzi. Maintenance not much of an issue?

We have an indoor jacuzzi tub (a six footer) so the maintenance is the same as a bathtub. We use it once a week, sometimes even twice (I justify it since we don't have kids so our carbon footprint is still better than it could be? ).
I really feel the benefits when I'm sore after climbing, like when I feel like I can hardly walk or raise my arms because I'm just achy from the beat down. After a hot jacuzzi I feel good as new. For the best recovery returns I'm pretty sure an ice bath is the way to go but I'm not committed enough to go that route.

[the lurkist]

Do you still have a reg bath tub? You could cycle the hot cold repetitively like the Russians do

[rockweasel]

How about the mental game? Strengthen your will power keep climbing while fighting the pump and regulating your breathing. That's been helping tremendously. Knowing your failure limits can be very calming on redpoint...

And footwork...

[climb2core]

How about the mental game? Strengthen your will power keep climbing while fighting the pump and regulating your breathing. That's been helping tremendously. Knowing your failure limits can be very calming on redpoint...

And footwork...

Your comments, although valid, are directed at climbing harder, not rest/recovery.

[512OW]

I was an elite nationally competitive gymnast back in the day. I remember telling my coach I wanted to take 1 week off after Nationals... he looked at me like I was high and said WTF... get your ass back in the gym, 3 days off at most. But I was 20 something then. So, there is no one right answer. But, if you very serious and doing a sport at an elite level, a month of without some form of sport specific exercise is never done...

That being said, I am 40, and just want to climb 5.13. 4 weeks off did me good to allow some healing. Had I been more disciplined I could have still accomplished the healing while working on flexibility, core strength, and probably low intensity climbing to maintain some endurance. But I am sure I can still accomplish my goals despite 4 weeks off.

Thanks for the post climb2core. Spot on.

Word.

[caribe]

But isn't the secret for doing Action Directe running a 4 minute mile? Maybe there IS a connection!?

[whatahutch]

I would also like to add that the month off is great for the mental aspect of boredom with training (not climbing). I am 95% positive most of us that actually train, hate the process. It gets boring. I don't want to get back on that wall and run through another battery of bouldering problems I have already done once. I don't want to put another 15 minutes on the treadwall. I can't do another set of lock-offs. Weighted pull-ups just suck. Another run and I will puke from lack of interest.

I start to feel the desire to give up on my training sessions at about six to seven weeks in. If I drop off of a problem and don't get back on during that time it is not because I can't do it or I am physically drained. I am just plain tired of training. I will usually last two more weeks of serious training and then I am about done. I will find other things to do.
A brief break of a 4 to 7 day period usually allows my mind to keep pushing it, and if I change my workouts to super intense so that I need those breaks to allow my body to rebuild (remember that your body rebuilds itself best when you are sleeping) from the necessary physical trauma then it is actually beneficial for my body too.

I believe that most people that just climb and progress naturally into the 12 range within a year or two of climbing could have hit the thirteen range by adding training to their regimen. I know that sounds crazy, but I know I am a slightly natural climber just because I have a natural athletic ability. I am not exceptionally gifted at climbing. My progress so far has been due to my training and not natural talent.

Read Siegrist's blog on how many breaks he has taken http://www.jstarinorbit.com/2010/12/me-vs-rest.html. He doesn't take breaks and climbs and trains all the time. He has made 14d in nearly the same amount of time it took me to get to 12a. (However, during that same time I got a BA and a MFA, got married, had a child, and got a fulltime job. Maybe if I just climbed and trained I would be sending all the tough projects the Red has. Details. Details). He was far more naturally gifted at climbing then most people. He rose above all the naturally gifted people because of his training. If we (you) are not as gifted at climbing then you (we) need to train to get better. However, that gifted climber that also trains will be even better. (Sorry to get into the philosophy of training, but my minor was in physical education. I only took one education class for that program though. All my classes were in physical training, designing weight and training programs, and athletic training).

Everybody has a set limit of physical ability, however you will never achieve it without proper training. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts. Period.
Everybody also has to train for sport specificity (although some things can crossover), has to train for what their body will allow (and mind), and take the appropriate amount of rest their body needs to reach that limit of ability. Everything is different for everybody. We are not all the same no matter what the modern PC world wants to push on us. Give me someone that climbs mid thirteens and has never done one single training program and I could make them better. No doubts. If you can't notice the holes in your game, and do not know what your body needs (or inversely can actually put out), getting someone in your climbing group that can actually see those things might be crucial for you to achieve your desire to get better.

Notice in J-Star's blog that he finally sees the holes in his game. He finally learns what his body demands. That demand is rest. His rest is different than what my rest (mentally and physically) is, and yours. However, he is in that top percent. I would say that most (all) of us are not where he is and to copy his gameplan, or any gameplan that is similar, would be detrimental and possibly dangerous for the normal climber. Even read Odubs blog on training and about Bronaugh telling him he just doesn't try. Odub finally learned what he was capable of. If you are training and you are experiencing no progression and physical trauma I would suggest that you actually analyze your own potentials, then your own body's needs and demands. Then finally after you have an accurate view of yourself, redesign your whole training and climbing plan to fit into that reality.

To get better you need to train. To get better you need rest. However, it will all look different for every different climber. If you train the exact same way as your buddy or your hero you will not live up to your own potential. Period.

There is a complete difference from climbing and training. Climbing is fun. Training is boring (to me).
That month off each year recharges both my physical and mental batteries.
You might not need a month, but all of us need to rest.