Running and Climbing Performance

[mcrib]

stop eating and then smoke a cigarette whenever you feel hungary and the pounds will melt off.

[bcombs]

The latest R&I has an article from Mike Doyle about training. He mentions doing some light running 10-20 mins before starting your climbing training workout to help warm up and get going. I've been doing it and I can say I feel more aware and alert when I start climbing. Before I was doing this I was always lathargic for the first 20 mins or so of bouldering (mostly evenings). So that has helped a bit.

For the rest of us just trying to get out of moderate grades though I think just climbing alot and focusing on technique is best.

[whilojo]

If you're anything like me, you need at least one day of complete rest a week (i.e. no running or climbing. I do yoga on my "rest" day, though.) & I certainly wouldn't run my longest distance on the days I climb. The reason you've noticed a loss of power is because your legs are tired and haven't recovered from running.

I've struggled for years with adding a running program to my climbing. Years ago I was a "runner"--training for 30-40 miles a week. Now that my focus has shifted to climbing, I don't run nearly as much because I've found that it has a negative effect on my climbing. I run 2-3 times a week, but only for 2-4 miles at a time, and if I run the same day I climb, I climb first, then run after.

Here's another thought: how much flexibility are you losing because of running? I also found this to be detrimental to climbing, so I counteract with yoga.

[krampus]

elliptical trainer!?!? oh god tell me you wear sweat bands on wrists and head in some 70s basketball shorts and a tank top with your nipples taped. that would be great. better if you have some of those 80s radio headphones with the dual antennas.

nah man, same shorts and tank top but these days its all blue tooth and food network for me.

The reason that running 10 or 20 minutes before you climb is mainly to get your core temperature up because you bodies enzymes work better at using (or creating, I forget) ATP when at a higher temperature. This allows your muscles to function more efficiently.

[dbrayack]

I've recently (~2 months) been working on a training regimen for improved cardio fitness. I currently am running 4 miles a day MWF and 5 miles a day TR, before 9 am. Including a warm up and cool down, this takes from 35-50 min daily. I also climb twice weekly, on TR, for 2 hrs. I don't run on weekends because I'm usually climbing, either two days on in the gym for longer sessions or outside.

Initially I experienced some weight loss, moving from 162 to 156 in about a month. I am 6' and by my home Tanita body fat scale am currently at about 12% BF, down from 14%.

I have always been moderately strict about my diet. I will drink bourbon & beers, eat Miguel's, etc. but these are exceptions to the rule. Generally I am a turkey sandwich, carrots, and water kind of person.

My problem is that although I continue to increase the intensity and duration of my running, my weight loss has plateaued for the past month or so. Even worse, it feels to me that I am experiencing a noticeable power endurance deficit while climbing. This is especially pronounced on T,R when I both run and climb on the same days. I just don't have the strength to pull hard moves. And it isn't from pump.

Any advice from those of you who run and climb hard? I've dropped a letter grade at least in the last month and am thinking of hopping off the wagon and putting back on some pounds.

What is your body shape? Are you naturally strong, but retain fat?

My problem has always been my weight - I can hold on forever and boulder HARD, but really for me to push it hard, I need to RUN and run hard. I tend to spend a 6 week run cycle maybe 4 times a year where I go from about 165 to about 158 - I have to run hard and consistent to get any lower than that though. I use my Tanita scale as well and am around 10-12 percent.

Do you run fast or slow?

I found that if I run slow and flat, but long, I burn fat, but don't build leg muscle...

[dbrayack]

Oh - and run for time, not distance - I tend to run 40-80 min (after building up to it.)

[redpointron]

running is such a waste of time...

[the lurkist]

What SCIN said. Running and climbing individually demand so much of your body that it is very difficult to do both concommittently and recover adequately. A hard run or a hard workout requires 2-3 days off (or low level active recovery). Pick one. Jump rope as a warm up/cardio trainer and only do it for 10-15 minutes .
my two cents.

[dmw]

when i used to run a lot i was skinnier for sure, but was a lot weaker and felt like i couldn't recover quickly enough to have any strength for climbing.... now i feel stronger (doesn't really translate into climbing better) and i run less.... so maybe instead of logging in so many miles you could do high intensity training.... where you sprint and then jog intermittently.... you can look it up on the web, think it is called HIIT. good luck

[Shamis]

I think running every day is bad. Run about 3 times a week instead, it'll give your muscles time to recover and help limit all the wear and tear on your joints that would be exacerbated by running on fatigued legs.