Sharing my power/strength training plan

[mike_anderson]

No campusing for me this season either... The reason I've avoided it is due to elbow and shoulder pain but I think I get a little out of hand with it instead of just doing it maybe once or twice a week.

Ray, I have had very good results avoiding elbow pain while campusing by stretching and icing my forearms and elbows. Many people (including Horst and many clueless MDs) claim that medial epicondylitis is a result of muscle strength imbalance between the finger flexors and extensors. I am convinced that it is not a strength imbalance, but lack of flexibility that causes these overuse injuries. The muscle imbalance theory depends on the assertion that the finger extensors are not used as much in climbing, but this is clearly not true, they are critical to closed crimps, and most climbers have very well developed extensors. The supposed imbalance does not exist, yet it is still often blamed for elbow tendonitis. What I think is happening is that climbers train their forearms constantly but don't stretch much and the muscles get very tight, and pull on the tendon attachment points constantly...these tendons get no rest because they are constantly under tension...add campusing on top of that and it's too much. I have found that stretching the flexors AND EXTENSORS helps a lot, and on top of that, I submerge my entire forearm (past the elbow) for 10-12 minutes in an ice bath after every hard workout (fingerboard, campus, or power endurance session, and some climbing days if I have access to ice). Since I started this routine about 3 years ago, I have not had any problems with elbow pain, and it used to be really bad.

On top of that, I only campus for about 3 weeks, max, every season, and in that time span I rarely do more than 6 workouts interspersed with bouldering or climbing sessions.

Another general point on this thread. From a theoretical standpoint, you should be able to build up a base of strength and maintain it for 6-8 weeks, no problem, while the "power-endurance" required for climbing at the Red should come and go very quickly. That is the problem I am having...I am "strong" for a couple months, but I seem unable to maintain that enduro peak for more than a few weeks. Any suggestions? I'm thinking I need to cycle it on and off in something like 2-weeks on, 2-weeks off, 2-weeks on rather (or something like that) rather then just pushing through it until I crash and my season is over.

[pigsteak]

I made it two steps further in the Level 1 workout tonight..still with no added weight though. I have no idea how I am going to hang from the last three fingers or hold those two small crimps though.

[clif]

+1 on the theory of flexibility and advantages of stretching elbows. i particularly like interlacing fingers (like prayer) rotating thumbs toward the body, under and away so that the pinkies are on top and palms facing away and rolling the elbows inward as one extends the arms forward, also using each hand to hold the edge of the palm at the index finger and with arm extended forward, palm up, apply pressure so that the elbow is slightly hyper extended and one can fell that forearm muscle (sorry, don't know the proper nomenclature) pulling from the elbow.

not that these are not well known but it seems as if i've seen them less and less over the years.

[Shamis]

Ray, I have had very good results avoiding elbow pain while campusing by stretching and icing my forearms and elbows. Many people (including Horst and many clueless MDs) claim that medial epicondylitis is a result of muscle strength imbalance between the finger flexors and extensors. I am convinced that it is not a strength imbalance, but lack of flexibility that causes these overuse injuries. The muscle imbalance theory depends on the assertion that the finger extensors are not used as much in climbing, but this is clearly not true, they are critical to closed crimps, and most climbers have very well developed extensors. The supposed imbalance does not exist, yet it is still often blamed for elbow tendonitis. What I think is happening is that climbers train their forearms constantly but don't stretch much and the muscles get very tight, and pull on the tendon attachment points constantly...these tendons get no rest because they are constantly under tension...

This theory may very well be true. I know for instance that when I have really tight bicepts, I usually get elbow pain shortly thereafter. However, I think working the opposing muscles naturally helps stretch things out.

[pigsteak]

what the hell is a bicepts?