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If your goal is to climb harder and you feel over trained, then you may need to cut back on strength training. At age 38, I went from climbing 4 days a week to 3 (biking on other days and taking one day off a week) and I climbed harder routes. Someone may have already posted this, but I didn't want to read all of them.

whatahutch wrote: 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???

The problem is that everyone is trying to approach detraining like a cookie cutter process.. One size fits all. How any individual should rest/recover is well, individualized. Take into account your age, current level of health, injury status, and motivation. 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.

So, to each their own.

Well I was going to add to this but this is getting retarded. If you wanna take a month off of climbing or training because your body isn't tolerating it after 4 days on, then have at it. Over working your tendons and your body all week and then stopping for a month to recover is by far the best solution here???? Come on people. Good luck with that.

512OW wrote:

whatahutch wrote: 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.

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.

heavyc wrote:ice might even be better, and from what I have read probably alternating hot and cold therapy would be the best, I have never taken the time or effort to try ice out and I suspect it would be a bit painful or least not enjoyable like 20 minutes in a hot tub can be, I don't completely understand how either one works, I suspect hot and cold therapy, electrostimulation and mild active rest exercises all work in a similar fashion by increasing the metabolic rate without causing further trauma (like your workout should have) which speeds up the inflammatory and repair processes that cause your muscles to overcompensate and repair themselves in a way that they will be stronger and perhaps bigger, the importance of the normal inflammatory process occurring during your recovery is a big reason some believe that using anti-inflammatory medicines like Ibuprofen, Aleve etc. is probably counterproductive

http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com ... ocast.html

More along the lines of injury recovery, but probably applies to regular workout recovery. I think Mark Twight advocates something similar (contrast showers?) but he's fucking nuts.

Today will be day 5 in a row of climbing, but every day was not equal in intensity.

Artsay wrote: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?

Andrew wrote:Today will be day 5 in a row of climbing, but every day was not equal in intensity.

I thought you bolted Sunday?