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Yo. I recently incorporated the P90-X. workout into my climbing/fitness plan. I have only begun by doing the different upper body routines in between climbing days. Along with the insane Ab-ripper X. I have also adapted the diet stategy to fit my climbing needs. After only 2 weeks of supplementing gym/outdoor climbing with these routines, I have noticed a sugnificant increase in strength and endurance in my lager muscle groups(core, back, chest) The results have been quite impressive. Since I've heard mixed feelings about cross training for climbing, I just wanted to get opinions/ideas on this type of cross training. And to see if you guys know of a better way to do it.. Thanks.

I think you reach a certain point where cross training doesn't do much to make you a better climber. It's probably great if you're trying to get in shape or lose a few pounds but to become a better climber you're best off focusing on more climbing specific training techniques. Again I think it all depends on where you're at in your climbing abilities and overall fitness level.

I was very interested to find out that Steve Edwards (http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/), who oversees fitness and diet development for Beach Body (P90X), is a pretty good climber and sends 13s. He's currently going through John Long's Workout from Hell on his blog.

That's a good find, Peter.

Steve should be sending Ray some money for promoting his product.

To the OP, I just finished P90X. I didn't do it to improve my climbing, I'm sure it might have some effect because of better overall fitness. I can tell you that you shouldn't go climbing on Saturday after doing Legs and Back on Friday. Something about doing 100+ pull-ups the day before climbing makes you climb like shit. It was a fun thing to do during the summer though. I highly recommend it.

However, he does talk on his blog about how the various sports he participates in can have a negative effect on each other, at least for very elite athletes. The example he gives is cycling (want big legs, small arms), and climbing (want small legs, big arms). He makes the point that you can be a solid 12 climber and still be a good biker as well. But there's no way that Schleck and Ondra could dominate in each other's sports without losing what makes them good in their own.

pkananen wrote:I was very interested to find out that Steve Edwards (http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/), who oversees fitness and diet development for Beach Body (P90X), is a pretty good climber and sends 13s. He's currently going through John Long's Workout from Hell on his blog.

Sick

Michelle is in the final few weeks of the entire 90 day P90X program and she feels like it has helped her core strength for climbing. She appears to be moving more strongly on the bouldering walls. I think she definitely recruited some fast twitch fibers overall from the program just by seeing how she moves. Her climbing style used to be slow and graceful but looks more dynamic and precise now. Not that one is better than the other but she just appears to be climbing more powerful. So she will tell you that P90X did help her climbing and I'd probably back her up by the way she appears to be climbing.

SCIN wrote:Michelle is in the final few weeks of the entire 90 day P90X program and she feels like it has helped her core strength for climbing. She appears to be moving more strongly on the bouldering walls. I think she definitely recruited some fast twitch fibers overall from the program just by seeing how she moves. Her climbing style used to be slow and graceful but looks more dynamic and precise now. Not that one is better than the other but she just appears to be climbing more powerful. So she will tell you that P90X did help her climbing and I'd probably back her up by the way she appears to be climbing.

So Michelle used to be like Lynn, but now is like Lisa Rands? Sounds like two good people to be like!

Ray is just sucking up so Michelle will hang the draws this Fall for him.....

uh . . . That's kind of what I was doing, Kipp.