Bouldering for hypertrophy. Is hypertrophy training counterproductive for climbing? I'm transfem and I used to be pretty skinny before several years of hrt. Bouldering pyramid (16 routes) or Threshold bouldering or 4x4 So the idea is that bouldering pyramids (or continuous intensity repetitions) train your stamina and hypertrophy, threshold bouldering helps with finger strength and 4x4 with anaerobic endurance. While some routes offer generous, open-handed holds, others feature Jan 19, 2024 · Keywords Bouldering performance, Lead climbing, Maximal strength, Muscle hypertrophy, Muscular power, Local muscular endurance, Prevent injuries Nov 9, 2022 · Methods of Training Finger Strength There are essentially 4 different methods in which you can train your finger strength: Climbing: Bouldering or climbing on a board Campusing: Either on a campus board or boulder wall Fingerboarding: Isometric hangs Lifting: Taken from grip strength sports However each method comes with its own level of precision in training, in other words how easy it is to Mar 27, 2023 · Learn an effective pull-up training protocol to take your climbing strength to the next level. A weighted pull-up training program that works! Apr 7, 2020 · This trait, the overgrowth of tissue, is called hypertrophy, and it is not unique to Honnold. Is it a bad idea to keep doing this? FWIW I think bouldering for hypertrophy is quite difficult to get right, it's definitely possible - you've only got to look at boulders forearms to see that, but I think the exact intensity/duration equation is difficult to draw from other more conventional activities (like weight training which has a wealth of research behind it). If you go for bouldering then i think you look at similar sets and reps etc. Repeaters seem to be superior to max hangs for overall strength and hypertrophy when comparing those protocols in isolation. See full list on climbing. But you will get stronger for sure. I. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of three 8-week finger training programs using dead-hangs (maximal May 5, 2023 · Hypertrophy Strength training also promotes hypertrophy, which is the increase in the size of muscle cells. The physiological demands of rock climbing, and the characteristics of climbers performing on different levels, have been described in previous systematic [1] and narrative reviews [21 – 23]. To round things back out with the PCP and Steve Masich. Strength = neurological adaptations X hypertrophy (muscle cross sectional area) Both neurological adaptation and hypertrophy can both be developed to a high degree. Maximum recruitment training is an attempt to raise the number of muscle fibers that are firing for every movement. So I've decided to experiment with some forearm exercises in the hopes of hypertrophy. Otherwise, just run a strength phase - compound lifts and lower reps (<8). The app can be used for strength gains, but it may not be optimal due to its focus on hypertrophy variables and limited exercise variety. This isn’t my focus but if you wanted to hypothetically isolate hypertrophy for the dead hang you should aim for the 40-70 second range. You're much better doing other supplemental work, like hangboarding, like campus boarding, like various core exercises, like ring work, like H. feet with 1 min reps? other possibilities? I know repeaters on a hangboard is good tool for hypertrophy, but i also know ill get bored with this compared to done some type of exercises on a campus Building Muscle While Pursuing Rock Climbing Mind Pump Show 518K subscribers 33K views 3 years ago #MindPump Apr 5, 2021 · Muscle Size – Hypertrophy One of the most well known results of resistance training is an increase in muscle size, termed hypertrophy. 👍 What are the benefits of hypertrophy? 1️⃣ Increase Maximal Force Capacity – Climbers often focus on strengthening existing muscle. Aug 5, 2011 · Articles Strength Power Aug 5 Written By Kris Hampton Yesterday I posted Part 1 on "Hypertrophy for Climbing", and these were the two comments made within hours of the post: Current programming: change the reps and sets from 3-6 reps in strength, 1-3 sets for STRENGTH and 8-12 reps, 3-5 sets for HYPERTROPHY. Fitness background: - Military - Soccer - Bouldering Favourite training style: - Hypertrophy Why you love being a PT: - Seeing people improve Strengths as a trainer: - passion for fitness Favourite motivation: - Any Ronnie Coleman clip We are SUPER excited to have Adam on board our team and can't The next day I got up 2 other classics, "Monarch" V11 (second try) and "Hypertrophy" V10. However, it can complement a weightlifting routine by improving overall fitness, flexibility Nov 9, 2022 · Table of Contents Background and timeline Current abilities and weakness assessment Technique focus with strength base Contribution of strength training to climbing Grade chasing versus completing all problems at level The effect of hangboard and hand strength on climbing Various holds in hangboard Scheduling sessions Summary and Recommendations Optimizing my own climbing routine Compilation Anyone who actually focuses on hypertrophy and diet can achieve this if they are relatively untrained and have very solid training regiment and or a coach. Jul 3, 2007 · I've found that in order to improve arm strength I have to alternate phases of hypertrophy & recruitment training. I'm a bit confused on the best way to preform finger rolls, some videos I have seen people just curling the fingers while others have been also curling the wrist as if doing a wrist curl. May 8, 2023 · In Part II, I provide a simple strength training protocol, with variations. Apr 7, 2017 · Bouldering competitions are held up to International level and governed by the International Federation of Sport Climbing. Dec 5, 2022 · One-arm pull-ups (or one-arm-assisted) for one to five repetitions. For hypertrophy, you need to really go through a range of motion. We Bouldering and body building Has anyone found a good way to balance bouldering with body building. From my reading I've decided to do reverse wrist curls, pinch training and heavy finger rolls. Basically it gives a similar effect to rolling but without the annoying resetting…and you can do a wider variety of strength or hypertrophy focused work. Near-limit bouldering can aid in the development of maximum strength, especially in sub-elite climbers. Abstract Intermittent isometric endurance of the forearm flexors is a determinant factor of sport climbing performance. Since I started bouldering, I’ve always been able to do about 1-4ish one arm chinups (OACs) the whole time while climbing, dipping at least 90+ lbs for 5 repetitions Using deadhangs (an isometric load) to build hypertrophy is incredibly inefficient, and they are crap for developing max power. I find them annoying to use tbh, and have moved to a homemade “wrist wrench” device ( look up some images or videos and you can see the idea). Apr 9, 2018 · My thoughts before starting Eric Horst’s article with them suggested that these helped with increases in hypertrophy. Jan 19, 2024 · This narrative review seeks to discuss the current literature regarding the effect of resistance training in improving maximal strength, muscle hypertrophy, muscular power, and local muscular endurance on climbing performance, and as a strategy to prevent injuries. Sound familiar? Learn the research-based strategy for developing stronger, healthier tendons and pulleys. The most efficient way to improve strength is to dedicate training specifically to building strength (i. Although climbing in general does wonders for your forearms, I'm confident in saying that it doesn't really hit your triceps and biceps as much as one might think. I got a membership at a local gym and have been going about and hour and a half, three times a week. Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. Nov 21, 2024 · Achy tendons and joints are the bane of hard-training boulderers and sport climbers. strength training). Typically, that would involve doing pulling exercises, like weighted pullups; core exercises, like leg raises and front levers; and various other antagonistic exercises for health. Jan 1, 2023 · The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the effects of climbing and climbing-and-resistance-training on climbing performance, and strength and endurance tests. feet with 1 min reps? other possibilities? I know repeaters on a hangboard is good tool for hypertrophy, but i also know ill get bored with this compared to done some type of exercises on a campus Turning bouldering into my GPP days also carries the difficulty of finding room for dedicated arm work. Apr 5, 2021 · Climbers also spend a lot of time stressing about the weight gain from hypertrophy but this almost entirely misplaced because climbers, in my experience, end up much better and more injury robust athletes in the long run, and the muscle bulk should only occur in the prime movers associated with performance when training appropriately. Either way apparently this is continuously being down voted so I'm not so inclined to keep posting in this thread on this topic. I also lift the other the 2 days in between. Hypertrophic hands and forearms are common to every professional and serious climber, but climbers are not born this way; they have made themselves become this way. May 25, 2023 · How to Improve Your Bodyweight Pull Up Reps: Hypertrophy Session This rep range causes hypertrophy; and develops the strength needed for multiple moves. Train non-climbing muscles on a separate day or after climbing. Bouldering will do plenty of back & biceps for you, but it's all "pulling" motions. Bouldering isn’t great to hypertrophy so I try to mix in a regular weight lifting schedule. Bouldering won’t really build your body evenly by any means as you are mostly pulling which can eventually lead to injuries and imbalances. And yes, bouldering does work out the entire body. Bouldering has been selected to feature at the 2020 Olympic Games in Mar 1, 2024 · The following exercises are a sample strength training workout created by Rob for one of his rock climbing clients. A better way to accomplish hypertrophy of the gripping muscles is to use barbell finger curls. Build the muscles, then ask them to work harder that's the plan. Remember, your chosen exercises don’t have to look like rock climbing. A Guide to Periodization for Climbing (avoiding plataeus and overtraining) Periodization - the application of planned phase changes and cycles in training to drive physical and metabolic change while reducing the likelyhood of overtraining. For strength, aim for 3-4 sets of 3-6 reps and 2-3 mins rest between sets. com Jun 29, 2021 · Additionally, the grip dynamometry used here is a simplified but valid representative of real climbing movements, but forearm muscle activation during rock climbing differs from activation during Jan 9, 2025 · First off I think your phase lengths are too short, particularly as there's no delineation in the strength phase between hypertrophy and recruitment before you move on to power. T. A local coach has been putting it into some training plans and I wanted to collect some feedback on this specific protocol as described in the picture. May 22, 2024 · Can Rock Climbing Build Muscle as Effectively as Weightlifting? While rock climbing is an excellent way to build muscle, it may not replace traditional weightlifting for those seeking maximal muscle growth. You’ll definitely get a Has anyone on here trained for hypertrophy and aesthetics whilst also bouldering or can anyone offer any advice? I am thinking maybe weight train for 3 days and boulder for 3 days per week, this may change with uni work but I would ideally aim for a 50/50 split between the two. It has been great for my sloper strength and overall balance. For your upper body, I'd focus on your standard presses: bench & shoulder, maybe some dips if you want more tricep growth. You need to consciously activate your "push" muscles with your exercise choices. Climbing primarily focuses on functional strength and endurance rather than pure hypertrophy. TL;DR: Do any of you train climbing, long distance running, and weightlifting simultaneously? I have found many resources for training both distance running and weightlifting, but not many for training both with climbing. Example this vs this. Apr 5, 2021 · Muscle Size – Hypertrophy One of the most well known results of resistance training is an increase in muscle size, termed hypertrophy. Rock climbing will certainly do more for upper body muscle than say, cycling. National Center for Biotechnology Information Jun 29, 2025 · 8 likes, 1 comments - kolifestylefitness on June 29, 2025: "PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEWEST COACH ADAM. The ratio of what to train, when, and for how long is an individual matter that depends on age, experience, skill level, and available time. We typically associate an increase in muscle bulk with gym bros and weight lifters, but intrinsically there’s a big advantage with this particular adaptation. com Aug 4, 2011 · Put simply, muscular hypertrophy is the growth of muscle components as a response to strength training. Every climber wants stronger fingers, but few really know how to power up. So repeaters with added weight and max hangs are going to do it anyway. Since I started bouldering, I’ve always been able to do about 1-4ish one arm chinups (OACs) the whole time while climbing, dipping at least 90+ lbs for 5 repetitions, weighted pistols +50% bodyweight, at least 1 Aug 13, 2023 · Master climbing strength with bouldering, gym workouts, and home training. There's a lot of "bro science" but the actual research doesn't really jive with the whole more reps results in more hypertrophy but less strength while less reps results in less hypertrophy but more strength. Here are tips for hangboarding your way to finger strength. I’ve always loved climbing when I went occasionally with friends, specifically bouldering. So if your dead hang is 3min, add weight around your waist until you reach the 40-70 second range. 3wks of strength training (no matter what aspect of strength you train for) will mainly just elicit neural gains, which come quick and go quick. Bouldering offers a fun way to improve your body, while also improving your mind, confidence, and reducing stress levels. Your shoulders take a pretty big hit by only pulling constantly. So, potentially instead of adding something new to your regular workout routine, you could simply put the bands on after you’ve done a regular fingerboard or bouldering workout and get an increased metabolic response by using a stress gripper or finger extension band to promote blood flow. Aug 22, 2023 · Yes, bouldering makes you functionally strong. Pretty much every strong climber does training other than just straight climbing. Strength = neurological adaptations * muscle cross sectional area (hypertrophy) Hypertrophy is predicated on: Maximal tension Muscle damage Metabolic stress My thoughts before starting were that since the strength equation is basically neurological adaptations * muscle cross I'm planning a hypertrophy phase and was wondering if it was possible to train forarm hypertrophy on a campus board? high intensity campus ladder w. e. Any advice? redditmedia. that you would for weights. Any Hello, I am wondering about exercises to build strength without getting bulky. I'm feeling stronger with every session, and have already improved from V2s to V4s. In the past week, I started incorporating my hypertrophy training, and have made a schedule that seems to fit both well. In this post I will Most people will suggest either running a hypertrophy phase and then a strength phase (and then a power phase), but for just starting to lift, whatever you do will be effective in most areas. The app is pricey, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and includes additional resources with the 6-month and annual Reddit's rock climbing training community. Don’t believe us? Try a bouldering session. Have any of you noticed any muscle improvements over the course of maybe a year Yes, weight matters in climbing performance (especially hypertrophy outside of finger flexors and pulling muscles). Boost finger strength for climbing with simple exercises. Grip strength goes up, your back and rear delts somewhat etc but you keep a straight arm so not a real range of motion for hypertrophy. However, increasing muscle Aug 22, 2022 · In an ideal world, this would involve cycles of hypertrophy, max. I figure that I get a lot of "high intensity" sets from bouldering max effort, so I need the high reps sets with finger curls for hypertrophy. Climbing in and of itself won't produce hypertrophy past a certain point, because it's not enough load on large muscle groups, but if you're off-season training has any weighted training, there's no reason typical bodybuilding principles wouldn't apply. The Session: 8-12 reps 3-4 sets Add or remove weight to achieve rep range Negatives FWIW I think bouldering for hypertrophy is quite difficult to get right, it's definitely possible - you've only got to look at boulders forearms to see that, but I think the exact intensity/duration equation is difficult to draw from other more conventional activities (like weight training which has a wealth of research behind it). Put simply, the constant battle between gravity and lifting your bodyweight towards rocks puts enough tension onto your muscles (mostly the upper body and core) that they tear and repair, and grow bigger and stronger. How to implement a simple strength training regimen Choose a handful of exercises and use them for a handful of months. You will see some difference, but you will not really get beyond a novice level of strength. Mar 16, 2022 · In order to have an extra portion of power and fitness for the next climbing session, here's an overview of five top fitness exercises for boulderers. Also notice that short and intensive nature of bouldering lends itself more to power training and not that much to hypertrophy so you will not get same results as doing resistance training with multiple repetitions in a weightlifting gym. Mar 16, 2005 · In contrast to deadhanging it's not as good as exhausting a grip for hypertrophy. Powerlifting is solely focused on strength, which would align with climbing, though I have found regular heavy load on compound movements to be too taxing on the nervus system as to not impede my climbing performance. Systematized resistance training is the most efficient way to reach your natural and unnatural potential. You can develop decent musculature from just doing these kinds of exercises, plus they'll improve your climbing performance Oct 18, 2024 · Learn why strength training is great for climbers, with a complete 14-week training program to improve your climbing performance. The extra endurance from the high reps sets has been quite useful in longer boulder problems as well. Pursuing bouldering to build muscle mass is not any different than cycling to get bigger legs. Learn benefits, drawbacks, and effective exercises for performance and progression. Aside from the obvious muscles such as the back, shoulders, and arms, bouldering also targets the core and legs. In a way Im planning a hypertrophy phase and was wondering if it was possible to train forarm hypertrophy on a campus board? high intensity campus ladder w. I recommend to do both. i. Now it's a well needed rest day today!! 😁 New favorite place!!! 💕 Thank you @joelzerr for the sick photo!!! 🙌 @e9clothing @us_e9 @scarpana @petzl_official @frictionlabs #psyched #bouldering #climbing #gooddays #love". Hey ya'll, I was wondering if some people in here have tried the "long time under tension" protocol that Tyler Nelson has been mentioning for fingerstrength. Many recommendations there for wrist extension exercises to almost balance out the amount of stress that your wrist flexors are under when gripping heavy things (body weight on the rock Strength with minimal hypertrophy: a case for weight training? I love strength training, which for me has always been bodyweight training until now: I now have access to a barbell and a squat rack at my place and I started doing (and loving) deadlifts en barbell squats. It is also not genetic. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. Simple, but effective stuff. I am wondering if calisthenic exercises are a good choice, do you have any experience with it ? Do you recommend something for climbers ? I have my own exercises to getting strenght my core but I Hypertrophy (v10) - Leavenworth, WA BadWater Bouldering 16. Hardly any other exercise is as effective for bouldering and climbing as the classic pull-up. I know it is better to do 3-4 repetitions with maximum weight rather than 6-12 repetitions per set to avoid hypertrophy. So I’m in pretty decent shape, but I’ve been trying to build some muscle. If you have a severe muscular deficit anywhere though, hypertrophy training may still be a good idea. Most really good climbers I know train at 5-10lb higher than their performance climbing weight. I've had good lucky with this, not nessessarily in the department of increasing hypertrophy (that's what your training is doing, ideally), that's not really the point of downing a protein shake post training, but a shake with the proper carbs:protein ratio (4:1 or 3:1 Apr 19, 2018 · Background I’m not an expert on climbing, but I have a good background on strength and conditioning and bodyweight strength training from Overcoming Gravity 2nd Edition, gymnastics, and parkour coming into bouldering. You’ll begin to realize the battle you May 29, 2024 · Unlock the secrets of muscle growth with this comprehensive guide on hypertrophy training, covering exercise selection, nutrition, and recovery strategies for optimal results Apr 26, 2025 · Key Takeaways The RP Hypertrophy app is a web-based application that provides personalized training programs based on your feedback. 2K subscribers Subscribe Subscribed Limit Bouldering & Campusing Limit Bouldering: short problems featuring 1-2 dynamic moves right at the climber’s limit Campusing: footless dynos performed on a ladder of like wooden “rungs” Both improve contact strength Both improve dynamic accuracy & aggressiveness LB is more sport-specific 116 likes, 0 comments - latticetraining on July 25, 2024: "Are big muscles bad for bouldering? 💪 What is hypertrophy? Hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle size resulting from resistance training. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Those who do combine the sports, how do you segment your training throughout the week? Grips to promote hypertrophy will not do that, nor will they help with power, or power endurance. But it's definitely not what limits beginner performance or something you should worry about at this point, especially for you with your low bf%. Improve your bouldering at Sunshine Coast's best climbing gym. Mar 17, 2023 · Being the most powerful and dynamic form of rock climbing, bouldering is the ideal full-body workout. To me it seems like a different approach to gain hypertrophy in the forearm, but more Aug 24, 2019 · Background I have a good background on strength and conditioning and bodyweight strength training from Overcoming Gravity 2nd Edition, gymnastics, and parkour coming into bouldering. I've been bouldering for about a month 3 days a week, I find it really fun and am progressing quickly. Remember, these are just samples, you may need to adjust the weight or number of sets and repetitions. Fancy definitions aside periodization is a way to set up your training to maximize your gains and avoid plateaus and overuse injuries. strength, and power, separated by rest weeks where you do no hanging at all. I agree with Steve Maisch that max hangs seem to be better for strength recruitment (neurological adaptations) but not hypertrophy and not necessarily overall strength. It depends on what constitutes hypertrophy training, but in general strength training is going to give you all the hypertrophy you need. There are loads of scientic research articles specificlly addressing the role protein intake plays in muscle recovery. , like bouldering (if you're a route climber), like many other tools, rather than squeezing a grip. However, little is known about the best method to improve grip endurance in sport climbing regarding maximal or intermittent dead-hang training methods. When it comes to training finger strength, there is a spectrum of programs that range from simple to complex, and it’s important to understand Starting reading various things on this and landed on some climbing (like rock climbing & bouldering) blogs where people were complaining about the same thing. Is hypertrophy best trained isometrically? If so is it just a question of varying the duration & if so by how much? The “Simplest” Finger Training Program Tyler Nelson DC, MS, CSCS Camp4 Human Performance It’s very apparent to anyone who’s been climbing for over a few years that having strong fingers is incredibly important for progressing in the sport. Jan 19, 2024 · Tired of MaxHangs and Repeaters? Give your finger strength an edge with the Blood Flow Restriction protocols for rock climbing! Hello all! I have a couple questions regarding bicep (primarily) and tricep hypertrophy for climbing (bouldering). From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. Soon I'll Could a person overcome a poor fingerstrength-to-weight ratio by hypertrophy training forearms, or is it really the most optimal to continue strength training fingers and keeping bodyweight on the downside? tl;dr: Hypertrophy training for forearms alongside fingerstrength training to overcome heavier bodyweight? Hypertrophy training is rarely specifically targeted in large muscle groups, because, in your legs, for instance, the extra muscle is rarely necessary. In todays episode I will go over the basics of creating/finding Boulders for Hypertrophy Training in the Boulder Gym. Now granted most climbers arent going to drop everything to purely focus on hypertrophy for 12 weeks so the number might seem high. Hello, I just recently red the "scientific principles of strenght training" book and was wondering how to apply the hypertrophy block theory for climbing training. I've read your article (… Is it possible to build muscle through bouldering, and just adding some simple gym exercise to it? I guess bouldering alone wont give much visual results so I’m prepared to do some exercises outside of it but if I can minimize the amount of time having to go to the gym it would really make building muscle more doable for me. Bodybuilding is focused on hypertrophy rather than strength, ergo the higher rep count. All the techniques I know of for finger training ( finger & campus boards, bouldering) are isometric. Climbing isn’t just one hard move, it’s a sequence of moves that each require a certain level of strength. . Sep 15, 2023 · For hypertrophy (build in muscle mass), aim for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps with 1 min rest between sets. HIT lies somewhere between these two, but loses much of it's potential benefit by it's lack of specificity; the angle at which you train at, the size of the holds, the amount of weight you need to add, the volume of work he prescribes. The issue is the stress bouldering has on my forearms and shoulders really limits me in the gym. Except for beginning climbers, however, more highly targeted supplemental exercises are essential to provide optimal stimuli for maximum strength gains. Hard bouldering with finger-intensive holds basically does the same thing as repeaters. Mar 9, 2020 · Can bouldering offer me growth that I cannot acquire through lifting? No. This increase in muscle size can lead to improved muscle tone, increased metabolism, improved muscle flexibility and a more aesthetically pleasing appearance! Jan 26, 2024 · The importance of finger strength for climbers It’s obvious that our fingers play a crucial role in climbing, right? Have you ever come across a photo of someone clinging to a hold using only the tips of their fingers? Believe it or not, it happens! Finger strength is crucial in climbing, especially if you aim to climb hard. e if you're going for hypertrophy 6-8 reps and 3 sets. nfbwg zjih hrcxu bvi ecrdfnhc zsobs qefzx hrbys qqg acvti