What is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way?

Rock Climbing has taken a backseat these days. The spikes in heart rate and blood pressure during climbing are just too huge to feel comfortable with in my condition. This is a bummer because all I want to do is climb. I’ve realized though, that there is strength training that will maintain, if not improve certain elements in my climbing. I’ve been utilizing my hangboard!

Metolius Simulator

I took a simple workout plan from Steph Davis’ climbing blog. I decided on this one because it does not involve any pull-ups, just hanging. In the workout below, a ‘grip’ refers to a ‘hold’ on the hangboard. I use a Metolius Fingerboard, and did a total of 4 grips. If you plan on doing a hangboard workout, don’t forget to warm up and stretch those digits. Read the entire workout descriptions on Steph’s blog and the Metolius fingerboard workout page, linked above.

(Steph’s) Typical workout:
3 sets for each grip
set one = 7 sec hang 3 sec rest x 7 reps
2 min rest
set two = 7 sec hang 3 sec rest x 6 reps
2min rest
set three = 7 sec hang 3 sec rest x 5 reps
2 min rest between grips

Doing this type of workout will do wonders for my grip strength while I take a sabbatical from actual climbing. The best news is that while doing this workout, I took my blood pressure in between sets, and found that only a mild increase in BP was involved. I can do this type of workout frequently without risk of dissection associated with dynamic strength training.

just keep hanging, just keep hanging…