[dejongbiz]

My son and I were talking about the TFTNA max strength workout for pull-ups and its ability to increase repetition by increasing max strength. This morphed into a discussion of what the most current science is telling us about the best way to train for recovering quickly between pitches or between strenuous sequences on a climb. Thought I’d reach out to you for your thoughts.

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on June 3, 2020 at 9:08 am #42352

I would look to coaches for this information, not science. When it comes to developing the best practices for training methods coaches lead the way. Coaches have spent years and years dealing with hundreds if not thousands of athletes on a daily basis and doing so in the world’s best laboratory…..competition. The competition arena is the best place to decide what works and what does not work. The good ideas are adopted by other coaches the bad ideas are either rejected or modified.

No scientific study can be as long term or with so many well trained athletes. Sports science can inform us as to why these best practices do what they do but it is much likely to arrive at the best practices.

As for the work/rest ratio I will just comment in general that the higher the intensity the longer the longer the rest must be.

I have asked our climbing coach Dave Thompson to weigh in on the the methods he find more useful.

Scott

[David Thompson]

David Thompson on June 3, 2020 at 5:40 pm #42364

The pull-up progression in TFTNA exemplifies that with greater strength, comes greater endurance.
Generally, while on a climb, the key to recovery is to find the optimal position or sequence using the minimal amount of energy. Rests are places that are less strenuous than other sections.
Recovery time, both during, and in-between, climbing efforts is more or less dependent on the extent the climbing movement performed is above your aerobic threshold. So if you are making a near-maximum effort, it will take longer to recover in order to make the same effort the next time.
So, jointly training strength, as in the pull-up progression you alluded to in TFTNA, and aerobic capacity, also known as aerobic threshold training (or zone 2 in TFTNA and Training for the Uphill Athlete), work in symbiosis to make rests more “restful” and more difficult sections of climbing less strenuous.

Hope this helps.