The exercises and methods used by the author are recommended under the guidance of a trained professional. Sport Specific Training can lead to serious injury and the methods herein are designed for the intermediate to advanced climber.

DoM on Periodization

Also called Cyclic training, it develops the musculatory system on different anerorobic rates to develop the full potential of an athlete. I'll use the Olympic tri athlete as an example. Although every stage of a triathlon is done using a high aerobic sport, winning will come down to the bodies ability to use the oxygen within the muscles during times of extended physical exertion. Climbing is much the same. One of my day dreams is The Nose. Now there's a 5.13 closely followed by a 5.14 then a  5.11 at the end of a 31 pitch climb!! Climbing is fun and bouldering is awesome, but for me, I am in awe of the big wall climbers.

Climbing is a performance sport, and we must put some type of long term periodization training where we can move our focus from pure power, to muscle and cardio development.

I used to run similar programs except on a 10 week or  5 week cycle. Here's the breakdown:

Phase 1: Endurance (4 weeks)
Phase 2: Power (3 weeks)
Phase 3: Power Endurance (2 weeks)
Phase 4: Rest Recovery (1 week)

This was my 10 week program that I used when I transitioned into bouldering. I would do my endurance cycles on the lead wall and concentrate on easy boulder 3x3 (V0) on my power cycles. This way I built up strength fast. The 10 week cycle was my long program. I would generally in 4 or 5 week cycles and  halve the numbers. I come up with this:

Phase1: Endurance (2 Weeks)
Phase 2: Power (0-1 Week)
Phase 3: Power Endurance (1-2 Weeks)

I would put any weight routine on my power week. I would also do short sets of offset and sitting chin ups.

Specific technique training was done mostly on hangboards and the CHR wall. I do this on any given cycle of my program. This short program is what got me to send 5.12a lead in the gym and V7 outside. The biggest difference between my power and endurance cycle was that I climbed within my power cycle on the boulder wall. I would run these cycles back to back for three months and then take a week off.

Am I Biased? Ask the Pros

When I started climbing, I was climbing top rope and started leading in my third year. I quickly moved into the 5.11b/c range. I quickly realized that in order to reach the next plateau, I would need to build structure to my sessions and develop power. So I bought a set of weights and trained at home while running the Pyramid training on top rope. A lot of these ideas come from athletes and climbers who use these methods and deliver results. I work in a shorter cycle than a competition athlete and I'm happy with the that. 


Today we have the training machines Alex Pucio and Daniel Woods, but I got a lot of my practices from climbers like Lynn Hill and Eric Horst.
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It may sound kinda complicated, but any time you put a routine together, as simple as it may be, you will be able to track and improve on key fundamentals of climbing movement.