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Kettlebell S&S w/ Bouldering

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JCavin

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I’m new to climbing. I did it like 15 years ago, but that’s so long ago that it doesn’t matter. I’m 32 and 180lbs.

I’m not looking to find some magic way to increase my bouldering skill as I’m pretty certain that the only way to get any better at it is a 2-3 x week frequency.

My main question is whether or not doing S&S with a light kettlebell(24kg) will have an adverse affect on my climbing.

I’ve REALLY come to love bouldering/climbing recently and really only want to improve it. However, I do have kbs up to 36kg that I don’t want to get dusty.
 
I asked this maybe a year ago cause I had started bouldering, and believe the response was something along the lines of, "At some point, you have to decide which one gets your focus to excel in. "

I'm sure keeping up a few sessions with the 24k can only help for grip and endurance. I personally would go too hard to fast with climbing, and the finger injuries would keep me out of any kind of working out for a week or more. I enjoyed it, but dropped it to focus on kettlebells.
 
You can certainly do both. And I don't think that S&S will detract from your bouldering exactly. But if you want to get good (by any real standard) in bouldering then you need to boulder... a lot. And supplemental training needs to be focused on climbing not on chunks of iron.

If you are just bouldering for fun and fitness it really doesn't matter...

FYI... I do both...(S&S and bouldering)

Regarding grip... grip training is highly specific in nature. Does swinging a KB increase grip strength? Yes, but only one type of grip strength, and not the type needed for most climbing.
 
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Hello there

If you want to improve your climbing have a good look at training for climbing from Eric Horst. And as you and the others have stated to get skillful at it do more of it.

In my personal experience I also add 3 sessions of aerobic training a week, not very relevant for sport climbing or bouldering but I feel recovery times are better.

Last year we went on a 5 day expedition to Scotland and the only training I did was S&S at 32kg for the previous 2 months and felt great all the way smashing 12 mile days with a 20kg rucksack, again not relevant to climbing but it show that this thing works hehe
 
Regarding grip... grip training is highly specific in nature. Does swinging a KB increase grip strength? Yes, but only one type of grip strength, and not the type needed for most climbing.

I've definitely noticed this... S&S has been great for my ability to grab bars, ropes, rings etc... but hasn't done much for pinching.

Appreciating that there's no substitute for regular climbing, any supplemental exercises you like for pinch grip?
 
I've definitely noticed this... S&S has been great for my ability to grab bars, ropes, rings etc... but hasn't done much for pinching.

Appreciating that there's no substitute for regular climbing, any supplemental exercises you like for pinch grip?
Yes...
If you have a hang board with Pinches just hang from that.
You can also plate pinch barbell plates.
I also have rigged Climbing holds with weight plates
IMG_0488.JPG
 
That is just sick.

I want to rig that up, and do carries with it. Like farmer's carries, but better. You should have the honor of naming them.
Just be careful with really wide pinches. It's pretty easy to hyperextend your thumb. Not much fun, and it takes a long time to recover from.
 
Bouldering will make you better at bouldering. The best supplemental work will be whatever works makes you stronger so that you can boulder more.

However, I will say that for me, the best thing I ever did for my climbing was getting good at the Olympic (barbell) lifts. Being able to get that explosion from the hips but keep it vertical so that you stay close to the wall was a game changer for me.

I imagine that it would be similar with kettlebells, but I got good at the barbell lifts before I got good at the kettlebell lifts, so I don't know how kettlebells alone would work.
 
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