Strong Endurance Grip training (restarting after 20 years)

[Fezzek]

25 years ago, I spent a year unknowingly powerlifting. My coach was a powerlifting coach, and I just did what I was told
.
I rock climbed 15 hours a week for about 5 years and ended up with a pretty solid grip strength.

Marriage & kids, no exercise for 20 years...

I bought the Captains of Crush and could do the Guide/Sport/Trained/1/1.5 without any training. Within 4 weeks I was doing sets of 4-6 #2 and #2.5 for 1 rep.

After about 4 months of consistent training, I am doing sets with the 2/2.5 of 8-10 reps, and I managed the level 3 for 1 rep after a 20 minute warm up on my RHS. LHS is still a few mm short of completing it. I've just ordered the 3.5 and 4 so I can start to build towards repeated sets on the level 3.

I have the hub, pinch block, finger boarfds and rolling grip thing. Apart from trying them out, I haven't really used them at all yet. I think I have reasonably good strength/endurance on the RGT, but the hub/pinch block is very, very weak (about 55lb reps ).

I'm struggling to see how I can improve my weak areas so I can get back to rock climbing. Adding any more into the grip strength training fatigues me for days at a time (closer to a week than a day). But the CoC I can do every other day with no problems whatsoever.

Thoughts?

Martin

 

[mikko]

Just start rock climbing with easier routes. Your weak areas will improve and you can choose more difficult grades as time goes by.

 

[Fezzek]

Just start rock climbing with easier routes. Your weak areas will improve and you can choose more difficult grades as time goes by.

I have considered that. The difference is I was 85kg before, now I am 105kg. I'm not sure easier routes would be possible at this point until I've managed to significantly improve strength and reduced my bulk.

 

[Boris Bachmann]

I'm struggling to see how I can improve my weak areas so I can get back to rock climbing. Adding any more into the grip strength training fatigues me for days at a time (closer to a week than a day). But the CoC I can do every other day with no problems whatsoever.

Thoughts?

I think the best and most sport specific thing will be the thing itself (rock climbing). You're not going to get your grip into great climbing shape without climbing anyway.

 

[offwidth]

Unless you are climbing at pretty hard grades you really don’t need all that impressive of grip strength. In fact it can be a detriment, by masking other weak areas like technique, footwork, placing gear, etc. Like what @Boris Bachmann said just climb.

If you can lead 5.12 + on trad gear, then maybe think about specific grip training…