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Other/Mixed Mountain Strong

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
Hi,
This is post after following from the beginning and recently re-reading this whole thread.
After a couple of quiet years on the mountain front, I have an opportunity for a weeks easy-ish ice climbing in February. ( Short approaches, mostly single pitch WI3/4).
I've been focusing on powerlifting for the last year or so, supplemented by short hikes, KB swings, MTBing but I wont have much specific, ice climbing fitness.
Would appreciate any thoughts on how best to prep for this trip and your experiences of different methods.
Thanks
 
Hi,
This is post after following from the beginning and recently re-reading this whole thread.
After a couple of quiet years on the mountain front, I have an opportunity for a weeks easy-ish ice climbing in February. ( Short approaches, mostly single pitch WI3/4).
I've been focusing on powerlifting for the last year or so, supplemented by short hikes, KB swings, MTBing but I wont have much specific, ice climbing fitness.
Would appreciate any thoughts on how best to prep for this trip and your experiences of different methods.
Thanks
Whereabouts if you don’t mind me asking?
 
And… do you have any opportunity to ‘practice‘ before Feb? Any climbing gyms that have dry-tooling opportunities nearby?
A few things I would do as dry-land training would be:
  • A lot of calf work; especially single leg stuff
  • Hanging from your tools; maybe even work up to weighted hanging
  • Even indoor gym climbing would help a bit; especially done in your boots
And obviously… get your files out and make sure your tools, crampons, and screws are sharp…
 
And… do you have any opportunity to ‘practice‘ before Feb? Any climbing gyms that have dry-
And obviously… get your files out and make sure your tools, crampons, and screws are sharp…
Solid advice here. If you haven’t climbed in a while I would also recommend a thorough inspection of your terminal gear. I always climb with a higher degree of enjoyment and confidence knowing my gear is solid and I’m comfortable in the conditions.
Some calf work and dry tooling will get you prepared for what you will be climbing. I climbed in Conway, NH for the first time in a longtime last winter and it was a blast.
Enjoy and keep us posted on your trip!
 
Thanks @offwidth and @TrailNRG - good advice.

The plan is to go to Rjukan, Norway - obviously depends on travel restrictions and conditions etc. Fallback might be Cogne, Italy. I'm familiar with both so that helps have a more simple trip.

All my ice gear is in good condition - I get a lot of confidence too from knowing this too.

I plan to get some dry tooling in. We have some good venues but probably need to get a bit more grip endurance in first to make it worthwhile.

Hanging on tools has worked well in the past. I've previously done 20/10s intervals and extended the number of rounds as I progressed. I see that TFTNA has some ideas using weighted hangs for time - anyone any experience of this ?

Calves will need some work ! Always my weak link in the chain when on ice.

Thanks and I'll report back



 
Hello,

Here is an interesting way to structure the training week:

As the week goes, intensity (weight l gets down and volume (mileage, reps) goes up. This can be worth considering / trying to develop different energy pathways and physical abilities (strength, endurance, speed, etc...) while managing recovery.

Below is the example of Fergus Crawley (lifter, ultra runner, triathlete). Obviously his overall volume is extreme but it can be scaled down to fit more 'regular' purposes :


Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,

Here is an interesting way to structure the training week:

As the week goes, intensity (weight l gets down and volume (mileage, reps) goes up. This can be worth considering / trying to develop different energy pathways and physical abilities (strength, endurance, speed, etc...) while managing recovery.

Below is the example of Fergus Crawley (lifter, ultra runner, triathlete). Obviously his overall volume is extreme but it can be scaled down to fit more 'regular' purposes :


Kind regards,

Pet'

Very cool. The structure really reminds me of how Alex Viada/CHP organize things. Not sure if there's a bit of back and forth there or its just a "success leaves clues" type thing. Thanks for sharing!
 
Very cool. The structure really reminds me of how Alex Viada/CHP organize things. Not sure if there's a bit of back and forth there or its just a "success leaves clues" type thing. Thanks for sharing!
Fergus and his coach Johnny Pain (yeah, I know) (not the Greyskull Barbell guy) are explicitly affiliated with CHP, I believe.
 
Fergus and his coach Johnny Pain (yeah, I know) (not the Greyskull Barbell guy) are explicitly affiliated with CHP, I believe.
Slightly off topic but never heard of the 'other Johnny Pain', that's interesting. Having followed Greyskull Barbell's work on four separate intervals of time over the last decade I'd never run across this. Thanks for posting.

On a more 'mountain fitness' note I have been looking at lots of Rob Shaul's stuff over the years. This one he created built around a total NL of 24 lifts per exercise built around the weighted pullup, bench press, front squat and deadlift (what he calls the 'Hinge Lift' his version of a Romanian Deadlift)).

Fundamental Four Strength Cycle

What I find fascinating about this article is his use of a 2x/week strength program with 3-4 days of endurance work in a given day.
 
If you liked 14 Peaks…
I finally got around to watching this (The Alpinist) and IMHO it's absolutely amazing. The cinematography is nothing like I've seen before and the subject, Marc-Andre Leclerc, is equally captivating. The barehanded scenes flowing between intricate tooling and rock climbing were absolutely amazing. The exposure, commitment and ease of technique literally had me sweating.
I hope that everyone is off to a great new year in the mountains.
 
I finally got around to watching this (The Alpinist) and IMHO it's absolutely amazing. The cinematography is nothing like I've seen before and the subject, Marc-Andre Leclerc, is equally captivating. The barehanded scenes flowing between intricate tooling and rock climbing were absolutely amazing. The exposure, commitment and ease of technique literally had me sweating.
I hope that everyone is off to a great new year in the mountains.
Yeah… very good movie for sure. A lot of the peaks and climbing areas that were showcased in the film were in my old stomping grounds. Slesse, Squamish, Robson, etc…Been on all of them (albeit easier routes and / or roped with a partner for the most part)

And you are right… the sequences shown on the Stanley Headwall were mesmerizing.

For people who haven’t been on that type of terrain; it’s difficult for them to appreciate how absolutely profound soloing those routes are.

Good stuff….
 
Possibly the longest ridge traverse in the Western Hemisphere.

From August 2 to 10, 2021, Vitaliy Musiyenko climbed a traverse of gargantuan proportions along the Sierra Crest, in California's Sierra Nevada Range. Over the course of eight days Musiyenko covered approximately 32 miles of mostly technical terrain, 80,000 feet of elevation gain, and 60 summits above 13,000 feet, including eight Fourteeners.

Returned home 16.5 lbs lighter
 
Possibly the longest ridge traverse in the Western Hemisphere.
Link to article in The Alpinist for those interested.

My favorite quote and passage
"When the COVID-19 pandemic canceled his travel plans (he was slated to go to Nepal on an American Alpine Club Cutting Edge grant to try the South Face of Nuptse), Musiyenko turned his attention to training for this closer-to-home objective. In Oakland where Musiyenko picked up a couple of contracts as an ER nurse, he would run on his breaks: about 1.5 miles for his 15-minute break, and 3.5 miles for each of his two 30-minute breaks, averaging about 8.5 miles each shift. He would do that two to three times per week."
"Co-workers that noticed thought it was nuts," he said, "but it was productive to be done with a 12-hour shift and not have to do cardio after."

Would that be Greasing the Groove for Maximum Effective Dose? :D
 
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