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Crack Climbing and Laybacking

• April 2014
• Hi Steph Climb Training

Hi Steph!
I had a couple questions about crack climbing and laybacking. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the splitter cracks in the Creek this winter but usually my cracks are in Yosemite (I live in CA). Since I have yet to quit my job and move into my car I only make it to the Valley every other weekend or a couple times a month to work on my crack skills/fitness. Anyways my question is do you have any recommendations for training my crack muscles at the climbing gym (I wasn’t pumped at the top but more my bi/triceps and back when climbing in Utah)? There is a short crack that I practice on in the gym but getting a good workout on it is tough and sport climbing helps my endurance but is different than the “pull down” muscles that usually tire for me.

Secondly I have a project (the Good Book) in Yosemite that I am training for. If you don’t know there is an awesome laybacking pitch that seems to last FOREVER (it’s so awesome)! This is my other dilemma…do you have advice for layback endurance/training since there are very few, if any, spots to catch your breath on the climb?

I have read your books and they are great! Thanks for all the mind control techniques that seem to be one of the driving forces in your success.
Cheers,
Cori

Hi Cori,
Straight in cracks are very different from layback cracks, but they both require endurance and big muscle group strength. For laybacking, finger strength will always be valuable, and the training you’ll do for regular endurance and power/endurance gym climbing will directly translate.

If you ever do weight training with a lat pulldown machine (not sure what is available at your gym), the best exercise you can do for straight in cracks is to sit on the bench and pull down on the bar all the way down to your waist–the pull will change from normal pullup position to a down push, mantle move as you bring the bar down to your lap. You can switch it up between wide grip on the bar and close grip, with your hands almost touching at the middle of the bar. With climbing, choose long juggy routes with big holds and train for your endurance by shaking out and recovering on jugs, staying on the wall as long as possible. This will help your endurance and muscle recovery which will come in handy on those long cracks.

Two comments about laybacking: remember that most layback cracks (especially on granite in Yosemite) are not pure laybacking. Look around for any footholds, stem opportunities and straight in jams that will alleviate the laybacking. On the other side of the coin, if you have strong fingers and lat muscles, don’t shy away from punching it through 5 to 10 feet of laybacking up to a good stance, rather than suffering through a straight in section in a bad size because you’re afraid to layback past your gear. Always look up and identify your next rest stance before you commit to the layback because this will give you the confidence to go for it.

Hope that helps!
Steph