Recovery Fitness
Hi Steph!
As a person who has climbed since they could walk, but just now become passionate about the sport, I am in need of some advice.Originally from Idaho, I am living in Norway now, studying. Although I have done a bit of gym climbing here, I am not able to get in as much as I would like and am looking forward to the great rocks waiting back home. This year pause in climbing has set me back a bit as far as technique and climbing fitness go. In addition, I recently injured my foot running, and am not able to run until it is healed. This leads to inevitable weight gain (not very much) and a feeling of being lost (and bored) with the lack of things to do.
What are some training tips and eating tips to stay in climbing shape, lose the unwanted recovery weight, and be ready for fall climbing?
Thank you for your time!
Hugs from Norway!
Cait
Hi Cait,
Breaks can be hard, and it is very hard to stay active when you can’t do the things you want to do–which leads to lack of endorphins, which leads to feeling less vibrant, and so on (as you know). I’m wondering if you can hike and if you are around vertical terrain? I’ve always found walking up a hill to be the cure for most ails.
When I’ve had leg or foot injuries in the past, I’ve turned my attention to upper body training, especially hangboard, and core exercises. I’ve noticed that even if I’m not climbing much, if I get on a daily regimen of stomach exercises it really helps when I can climb again. My favorite is to start with some simple yoga stretches for 10 or 15 minutes, and then do what I call boat exercises (they probably have a more official name). Lying on your back, raise your straight legs and your upper body at the same time and then lower, but not all the way back to the ground. With these, I do counts of 10, and each day I add another set of 10 to the total. When I finish those, I do bicycles, still on my back. If I want to do more, I go back to the boats.
So this is something for you to try. Also, it’s hard, but try to stay motivated on good eating, avoiding sugars, processed “food” and heavy food. This will also help your mood and your energy. Don’t forget to stay hydrated: the core exercises will help with that too because they’ll make you thirsty right away.
Steph
Also check this TRX workouts http://www.99suspensiontraining.com
Thank you for posting this. I tore my Achilles running on Wednesday. I was supposed to do a dream alpine route this weekend, and go to Red Rocks in 2 weeks. After canceling my climbing plans, I considered going to the AAC dinner tonight at which you spoke. But, it had sold out, so instead I have been reading your blog posts, which is not the same at all. I hope someday to get to hear you speak. Is there anywhere I can look to see your speaking schedule? I feel like I missed out, especially since I didn’t get to do the climb that I had prioritized over the event tonight. My friend lent me your book several years ago because he said you reminded him of me, and I had to agree, you reminded me of me and we are about the same age, so it would be nice to see you speak someday!
Anyway, thank you for all of your posts but especially this one because injury is mentally hard. It’s nice to know injury happens to everyone and, that my plan for staying a little fit was pretty much the same as what you suggest. Also I loved your posts on fear. Thank you! 🙂
Hope you are healing up Moira, I’ll be doing some presentations in the midwest in May: I’ll be posting up the schedule when it’s set 🙂