19 May 2008

Hangboarding

Hangboarding - Frank Ocasio


Frank Ocasio has sent us a training program for Hangboarding that both fit route climbers and boulderers. No short cuts, hard training for a couple of weeks and you will progress. To follow the hardest 30 minutes sequence, it seems, you have to be some kind of a self-tormentor. However, the sucess is proven as it took Frank to 7C+ (We are using upper case letters for boulders).

Warning
Understand that your entire weight is being held by your fingers and there is an enormous amount of stress being placed upon all muscles, tendons and so on. If you have been seriously injured, in the past, in your arm area, PLEASE proceed with caution. Note For beginners creating a stable base of power and endurance is a million times more important than specific training. Climb first and learn to how your body reacts to different stresses then if you decide to go on to specific training, use it only as supplement not a replacement. For medium to advance climbers, use these exercises only two-three times a week only as boast to enhance your performance. Do not carry on the same exercise for more than 3-4 weeks as your body will adjust to the stress and will soon require new and more difficult stresses.

In general
The hardest thing about hangboarding is actually doing it. Throughout the exercise motivation drops and there is no cure for this. You have to remember to visualize yourself as stronger because of that exercise. Visualization and self-motivation is key. If you have little self-motivation get a partner. Begin by warming-up, doing a few pull-ups, stretching and get the blood moving. Have some water next you to keep the tendons hydrated. There are many ways to train on the hangboard, I will introduce to you sequence training. These exercises start at the beginning of a new minute and can take up from five to forty seconds. After the exercise is completed the remaining time is used for rest. It is important to stretch during the rest and drink a little water.

Stick to a sequence for a 2-4weeks and then move on. For a medium edge, you should only be able to hold onto for 30 seconds and a small edge is like 20 seconds. Also add that if the user has a lack of edges, then they can drop fingers. Do the exercises, with four fingers, until it becomes easy, then to three fingers, until it is easy and so on.


Beginners

This is a Sample routine that has leverage in the Hanging time and the amount of Pull-ups. If this is too easy, move on to a harder sequence, don't add weight. If you are unable to hold your own weight and you want to do these routines, place a chair in front of you and place a couple of your toes on it. Push the chair forward out from under you to slowly transition from using this assistance to using only your bodyweight. These are only my routines, don't be afraid to mix it around.

5 & 8 Minute sequence
Min
Type of hold
Exercise
Sec/Rep
Min
Type of hold
Exercise
Sec/Rep
1
Jug
Hanging
15 sec
1
Jug
Hanging
15-20 sec
2
Medium Edge
Hanging
8 sec
2
Jug
Pull-up
6 rep
3
Jug
Pull-up
6 rep
3
Medium Edge
Pull-up
4 rep
4
Medium Edge
Hanging
8 sec
4
Medium Edge
Hanging
15 sec
5
Small Edge
Hanging
6 sec
5
Rest
Rest
Rest
6
Medium Edge
Hanging
15 sec
7
Small Edge
Hanging
8 sec
8
Medium Edge
Hanging
As long as p.

Intermediate

This is where hangboarding is the most effective. Your not starting out, so you have some experience holding your own body weight and your not some expert, so there is a larger margin of muscle/strength growth. The idea in the following sequences are to push your body to expect certain prolonged stress and begin to learn, what I call the "pump tolerance." First, if you are able to hold yourself on a edge, with no feet, for a period of time, then when all the wall you can hold that same edge with better control and hold it much easier. The second is to learn what a pump tolerance. The idea behind this is to get the worst pump you can possible get. When at the wall and you get a okay pump, you will understand there are worst pumps and you might actually stop complaining and continue climbing.

New Words: Drops-Pull-up as fast as possible, launch one hand up into the air and then drop back down. When I say three each, do three Drops per arm Negs-Do a pull-up as fast as possible, and then slowly go down. Take at least 10 seconds to go down.

10 & 15 Minute sequence (Harder, don't start to fast - Injuries)

Min
Type of hold
Exercise
Sec/Rep
Min
Type of hold
Exercise
Sec/Rep
1
Jug
Hanging
30 sec
1
Jug
Drops
5 rep
2
Medium Edge
Pull-up
6 rep
2
Medium Edge
Drops
2 rep
3
Small Edge
Hanging
12 sec
3
Small Edge
Negs
5 rep
4
Pocket
Pull-up
6 rep
4
Pocket
Pull-upp
5 rep
5
Medium Edge
Hanging
20 sec
5
Medium Edge
Hanging
20 sec
6
Medium Edge
Hanging
20 sec
6
Jug
Pull-up
10 rep
7
Jug
Pull-up
10 rep
7
Medium Edge
Hanging
20 sec
8
Small Edge
Hanging
12 rep
8
Small Edge
Hanging
20 sec
9
Medium Edge
Hanging
18 rep
9
Medium Edge
Pull-up
5 rep
10
Small Edge
Hanging
As long as p.
10
Jug
Hanging
40 sec
11
Medium Edge
Hanging
25 sec
12
Medium Edge
Hanging
25 sec
13
Small Edge
Pull-up
5 rep
14
Small Edge
Hanging
20 sec
15
Jug
Hanging
1 min


Advance Climbers

Now here comes the good stuff. The following exercises are sick and took me a couple of weeks to get used to and another couple of weeks to pass it by. The following exercises are designed to give you that little boast in those times when you don't feel so strong. By now you should be climbing more than you are doing specific training. These are simply boasts of extra power endurance to give you that extra something bouldering or doing routes.

20 & 30 Minute sequence

Min
Type of hold
Exercise
Sec/Rep
Min
Type of hold
Exercise
Sec/Rep
1
Jug
Drops
5 rep
1
Jug
Drops
5 rep
2
Medium
Drops
4 rep
2
Medium
Drops
3 rep
3
Small
Pulls
5 rep
3
Small
Pulls
5 rep
4
Medium
Negs
5 rep
4
Medium
Negs
5 rep
5
Pocket
Negs
7 rep
5
Pocket
Pulls
5 rep
6
Jug
Hang
40 sec
6
Medium
Drops
2 rep
7
Medium
Pulls
5 rep
7
Jug
Hang
30 sec
8
Small
Hang
20 sec
8
Jug
Pulls
10 rep
9
Medium
Hang
25 sec
9
Medium
Pulls
5 rep
10
Jug
Drops
5 rep
10
Small
Hang
15 sec
11
Small
Hang
20 sec
11
Medium
Hang
20 sec
12
Jug
Hang
40 sec
12
Jug
Drops
5 rep
13
Medium
Hang
30 sec
13
Small
Hang
15 sec
14
Medium
Pulls
5 rep
14
Jug
Hang
40 sec
15
Small
Hang
25 sec
15
Medium
Hang
20 sec
16
Medium
Hang
25 sec
16
Medium
Pulls
5 rep
17
Small
Hang
20 sec
17
Small
Hang
15 sec
18
Small
Hang
25 sec
18
Medium
Hang
20 sec
19
Medium
Hang
30 sec
19
Small
Hang
15 sec
20
Jug
Hang
1.5 min
20
Small
Hang
15 sec
21
Medium
Hang
20 sec
22
Jug
Pulls
10 rep
23
Medium
Hang
20 sec
24
Small
Hang
15 sec
25
Medium
Pulls
5 rep
26
Jug
Hang
40 sec
27
Medium
Hang
20 sec
28
Medium
Hang
20 sec
29
Small
Hang
15 sec
30
Jug
Hang
1 min

Well that is it and hopefully you will get the idea of personalizing the holds, time, and so on. If it works to get you stronger tell us how, if not tell us why it did not work.

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