Redpoint Nutrition

Workout 1: Complete both the Climbing and the Weight workouts described below:

Climbing Workout (HIT):

Hypergravity Isolation Training, or "HIT", refers to Eric Horst’s style of finger training. This type of HIT training adopts the weightlifting idea of performing repetitions of the same motion, but in a climbing-specific way that increases finger strength. The idea is that you set up the same type of holds on a wall so that you can climb up and down the set of holds creating a climbing specific rep structure and then add weight to achieve failure at the desired number of reps. For example, you attach 10 sets of side-by-side crimps going up the wall and then you climb up and down these holds (like a ladder) adding weight to achieve the desired number of reps before failure. You can purchase HIT strips at www.Nicros.com or you can simply find ten holds that are very similar and set them on the wall side by side.

Note: 16 reps = 8 moves for each hand for a total of 16 moves. Go through the entire list of grips to complete 1 set and then start at the beginning for set 2. Rest 2-3 minutes in between each grip. Add weight in the form of a weight vest or backpack (fanny pack’s work well for this) filled with weights so that you fail after about 16 reps.

The workout:

1. 1/2 Crimp

2. 1st 2 fingers

3. 3rd 2 fingers

4. Full Crimp

5. Middle 2

6. Pinch

Weight Workout:

For this workout bungee cords can be helpful to take off weight. For 1 arm pull-ups you can also press against the back of your elbow with the other hand to help out a bit. If you can’t do a 1 arm pull-up with either of these methods then do 2 arm pull-ups and 2 arm locks and add weight (or subtract with bungees) to achieve the desired number of reps before failure.

The workout:

1.  Single arm (or 2 arm) lock off  at 90 degrees:  Hold each lock for 8-10 seconds, do 1 rep for each arm and perform 3 sets with a 2 minute rest in between each set.

2.  1 (or 2) arm pull-ups:  Perform 2 reps on each arm (use bungees or the other arm), do 2 reps on each arm and perform 3 sets with a 2 minute rest in between each set.

3.  Peter-Pan’s:  This one goes way back to 1994 with Udo Nuemann and Dale Goddard’s “Performance Rock Climbing”. Grab two holds with your feet on some small holds pretty low down. Simply cut your feet, hold the swing and put them back on the wall, one at a time. This constitutes 1 rep. Perform 3 sets of 8 reps (alternating which foot you put back on the wall each time). This can be made more difficult with ankle weights or using a foot hold that you can under-cling toe hook. In the under-cling toe hook case, cut loose then set the under-cling toe hook and use this to pull your other foot down onto a hold (you might find you’ll have to reduce the number reps if you do the under-cling toe hook method. I usually can only do 4 reps.).

Workout 2: Complete both the Climbing and the Weight workouts described below:

Climbing Workout (Fingerboard):

The following fingerboard workout is a hybrid of two workouts; one from Urban Climber written by Wills Young titled “WORKSHOP - #26 - HANG TIME” and the other from Eric Horst’s “Training for Climbing: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Climbing Performance”. I took what I find to be the most enjoyable and effective parts of each workout and combined them into a single workout.

When doing a "pyramid", the climber performs each set with about 5 seconds rest in between each hang. For example, suppose you were hanging a sloper with one arm, you would start with the right arm (or whichever arm you are weaker on) and hang for 4 seconds, then rest for 5 seconds, then hang for 6 seconds (on the same arm), then rest for 5 seconds, then hang for 8 seconds, then rest for 5 seconds, then hang for 10 seconds, then rest for 5 seconds, then hang for 8 seconds, then rest for 5 seconds, then hang for 6 seconds, then rest for 5 seconds and complete the pyramid by hanging for 4 seconds.

Bungee cords are a useful aid when doing a fingerboard workout (stand with your foot in the bungee to reduce your hanging weight). The idea is to complete the hang for the designated amount of time, so using a bungee to take weight off can help you achieve this, if necessary. In the case of 1-arm hangs you can take weight off with the other arm or you can stand on a scale to see how much weight you are "hanging" and work to increase it.

The workout:

1. Large slopers 1 arm (pyramid)
2. Rest 2-4 minutes
3. 2 arm full crimp (pyramid)
4. Rest 2-4 minutes
5. 1st 3 (1 arm 2 sets hang 5-8 seconds) rest 2 minutes in between each set
6. Rest 4 minutes
7. 1 arm half crimp (3 sets 5-8 seconds) rest 2 minutes in between each set
8. Rest 4 minutes.
9. Middle 2 (2 sets 5-8 seconds) rest 2 minutes in between each set

MxS - Weight Workout 2:

Cleans to Front Squat to Push Press: The weight should increase with each set as the reps decline. If you know your 1-rep max for each of these lifts then follow the progression of Round 1: 60% of 1-rep max, Round 2: 70% of 1-rep max, Round 3: 80% of 1-rep max, Round 4: 90% of 1-rep max. Rest is determined by how you feel; make sure you can complete all the lifts in each set. If it means resting for longer then so be it.

The workout:

Round 1:  2 cleans x 5 front squats x 5 push press for 3 sets 
Round 2:  2 x 4 x 4 for 3 sets 
Round 3:  2 x 3 x 3 for 3 sets 
Round 4:  2 x 2 x 2 for 2 sets

Workout 3: Complete both the Climbing and the Weight workouts described below:

Climbing Workout (5 second locks on a boulder problem):

Pick problems that you can do relatively easily and that are at least 4 grades below your maximum. Lock off each move in the problem for about 5 seconds. This will train finger strength as well as body tension by forcing you to maintain the tension for significantly longer than normal. This type of training is also useful if you are training for route climbing and you don’t have access to routes because holding the lock-off mimics the stress on your body while pulling up rope and clipping bolts.

The workout:

Climb 9 boulder problems trying to lock off each move for 5 seconds with at least a 3 minute rest in between each problem.

Weight Workout (666s)

Complete the following round without letting go of the bar or rings. Try to perform 3 rounds with 2 minutes rest in between each round. By not letting go of the bar/rings during the entire set your body is forced to rest while still engaging. Like Mike Tyson said, "I rest while I move so I never get tired".

The workout:

1. 6 dips
2. 6 front levers
3. 6 pull-ups

Workout 4: Complete both the Climbing and the Weight workouts described below:

MxS – Climbing Workout 4 (Weighted Bouldering):

I think this is one of the best ways to train specifically for climbing while still being able to adjust to the difficulty such that completing the problem is at the limit of your ability. The methodology is fairly simple: Pick a problem that is not so easy that you can hike it, but not so hard that you regularly fail to complete it. Then add weight to your body by wearing a weight vest or by putting some weight plates in a fanny pack or backpack. The rule-of-thumb I tend to follow is that the problem should not have any single move that is significantly harder than the others, and it should be difficult enough that it took me two to three tries to complete it initially without any weight. It is also important to not add too much weight (15 lbs max with 5 to 10 lbs optimal). If you have to add more than 15 lbs then the problem is not stressing finger strength enough. It is better to do a hard problem with 5 lbs than to do a jug haul with 40 lbs. 

The protocol I typically follow is to have 4 problems (ideally each of a different type, such as a pocket problem, a crimpy problem, a sloper problem and then a problem similar to what I’m training for, for example, a long reach or a hard undercling move) which I know I can do without weight. I then give myself 5 minutes to complete the problem with 5 lbs. (multiple tries on the same problem within the 5 minutes is allowed).  I then rest for 5 minutes. If I manage to do the problem then I move onto the next problem and follow the same method. If I fail to do the problem in the 5 minute time frame then I try it again with the same weight after the 5 minute rest period. If I fail again then I move onto the next problem. 

Progression with weighted bouldering can take two forms, a within-workout progression (i.e. do the problem with 5 lbs then try it with 10 lbs on the same day) or a between workout progression (i.e. do the problem with 5 lbs on one day then try to do it with 10 lbs the next day). I think the between workout progression is best in that it allows you to see progress while avoiding a deteriorating maximum output due to doing the same type of moves too many times.

The workout:

4 rounds of the following (all exercises equals one round):
- Problem 1: +5lbs try for 5 minutes.
- Rest 5 minutes
- Problem 2: +5lbs try for 5 minutes
- Rest 5 minutes
- Problem 3: +5lbs try for 5 minutes
- Rest 5 minutes
- Problem 4: +5lbs try for 5 minutes
- Rest 5 minutes

Progression can be adding weight and doing the same problem (only do this up to 15 lbs max) or in the next weighted bouldering workout add weight.

MxS - Weight Workout 4:

The workout:

1. Weighted pull-ups (4-2-4 reps)
2. Planks (3 minutes)

1. Creatine Monohydrate (buy it here)
2. Beta-Alanine (buy it here)
3. Crank Forearm Fuel (buy it here)

Creatine:

The supplements I’ve discussed up to this point should be taken all the time, regardless of the climber’s training phase. Certain supplements, however, are more appropriately used only during certain training phases. I believe creatine monohydrate falls into the latter category.  

Creatine: Think of your muscle cells as a car's engine, which can only run on gasoline. Your car stores gasoline in its fuel tank and, when you step on the gas, it pulls fuel from the tank and burns it, which releases the energy necessary to move the car. When your car runs out of gas, it can no longer move. We then pull oil from the ground, turn it into gasoline, and put it into the fuel tank so the car can burn it and continue running.

Analogously, your muscle cells run on something called Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP), which is comprised of an adenosine molecule and three phosphate molecules.

ATP is stored in small amounts your muscle cells and it is used to power muscular contractions. Once used, ATP is reduced to Adenosine Di-Phosphate (ADP), as the energy contained in ATP is released by breaking the chemical bond between one of the Phosphate molecules, leaving only two phosphate molecules behind.

Since ATP is stored in muscles cells, it is the first place your muscles go for fuel. However, ATP runs out after a few seconds (10-30, on average) and your muscle cells must get more in order to keep working. They do this in a number of ways, including converting fat into blood sugar, and then blood sugar into ATP.

However, the muscle cell has a more efficient method of providing more ATP. It does this by converting ADP back into ATP. This is where supplementing with Creatine comes in.

Once in the body, Creatine binds to phosphate molecules, resulting in a compound called phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine is also stored in muscle cells and ADP takes a phosphate from phosphocreatine stores and uses it to provide a third phosphate molecule that turns ADP back into ATP.

When you supplement with creatine, you increase your body's phosphocreatine stores, which in turn increases your muscle's ability to turn ADP back into ATP. The end result is more energy in your muscles for short-duration, high-intensity efforts. In the real world, this translates to more power for hard moves like bouldering or crux sections of routes.

You will hear rumors about creatine, and they're just that: rumors. I gave you this in-depth explanation of how creatine works because rumors exist where actual knowledge is absent. Creatine does not just make your muscles bigger (but they will become slightly larger as a result of you being able to "do more" when you train). It does not cause stomach cramps. It does not make your heart/liver/kidneys fail. You may gain a small amount of weight when using creatine, but that's typically associated with an increase in lean muscle mass and a slight retention of water. Both of these are great for performance.

Going back to the car analogy, creatine is like putting a bigger gas tank in your car. A bigger gas tank means you can store more gasoline, and therefore you can step on the gas more times, and for longer, before running out of fuel.

Your muscle cells can retain a certain amount of phosphocreatine, and it takes a while to max out your storage capacity. It's for this reason that it takes about a month of daily use before you get the full results of supplementing with creatine.

So how does one use creatine monohydrate?  The first thing I would advise is to skip the loading phase (15-25 grams a day). I recommend this because the loading phase can cause some water retention and associated weight gain. Instead, I recommend you take 5 grams a day, every day. It takes approximately one month of daily use for your muscles to reach their full phosphocreatine saturation levels, but you will typically start noticing power gains within the first week of use.

Beta-alanine:

Beta-alanine, is a naturally occurring amino acid that is the precursor to a critically important di-peptide called carnosine. Carnosine’s primary function in muscle is to buffer hydrogen ions (H+). As H+ accumulates it increases the acidity of the surrounding tissue, called acidocis. This is thought to be the cause of the “burn” or “pump” we feel in our forearms and other muscles while climbing, and it’s thought to contribute to muscular fatigue.

Supplementation with Beta-alanine increases carnosine concentration in the muscle tissue, which in turn helps buffer the acidosis-causing H+ ions which make you pumped and fall off routes.

Beta-alanine is better known for its endurance-enhancing effects (as opposed to creatine’s strength-enhancing effects). One minor drawback to beta-alanine supplentation is that it takes about 28 days to achieve muscle saturation of beta-alanine. This means that if you want to experience the endurance enhancing effects of beta-alanine during the power endurance cycle you need to start loading 28 days before you begin training power endurance.

The loading phase consists of taking 6 grams of beta-alanine daily (divided into 3 doses of 2 gram/dose) for 28 days and then shifting to a maintenance phase of 2 grams a day.

CRANK Forearm Fuel:

In my view the two most important ingredients in ‘Forearm Fuel’ are the lactate and the citruline malate.  Let’s go through these in order:

Lactate: For a better description of lactate and references, read this. In a nutshell, when we get pumped our forearms get all ‘swole up’ and they burn like the dickens. One is led to believe that the burn we feel during this process is lactic acid accumulation, but that's not entirely correct. The burn we feel is caused by accumulation of hydrogen ions, which are a byproduct of producing and breaking down ATP (remember power endurance is all about raising the anaerobic threshold and being able to recover from crossing this threshold). Lactate is actually another form of fuel used to create ATP to supply energy for muscular contractions. When the body creates ATP from lactate, it also "takes up" hydrogen ions in the process, thereby reducing the hydrogen ion concentration in the muscles (we call this "buffering"). Lowering hydrogen ion concentration reduces burn and pump. By supplementing with lactate you can increase the amount of available lactate and reduce pump and burn-causing hydrogen ion concentration, thus enabling you to try hard more often during the day.

Supplementing with Crank Forearm Fuel allows you to get at least one more good redpoint attempt during the climbing day and in the case of training it allows you to perform a higher volume of power endurance exercises at maximum intensity.

Citrulline Malate: Again, for a better description, read this. The deal here is that citrulline malate helps your forearms get rid of the ammonia produced (another thing produced when you get pumped) during anaerobic activity. Citrulline Malate works well with lactate supplementation in the whole process of recovering from crossing that anaerobic threshold. Lactate supplementation gives you more "go" and citrulline malate helps clear out the by products of the last go.

The rest of the ingredients in CRANK help with general energy production (by converting stored fat into glycogen, which is another energy supply that can be broken down into ATP), alertness, and focus.