We have arrived to the real meat of the Crank Training Cycle.  For the next four (4) weeks, or four sessions for either climbing discipline.  Thanks to the testing in the previous Stage all we have to do is plug in the numbers for the appropriate resistance level.  This Stage is called the Technique Stage so none of the resistance levels are very high.  Instead we will be focusing on controlling our movements and body position to become as stable as possible through our core and legs.

Enjoy!

Technique:

The Climbing training for this Stage is simple.  We are looking to establish good technique, which can also be translated as good body position and usage.  To achieve this we are going to down-climb every one of our training problems/routes.  This will teach us to use our feet and legs with more intention and also help us to find more effective rest stances.  Obviously, if there is a move that can not be reversed, such as a dyno or deadpoint, then avoid that problem or route as it is not a good choice.  The movement should be controlled.

The grade at which you should be climbing is a function of you average on-sight grade.  You can figure out the appropriate grade by multiplying the resistance level by the assigned value of your on-sight.  A few examples are below but you will have to create your own.  The value of “1” is assigned to the lowest grade in your gym.  For your first time through, I suggest rounding down where appropriate.

5.3	5.4	5.5	5.6	5.7	5.8	5.9
1	2	2	4	5	6	7

5.3	5.4	5.5	5.6	5.7	5.8	5.9	5.10a	5.10b	5.10c	5.10d	5.11a
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12

For bouldering, I suggest to climb a problem of the appropriate grade on ever major feature in  your bouldering cave.  My home gym has seven (7) distinct bouldering areas (read: could easily be divisible as in a competition) so that is how many problems I do.  If there is not a problem of the appropriate grade on each feature, I simply repeat problems for that week until I have seven.  For some people the number of features may be less or more, but climb at least five (5) and really no more than eight (8).

Week	Grade	Problems	Cadence	Rest
1	60%	5-8	Controlled	60 sec.
2	65%	5-8	Controlled	60 sec.
3	65%	5-8	Controlled	60 sec.
4	70%	5-8	Controlled	60 sec.

For routes, the number of routes is usually simple if there is adequate surface area and variety in your training space.  In order to be as well-rounded as possible, I suggest climbing a route on each of the following types of terrains; slab, arete (or fin), dihedral, vertical, overhung making for a total of five (5) different routes.  If your gym has a lot of cracks, then you can that in as well or rotate it in if one of the previous features in your gym does not hold the grade you need.  Similar to the bouldering training, if you do not have enough variety of surface area, climb at least five training routes each session.

Week	Grade	Routes	Cadence	Rest
1	60%	5	Controlled	180 sec.
2	65%	5	Controlled	180 sec.
3	65%	5	Controlled	180 sec.
4	70%	5	Controlled	180 sec.

When it comes to the rest period for route training, that gets a little more difficult.  One might think that the rest period should be the same for everything across the board, and that argument would stand assuming it takes the same amount of energy for routes as it does for boulder problems.  However, if you look at the exercises below in the Core and Conditioning Characteristics, no matter the exercise of total weight, the time spent performing the exercise is till the same so the rest period is the same.  The fact is, it does not because the longer the climb and the more cruxes it has, the more we tap into different energy systems to fuel our progress for a longer amount of time on the wall.  Believe me, there could be an entire chapter on energy system and how we use, so there will be in the full book.  For now keep it simple.  My home gym has a bouldering wall that is 15 feet tall and the route wall range from 38 to 54 feet tall.  For the sake of sanity, I assume that comes to an average of 45 feet, or 3 times the height of the bouldering wall, thus, three times the rest period.  This 3-to-1 ratio works well for me because this is the case for pretty all of the gyms in the Mid-Atlantic area, plus most gyms, unlike outdoor routes, have a more consistent difficulty about them.  I have, for the most part, felt equally rested when compared to my boulder training sets.  Please feel free to experiment with your ratio as is appropriate with your average route wall height relative to your average boulder wall height.

In the Campus Characteristic, most of the work we are doing will be on a campus board (providing your gym has one).  However, we need to build up the ability to to pull effectively, and if you can not yet do a pull-up, then to build the strength for that skill as well.  So, we will start by perfecting pulling technique on just a bar using the following hand positions:

Pull-up (knuckles facing)
Cross-grip
Switched Cross-grip
Chin-up (palms facing)
Pull-up

The following exercise selections should be used based on your previous analysis of your ability:

0-4 Pull-ups:
Dead Hang
Flex Hang
90 degree Hang
L-Hang
90 degree L-Hang
Jump to Lowers
Assisted Pull-ups

Week	Sets	Hangs	Hold*	Rest
1	5	4/5	10/10	40 sec.
2	5	6/7	10/10	60 sec.
3	5	8/9	10/10	80 sec.
4	5	10/10	10/10	100 sec.

*Hold the position for 5 seconds, rest for 5 seconds.  Full Rest between each set, or hand position is an additional 10 seconds for every hang in one set.

4-10 Pull-ups:
This really easy.  We need to get you pulling more, and the best way to do that is pull more (duh!). Perform full-range pull-ups from a dead hang with your shoulders still engaged but elbows straight position to a full-flex position with your elbows at your sides and your chin over the bar in a controlled manner (no kipping or kicking).  Once the assigned number of repetitions has been completed, rest for the full amount of time, even if you feel recovered.  This helps to avoid overuse injuries in the shoulder joint.  If you find that you can not complete your chosen difficulty level form the list below, simply move down a level as the sets progress.

Jump to Lowers
Assisted Pull-ups
Pull-ups
L-hang Pull-ups

Week	Sets	Pull-ups	Cadence	Rest
1	5	4/5	Controlled	90 sec.
2	5	6/7	Controlled	120 sec.
3	5	8/9	Controlled	150 sec.
4	5	10/10	Controlled	180 sec.

*Full Rest between each set is now a standardized time for campus training practices.  As the work increases, so does the rest to help avoid overuse injuries.

10+ Pull-ups:
If you can do 10 or more consecutive, full-range pull-ups, congratulations!  You are already ahead of 50% of the climbing population.  But can you do 50 in session?  What about off-set pull-ups or 1/2/4’s?  You can make gains in pull-ups ability without adding any weight just by changing your body position, hand position, cadence, or all three.

Pull-ups
L-hang Pull-ups
1/2/4 Pull-ups (1 sec up, 2 sec hold, 4 sec lower)
Off-set Pull-ups
Frenchies (up, lower to half, up, lower to 3/4, up, lower)
Assisted One-arm Chin-ups
One-arm chin-ups
Weighted Pull-ups (and all others)

Week	Sets	Pull-ups	Cadence	Rest
1	5	4/5	Controlled	90 sec.
2	5	6/7	Controlled	120 sec.
3	5	8/9	Controlled	150 sec.
4	5	10/10	Controlled	180 sec.

*Full Rest between each set is now a standardized time for campus training practices.  As the work increases, so does the rest to help avoid overuse injuries.

If your gym does not have a campus board but you have access to a pull up bar then you can select five (5) of the above levels for each of the Stages.  If you only have a hang board, use five (5) different holds rather than the different hand positions and the same building program for just a pull-up bar.  If this is your first time through, be prudent in your selection of the exercise for your ability level.  There will be plenty of time to build and we want to foster proper technique and control, not struggle and failure.

In the Preparation Stage, we looked at a few exercises that would begin to help us activate various parts of our core.  Now that we can activate our Core effectively, the exercises start to become more active with a larger range of movement and become more intense with a higher number of repetitions.  Below, I have listed four exercises for each sub-characteristic, there will be one exercise from each for the climbing day(s), whether one or two, and a second selection for the day(s) spent doing Conditioning exercises.  These exercises should be used as a warm-up on the training days.

Prone Iso-Abdominal (Planks)
Quadraplex
Cobra
Floor Bridge

Single-leg Balance

     with Arm and Leg Motion*

Single-leg Balance

     Medicine Ball Lift and Chop*

Squat Jump and Hold
Jump and Hold, Sagittal Plane (Forward/Backward)
Jump and Hold, Frontal Plane (Left/Right)
Jump and Hold, Transverse Plane (90 degree rotation)

*Increase difficulty by using the following; a board, a foam pad, DynaDisc, or half foam roll.

Below is an example of four week of the Core workout for the Technique Stage.  Each line in the “Sets” and “Reps” section represents a week.  In the “Cadence” section, the numbers represent the following; 4 = hold the position, 2 = release the position, 1 = reset the position and inhale.  After you inhale do not hold your breath but give a slow exhale to cover hold and release.  Perform one set of exercises for Climbing days and another set for Conditioning days.

Core Workout – Conditioning	Resistance	Sets	Reps	Cadence	Rest
Core Activation: Cobra	Body Weight	1 2 3 3	20 20 15 15	4/2/1	0 sec.
Balance: Single-Leg Balance,Reach Progression	Body Weight	1 2 3 3	20 20 15 15	4/2/1	0 sec,
Plyometrics: Squat Jump and Hold, Sagittal Plane	Body Weight	1 2 3 3	6 6 6 8	4/2/1	60 sec.

In Stage 1a, we tested our cardio capacity by performing a 20-minute exercise at a “Conversational Pace,” or roughly 65% of your maximum heart rate, with a 2-minute walking warm-up and warm-down on either side of the exercise.  For the next four weeks we will be increasing the duration of the workout up to 30 minutes so as to match the duration of future workouts.  As you can see, the warm-up and warm-down time also increases.  If you are participating in two activities (i.e. running and cycling), then perform each activity once a week at the appropriate Target so that they can progress in unison.

Week	Resistance	Cardio Target
1	60-70%	2-min walk, 22-min Target HR, 2-min walk
2		2.5-min walk, 25-min Target HR, 2.5-min walk
3		2.5-min walk, 28-min Target HR, 2.5-min walk
4		3-min walk, 30-min Target HR, 3-min walk

Remember, this is how you find your Target Heart Rate:

220 – (your age) = Maximum [Effective] Heart Rate (Max. HR)

Then,

Max. HR x 0.6 = 60% HR

Max. HR x 0.7 = 70% HR

In the Technique Stage, as with the Climbing Characteristic, we are trying to establish a level of control our body position and movement.  The most important piece for the Conditioning Characteristic to gain this kind of muscular control is the cadence through which we move through these exercises.  Every exercise has three phases, the eccentric phase, the isometric phase, and the concentric phase.  In the eccentric phase, the muscle group being trained is being lengthened, or the weight is going down.  The isometric phase is a stable position where the muscle group being trained is holding position while under load.  The concentric phase is when the muscle group being trained is contracting or exerting force.
The cadence for this Stage is as follows;
Eccentric phase – 4 seconds
Isometric phase – 2 seconds
Concentric phase- 1 second

The second important piece is the surface that we are training.  By increasing the load on synergistic and stabilizing muscle groups outside of the primary muscle group, you will increase total body stabilization.  To achieve this, we can use a variety of unsupported surfaces including Swiss Balls, foam blocks, single leg stances, BOSU Balls, and so on.  While using these pieces of equipment, we need to maintain the same position that we would find if we were using fixed equipment such as benches and walls.  Correct posture for the exercises will directly improve your posture in everyday life.

Notes for the body position for three exercises are detailed below.

Stability Ball Dumbbell Chest Press:
-The shoulders and neck are supported by the ball
-Pelvis pushed upwards to maintain a flat spine and table-top hips
-Knee joint is bent at 90 degrees
-Foreleg meets the floor at 90 degrees
-Feet are shoulder width apart with toes turned slightly outward
-Hands travel in the plane between the nipple and collar bone
-In the lowered (isometric) position, weights are rotated 45 degrees
-Elbows are lower on the body than the hands

Shoulders

Stability Ball YTA:
-The Stability Ball should be placed between the chest and bottom of the ribs to apply little pressure to the abdomen
-Feet are placed hip-width apart
-Legs are maintained in a straight line with the spine
-Focus point is approximately 2-3 feet in front of the ball to maintain a straight neck and head
-Only the arms move through the positions while the trunk remains immobile
-Thumbs should always point up to the sky
-Each position counts as one repetition with a full cadence for each
-Pull from between the shoulder blades

Legs
Stability Ball Wall Squat:
-Ball starts in the mid-lower back and ends in the mid-upper back
-Spine remains flat rather than curving around the ball
-Focus is on a point straight ahead from the standing position to keep the nick in line ad the head back and upright
-The feet are placed hip-width apart with the toes turned slightly out
-The knees should track in line with the hips and second toe of the foot
-In the lowered (isometric) position, the hip movement should stop just passed a 90 degree bend
-The knees should stop just passed a 90 degree bend
-The foreleg should be perpendicular to the ground