Workouts: Week 3

Day 1: Rings

Middle Finger feels fine. I’m not testing it’s strength. But it doesn’t hurt. My ring finger still hurts. I’ve added stretching back into the mix and the trainer showed me a few ways to tape my fingers and wrist. They worked. And were definitely interesting.

There's three different styles of tape jobs here. combined, that finger was completely immobile.

Since I couldn’t climb, I did one of my favorite home workouts… condensed. I hung my EXF rings from the jugs of my Metolius Simulator (the model i own, isn't sold anymore.). All of these exercises are at body weight, unless otherwise specified. Also, a quick note, these aren’t specifically for climbing. I coach Pole Vault at a local high school and college. These workouts are similar to what I have the athletes do.

(This is what the setup looks like.)

Rings

1x8 Pushups

1x8 Hi-Lows

1x8 Archers

1x8 Lay outs (started on my feet, dropped to my knees for last four.)

1x8 Pec Flys (knees… I’m out of shape.)

1x8 Rows (wide)

1x8 Rows (close)

1x8 Dips (died at 6: did not properly finish the last two.)

The rest between each was about 15 sec. or however long it took to adjust the rings.

Core Routine

1x24 Suitcases

1x24 Russian Twists

1x16 V-ups

1x16 Baby ups

No rest between sets (Later I realized I messed up, it was supposed to be 1x32 on the suitcases and Russian twists)

Back Routine

2x20 Opposite arm opposite leg (on stomach)

1x20 leg lift (on stomach)

1x20 Torso Lift (on stomach)

1x20 Superman (on stomach)

No rest between these first four exercises.

1x8 Wide Grip Pull ups

1x8 Narrow grip Pulls ups

1x8 Typewriters Pull Ups

1x8 Pike Pull Ups

Rest between pull ups was about 30 seconds.

At this point, hypertrophy was making it difficult to move through range of motion. I finished with my shoulder series. The whole routine is done twice, resting only between the end of the first complete series and the start of the second. I use these as a type of maintenance to keep the tendons and small muscles in my shoulders strong. I learned this for pole vaulting, but the benefits for climbers would be similar. Weight should be light. For people just starting out, and placing this at the end of the workout, I’d recommend between 5-10 lbs in each hand. I typically don’t do more than 15 lbs.

1x8 Side Shoulder Raise (both arms, same time.)

1x8 Front Shoulder Raise (alternating)

1x8 Heavy Hand Bicep curls (alternating)

1x8 Military Press (both arms, same time)

1x8 Tricep press (alternating, above head)

1x8 Finger rolls (same time)

1x8 Wrist flexion (same time)

1x8 Back Flys (same time)

1x8 Front-Back Flys (same time)

I’ll try to do a video of these exercises to show what it is exactly I’m doing, so if you’re interested you can throw them into your routine. :)

This is the point you set the weights down and rest… 2-3 minutes. Do the whole shoulder routine again. If it’s not burning at the end, focus on your form. Don’t swing the weights. Control every motion. If it’s still not burning, you need more sets and reps.

After all this, I collapsed. Drained. That took 30-40 minutes. 6 months ago I would have done the workout wearing a 15 lbs vest after a climbing session. The reps and sets would have been higher (2-3x12-15) and it would have included a finger board workout to make a solid 1 hour of training after climbing.

But enough whining about what was. I grabbed a bite to eat, iced my wrist and fingers (which didn’t hurt during this.), showered, and now my muscles are shaking like they’ve been woken up from a coma.

Day 2: We’ll keep this one short.

I can do jugs and slopers. I can use the finger. Open handed hang is a no go. Today’s workout was the same as Day 1 of this week. But I changed up the order.

Pull up and back series.

Core Routine

Rings

Shoulders

This workout went a lot better. I didn’t feel like a bunch of midgets beat me up in a dark alley. My recovery of the following couple days was a lot faster and I was able to do the whole thing with some confidence (less shaking. I’ll do a post sometime on Neurological training).

Goodnight. Expect a post on nutrition and weight goals soon.

Day 3: Dag Nabbit!

Friday totally snuck by me. It’s not a “I didn’t feel like working out.” It was a “oh crap, I was supposed to work out and forgot and it’s 5am and how is it 5 am?! I need to go to bed.” Kind of thing. I did work out with the college kids. Did some high bar stuff (Bubka’s, windshield wipers, swing drills, pull ups.) but my finger felt super sore so I spent most of the rest of practice coaching (without actually doing the workouts too…) and stretching my finger. So yeah. I apologize (to myself, my lack of exercise doesn’t effect you.) for skipping a workout and opportunity to improve.

However, NOT using my finger after it told me that it was sore was a good thing. It’s been two days since and I realize… I’m using my finger without issue (except when playing guitar). The stretching really seemed to help work it out and make it feel better. So I’ll be keeping that up and hopefully I can start getting back on the wall soon. We’ll see what the (doctor required) Physical Therapist says when I see her on Thursday. I hope it’s the same PT who helped me with my Achilles. She was amazing. She had me back and sprinting in 2 months of two tears in my Achilles. (I wasn’t sprinting well… but I was sprinting.).

Peace, children. Or adults. Or whoever reads this. :)

Oh! What do you think about doing the exercise videos? Does that interest you? Would you like me to post the videos for how to do each exercise?

James

Workouts: Week 2

Day 1: Lets try Pyramids again

I realized I was doing the pyramid workout wrong. Last week, I tried to do 4xV2’s,3xV3’s,2xV4’s,1Xv5,2xV4’s,3xV3’s,4xV2’s. But after going through the book where I got this workout (The Self Coached climber), apparently, I was over zealous; not giving myself enough rest and adding to many problems to the routine.

The correct pyramid workout was 4xV2’s, 2xV3’s, 1xV4, 1xV5, 1xV4, 2xV3’s, 4xV2’s. The rest is whatever I need to not get pumped.

I climbed with a friend for part of the session. The 2’s and 3’s were fine. Even the V4 was good. But I still think I rushed my rests. Because the V5 tore me to pieces. I was 1 more from finishing and definitely let myself take too many attempts at it. I just wanted it so bad.

This made the next V4 extremely difficult. I couldn’t finish it. Tried a few times, but knew anymore work would make it hard to do the rest of the workout. The V3’s were also very rough. I had wasted a lot of energy making this part that much harder. The Last v2’s all pushed me mentally as I struggled to keep myself going. My last two were so hard, I felt my grip loosen and I was certain I was going to peel off at the top.

I didn’t. I felt good about the work out. Much better than last week. Even now my hands and forearms are mad at me.

I will say this. I hate climbing when the gym is packed. But in that sea of faces are some really amazing friends. Climbers whom I’ve spent time with and gotten to know. Their support during this rebuilding and healing phase has been monumental. So, though they probably won’t read this: Thanks to all of you.

Day 2: Pop, Pop, Pop.

I postponed the workout form Wednesday. I was super ripped to pieces and need an extra day to recover. Plus I had been wet from work for about 6 hours. And the snow started to fall. I called it a night and went to bed.

I went back tonight, feeling better. I was ready to tackle the 4x4 workout. I arrived and began warming up. Felt great. About half way through, I was on a crimp. No big deal. Until I tried to adjust my hand, slipped. It’s that classic moment of not letting go.

I rotated, still on the crimp. And heard a quick pop, pop, pop from my wrist.

Fuck! Seriously?!? I just felt good about my right hand… now my left might be messed up? I did finish the route. It didn’t hurt. So I thought, maybe it was nothing.

A few minutes later… I couldn’t put any pressure on it. I could make a fist. Couldn’t squeeze. I iced it for 20 minutes. Lost feeling. Explained the concept of icing to a couple climbers. They were all cool about the wrist and shared stories about injuries. It was fun hanging out with the guys throttling the hardest routes in the gym.. it’s the group I figured I’d be climbing with by now. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. So, it’s back to resting.

I’ll see a doctor. I’ll let you know how it goes. Prediction for day 3: Moping… or maybe I’ll do some photography. There’s a few of those climbers that would be fun to shoot.

Day 3: Moping.

No, not really. And this is a bit late. So I’ll recap. Friday was the nicest day we’ve had so far in 2012. And I spent it in urgent care waiting to see a doctor.

I’m not entirely sure why I felt this was necessary. The doctor’s are too rushed to care, and honestly, I give better prognoses than they do (cocky much? Well… not when it’s true.)

So, I felt it was a strained/hyperextension of two tendons. 2 hours in a waiting room and then 40 minutes in a check up room… the doctor finally arrives and sees me for about 3 minutes. Max. “Ice and Tylenol.” That’s it? I know that. I paid money and close to 3 hours of a beautiful day to hear what I was already doing? So glad you spent ten years of your life in medical school.

Now, the pain has already diminished considerably. I have full range of motion. Mostly it’s an acute soreness. I’ve been wearing a brace, not because it really immobilizes it. But it reminds me not to use it.