Training for Climbing: Fingerboard, Bachar Ladder and Campus Boards

Right then. The clocks have changed and now there is just not enough daylight after work to hit the crags ( at least not without floodlight technology! We tried this week and i ended having to top out a route in the pitch black!!). And instantly my mindset changes into winter training mode. Without any consious thought process I find myself wanting to train. Regular, recorded and with sufficient rest training baby! Last year marked my most successful training (first?) winter ever. I didn´t do anything very impressive, i just made a commitment to do SOMETHING regularly and stay injury free till spring. The results speak for themselves. I managed 20 routes 7c or harder and 10 8a´s this year. Now lets get this clear, I´m no Eddie Barbour or Ricky Bell or Al Sarhan :o)! I´m weak and lanky. I´m not ripped. And these kinds of grades were always out of my reach. This winter, spured on by this years success i want to continue to train and see more improvements. Living in Spain has resulted in some differences though. Firstly there are NO climbing walls within 40mins drive! None. So any and all training has to be done at home. Secondly and more importantly i have access to quality sports climbing each and every weekend! Projects i hear you say!

Now, we have a Bachar ladder already set up out in the back garden and it´s showing up my basic power weakness. Arms. Guns. Biceps (or lack thereof!). But it´s not working the fingers. Que payday. I´ve decided to bring on the Beastmaker 2000 AND build a campus board. I think finally after what must be a 7 year break i´m at a level in my climbing where i can use a board again and see some positive results without aches and pains. Bring it on! I'll post about the building and design and any training as and when it happens.

During my psyche scavanging forrays on the interweb i came across these... learn and enjoy!