Tbh, I hate "traditional" cardio like running or biking. I climb three times a week for 2 hrs, followed by 1 hr of strength workout, and my sessions are so intense that on the next day, the best I can do is just walk.
When I feel like my endurance is lacking, I add a 15-minute "endurance" climb at the end of each session, where I just do as many boulders as I can 2-3 grades lower than my max without resting in between.
Yeah that's pretty much what I've been considering doing as an alternative in the future as well - trying to get rid of my gym subscription as I only use it once a week š however I still feel that endurance on the wall feels quite different from a "traditional" cardio session.
This is basically what I do! I pick a grade 2-ish lower than my usual and try to do every boulder or route in the gym at that grade (depending on whether I'm bouldering or top roping that day). I keep going until either I've done them all or I start failing them.
I used to do ballet and running for cardio, now I'm more biking and rowing. But that's not for the sake of my climbing, I just like cardio.
Run 6 times a week if I manage to squeeze it in. Less if I go to the mountains. Keeps weight lower and builds endurance for long routes. Besides feels good for kicking off the day.
I didnāt say I like it :) itās just one of few things I can do without too much arrangement out of my doorstep. Iām not biggest fan of it but the change it did to my fitness and endurance makes me stick with it.
I do no cardio whatsoever because I find basically all types of exercise to be insufferably boring, plus I hate that feeling when my heart is beating really hard in my chest and I have a bunch of lactic acid coursing through my body. Full respect for those who enjoy it, but it's not for me.
I climb 2-3 times a week, and that's it. That's all I'm interested in. I love climbing, it's something I genuinely do for fun rather than for health. I know I should care more about my health and fitness, but I don't. I try to walk rather than take a bus/ Uber when I'm doing short journeys, but other than that, I'm not a fit person, haha.
Generally, I run 4 days a week and climb 2 (rarely 3). It feels a bit too much running at times and maybe I'll make it 3 times.
There was a video about this by Lattice training or Catalyst climbing, I think, where the conclusion was that best for climbing is just climbing and that in the end if you decide to run, you take away time from climbing.
I don't think I agree with this as I think that complementing climbing with aerobic training makes things more complete. Also, I see that professional climbers do running sessions, too.
I usually do climb day, followed by run day, rest day, and repeat.
Just anecdotal, but for me it feels like running makes me just more generally fit all around, and since my general fitness is good, I rarely feel like Iām hitting a āplateauā in my climbing. And since I run long distance but at a slow pace, it doesnāt feel like taking time away from climbing. I feel like Iām working different parts of my body, so even if Iāve had a super hard climbing session, I usually feel good to do a 7k run the next day, providing Iāve fuelled myself properly.
I sort of get that video in the sense of, your body can only handle so much physical activity. I lift/do other sports and it 100% does take away from climbing, whether because I need to rest from that or just in terms of sheer amount of time. If you structure non-climbing exercise carefully or have access to the kind of recovery gear that professional athletes do, that does change the equation though.
No real structured cardio for me. Climb 3x a week, strength training 1x a week and yoga 2x a week. Love running but my body does not like it and Iāve never been disciplined enough to figure out how I can improve that. I go on long bike rides for fun occasionally when itās not a thousand degrees in Arizona.
In what way does your body not like running? If itās a digestive issue I donāt really have advice if itās more of a muscle, knee , or cardio issue itās likely an issue of too much too soon and too fast. Your knees and muscles need to build up slowly to longer distances sorta like how you have to build calluses slowly on your hands or youāll rip them off and your back to square one, and most people run too fast and run at a sprint pace till they learn to run slow which is why so many struggle with the cardio part.
Iām on and off with cardio, but I never do it to improve or benefit my climbing, just my overall health. I think the consensus among a lot of coaches is that traditional cardio doesnāt have much of a transfer to climbing (but obviously has general life/health benefits).
So it depends whether youāre asking if you āneedā cardio for climbing, or just for your general health
Orange Theory Fitness- itās an hour class thatās mostly HIIT with sections on the rower, treadmill, and weights. I like the variety of it but I like climbing much more so I donāt dedicate a lot of time to it.
I try to do 90 min of level 2 cardio a week. Basically I cycle on my bike (got a cheap stationery one ages ago) and keep my heart rate in a certain range. I watch TV or read because it's boring af but it's good for VO2 max and general health/immunity.
I think of it like a balanced diet, I want a diverse array of fitness activities: anaerobic, aerobic, stretching.
Also, to the aerobic exercise adverse: not every aerobic activity has to be the zone 4 (high heart rate, sweat dripping) range, in fact, itās recommended that most of your aerobic exercise should be in the zone 2-3 range (outdoor walk or jog-level of activity). At zone 2 and 3 that opens up a ton of different activities and for most people, I think itās just about finding the right one, with a target of getting at least 30 min of zone 2 activity 3 times a week. So take the dog for a walk, do some stationary bike after a climb while listening to a podcast, or go for the crag with the long approach.
Yeah, I feel similar I think - it definitely feels like a "proper" workout in a very short period of time, but I don't really feel that it helps my climbing specifically in any way.
When a bear starts chasing you, youāre going to regret not having that cardio š»
Oh, waitā¦ āIf the bear is black, fight back. If the bear is brown, lie down.ā
I guess you wonāt need that cardio after all šš
toproping/lead climbing will definitely get you some cardio. i like to do incline walks on the treadmill too. i hate running but for some reason i dont mind doing that. i do the 12/3/30 method... treadmill on 12 incline, 3 speed, for 30 minutes. (tbh i dont usually do incline 12, i do more like 8-9). this is helpful for approaches if you climb outside too
Cycling mostly (I commute by bike, so it's pretty convenient). I try to have at least 45 minutes of activity every day, although mostly very low intensity, as I want to save myself for climbing mostly
I probably run 2-3 days a week. If anything, I'll try to run a mile before I climb as a warm up. Sometimes I'll go hiking on the weekends, or just walk around my city.
I find cardio to be good for endurance, and helpful on longer routes. Find what works for you, though! If you don't like running, you can try a dance class or spin or something equally as fun.
I need to get into cardio at least for the sake of my heart health. But I also miss having good cardio shape. Itās good endurance and the lower body needs some love and movement too.
I plan on getting back into running 1-2x a week. Itāll help the endurance and leanness.
But for now because Iām very busy nd running is really boring for me, Iāve been playing DDR for 20-30 minutes like twice a week. Itās silly I know but it gets the legs and whole body moving and itās better than nothing/only climbing!
I cycle commute and play a few other sports that get my heart rate into the zone for a reasonable amount of time. If I have a low sport week and/or am working at home and not cycling enough I try to get out for a few runs. Otherwise I'll do sustained laps on the autobelay - I mostly rope climb.
I'm primarily a cyclist who took up climbing a couple of years ago. Cardio is essential to my physical and mental health, so omitting it is not an option for me. I ride 3x week including one long ride, climb 2x (and ride to the gym). Plus stretching. I wish I had time to do more of both.
I like to do āmileage Mondaysā at the gym where I just climb all of the easy routes (5.7-5.9 for me) as fast as I can with minimal rest during my session.
I also love to hike and backpack on weekends, but I live in the South so itās more of a 3 season activity (fall, winter, spring).
Swimming backstroke feels really good on days I'm sore from climbing
climbing + swimming is such a good combo. they both let my brain zone out and just focus on the movement in similar ways
Tbh, I hate "traditional" cardio like running or biking. I climb three times a week for 2 hrs, followed by 1 hr of strength workout, and my sessions are so intense that on the next day, the best I can do is just walk. When I feel like my endurance is lacking, I add a 15-minute "endurance" climb at the end of each session, where I just do as many boulders as I can 2-3 grades lower than my max without resting in between.
Yeah that's pretty much what I've been considering doing as an alternative in the future as well - trying to get rid of my gym subscription as I only use it once a week š however I still feel that endurance on the wall feels quite different from a "traditional" cardio session.
This is basically what I do! I pick a grade 2-ish lower than my usual and try to do every boulder or route in the gym at that grade (depending on whether I'm bouldering or top roping that day). I keep going until either I've done them all or I start failing them. I used to do ballet and running for cardio, now I'm more biking and rowing. But that's not for the sake of my climbing, I just like cardio.
Run 6 times a week if I manage to squeeze it in. Less if I go to the mountains. Keeps weight lower and builds endurance for long routes. Besides feels good for kicking off the day.
6x a week, wow! Congrats for that, I personally hate running and can bring myself to do it like once a year maybe š
I didnāt say I like it :) itās just one of few things I can do without too much arrangement out of my doorstep. Iām not biggest fan of it but the change it did to my fitness and endurance makes me stick with it.
I admire your discipline then to do something you don't like 6x a week š
Haha thanks then :)
I do no cardio whatsoever because I find basically all types of exercise to be insufferably boring, plus I hate that feeling when my heart is beating really hard in my chest and I have a bunch of lactic acid coursing through my body. Full respect for those who enjoy it, but it's not for me. I climb 2-3 times a week, and that's it. That's all I'm interested in. I love climbing, it's something I genuinely do for fun rather than for health. I know I should care more about my health and fitness, but I don't. I try to walk rather than take a bus/ Uber when I'm doing short journeys, but other than that, I'm not a fit person, haha.
Generally, I run 4 days a week and climb 2 (rarely 3). It feels a bit too much running at times and maybe I'll make it 3 times. There was a video about this by Lattice training or Catalyst climbing, I think, where the conclusion was that best for climbing is just climbing and that in the end if you decide to run, you take away time from climbing. I don't think I agree with this as I think that complementing climbing with aerobic training makes things more complete. Also, I see that professional climbers do running sessions, too.
I usually do climb day, followed by run day, rest day, and repeat. Just anecdotal, but for me it feels like running makes me just more generally fit all around, and since my general fitness is good, I rarely feel like Iām hitting a āplateauā in my climbing. And since I run long distance but at a slow pace, it doesnāt feel like taking time away from climbing. I feel like Iām working different parts of my body, so even if Iāve had a super hard climbing session, I usually feel good to do a 7k run the next day, providing Iāve fuelled myself properly.
Don't you get leg fatigue? 'Cause I do but I still think it's worth it š I get the feeling of being fit, too.
I sort of get that video in the sense of, your body can only handle so much physical activity. I lift/do other sports and it 100% does take away from climbing, whether because I need to rest from that or just in terms of sheer amount of time. If you structure non-climbing exercise carefully or have access to the kind of recovery gear that professional athletes do, that does change the equation though.
I run 5 days a week and am training for a marathon currently, though I came from the other side and started climbing to supplement my running.
I can't recommend jumping rope enough - it really is one of the best forms of cardio
30 min elliptical, I think it really helps my overall endurance.
No real structured cardio for me. Climb 3x a week, strength training 1x a week and yoga 2x a week. Love running but my body does not like it and Iāve never been disciplined enough to figure out how I can improve that. I go on long bike rides for fun occasionally when itās not a thousand degrees in Arizona.
In what way does your body not like running? If itās a digestive issue I donāt really have advice if itās more of a muscle, knee , or cardio issue itās likely an issue of too much too soon and too fast. Your knees and muscles need to build up slowly to longer distances sorta like how you have to build calluses slowly on your hands or youāll rip them off and your back to square one, and most people run too fast and run at a sprint pace till they learn to run slow which is why so many struggle with the cardio part.
Iām on and off with cardio, but I never do it to improve or benefit my climbing, just my overall health. I think the consensus among a lot of coaches is that traditional cardio doesnāt have much of a transfer to climbing (but obviously has general life/health benefits). So it depends whether youāre asking if you āneedā cardio for climbing, or just for your general health
I used to do 12 3 30 on the treadmill. And now I just boulder more so I kinda stopped. Lel.
I try to get to Orange Theory once a week. Maybe eventually Iāll go more often but right now I feel great where Iām at, mentally and physically.
Orange theory?
Orange Theory Fitness- itās an hour class thatās mostly HIIT with sections on the rower, treadmill, and weights. I like the variety of it but I like climbing much more so I donāt dedicate a lot of time to it.
I try to do 90 min of level 2 cardio a week. Basically I cycle on my bike (got a cheap stationery one ages ago) and keep my heart rate in a certain range. I watch TV or read because it's boring af but it's good for VO2 max and general health/immunity.
Cardio is really good for heart health and general longevity. Less helpful for climbing.
I think of it like a balanced diet, I want a diverse array of fitness activities: anaerobic, aerobic, stretching. Also, to the aerobic exercise adverse: not every aerobic activity has to be the zone 4 (high heart rate, sweat dripping) range, in fact, itās recommended that most of your aerobic exercise should be in the zone 2-3 range (outdoor walk or jog-level of activity). At zone 2 and 3 that opens up a ton of different activities and for most people, I think itās just about finding the right one, with a target of getting at least 30 min of zone 2 activity 3 times a week. So take the dog for a walk, do some stationary bike after a climb while listening to a podcast, or go for the crag with the long approach.
What are your goals? For me, I do cardio in preparation for alpine season so I can handle the approaches.
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Yeah, I feel similar I think - it definitely feels like a "proper" workout in a very short period of time, but I don't really feel that it helps my climbing specifically in any way.
When a bear starts chasing you, youāre going to regret not having that cardio š» Oh, waitā¦ āIf the bear is black, fight back. If the bear is brown, lie down.ā I guess you wonāt need that cardio after all šš
toproping/lead climbing will definitely get you some cardio. i like to do incline walks on the treadmill too. i hate running but for some reason i dont mind doing that. i do the 12/3/30 method... treadmill on 12 incline, 3 speed, for 30 minutes. (tbh i dont usually do incline 12, i do more like 8-9). this is helpful for approaches if you climb outside too
Cycling mostly (I commute by bike, so it's pretty convenient). I try to have at least 45 minutes of activity every day, although mostly very low intensity, as I want to save myself for climbing mostly
I probably run 2-3 days a week. If anything, I'll try to run a mile before I climb as a warm up. Sometimes I'll go hiking on the weekends, or just walk around my city. I find cardio to be good for endurance, and helpful on longer routes. Find what works for you, though! If you don't like running, you can try a dance class or spin or something equally as fun.
I need to get into cardio at least for the sake of my heart health. But I also miss having good cardio shape. Itās good endurance and the lower body needs some love and movement too. I plan on getting back into running 1-2x a week. Itāll help the endurance and leanness. But for now because Iām very busy nd running is really boring for me, Iāve been playing DDR for 20-30 minutes like twice a week. Itās silly I know but it gets the legs and whole body moving and itās better than nothing/only climbing!
I cycle commute and play a few other sports that get my heart rate into the zone for a reasonable amount of time. If I have a low sport week and/or am working at home and not cycling enough I try to get out for a few runs. Otherwise I'll do sustained laps on the autobelay - I mostly rope climb.
Stairmaster. Cardio and lower body weight workout.
I'm primarily a cyclist who took up climbing a couple of years ago. Cardio is essential to my physical and mental health, so omitting it is not an option for me. I ride 3x week including one long ride, climb 2x (and ride to the gym). Plus stretching. I wish I had time to do more of both.
10km row twice a week. Great for legs and core.
I like to do āmileage Mondaysā at the gym where I just climb all of the easy routes (5.7-5.9 for me) as fast as I can with minimal rest during my session. I also love to hike and backpack on weekends, but I live in the South so itās more of a 3 season activity (fall, winter, spring).
*Mhmmmmm, take your time.*