GOAL TWO: Improve agility.

Most climbers know that the off-season is a good time to work on stretching and building grip strength, but few implement a plan for learning to move more fluidly over the wall. Climber Eric Hörst, author of several rock-jock books, including the popular Training For Climbing, recommends that climbers of all levels deploy maximum brainpower during indoor workouts. “The hallmark of all great climbers is economic movement,” he says. “It’s a chess game of sorts, and we should be working toward climbing more intelligently.” To that end, here are two of Hörst’s favorite drills for honing your mental game, improving your technique and building stamina. 

• Tennis ball drill. Get on top rope and choose an easy climb with big holds. Holding a tennis ball in each hand, attempt to climb the route. Since you won’t be able to grip, you’ll hook your hands around the holds and focus on your legs. Let them push you up. In this drill, the hands are for balance. You’ll feel the righteous burn in your legs and abdominal muscles as they stabilize your body.
  
• Light-touch climb-downs. Climb a gym route, gripping each handhold as lightly as possible. Each time you grab on, release your grip to the point where you almost let go. If you fall, that’s fine. The goal is to develop a more economic way of moving over the rock. Once you get to the top, climb back down the same route instead of belaying. By reversing the climb and following the same holds back to the floor, you force yourself to mentally engage the route and focus on foot placement. You’ll be a little tired, so you’ll automatically try to descend quicker without wasting energy.

As with all indoor climbing regimens, the goal is the same. Use your mind—and your imagination—to train your body. Doing what has worked before may keep you fit, but it won’t make you better. When you’re waiting for that first big blast of spring, make the most of your time indoors. When you finally take it outside, you’ll enter a whole new world of climbing

Story by Megan Miller

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