training
Effects of 2 vs 4 Weekly Campus Board Training Sessions (Stien et al, 2021)
Key Take Aways
✅ No injuries occurred during the 5 weeks
✅ CB is an effective training tool for improving climbing performance (Effect Size=1.42, very strong)
✅ Shorter CB sessions improved contact strength
✅ Longer sessions improved bouldering performance and endurance
✅ Specificity of training (e.g. if you train endurance, you’ll gain endurance; if you train power, you’ll gain power)
Population
Male climbers at least 7a+ redpoint
Summary
The campus board (CB) is ubiquitous in the gym but little is known about its quantitative effects on climbing
A random controlled trial compared 2 different 5 week CB frequency protocols on:
✅ Boulder performance
✅ Rate of force development (RFD=contact strength)
✅ Pull up strength in high level climbers (red point grade 5.12a)
3 Groups
➡️ Control: usual climbing (no CB)
➡️ 2x/ wk CB group (TG2)
➡️ 4x/ wk CB group (TG4)
🔥 Both TG2 and TG4 groups training volumes were equal; TG4 did not campus 2x as much as TG2. TG2 sessions were longer and TG4 sessions shorter
CB Training Protocol
🔥1-4-7-10: Start with both hands on rung 1. Pull through each move and match hands on rung number 10
🔥 Ladder: Keep one hand on the start rung and move the other hand up one rung at the time until max reach and reverse until the hands are matched on rung 1
🔥 1-2-3: Move 75% of max reach with one hand, then pull through as far as possible with the other hand. Follow with the first hand and match the top
🔥 10 RM: Perform 10 consecutive moves of self-selected length so that the 10th move is near exhaustion
Results
☑️ TG2 improved boulder performance
☑️ TG4 improved RFD
☑️ When TG2 and TG4 results were combined, CB training improved:
👉Bouldering performance
👉Max pull-up strength
👉RFD
👉Max reach
👉# of moves to failure
➡️ This was a very complex study with many details not include. The low # of participants (N=16) made statistics difficult, making interpretation/ application of those results difficult
Citation
Stien N, Pedersen H, Vereide VA, Saeterbakken AH, Hermans E, Kalland J, Schoenfeld BJ, Andersen V. Effects of 2 vs 4 Weekly Campus Board Training Sessions on Bouldering Performance and Climbing-Specific Tests in Advanced and Elite Climbers. J Sports Sci Med. 2021 May 25;20(3):438-447
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