If you are a student climber, and you have a coach, you probably wouldn’t think of setting your own training goals, or training plans.

Yet, as a coach, I can tell you honestly that most of the time, my concerns are that of the overall group dynamics – making sure everyone gets in a certain volume of climbing, learn the all-important belaying skills, and improve everyone’s techniques and strength as much as possible. However, what I find very hard, is to set personal training programmes for everyone.  But, a personal training plan IS the most effective way to train.

For example, I don’t train slopers, because I’m that good at it.  But when it comes to crimps, I whinge like a little girl sometimes (ok, all the time)!  I’m also more of an endurance animal, and I suck at powerful movements.  My cure – more bouldering, and fingerboard work.  My PT exercises are done more dynamically, and I focus on high intensity low volume, more than the other way around.

SO, in case you think the National Library Board doesn’t care about climbers, I will like to assure you that they do.  Below are some titles and their call numbers, go seek them!  (a note of caution – there is such a thing as information overload.  The bottomline is – The fastest way to improve, is to target your weakness.  Use the advice and exercises to cure your sickness (weakness is a sickness btw), and do more of what you are poor at.)

And my guess is, someone on the NLB is a climber too!

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Note – there are lots and lots of climbing/training literature out there.  What is listed here is inexhuastive, and recommended because I personally find them useful.  Those who knows some secret training manual please share with us in the comments section.

Conditioning for climbers : the complete exercise guide / Eric J. Horst

Call number – English 796.5223

Description – Very similar to his earlier book, Training for climbing

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Training for climbing : the definitive guide to improving your climbing performance / Eric J. Hörst

Call number - English 796.5223

Description – Useful.  Used to be Jay’s training bible… I’m just saying…

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Building your own indoor climbing wall / Ramsay Thomas

Call number – English 796.5224

Description – If it comes to this point, and you need a training facility at home…  O_o

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Performance rock climbing / Dale Goddard and Udo Neumann

Call number - English 796.525 GOD

Description - Published in 1994, was a breakthrough in its time, and still relevant today

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Climbing free : my life in the vertical world / Lynn Hill with Greg Child

Call number – English 796.522092 HIL

Description – The woman who changed the face of climbing.  First woman to onsight 8a, to free-climb the Nose, and to go back and finish it in a day.  There was a climbing competition where the men and women were doing the same route in the finals, and she was the only one to finish the route, man or woman.  A must-read for all the climbing ladies, and infinitely more inspiring than Sharma, Dave or Adam.

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The Rock Warrior’s Way: Mental Training for Climbers

Not available from the library, but worth a read especially for those who always own others during training, but gets owned during competition.  The mental element plays a much bigger role in competition than during training or climbing outdoors.

Call number – BegBorrowSteal

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