Pro Climber vs PT Debate Good/Bad Climbing Advice | Hype vs Reality Pt. 3
Hooper’s Beta Ep. 163
Introduction
Welcome to another episode of Hype versus Reality, where we rank popular climbing topics as underrated or overrated and discuss the evidence behind them.
1. Block Pulls vs. Hangs for Finger Training
Jason’s Perspective: Underrated / Preferable
Preference: Prefers Block Pulls.
Accessibility: They have a lower barrier to entry and feel safer for beginners nervous about hanging their full body weight.
Convenience: Easier to progress (can add small weights like 5 lbs) and does not require setting up a cumbersome counterweight system.
Focus: Allows the athlete to pay closer attention to grip type and finger loading without the distraction of shoulder engagement nuances required in hanging.
Dan’s Perspective: Block Pulls are Overrated / Hangs are Underrated
Preference: Sees unique value in Fingerboards.
Specificity: Fingerboards offer "secondary specificity." They teach beginners how to engage upper body musculature, set their plumb line, and engage holds in a more realistic climbing scenario.
Stability: Fixed apparatuses (fingerboards) are generally better for raw strength building compared to unstable devices.
Trend: Believes block lifts are excellent, but the recent enthusiasm for them has caused people to forget the proven effectiveness of standard hangboards.
Category Summary:
While both training methods have significant merits, the hosts debate the utility of lifting weights off the floor (Block Pulls) versus hanging from a fingerboard (Hangs). The consensus is that block pulls offer a lower barrier to entry, while fingerboards offer better climbing specificity.
2. ARC Training
Dan’s Perspective: Overrated
Definition Issues: The term is inconsistent, but generally refers to staying on the wall for 10+ minutes at a conversational intensity without getting pumped.
Physiology: Climbing is not primarily a cardiovascularly limited sport. It is limited by local metabolic resilience under repeated ischemia (blood flow restriction) and high tension.
Effectiveness: Very long, easy climbing is metabolically too different from hard climbing to carry over effectively. It is not the "best bang for your buck" activity it is often touted to be.
Jason’s Perspective: Overrated
Beginners: It can be useful for beginners to build a base.
Running Comparison: The concept seems ported over from distance running, where high volume at low intensity works well. However, this does not translate perfectly to climbing due to the specific muscular limitations of the sport.
Category Summary:
ARC (Aerobic Restoration and Capillarity) training is generally defined as long-duration, low-intensity climbing to build aerobic capacity. The hosts lean toward it being Overrated, particularly regarding how the mechanism of fatigue works in climbing versus running.
3. Running for Climbers
Jason’s Perspective: Overrated
Nuance: Considers it "Overrated" only if people expect it to raise their climbing grade significantly.
Benefits: It is excellent for climbers with low overall cardiovascular capacity. He never discourages it and does it himself.
Dan’s Perspective: Underrated
Reversal: Historically a "running hater," he now views it as "Underrated" because the climbing community often claims it is useless.
Physiological Benefits: A strong cardio base improves Heart Rate Variability (HRV), stress/fatigue resilience, and the clearing of local metabolites.
Psychology: May help with on-wall recovery and staying calm under stress.
Conclusion: It won't revolutionize your climbing, but it provides a non-negligible benefit if you have the time.
Category Summary:
The verdict leans toward Underrated, mostly because the community tends to dismiss it entirely, though it shouldn't be expected to directly increase climbing grades.
4. Downsizing Climbing Shoes
Jason’s Perspective: Overrated
Beginners: Newer climbers should prioritize comfort to enjoy the sport. Painful shoes are not required to advance through early grades.
Progression: Downsizing can happen slowly over time, but extreme downsizing is rarely the "make or break" factor for performance.
Dan’s Perspective: Overrated
Magnitude: Shoes should be snug with toes pressed against the front, but "plastic bag and hydraulic press" tight is excessive.
Use Case: Extreme tightness only makes a difference on elite-level, tiny edging or specific heel hooks/under-clings. For gym climbing, comfort is superior.
Category Summary:
Painful downsizing is unnecessary for the vast majority of climbing contexts.
5. Overcoming vs. Yielding Isometrics
Dan’s Perspective: Overrated
Scientific Validity: The definitions are often inconsistent, and there is little research confirming one is vastly superior to the other.
Specificity: Climbing is almost exclusively "yielding."
Caution: People let these terms dictate their training style too rigidly. While interesting, worrying about the distinction yields diminishing returns.
Jason’s Perspective: Underrated
Rehab & Psychology: Finds "Overcoming" isometrics underrated for rehab. Injured climbers often fear hanging (yielding) on small edges.
Application: Overcoming isometrics (pulling against a static bar/block) feels safer and allows for better auto-regulation of force. Using overcoming for small edges and yielding for heavy loads creates a well-rounded program.
Category Summary:
This refers to two types of static contractions: Yielding (resisting a weight that is trying to open your hand, like a hang) and Overcoming (pulling against an immovable object). The verdict is underrated conceptually, as using both tools can be highly effective, but overrated based on the claims that are being made about them.
6. Strict Rep Ranges
Dan’s Perspective: Overrated
Plateaus: Strict ranges cause plateaus because athletes feel they cannot adjust duration to progress.
Flexibility: Duration and reps are the most adjustable "dials" in training. Fitness adaptations occur across broad ranges; 12 reps is not significantly different from 16 reps physiologically.
Jason’s Perspective: Overrated
Rehab Context: Physical therapists often only prescribe "3 sets of 10," causing patients to get stuck.
Relative Intensity: The feeling of effort (e.g., having 2 reps in reserve) is more important than the exact number. Athletes should feel free to increase weight and lower reps rather than sticking to a rigid number.
Category Summary:
The belief that you must hit a specific number of repetitions (e.g., exactly 5 reps or 10 seconds) to get results is Overrated.
7. Climbing Drills (Hovers, 1-Arm Timing, etc.)
Jason’s Perspective: Underrated
Utilization: These are severely underutilized outside of youth teams and coached settings. Not doing them puts self-taught climbers at a disadvantage.
Dan’s Perspective: Underrated
Conscientiousness: Drills help draw attention to specific habits and movement patterns.
Focus: Drills that focus on specific movement types are generally more effective than generic ones, but overall they are beneficial.
Category Summary:
Specific on-wall exercises designed to improve technique are underrated.
8. Roller / "Frictionless" Finger Devices
Dan’s Perspective: Overrated
Lack of Data: There is no hard data supporting the claims that these isolate muscles better or reduce injury.
Best Practice: Current sports science suggests instability is generally worse for strength building.
Efficacy: It is unlikely these devices produce better hypertrophy or neural adaptations than standard, stable edges.
Jason’s Perspective: Overrated
Injury Theory: The theory that reducing load on pulleys reduces injury risk is flawed. If you reduce load to the pulleys during training, you fail to build resilience in those tissues, potentially increasing injury risk on the wall.
Anatomy: You cannot truly isolate the FDS (Flexor Digitorum Superficialis) from the FDP (Flexor Digitorum Profundus) effectively, nor is there evidence that doing so is beneficial.
Category Summary:
Newer training tools that use a rolling mechanism to remove friction, theoretically isolating finger flexors and improving ergonomics is overrated based on current claims and evidence available.
9. The Tindeq (Force Gauges)
Jason’s Perspective:
Benchmarking: Invaluable for creating benchmarks, especially for injury recovery (comparing healthy vs. injured hand).
Psychology: Seeing the numbers helps climbers feel confident returning to limit climbing.
Safety: Great for auto-regulation. It prevents "ego lifting" with heavy weights because you can ramp up force slowly and stop when pain starts.
Dan’s Perspective:
Versatility: Excellent for travel (no weights needed) and warm-ups.
Feedback: Provides immediate visual feedback on effort.
Necessity: It is a luxury; weights and block pulls work fine. However, for home setups, a force gauge is often cheaper and more space-efficient than buying a full set of weight plates.
Category Summary:
Digital devices that measure how hard you are pulling are underrated, though not strictly essential.
10. Being a Pro Climber as a Coaching Qualification
Summary:
Being an expert in the field is helpful, but teaching is a distinct skill set. Being a professional climber does not automatically make someone a competent teacher. Finding a coach who communicates well and resonates with you is more important than their personal climbing grade.
DISCLAIMER
The Beta Agency is providing content on its website that aims to inform rock climbing enthusiasts and/or individuals interested in the field of physical therapy of the various physical conditions that may befall those engaged in the sport of rock climbing, for informational purposes only. None of the information provided by The Beta Agency should be regarded as medical advice or construed to be a medical diagnosis of any form. By using our products, services, and/or the information on our website, you acknowledge that you understand this information is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice from an appropriate licensed healthcare professional, and that you will not rely on any of the information you acquire from us as the sole basis, personally or as a suggestion to others, to make any healthcare-related decision(s). If you suspect that you may have a medical condition that you are trying to diagnose, we strongly urge you to seek the advice of an appropriate medical practitioner. If you have a medical emergency, you should contact emergency services immediately.
Click for full Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
