Video: Contact Strength Training Using a Campus Board
In this episode of my Epic-TV training series, I present three campus training exercises for developing contact strength—that is, the rate of force development in the finger flexor muscles…a critical...
View ArticleVideo: Campus Power Training
In episode #3 of EPIC-TV’s new training series, climbing coach and author Eric Horst presents two campus training exercises for building upper-body power. Eric also provides important tips on how to...
View ArticlePodcast: Why Strong Fingers Matter
While climbing is, first and foremost, a mental and technical skill sport, long-term improvement—and pursuing your genetic potential—demands getting stronger in a number of climbing specific ways....
View ArticleVideo: Core Training for Climbers
When it comes to core training, many people view it as simply a quest for six-pack abs. For a serious climber, however, effective core training must target all the muscles of the torso, including the...
View ArticlePodcast: Finger Strength Hangboard Training Protocols
In terms of physical attributes, increasing relative peak finger force is central to taking your climbing to the next level—think of this as the finger force you can apply to a rock hold in relation to...
View ArticlePower Pull-up
The Power Pull-Up (aka Chest-Bump Pull-Up) is one of my favorite exercises! While not too different from a regular pull-up, the power pull-up—if done correctly—is actually much harder. What makes the...
View ArticlePodcast: The “10-4 Rule” for Effective Projecting & Steady Improvement
A question I’m often asked is….how much time—or attempts—should you put into a project route, before taking a break and working on other climbs. My short answer (with a few caveats) is that it’s best...
View ArticleVideo: Antagonist & Stabilizer Muscle Training
While not the sexiest aspect of training for climbing, exercises for strengthening the stabilizer and antagonist muscles are extremely important to employ in the quest of maintaining healthy shoulders...
View ArticleSelf-Discipline and Commitment: The Great Equalizers
It takes great discipline to boulder V12, climb 5.14, summit a daunting mountain peak, and do other great things. In fact, regardless of the grade you aspire to climb, it will take great discipline to...
View ArticleScapular Pull-ups
The scapular pull-up is a training essential in the Hörst gym! Keeping your shoulders healthy and developing proper movement patterns in pulling motions demands the ability to forcefully depress,...
View ArticleVideo: How The World’s Best Sport Climber Campus Trains!
Don’t try this at home! That is, until you climb 5.15…. Thanks to EPIC-TV we have two brand new videos of Adam Ondra training for his long-term project…which Adam has appropriately named “Project Hard”...
View ArticleHow to “Campus Boulder” with Proper Technique
Boulder campusing is a popular indoor training exercise among advanced climbers—it’s also a heck of a lot of fun, if you’re strong enough to do it right! The goal is to ascend a section of overhanging...
View ArticleVideo: Campus Power Training
In episode #3 of EPIC-TV’s new training series, climbing coach and author Eric Horst presents two campus training exercises for building upper-body power. Eric also provides important tips on how to...
View ArticleLeveraging “Process Feedback” to Elevate Performance
Obtaining a high level of performance in any endeavor—and ultimately reaching your goals—depends on your ability to recognize and leverage ongoing process feedback and results. Process feedback...
View ArticleVideo: Effective Forearm Antagonist Training for Climbers
If you climb regularly—and even more so if you doing hangboard and/or campus training—then it’s essential that you train the muscles of the lateral forearm which act as antagonist stabilizers to the...
View ArticleTraining Tips to Climb Harder in 2018!
While most people set some kind of New Year’s Resolution, not everyone successfully follows through. Research shows that 25% of people abandon their resolution in the first week of the year and nearly...
View ArticleTop 5 Pull-up Exercises for Climbers
Although your fingers and toes are your primary link to the rock, it’s the larger muscles of your arms, legs, and torso that facilitate most of the upward movement in climbing. Of course, lack of leg...
View ArticleVideo: How to Do a Scapular Pull-up
The scapular pull-up is a training essential in the Hörst gym! Keeping your shoulders healthy and developing proper movement patterns in pulling motions demands the ability to forcefully depress,...
View ArticleMy Perspective: Youth Climbing & Age-Appropriate Training
The recent incredible achievements (V14, 5.14/8c ascents) of a handful of American and European youth climbers has made youth training a hotly debated topic. As veteran climber and both a parent and...
View ArticleVideo: Two Pull-up Variations for Strength & Power
The pull-up is the most basic exercise for climbers—the problem is, once you can do 15 pull-ups the exercise loses its effectiveness to develop maximum strength (although high-rep pull-up training will...
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