TEST #1: Boulder Test

TEST #1: Boulder Test

TOTAL CORE FOR
CLIMBING
2019

Definitive Guide
TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MAXIMUM CORE
STRENGTH AND OPTIMAL BODY TENSION
Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced

Edition 1

By: Climbing Workouts | www.climbingworkouts.com

Written by: David Echeverri

Disclaimer: This training manual is for informational purposes only. It is your

responsibility to evaluate your own medical and physical condition to
independently determine whether to perform, use or adapt any of the
information or content on this guide. Any exercise program may result in injury.
By voluntarily undertaking any exercise displayed on this manual, you assume
the risk of any resulting injury.
CONTENTS
TEST #1: Boulder Test
PAGE
4. USING THIS MANUAL
5. WHAT IS CORE TRAINING
6. TARGET MUSCLES
7. REQUIREMENTS
8. SCHEDULE
9. APLICATIONS
10. BENEFITS OF CORE
11. EXERCISE 1: PLANKS
12. EXERCISE 2: HIGH HEELS
13. EXERCISE 3: HIGH SWINGS
14. EXERCISE 4: ROOF TOE HOOKS
15. EXERCISE 5: LEG LIFTS
16. EXERCISE 6: THE X SHAPE
17. EXERCISE 7: THE CANOE
18. EXERCISE 8: THAI KICKS
Total Core is a program 19. EXERCISE 9: CUTTING LOOSE
that takes you through 20. EXERCISE 10: WIND SHIELDS
the fundamentals of 21. EXERCISE 11: FLAGS
abdominal strength for 22. EXERCISE 12: TOE HOOKS
climbing, fully packed in 23. CORE ROUTINE 1
a variety of exercises 24. CORE ROUTINE 2
and routines that you 25. CORE ROUTINE 3
can adopt right away. 26. FUNCTIONAL ABS
27. WORKING WITH BODY WEIGHT
28. CORE ADAPTATIONS
TEST #1:
USING THIS
Boulder
MANUAL
Test
Following the Core Training
Program
Following the core training program is simple, all you have to do
is understand the key training concepts, the exercises, and follow
along. Each core exercise works a specific climbing skill or
movement. The core training system is based on you choosing
the drills and exercises that are more suited to your goals. You
may decide to put together an exclusive core training program, or
use what you learn here to create your own specific training
program for core.

Virtually any type of climbing involves core,

especially steep overhanging climbs. Core training
is one of the most underlooked success factors in
completing hard routes or problems.
TEST #1:
WHAT IS Boulder
CORE TRAINING
Test
Practicing abdominal, body tension
to power up all your climbing
moves.
Core training can translate to functional abdominal training, but
different from the isolated 6 pack workouts gym junkies do. The
core training for climbing involves the full body in action, and
practicing real climbing movements as the base of the workouts.
Core training is managing your center of gravity efficiently, being
able to connect and transfer effort from your upper body to your
lower body and maintain a climbing posture that is optimal and
technically efficient.

Full abdominal
tension
TEST #1:MUSCLES
TARGET Boulder Test
The Role of your Abdominal Area
Core exercises must target not only the muscle itself, but the
movements associated to that muscle in relation to climbing. In
order to understand what we need to train, let’s cover the areas
of our core:
TEST #1: Boulder Test
REQUIREMENTS
What you need to achieve the
program
As in other programs by Climbing Workouts, all you need to get
started is access to a climbing wall and your willingness to put
some time into your training. This translates into hours at the gym.

Boulder panels, pull up bars, bomb holds and other material will be
referenced, but you are free to adapt your workouts to the
equipment you have available at your climbing facility. If you are
blessed with a home wall and have your own home-gym, by all
means adapt what you learn here into your own training temple.

Steep climbing has been a characteristic of modern sport climbing, in

the past, it was enough to have some finger and arm strength, but the
core component was downplayed, now more than ever we need to
consider core as an essential part of climbing training.
TEST #1: Boulder Test
SCHEDULE
4, 8 and 12 weeks schedules
This workout is typically made for an undefined amount of time,
for better results you should at least try the exercises for a
period no shorter than 4 weeks. However it is advised that you
train your core all year long, as an addition to another workout
program because core is a fundamental skill of training for
climbing like finger strength. Remember that an improvement of
1% in your core strength, is a substantial improvement in your
climbing overall. You will be able to save so much more energy
and add more power to your movements when your core is
properly synchronized and supporting your upper and lower body
strength.

EXAMPLE CALENDAR:
2 core sessions per week for 4 weeks at the
beginning

S M T W T F S

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30
TEST #1: Boulder Test
APPLICATIONS
Core strength is involved in 99% of
the climbing movement you will
encounter
Many climbers focus on their arms and fingers as the primary
targets, but they forget a foundational concept: All connecting
muscles have a center hub, and this is your abdominal area. A
Strong core correlates to strong climbing and facilitates the
acquisition of upper body strength and technical performance.
Now, where do we see core strength and endurance as a
climbing need?

When climbing Core strength is what keeps your body tight

overhangs and and close top the wall aiding your arms and
roofs back muscles to do their work

When cutting loose Core strength is what allows you to quickly

or loosing your feet get back on the wall

When maintaining Your center of gravity is at your core, in your

balance on vertical abdominal region, this 6 pack is what “glues”
walls your upper body strength and your lower
body positioning

When trying to Can you recall those wild swings to the sides
reach an offset and not being able to stick the foothold? This
foothold is clearly lack of core strength. Ab power is
what lets you jump from hold to hold like a
pro

When moving your High steps and “leg lifts” are common
feet high movements that allow progression in
climbing, this is all fueled by Core strength.
TEST #1:OF
BENEFITS Boulder Test
CORE STRENGTH

From balance to tension to quick

reaction, core strength is a
climbing fundamental
Abdominal strength is at the CORE of your climbing technique.
Strengthening and adapting your core to climbing movements,
will lead to improvement of your overall climbing skills.

Benefit Description

Technique If you properly use your core, your body moves

as a single unit, connecting upper and lower
body. When you have no core strength, your
body sags putting tension on your arms and
fingers.

Movement Engaging your core makes your climbing more

Efficiency technical and efficient because you are
transferring the effort from the center of your
body towards the outside.

Balance Generates effective balance and controlled

movement.

Control Core strength let’s you manage the energy and

control the momentum you put into each move
making you more efficient.

Fluidity Using core allows you to balance the tension of

your body, you will be able to connect one move
with the next one in a fluid motion.
TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 1 Test
LOCKED FRONT LEVERS

Front levers are the true test of abdominal strength for climbers
but it takes practice to coordinate. Though many strong climbers
are not able to perform them, learning the method and eventually
mastering it is beneficial in increasing your strength on steep
overhanging routes.

Start in a dead hang and chin up until your arms have a 90

degree bend. Then activate you lower abs and as you imagine
yourself pushing your upper body down towards the ground,
bring your legs up. Hold your legs up as long as you can until
failure. Remember to keep your butt tucked so you are not
arching your back. If you are not able to perform a front lever use
the help of an exercise band tied to a pull bar and place your feet
in the bottom to help take weight off your legs as you bring them
up. The thicker the band, the more help.

Locked Arms

Stretched
Legs
Straight Back
TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 2 Test
HIGH HEELS

This drill starts with a horizontal rail and with tw decent

hand holds you can hold for at least 20 seconds. Now,
try to lift your lower body using your abs to finish in a
heel hook position. Drop back your legs and do it on the
other side, repeat this drill to failure. Complete 2-4 sets.
You will see this movement in overhanging routes,
while swinging, for example when using rails and
pronounced horizontal features where you need to
traverse diagonally or horizontally and upwards.

Target
Heel Hook

Lift leg to a
Deadhang High Heel
 TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 3 Test
HIGH SWINGS

Select two hard hand holds in the middle of a panel and

two far foot holds that you can only stick by swinging
far. This movement fully engages your core as you
swing from one side to the other. Do these swings from
left to right until you can't hold any longer or until you
can’t stick your footholds any longer. 2 - 3 sets will do
for a session in combination with more drills.

Try and control your momentum as you swing side to

side and be mindful of using your core as you lift your
leg to reach the hold

Challenging
holds

30-45 degrees

Deadhang Swing Right Swing Left

TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 4 Test
ROOF TOE HOOKS

This is a technical drill that also requires your core to be

engaged. In a boulder panel, swing up towards a (large)
hold and toe hook it. Keep this toe hook locked off for
about 3 seconds, then, go back to the starting position,
and repeat. Change the footholds and vary the angles
to make the drill more diverse, difficult and specific.

High Toe Hook

Step with left with right

Toe Hooks
 TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 5 Test
LEG LIFTS
Another abdominal exercise applied to your climbing
are leg lifts. The drill is simple, dead hang with 2 middle
holds, target a foothold at the height of your belly
button, pull with your arms while engaging your abs and
lifting your leg to the high center foothold position. Step
with your toe in the foothold. Keep it there for 5
seconds and go back again. Repeat until failure.

Deadhang Pullup Step in

TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 6 Test
THE X SHAPE

On the floor, spread out your hand and feet as much as

you can and keep an X position for ideally 30 seconds.
Make it harder by going wider and lower, closer to the
floor. This drill works on your abdominal muscles but
also your back and legs.

Wide Open
TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 7 Test
THE CANOE
The canoe is drill that requires a lot of core as you rock
back and forth. As seen in the image, you must adopt a
boat shaped position (from the side view) and make
sure your legs and arm are stretched. Then rock slowly,
maintaining the core engaged.

Your back should have no gap with the floor so your rocking
movement should be small but smooth.
 TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 8 Test
THAI KICKS
Using one large hanging hold (in the picture there is a demo
showing the usage of a bomb hold), Compress inward using this
feature, then, kick the ball with your knees in a controlled
manner. This drill involves a lot of core tension, compression
with your shoulders and wrist strength to hold on the sloper. You
can also do thai kicks on a bar or another hold..

The advantage of “bomb holds”: Bomb

hold are ubiquitous and effective
training devices for contact strength
and training. You can hang them
anywhere and hang-on them to
perform the thai kick exercise.

High
Knee

Locked
Arms
Core Tension
TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 9 Test
CUTTING LOOSE
Simple drill where you intentionally cut loose and get back to the
wall quickly. The idea is to use a wall as steep as possible so the
swing is far apart, include a low foothold that requires full
stretch. Now, what you do is release the foothold, Think of it as
releasing the brake pedal of a car, you swing out, while
simultaneously pulling up and locking off, to get back and step
into the hold you just released. Do as many cuts as you can.
Repeat 2 or 3 sets in a session. This drill is not only a six pack
builder but also an excellent for the biceps and finger tendons.

Recommendation: Small, hard to stick footholds are ideal for

this exercise, you will learn to rely in your precision footwork,
and your sensitivity, in addition to your core strength.

Pull and
Lockoff

Step on a
lower foothold
 TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 10 Test
WIND SHIELDS
Windshields are compacted movements using your legs straight
and wiping from left to right, keeping both legs stretched and
and tight, the circular wiping motion allows your abs to contract
in the lower abdominal area, helping your climbing for those
situations in roofs and overhangs where you need to change
directions quickly. You can do this exercise with climbing holds,
on a fingerboard, or hanging from a bar.

Left Right

Taking care of your skin: Handholds

made out of wood will be kinder to
your skin while bringing a nice soft
texture that is easy to hold form. They
are durable. Lightweight, easy to
install and good looking!.
TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 11 Test
FLAGS
This is a more advanced drill that is hard to pull up at the first try,
it takes some pushing and pulling while also engaging your legs.
As in the picture, start with a higher and lower hold, push
towards the outside and lift your legs so you form a flag figure.
Maintain this flag for as long as you can.

Caution: Do not underestimate core training and the

potential risk of injury, any climbing training requires a
warmup, the abdominal area is propense to injury and
fiber damage. Consider some light abdominal work
before more strength core workouts.
TEST #1: Boulder
EXERCISE 12 Test
TOE HOOKS

Using an overhanging wall, reach far and to the side to

a hold that you can toe-hook. Maintain this tension with
your toe while you engage your core and abs. Change
sides and do it to the other direction. The foothold that
you are using is preferably big enough so you can not
just toe-hook it, but put some pressure on it. This
exercise connects the abdominal muscles with your
calves in a seamless motion.
Toe Hooking

Toe pressure

Core Tension
TEST #1:
CORE ROUTINE
Boulder
1 Test
4 EXERCISES - ex: MONDAY

Another combo is the combination of toe hooks with heels, kicks

and planks, this will likely cover all the areas of the abdominal
zone. When you think of your core, think of all the other muscles
that are connected working as one. Start the routine in the order
you want. You can also alternate between drills. The idea is to do
3 of each, for a total of 12 with 2 minutes of rest in between. Are
you feeling extra strong? Add more reps and sets. Get swollen!

TOE HOOKS HIGH HEELS

THAI KICKS PLANKS

 TEST #1:
CORE ROUTINE
Boulder
2 Test
4 EXERCISES - ex: WEDNESDAY

This last routine involves half of the exercises on the

floor and the other half on the wall or hanging with
holds. Start with the x shape, move to the canoe, then
finish with the wall exercises: high heels ands
windshields. This combination formula takes the stress
out of the hands and works on a more general core -
back engagement. This routine can be practiced during
or after a climbing session as a conditioning combo.

THE X SHAPE
3 TIMES THE CANOE

HIGH LIFTS WIND SHIELDS

TEST #1:
CORE ROUTINE
Boulder
3 Test
4 EXERCISES - ex: FRIDAY

This is a routine that you can practice after any session, or

in the middle of it, you will do each exercise 3 times, for a
total of 12, and keeping a resting time of 2 minutes in
between drills. If you are already too tired on your fingers,
simply go for the largest holds you can use, so you can
mainly focus on the core, while spoiling the fingers with an
easier jug. Remember that we’re training for core, and not
for maximum finger strength.

FLAGS HIGH HEELS

THE X SHAPE CUTTING LOOSE

TEST #1: Boulder
FUNCTIONAL ABS Test
GETTING RID OF YOUR LOVE
HANDLERS
The dirty little secret that climbers know that gym rats don’t is
simple… you can do as many abs machines as you want but if
you don't lose the fat layer in between your beer belly and your
muscles, all the effort is worthless, you will still be the same fat
climber that only talks about gear and magazine articles at the
pub. To lose abdominal fat and get a functional ab pack, you
must attack your core from all fronts and directions. Climbers
naturally develop 6 pack abs in short time vs gym rats, because
they engage the core with the rest of their body, also, under the
right circumstances, climbers manage to reduce the belly fat by
doing some semi-aerobic climbing (as seen in long routes) or by
shocking the abs with wild core movements at the gym or at the
boulder field.

Regardless of your core training, your aim is functional, and

consequently aesthetic. Every year, millions of people look for
the secret sauce to get the 6 abs pack, the secret is no other
than core training. The exercises contained on this booklet are in
fact that secret formula for that 6 or 8 pack abs!

Keep in mind: There are 3 main areas of

consideration for your core work, your upper abs,
your lats and your lower abs.
TEST #1: WITH
WORKING Boulder Test
BODYWEIGHT

Focusing in core movements, not

just muscles.
Climbers are radical in their way of thinking, the
average sport climber has heard this before: “we don't
lift weights” and weights are bad because they give you
extra mass and make you heavier. This is truth to some
extent, however, for core training, some abdominal
exercises aided with some weights on your legs for
example, can be incredibly beneficial. However, most of
the core exercises can be done with your own weight
and with zero iron.

Core training is the most

inexpensive type of training,
you need one single tool or
none at all. A simple hanging
device and a comfortable
floor is just enough to get
you wrapped up in a total
core routine.
CORE
TEST ADAPTATIONS
#1: Boulder Test
Incorporating core training as an
essential part of your routine and
conditioning
Since the core muscles don’t directly compromise your fingers
and forearms, it is fair to say that you can do core training as an
addition to your strength, stamina or endurance sessions. But if
you want to specialize your training, you can opt to focus on pure
core training, and dedicate 2 full weeks of DAILY core work,. And
nothing else.

The ideal core training timing: Core training is one of those

aspects of physical climbing education that you can be more
flexible with, you can do routines at the climbing gym, the
park, your home or in natural rock. You can also explore many
other scenarios that are not necessarily the climbing wall.
TEST #1: Boulder Test
TOTAL CORE
By Climbing Workouts

Climbing workouts is the result researching the foundations of high

performance climbing. The manuals are the product of experiences
shared by dozens of climbers around the world.

This digital book is part of the TOTAL TRAINING series

Authored by: David Echeverri

Editor: Diana Walter
Published by: Climbing Workouts Publishing
www.climbingworkouts.com

Updated 2019

Climbing Workouts - Essential Training

All rights reserved. No part of this electronic document may be reproduced or transmitted
without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

By Climbing Workouts
www.climbingworkouts.com
2019