You hear it and feel it. Your shoulder popped in and out of the socket yet again. Going out and overhead to the next hold. Making contact with that jug at the end of the dyno. Pushing up and over the mantle. Reaching into the backseat of your car. Rolling over the wrong way [...]
Introduction You’ve made huge strides in your climbing ability since you touched that first hold a couple of years ago. Now, you’ve got your sights on the next grade, but you’ve hit a plateau. You decide to train 5-6 days a week to get stronger for climbing. You train hard –systems board, hang board, [...]
Introduction It's been a busy week and you decide to go to your local climbing gym to practice some bouldering moves that you’d like to master. In particular, you want to dyno from one section of the wall to another. A “dyno” is a dynamic maneuver that requires a climber to jump off [...]
Introduction Icy wind, sheer exposure, and 207ft of vertical granite are below you as you lock onto a flake with your right hand and reach desperately for the next hold while your big toe feels dangerously close to losing that sweet friction of the rock. You strain your neck and look up above [...]
Introduction In preparation for your anticipated climbing trip to Red Rocks, you double the volume and increase the intensity of your training regimen. During your second week of your new regimen, you notice that your fingers are unusually sore. Thinking of this as a good sign of getting stronger, you go to bed motivated [...]
Introduction We're here today to talk about your lower leg. My lower leg? In a climbing blog? Yes, those beautiful bulging rocks you call calves! Well, to be more specific, your Achilles tendon. Everyone "raves" about their shoulder injuries, but it's time to pay some attention to your Achilles. [...]
Conditions are perfect as you approach your early season boulder project. There is a small wet streak covering a foothold near the top of the boulder on a crucial, yet large foothold. The foothold is not near the crux, so you decide to attempt the send anyways. You pull hard through the crux of [...]
Introduction You take a deep breath. You try to calm the turmoil of frustration as you reach for the next hold. This particular one always likes to give you trouble. You feel an ache and general weakness in your shoulder blade but you ignore it. It’s been a jam-packed couple days of climbing with [...]
Fall From Grace You’re up in the mountains, climbing mixed alpine routes and having a day. The kind of day that feels like nothing could go wrong. You are climbing with a new climbing partner, who mostly is a gym rat, yet strong and you’ve been able to share some knowledge of outdoor climbing. [...]
Rock Climbing Injury: Self-assessment and rehabilitation program for a hamstring strain Introduction As you’re sending the first climb of the day or continuing to battle with that tricky bouldering problem, you inevitably find yourself at the crux of the climb. As you begin to assess your options you notice a crimp just out [...]