Lindseth Wall Exercises

For every one of these exercises, stay on the wall.  If you fall off, get back on immediately.  If you need to rest, then find a rest position on the wall.  If you need to rest on the floor then you are done with the exercise.

Be sure to start with a good warm up before attempting any difficult exercises.  And don't forget to take a rest day after every serious training day.

If you feel joint or tendon pain, stop immediately. STOP IMMEDIATELY! Do not climb through the pain. RICE the injury and climb again when you are feeling better. Stopping immediately is the difference between one week of recovery and six months. Seriously. Ask any experienced climber about tendon injuries (and most of them have had one) because it really really sucks.

Power

5x4s - Pick five boulder problems right next to each other.  These should be problems that are difficult for you, but you have done many times and have wired.  Do all five problems in immediate succession.  Rest two minutes.  Repeat three more times for a total of four sets.

8x8s - Wide arm pullups to alternate hands (2x8); typewriters (2x8); vertically offset pullups (2x8); dynamic drop and catch (2x8)

Endurance

Astro Pumps - Climb laps on a route, either downclimbing or being lowered, for up to 30 minutes.  Try to pick a route where you don't get pumped at all.  Requires a patient belayer.

Overhang Laps - Climb up the overhang using all holds; then down using all holds; then up using only innies; then down using all holds; then up using only outties; then down using all holds.  That's one set.

Power/Endurance

Floor Touching - Climb up to the bouldering line, climb back down and touch the floor with one hand.  Do this while keeping the rest of your body on the wall.  Traverse left or right a bit and repeat.  Try to complete a full traverse of the wall this way.  Easier version - Touch the floor with your foot.  Harder version - Grout or minimal foot holds only.  Longer version - One lap up and down for each cinderblock width of the wall.

Seven Down - Traverse the wall using only holds in the bottom seven cinderblocks.

Finger Strength

Snake Traverse - Traverse from the slab near the entrance to the arete in the middle of the wall using any foot holds, but only the snakes for hand holds.  The snakes are horizontal innies usually on the ninth cinderblock up from the floor.  Another variation uses only outties in the same block as each snake.

Contact Strength and Power

Double Dyno Traverse - Traverse the wall by moving both hands simultaneously from one set of holds to the next.

One Arm Traverse - Traverse the wall using only one arm.  Crazy people do this when their other arm is injured.  Just stay home and watch movies instead.

Crack Technique

Tape your hands and climb all three of the floor to ceiling cracks at the Lindseth wall.  Hangdog if you must, but complete all three cracks using no other holds.   Requires a patient belayer.  Once you do all three, add the branching variations and the offwidth crack near the entrance.

Balance and Movement

Slabs - Climb one of the slabs using minimal or no hand holds.  After you have this wired, go back and climb using your hands, but gently and with minimal exertion.

Slow Climbing - Traverse the wall.  Each time you move a hand or foot, pause for a full breath over the next hold before touching it.

Games

Stick - Climber traverses the wall using only holds selected by a partner.  Select hand holds, foot holds or both.  The climber’s traverse should be hard, but not impossible.  If the climber falls off three times in a row, give the climber easier holds.

Add a Hold - Two or more climbers create a traverse by performing the traverse, then adding two or three holds to the end.  

Elimination - Traverse a section of the wall.  After each climber traverses, eliminate a cinder block of holds.

Twister - Climbers distribute themselves on the wall.  One caller on the floor randomly calls (left/right) (hand/foot) (innie/outtie).  Last climber on the wall wins.