Quality Versus Quantity: An Argument For a Better Warm up.

Too often we find ourselves as climbers getting distracted by our end goal of sending our project. Clipping the chains, topping out the boulder, sticking the move etc. It’s probably one of the easiest things to do in our sport, get narrow focused and put too much energy into wanting to complete our main goal. Once we get zoned in like this we lose sight of the important steps to get us to our goal more efficiently and easily. One of these overlooked steps is our warm up. Today we want to make an argument for climbing better and more specific warm ups than you may usually climb.

Often we will look at our days goal and quantitatively make judgement calls for how to go about climbing and warming up. Its easy to say if I have a 5.12 project I am trying to send then I should just do 2-3 5.10-5.11 climbs to warm up and since I have completed 2-3 easier graded climbs then I should be adequately warmed up. WRONG!!!

Imagine this scenario: your project contains small pockets on two fingers, tiny half pad crimps, long lock offs, dynamic movement. All you have warmed up on is 2 juggy, static 5.10s, where your feet are big, your hand holds are big, no big movement or small holds required. In this scenario your body parts that need to be primed for your project are not at all warmed up.

What to change:

Start considering the style of movement and hold type on your projects. Incorporate these styles into your warm up. So instead of doing 1-2 easy routes to get the blood flowing (which we arent saying not too do this, just to get more specific) also include dynamic movement and doing routes that are under your limit but allow you to grab the hold types you will be climbing on your project.

Quality Versus Quantity:

Focusing on the quality of your warm up versus the quantity of your warm up is a good way to look at this topic. Focusing on the quality of your warm up means you are actively warming up all the muscle groups large and small required for your project, instead of saying I did a 5.10 Im warmed up. Focus on your body awareness and what your project requires from your body. If you need to climb on small crimps, warm up medium to small sized crimps to get the fingers primed, if it requires dynamic movement incorporate jumping dynamically on your warm up routes etc.

Being able to scan your body and get a sense for what it feels like when you are properly warmed up versus not is a skill that will take you much farther very fast. Get a sense for how your body is reacting and feeling while you warm up to ensure you are warming up the right muscles and putting in enough time on the warm ups to feel great when you get on the project.

Specificity of warming up on the style and hold type for your project is crucial and often forgotten. Go out and try this. Leave us a comment to let us know what you think about warming up below!