It's shocking how many climbers go through multiple seasons without recording their training data. By not keeping a training journal, it creates a significant hurdle when trying to replicate past achievements.
When climbers sporadically approach training, it will lead to inconsistent and unpredictable results. As we progress in our climbing training, it's crucial to gain expertise in how to data mine our training journals to find valuable insights. The very first step is to review your previous training cycle. If you haven't been logging, start by noting down the days you climbed, the location, and the type of climbing, such as outdoor, bouldering, or gym climbing.
Trying to recreate success in a climbing season, we try and mirror what happened previously. It's important when starting a plan use your training data instead of blindly following someone else's program or advice. Each climber's training plan is very individualized, and a successful strategy for one will likely not work for another. By examining the days, hours, and intensity of your past training, you can identify patterns and adjust your approach.
Begin by reviewing your training schedule. Note the days and time range you have available each week to dedicate to your program. Make sure to document everything you do. This includes scheduled 3 hour sessions on Wednesdays to quick 30-minute sessions on Thursdays. Then, delve into the specifics of your training sessions. How long were they? How intense? What activities did they include?
Once you've established a baseline, examine your training log more closely. Look at the number of climbs (pitches or boulders) attempted, their difficulty, style. If you are doing isolated training, record those sessions and activities including testing data. Monitor your general strength and performance fitness like max pull-ups or body weight changes. This information will give a thorough overview of your training progress and overall health.
Effective documentation goes beyond just recording session number/data, it's about capturing the essence of each training session. If you reflect back on how you felt during each session you can gain insights to better understand the why to your progression. How did the session start and how did it end? Were you pushing your limits, or were you fatigued? Note moments of excellence or overcoming challenges—these small victories contribute to progress.
By keeping a detailed training journal and regularly analyzing your training data, you can optimize your approach for future training cyclings and upcoming climbing seasons. You can do this by adjusting the intensity of your sessions or refining your schedule, your past sessions offer valuable lessons to the future cycles and plans. The best training plan is one tailored to your unique needs and physical responses.
Use your data to determine where and how to push yourself to successful future climbing seasons.