While training boards may be all the rage, there are many other training tools in the gym that are there to take your climbing to the next level. Ironically most of them are also boards – however, they are all highly distinct from those discussed in the previous training article. In this article we will explore the Campus board, Peg board, and Spray Wall. The Campus board is great for building contact strength, the Peg board for improving lock-offs and growing your biceps, and the Spray wall is the ultimate tool for endurance and power endurance.
Campus Board
Campus boarding has an array of benefits, including building power, endurance, and the contact strength needed to dead-point holds with precision. While campus boards typically have a variety of rung sizes, it is not recommended that you use the campus board if you have no prior climbing experience. It is also recommended that you use the campus board under the supervision and guidance of a trained professional. The reason for this is that the campus board demands correct form to be used throughout each exercise or drill– you should have your wrists braced, shoulders and core engaged and maintain a half or open crimp hand position. This is crucial to prevent muscle fatigue and injuries.
Correct Form
Shoulders engaged and away from the ears. Full body tension used
Incorrect Form
Shoulders disengaged with no body tension. Shoulders are high and towards the ears
When using the campus board, the goal is to give your maximum effort each time. With that being said – campus board training should be done moderately. Towards the beginning of a session, and for a limited amount of time. Warming up before using the campus board is also a must. Every attempt should be done confidently with reps never done until failure. With campus boarding quality always supersedes quantity. The recommended duration for a campus board workout (not including a warmup and cool down period) is around 15-40 minutes.
Some other campus board ‘don’ts’ includes using a full crimp grip on any of the rungs. This intense form of locking off can rapidly increase the likelihood of long-term injuries occurring. Instead, campusing should be done only with an open or half crimp hand position. The former being the safest to use.
Beginner Campus Board Exercises
While the above may make the campus board sound intimidating, here are two suitable exercises that work on lock-offs, endurance, and contact strength if you are starting out:
- Lock-Offs
With your feet comfortably on the kickerboard rungs, pull up and lock off fully for 10 seconds. Following this, lower down into a 90˚ lockoff and hold this position for a further 10 seconds. Step off the campus board to rest before repeating this exercise.
- Stationary Ladders
With your feet on the kickerboard rungs, move your hands up one at a time to the next rung until you can no longer reach. Then make your way back down on the campus board either laddering or matching in between. The goal here is to keep your movements controlled until you have reached the starting position once more. Rest between sets.
Peg Board
The peg board is a less conventional training tool for climbing but is great for building pure upper-body strength – something that we all know climbing demands a lot of. Peg boards are used a lot in cross-fit style workouts because of how much strength and power they require. The peg board essentially requires one to lift and place a wooden peg in an adjacent peg hole while locking off on the lower stationary peg (without your feet on). While the movement may sound simple, you may find that maintaining a lock-off position is more difficult than it may seem.
If your gym has foot rungs under the peg board, this is a great place to start. Similar to approaching the campus board as a beginner, you can practice improving your lock off strength by keeping your feet securely placed below you and then begin moving either across or up the peg board. You can also get creative with the peg board to make it more accessible and climbing specific.
Beginner Peg Board Exercises
- Offset Pull-ups
Set up two pegs on the board in off-set positions. One higher than another, or one higher and diagonal from the first peg placed. When you are happy with the placement, you’re ready to start your pull-ups. To challenge yourself you can also set the pegs up on the same row but wide part. You can then do wide pull-ups or imitate type-writer pull-ups by pulling up towards one of the pegs. Make sure to even this out by repeating reps on the other side.
- Toe-Touches
Set up two pegs in the same row and at a comfortable distance apart. Then, further apart but equidistance on either side – set up the remaining two pegs. While pulling up on the first two pegs and engaging your core, try to touch the outside pegs with each toe. This mimics how in climbing we often need to swing and re-place our feet in positions that are often uncomfortable. Start easy with the feet pegs being lower and closer in, and then move them further out and higher up and see how you do.
Spray Wall
A spray wall is a wall that is densely or often completely covered with climbing holds, often appearing random in hold: selection, orientation, and variety. It is as if the pick-n-mix sweeties were all tipped out the packet. While setters are methodical in setting up these boards, the finished walls to an untrained eye… looks…spontaneous at best.
Spray walls have been a popular training tool for many years across gyms, possibly because all they require is a dedicated section of wall and a large variety of holds. There are no set problems, and they can be changed every several months. Climbers are free to create their own movements, sequences, and to be creative.
One of the best advantages of spray walls is that climbers can build up power as well as endurance. To build endurance, get a friend to point out holds for you, and try to stay on the wall as long as possible while using either open or closed feet. Alternatively pick out holds for shorter sequences and challenge yourself to complete the moves. While spray walls can be easier or more difficult, depending on the selection of holds used, they tend to have the most benefit for intermediate and advanced climbers.
While spray walls are one of the simpler training boards to use and set up, they are by no means an outdated training tool. Janja Garnbret, one of the best the climbing world has ever seen – has a personalised spray wall that she does most of her training on. Easiest way up, however, is a 7B/C. Check out the collaboration video that Magnus Midtbø did with Janja to see her spray wall in action.
Beginner Spray Wall Exercises
- Pointers
Grab your climbing buddy and a laser pointer, extended brush, or wooden pole and get pointing. Taking turns, trying to stay on the wall as long as possible, while climbing to the holds that your partner chooses. This is a great exercise for many reasons, one is that it helps to build up endurance (as let’s be honest, sometimes our buddy’s can be a bit indecisive) and two, it requires you to complete moves outside of your comfort-zone and style.
- Circuits
Create your own circuit on the system board that starts and ends at the same point. It should consist of several moves that can be done without too much physical exertion (at least for the first round!). Once the circuit has been created, test your endurance by seeing how many times you can complete the circuit without falling off. Each attempt should begin to feel harder until the pump really sets in. Circuits can also be set at a harder initial intensity, allowing for climbers to project their circuit as an exercise to increase power and power endurance.
Final Thoughts
If you are just getting in to climbing, doing everything with care and in moderation is highly advisable. Just because the pros are campusing up the spray wall, does not mean you have too. Skipping six rungs at a time in a dead point? Cool, but so are the foot rungs and practicing form. Most importantly, find what works for you and do not give into the peer pressure to try moves or drills that you are not ready for. Having or seeking the advice of an experienced coach will help quieten the voices saying – if they did it, surely I can.
Staying injury free in climbing should be the priority, alongside having fun in everything you do. The above training tools can offer great diversity in your training and help to improve multiple skills. Give them a try when you are next in the gym and let us know your favourite in the comments below.
