Campusing Rock Climbing

For a variety of reasons, the campusing rock climbing board training may be a daunting aspect of the gym for many climbers. Since we don’t know where to begin. However, if you want to progress as a boulderer or sports climber, the campus board may surely be a valuable ally in your training.

The campusing rock climbing board helps to train recruitment and rate-of-force development (RFD) in your finger and arm flexors by providing “reactive and quasi-plyometric workouts.” Simply put, recruitment is how well your muscles can respond to an action, while RFD is how strong you are when you move quickly. And, contrary to popular belief, this basic yet effective training method isn’t just for top climbers with decades of experience.

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Table of Contents

Campusing Rock Climbing for Contact Grip Strength

Contact grip strength is based on how quickly you can activate the motor units and how strong your forearm muscles are at their strongest point. This is, in a nutshell, your muscles’ ability to respond.

Three Exercises for Increasing Contact Strength are Summarized.

1. Campusing With One Arm And Foot On The Wall/Floor (Entry-level)

One-armed lunge between the second and first rungs, feet on the wall or floor.
6–12 total arm movements
After a brief rest, alternate arms.
3 sets total with each arm.

2. Campus Escalation

Ascend the board using alternating rungs for hands and feet.
Use medium to tiny rungs.
Attempt to move as quickly as possible.
8-to-12 hand motions
3 minutes of rest between sets.
Start with 3 sets and then increase to 8-10 over months or years.

3. “Switch-hands” On Campus

Move both hands from the next rung at the same time (beginning on rungs 1 and 2, or 2 and 3).
Use medium to big rungs.
Use an open-handed grip.
Switch hands for a total of 12 switches.
Attempt to move as quickly as possible (switching for 6-10 seconds).
Start with two sets and gradually increase to six over months or years.

Campusing Rock Climbing Training for Arm Power

Campusing on small holds with quick, short moves builds grip strength, while moves on bigger, better hold build arm and pulling strength.

A Summary of Two Power-Building Workouts

1. Skip Rungs On A Ladder

On the board, use big rungs.
Climb the campus board on rungs 1-3-5-7.
Attempt to move as quickly as possible (should only take a few seconds).
3 minutes of rest between sets.
Start with three sets and gradually increase to ten over months or years.
The following advanced rung sets are available: 1-4-7, 1-5-8, and 1-5-9.

2. Dual Dynamos (Only For Advanced Climbers)

When you do this exercise with smaller grips and don’t skip rungs, you work on your finger flexors. When you use bigger grips and skip rungs, you work on arm power and contact strength.

Movements with both hands between increasingly distant grips
Hang from the middle rungs, then let go and catch the bottom rung before moving back up.
Complete 6-10 total hand movements (3-5 repetitions).
Attempt to move as quickly as possible (total exercise time is less than 10 seconds).
3 minutes of rest between sets.
2-5 sets in total.

Tips and Takeaways for Campusing Rock Climbing Board Training

Only use the college board if you’re a competent to advanced climber with no history of shoulder, finger, or arm issues.
Warm up and relax thoroughly after performing any of these exercises.
On the campus board, only use open-hand or open-crimp grips.
Keep your arms slightly bent at all times; never have straight arms or relaxed shoulders.
Schedule rotator cuff strengthening and stabilization exercises.
In your exercises, prioritize quality over quantity.
Only use the campus board for training 1-2 times per week.

Campusing Rock Climbing Training for Beginners

The campus board has been an important part of a climber’s training for the past 30 years. It has become an important teaching tool. It has made a whole generation of campus kings and queens.

A campusing rock climbing board is wonderful for gaining strength when used appropriately. But it will not make you the best climber in the world. Instead, campus boards, along with hang boards and system boards, are weapons in your armory that, when used with frequent climbing and training, will propel you through the grades.

First and Foremost, Get the Blood Flowing!

Getting your blood flowing is critical for any form of training, even a board session. Cold fingers increase the danger of ripping or tearing a tendon! Before crimping on anything, get the circulation flowing in your hands and make sure they are warm.

My campus session was always towards the end of a workout. I spend 10 minutes warming up on the system board to get the fingers moving, although I’m generally very warm after the kettlebells. If I was only training on campus, I’d do a pulse raiser like skipping, followed by 30 minutes of light, easy bouldering, and stretching.

If I’ve just finished a difficult climb or am exhausted, I’ll skip the campus session since I know my form will be shaky, which might lead to injury. I know climbers who train on campus four or five times a week, and it works for them. I’m envious, yet I know my own body. To get results and avoid damage, it’s important to have warm fingertips and know when to practice.

The Crimp, the Entire Crimp, and Just the Crimp

On a campus board, there are three basic grip styles: full crimp, half crimp, and open-handed crimp. During a campus board training session, a range of different grips should be employed to improve strength in all areas of the hand and fingers. Repetitive usage of one technique might lead to an imbalance, which is not good when working on a project at the crag.

The use of the thumb to clamp the fingers down distinguishes the complete crimp from the half crimp. This complete crimping posture with the thumb lock is our strongest grip and should be practiced but not overdone. The complete crimp is ideal for dead-hang practice on a hang board, but should not be utilized for any dynamic motions.

Conclusion

Campusing rock climbing is the gold standard for building incredible upper body power and contact grip strength. Campusing rock climbing training may be quite risky. Many climbers believe that you should be climbing for at least 18 months before embracing campus board training. You should do these exercises at your own risk and stop right away if they hurt or irritate you.