Angela Eiter

From Austria three Lead Climbing World Cups in a row and the first girl in history to climb a 9b. Angela knows how to train to be the best, in the World.

“A specific goal in your mind helps you find the direction”

The aim to improve is a common habit of many sportists. A specific goal in your mind helps you find the direction, what exactly you have to train. While I was a competitor I had a well structured plan. As a rock climber nowadays, my preparation is more flexible. When I am busy in my job I prefer short and intense training sessions. When I am in a climbing trip, I usually just climb concerning my feeling. In the following text I give a general input how I train.

Usually I advice four climbing days a week for advanced climbers, that comprises two bouldering sessions and two lead sessions. My general bouldering session looks as follows: After a good warm-up, I climb about four very hard and short boulder problems and try each four times and rest at least two minutes in between. Then I add 3 power exercises such as pull ups, push ups or core workouts. Here I follow four sets and rest one or two minutes in between.

A general lead session looks as follows: After a good warm up, I give a try in a very hard route, that I haven't completed yet. After a good rest of about 20 minutes I try it again. Then I add five routes that I can climb till top but not easy. In between the routes I rest 10 minutes.

Apart from climbing I regularly follow therapy-related workout. Since 2014 I suffer from a bad injury, a ripped tendon on my left hamstring. Therapy helps reduce pain and I am working hard to make the injury heal one day. As long as I follow this I can still push my limits.

However, besides physical workouts I have some mental tactics for you to include in your program by times.

Mental Tips

Observe the route!

Before you start to climb look at the route and remember the most essential details such as the way up, the most difficult part, the rest points, the clipping positions and so on. The best is to sit down and relax and visualize the moves in your head.

Be creative!

In most difficult routes there is at least one particular hard move. Sometimes its useful to be creative and to find your beta. You learn more when you try moves on your own. Then check your beta by watching other climbers or ask how they do the moves.

Get full use of your technical skills!

Usually women don’t have as much power as men. Therefore, they often climb smoothly and economically to compensate powerful moves.

Train your weakness!

Prepare a program twice a week where you concentrate on your weakpoints. I prefer to include that program in my bouldering session. After a good warm up create two different singly moves, one for your right and one for your left hand, that demand exactly that what you need to improve. Do each move six times and take enough rest in between.

Slow down and recover!

Be aware that your body gets sufficent recovery especially after a hard session. Note that your tendons, ligaments etc. need longer to recover than your muscles. Don‘t be afraid to take two days off from climbing when you did a hard workout. The risk of injuries decrease while your muscle increases.