2020 has been a challenging year with a global pandemic, a COVID lockdown at home (or two), and limited climbing travel for many of us. We're now entering the holiday season, with COVID lingering, but hopefully, it will bring some opportunity to celebrate (in small COVID-safe groups?), reset our training, and renew our mindset and body. Is this a good time to take a month off from climbing? NO! There are several options for holiday season training, even if it's all at home. I'll present the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. Which is best for you? Listen in...you decide!

DEAR FRIENDS: PLEASE BE COVID SAFE THIS WINTER...A VACCINE IS NEAR!

0:15 - Introduction...lingering COVID, the approaching holidays, and your training for climbing!

2:30 - A brief message about the T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage.

3:45 - Winter is near...training season is here! What's the best approach to training in the holiday season? I will present 4 distinctly different approaches to training through the holidays.

5:30 - Training Approach #1: Taking a month or so off from training and climbing. Eric addresses the pros and cons of taking a few weeks (or more) off from training and climbing.

8:40 - Training Approach #2: Immediately adjust your training to deal with a current injury or tweak. Now is the time to resolve an injury with appropriate rehab and self-care.

13:25 - Elite level climber question: How would I train this winter to climb my best in the Spring season....versus training to climb at my highest level in a few years?

18:10 - Recap of Holiday Training Approaches #1 and #2.

19:20 - Training Approach #3: Continue with serious in-season training because this is your performance season...or you have a climbing trip scheduled in the next 4 to 8 weeks. In this case, it's important to train for a "peak" for your trip and not succumb to (or minimize the impacts of) holiday season...rich foods and "cheer").

22:22 - A brief tangent on the diet/nutrition and the "issues" that some athletes have with food. Developing a healthy relationship with food is important for optimal training, beneficial physical adaptations, and maximizing performance. Especially for hard, steep climbing, strength-to-weight ratio directly correlates to performance...so consuming the right foods in the right amounts is vital.

27:32 - Holiday Season Training Approach #4: Strive for a balance between frequent training and occasional indulgences in holiday foods and drinks. You can enjoy the season without being self-destructive to your climbing potential for the early 2021 season. Learn how Eric will be doing it...and determine if it's the right approach for you!

35:35 - Warning: A couple of weeks (or more) of holiday gluttony can have a significant negative impact in terms of weight gain. While putting on a pound or two is no big deal, adding 5 to 10 pounds will hurt your climbing in early 2021...and it will likely require a month or more to lose.

38:13 - The bottom line: How seriously you take your diet and training should be proportional to how seriously you take your climbing!

39:20 - Effectiveness comes when you match your actions to your goals. Live intentionally!

39:50 - Eric's closing comments: In the end, performing optimally and experiencing maximally demands that you nuance your actions and explore the shades of gray...rather than living in a black and white world.

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Music by Misty Murphy

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