Modus Cafe: Conversations Beyond Climbing

Have some fun with us in today's episode and let's discuss differences between board climbing and gym climbing. The advantages, disadvantages, and how to adapt your training to each! Which do you prefer to climb on? Did you know about all the ways to utilize these tools? Did we miss anything? What has a training board or gym climb taught you? Let us know in the comments!

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1:52 About commercial gym climbing and board climbing

4:32 Types of boards and advantages of board climbing

19:30 Disadvantages of board climbing

29:00 Advantages of gym climbing

33:42 Disadvantages of gym climbing

39:02 Katja's favorite training board

40:25 We didn't talk about the spray wall -- look for Part 2 of this episode! And what did Mercedes change in her garage?! More to come!

In this solo episode of Modus Cafe, I get vulnerable about my struggle through an elbow injury. Recovery was about two years which is the longest recovery I've experienced. I questioned my identity as a climber, as a coach, as a human.

Not only am I sharing about how I overcame physical limitations, and found other ways of movement, but how I had to hurdle over the mental and emotional frustrations as well to find my Big Why and my joy for climbing again.

I'm grateful to be where I am now, and glad to be on this journey with you. Take what you can from my experience and remember the essence of climbing is always here for us. (*If you feel injured, go see a PT. My injuries are not your injuries*).  

Shout out to MoveMend: https://movemend.info/ and Union PT: https://unionpt.com/ both in Seattle!

Free ways to work with us: Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass

Want On-Demand training programs to help you get to the next level? Join Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together

00:01:45 Multiple injuries & rehab in the past

00:02:55 May 2022 elbow injury (disclaimer: if you feel injured, go see a PT. My injuries are not your injuries)

00:09:40 Pain in shoulder

00:11:17 Starting to lose my mind

00:12:55 Experimenting with bodybuilding, dealing with body changes

00:15:20 Still in pain, still not climbing.

00:19:13 December 2023 turning point.

00:20:30 Importance of community and perspective.

00:23:26 Mental tools.

00:28:36 Rehab Process.

00:33:01 Transition back to climbing, adding pyramids and moonboards.

00:42:00 What keeps me motivated.

Today, we're discussing the advantages and disadvantages of pyramids in climbing training, when to use them, and why. This training tool helps climbers build a base of easier climbs while progressing to more difficult ones, and ultimately setting themselves up for success for their hardest sends. Pyramids can be tailored to a climber's specific goal, and if utilized effectively, this training can keep you organized and focused to help you break into your next grade! So, have a listen to this week's episode about the benefits of using climbing pyramids, and let us know how you'll be incorporating it into your climbing training!

Free ways to work with us: Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass

Want On-Demand training programs to help you get to the next level? Join Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together

00:01:54 What is a pyramid?

00:05:04 What is often missing in a climber's natural climbing pyramid?

00:07:04 What is the timeframe for a pyramid. What about in-season, long-term, short-term?

00:8:32 Tips for & benefits of creating your pyramid.

00:11:18 What is the intention of your pyramid, and did Mercedes use a pyramid before her V10?

00:15:16 Preparing for the top or holding yourself back?

00:18:46 While not in-season, learn by filling in your pyramid even if it's an awkward climb.

00:22:07 Encouragement to stay organized during your in-season trip.

00:28:34 Guess what, there's no rules for your pyramid.

We're back with Steve Bechtel! At Modus we say, "Recover as hard as you train!" Today we emphasize the crucial role of recovery in training and climbing. We discuss the importance of developing work capacity, optimizing recovery strategies, and balancing training and recovery. Also in our conversation learn about active recovery, proper nutrition and sleep for recovery, and the drawbacks of overtraining and training to failure. Lastly, know the importance of consistency, patience, and time management in achieving results.

Flexibility is a big part of climbing movement and recovery. Join here for a free flexibility routines and theory: Flexibility Foundations for Beginners: https://www.modusathletica.com/flexibility-foundations-opt-in

00:01:29 How Steve Bechtel approaches recovery 

00:05:39 What to do in your workout to optimize recovery 

00:13:30 Cues/Words to help athletes recognize when to stop a session. 

00:20:35 Active recovery and sleep 

00:29:10 Incorporating recovery tools like a shakeout in a climbing routine, reduce stiffness, breathing 

00:34:19 Going to failure 

00:41:33 Time Sets 

00:47:50 Psychological benefits with consistency, patience 

00:52:15 Other recovery strategies  

01:05:43 Active vs passive recovery

Let's talk about strength training! What does that mean in terms of reps? What about intensity? Join us in today's episode to learn the science behind it, and what it means to train for endurance vs strength endurance vs strength. What's your goal? We'll help you understand how to reach your most efficient strength benefit!

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Deadlifting can be overwhelming and complicated to learn, but once you have the technique dialed in, this exercise can greatly improve the strength and health of a climber's body.

Join us for this podcast as we cover how to get started deadlifting, the benefits, practical tips, common misconceptions, how to move around pain, gym etiquette, and how to make the best adjustments to the movement. Want a jump start to your training?

Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass

Continuing on this training series with Steve Bechtel, we cover power endurance.

This energy system is the sexy one, the one that everyone wants to train. But the system can also lag behind, be misused, and lead to burnout and injury if done incorrectly.

We call this energy system "the icing on the cake," this is especially true if you have put a lot of work into training the other facets of training: strength, endurance, and power.

Join us for today's episode to learn how to optimally train power endurance!

Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass

In this episode, Amanda Fit joins us to chat nutrition for climbers. 

Nutrition is always a difficult topic because it's so heavily based on individual needs. 

But in this episode, Amanda covers some general ideas for you so you can make the best nutrition choices for yourself as a climber and athlete. 

Some topics covered:

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It's Mercedes' birthday! In this episode, coach Katja asks Mercedes about more personal questions and what it's like being a coach. This is a great one if you wanna get to know Coach Mercedes a little better :)

Mercedes currently has 2 spots open for one-on-one coaching. Apply here: https://forms.gle/adgezW7aWvWDYUcN7

When you switch from indoor to outdoor climbing, your approach will likely change. Most people "feel" that outdoor climbing is harder. Climbers sometimes feel frustrated with their efforts outdoors, scared, and discouraged by the grades. This is normal. Indoor climbing is much different than outdoor climbing. There are a lot of factors to consider when climbing outdoors that you don’t have to worry about when you’re inside. But does this make outdoors harder? That's what we are talking about in today's episode!

Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass

Want community and coaching support? Join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together