Weights (5x5) + Rock climbing in the same day hours apart?

geebusuk

Currently I'm doing 3 days a week of a 5x5 routine and generally do 3 days a week indoor rock climbing.
(Don't do any pull ups in the 5x5 as that's covered by the climbing).

Is there any reason not to do them on the same day?
Ideally I'd do the weights straight after climbing so I'm freshest for the climbing; but often finish climbing at 10pm or so, so that's not really an option. (And none of the local climbing places have their own normal gym.) In a lot of cases there will be at least a few hours split between the two workouts.
Always felt everything should be done at once if possible, though not sure there was any reason behind me thinking that.

It not only generally makes sense to let my body have rest days, but looking to start a leangains style program, which really needs the rest days for lower calories and different macros. Or at least some 'cardio' days, if not rest!

wmagoo27

When pulling movements like deadlifts or rows get heavy, you might want to split up the lifting and climbing. As long as you can recover adequately you should be fine. Keep an eye on tendon stress. Remember that you are putting a tremendous amount of stress on the tendons in your fingers, wrists, and arms when climbing. This stress takes a long time to get used to and a strain can put you off of the wall for weeks to recover enough that you don't suffer a tear. How long have you been climbing? Are you in the climbing gym doing a training program, or just climbing?

geebusuk

I've been doing it for around 6 months now, with little bits in the past. Just climbing generally, though have been been considering trying to do some 'proper' training, rather than just finishing up with some pull ups etc.

Tendon's are definitely my weak point - generally my biceps etc can easily haul me up, but my lighter friend who can't do as many pull ups often does better than me on the nastier holds thanks to a better finger-power to weight ratio.

akjmart2002

I've climbed intensively for 20+ years, and worked several rounds of 5x5 and 5/3/1 over the past 18 months, along with running and other cardio. IMHO, you're fine as long as you get adequate rest and calories to support the tissue growth, and don't climb too many days in a row. Be very cautious about any campus or session board training, as your connective tissue may not be up to the task. Honestly, if you haven't been a climber for at least a few years with no significant injuries, you don't really need to do those kinds of workouts. Lifting, however, is great because it works the antagonist musculature, complementing the pulling muscles worked in rock climbing and thereby helping prevent overuse injuries. Excellent progressive climbing workouts include 4x4s, 6x6s, ARCs, and technique-specific focus (quiet feet, no-hands slab climbing, and working the same route to perfection). Also, developing a rigorous pyramid progression is key to moving up the grades with regularity.

For more info on climbing training, read anything by Eric Horst (although he doesn't endorse lifting for climbing fitness), The Self-Coached Climber (Douglas Hunter), and 9 Out of 10 Climbers Make The Same Mistakes (Dave MacLeod).

geebusuk

Cheers for the thoughts, very useful!

It's very rare I'll climb two days in a row. Did once do 4 days I think, but the second day I spent mostly helping a friend and the last one was just for the last hour, which they do cheaply.
I don't tend to use the campus board etc much - mostly because I can't very well anyway (see lack of tendon strength etc ).

I think I will try and do more climbing in the day time (one of my climbing friends works in retail so she has mid-week days off and the other works 1-8pm so that can work for him too) with weights after. Hopefully should mean I actually get better recovery as my body gets a 'proper' recovery day, rather than just recovery for one muscle group. Though not sure if that matters in that manner.

I have got a copy of 'Training for Climbing' by Eric Horst - it's "on the list" to workout some decent stuff from that.
For climbing, I definitely want to work out a stretching routine and a general training routine (do do a bit of no-hands, quiet feet, etc when I remember). For the most part I only do bouldering as my local place doesn't have very good top rope (a few short ones for kids parties) and my only friend interested in it is scared of heights so hasn't pursued it enough to learn to belay etc. Not sure if pyramid's are so relevant to bouldering; though in reality I'm probably doing something like that anyway; warming up on a load of easier routes etc.