Principles

The principal reasons for "campusing" are to train upper-body power and muscle fiber recruitment.

To understand what we are talking about, let us make a few distinctions. While strength is the ability to maintain muscle contraction against a maximum load, power is the ability to generate a maximal contraction rapidly. Strength, then, is more of a static force, while power is dynamic.

A campus board is an excellent tool for training strength, but its greatest asset by far is its ability to train power. If a hold on a climb cannot be reached under static strength, you need to move towards it explosively and that is where power comes in.

We define recruitment as the ability to fire as many of the fibers in a given muscle as possible at once. You need to increase your recruitment, not just for initiating a dynamic move, but also for "sticking" the target hold. While catching the target depends on timing and coordination, if you cannot contract enough muscle fibers rapidly enough, you will not be able to hang on to it. Recruitment, then, especially forearm recruitment, is the key to sticking hard deadpoints, and "campusing" is the best way we know of to improve it.

In the normal course of campus board training, you will also realize huge gains in dynamic technique: timing, coordination, confidence, etc., as well as static strength. "Campusing" will improve all aspects of your climbing.

How much you should emphasize campus board training depends on your goals. Those wanting to improve their on-sight climbing should use it sparingly and concentrate on doing more climbing mileage, while those interested in succeeding on hard redpoints or boulder problems should use it as a primary training method.

The board should be used in conjunction with other forms of training, for spells of 4 to 8 weeks, not continuously throughout the year. Gradually increase usage, from once a week to as much as 2 or 3 times a week, and then taper back down, as you re-emphasize other forms of training. As top climbers know, power takes a long time to gain, but once you have it, you retain it for much longer than endurance.

Warning All Training Board Users:  Training on a hang board carries risk of injury to fingers, arms, shoulders and the joints connecting them.  Take every precaution to avoid damage to yourself;  warm-up, stretch, don't over train and listen to your body.  Remember, even under the best of circumstances, injuries can occur.  In addition, however you mount your board, be sure that it cannot move in any direction.  There should be no possible way for the board to come down while training.