Steep pocket-pulling in Austin, TX. Photo: T. Scales

Spring is on my mind.  Sure, El Niño made for a relatively mild winter, but it also made for a lousy ski season.  And of course whatever else the “little boy” may bring, longer days never make the list.  That’s what I really miss…daylight.  More sun.  Warmer temps.  Grilling on the back deck.  Flip-flops.  Rock climbing.  Okay, I’m jumping the gun a bit; after all, it’s only February.  Still, with spring right around the corner, it’s time to harvest some fitness and plan some road trips!

As we start thinking about getting stronger, let’s not forget that the key to a strong climbing season is good health.  Let’s face it, climbing injuries suck.  Dark thoughts of never climbing again cross the mind.  And while it’s never a good time to get injured, they tend to come at the worst times: either when we’re starting to climb again after a long hiatus, or when we’re at the top of our game, pushing the envelope on hard routes.

Fortunately, staying healthy isn’t rocket science.  While injuries tend to happen sooner or later, here are a few easy ways to postpone the inevitable.  First, take it slow.  If you’re just getting back into climbing, build up your base fitness before tackling climbs at the limit of your ability.  The go-slow approach will pay dividends later in the season.  Second, take rest days.  Climbing only makes us stronger if we allow our bodies to recover between sessions.  Be sure to take enough rest days, and to back off when you’re feeling overworked.  Third, warm up.  Jumping onto hard routes right off the couch will put you on the fast track to injury.  Start each session with plenty of stretching and “easy” climbing.  Warming up properly not only helps to prevent injuries, but it results in a more high quality climbing session.  Fourth, listen to your body.  Know what a healthy baseline feels like so that you’ll know when you stray into unhealthy territory.  Fifth, drink water.  When you get dehydrated, your tendons dry up first.  Staying well-hydrated will keep your tendons happy.  Sixth, climb smart.  Some types of climbing are more injurious than others, and everyone has different vulnerabilities.  Know what yours are and climb accordingly.  Finally, have fun!  Happy climbers are healthy climbers.  Happy climbing!

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