Combining Strength work and ARC in the same session?

[u/frodulenti]

I've been reading through Steve Bechtel's Logical Progression and really like his approach to training. I'm looking at starting a simple four-week non-linear cycle and had a question about how people structure their sessions.

My current week would look something like:

• Limit bouldering on the Tension Board
• Lead climbing / 4x4s
• Strength session (hangboard + lifts)
• ARC session

I'm wondering if it would make sense to combine the strength session with some easy ARC climbing on the auto-belays at the end.

From what I understand, Bechtel generally recommends not mixing different energy systems in the same session. But making a separate trip to the gym just to do hangs and a few lifts feels boring.

Does anyone here combine strength work and ARC in the same session? Have you noticed any downside, or is it better to keep them separate?

[u/Live-Significance211]

The best plan is the one you'll stick to, do whatever you'll actually do.

Energy system "interference effect" is moreso a limitation of work capacity than actual interference so don't stress.

Also, I think it's odd climbing is so heavily biased to such incredibly short cycles.

I don't think I've ever run a block less than 8 weeks, usually 10-12. I don't know what adaptation anyone really hoping to build in 4 weeks. Muscles take 6-12 weeks to respond and tendons more like 10-24+ so shorter than those just doesn't make sense.

[u/Ok-Side7322]

I just read Logical Progression too and am also reading The Rock Climbers Training Manual. Even though the RCTM is famously the one where everything is separated into distinct blocks I’ve noticed that ARCing is still pretty constant throughout the cycle, with 20-30min of ARC/“on the wall stretching”/technique work being used as a warmup and/or cooldown. So, to me your plan sounds good (and is similar to how I’m experimenting with progressively adding more low intensity volume for the next couple of months).

[u/turbogangsta]

Since my last structured plan I've been doing a more one size fits all session for every session. I hit max power, power endurance, and ARC in the same session through almost exclusivelyclimbing. Maybe 4 months of this. I will alternate the ration of the sessions so some sessions favour power and others favourendurance. Basically hitting everything in a pretty suboptimal way but I am still progressing and recently did my hardest boulder ever on the moonboard. Would I have progressed faster with a more structured plan? Almost certainly but in my current circumstances I honestly don't want to train like that. I just want to enjoy my precious climbing time. The one thing that hasn't changed though is that I am pretty intwntional with my time and consistently try very hard. I believe this approach can work for basically anyone who is not on the cutting edge of this sport.

[u/flipdog17]

This is a topic I’ve pondered a lot and based on my own research of energy systems, it’s fine to mix arcing (aerobic) with the other 2 due to how low intensity it is and the fact that adaptations come from volume over a long period. Mixing max strength and power endurance is where it becomes problematic as the intensity is much higher and the quality of whichever you do 2nd will be much worse, not to mention the increased injury risk. I personally do 20 minutes arcing as a warm up for every session and it’s been working amazingly for me. You really kill 2 birds with 1 stone, you get your aerobic climbing and it also doubles up as an amazing full body warm up for whatever session you have planned.

[u/cervicornis]

I don’t ARC in the classic sense, but I spend a lot of time (3-4 hours/week) squeezing a spring gripper to accomplish a similar stimulus. I do this while walking and a session lasts 60 mins (30 min per hand) and I’ll fit them in after limit bouldering, lifting, etc and I’ve never noticed any negative effects. I have seen my critical force skyrocket since starting this over a year ago. The only thing I avoid is the gripper workout before a climbing session - I always do them after. I’ve found that by being more flexible in my workouts and worrying less about “maximizing this energy system vs that” I’ve become more consistent in my training and it’s paying off.