Campus boards are an invaluable training tool for climbers looking to improve their power, finger strength, and explosive movement. For intermediate climbers, targeting specific weaknesses can make a significant difference in progression. One such area is sloper control, an often tricky aspect of climbing that requires a combination of strength, technique, and body position. Developing a progressive campus board routine that focuses on sloper control will help climbers improve their overall performance on this type of hold.
In this article, we'll walk through how to build a campus board routine that progressively develops the skills necessary for mastering slopers.
Understanding Sloper Control
Before diving into a campus board routine, it's essential to understand what sloper control entails. Slopers are holds that lack edges or distinct features to grip, forcing climbers to rely on surface contact and body tension. Sloper control requires:
- Good contact strength : Maintaining consistent pressure on the sloper with the palm and fingers.
- Core engagement : Keeping your body close to the wall and maintaining a solid position while your hands struggle for grip.
- Tension and body positioning : Being able to use your whole body in combination with proper footwork to stay balanced and avoid slipping.
With that in mind, the goal of a progressive campus board routine for sloper control is to improve finger and upper-body strength, technique, and body positioning to control sloper holds more effectively.
Warm-Up: Prepare the Body
As with any climbing or training routine, warming up is essential to avoid injury and prepare the body for more intense activity.
Key Warm-Up Steps:
- General Mobility : Begin with light cardio (jogging or cycling) for 5--10 minutes to get your blood flowing.
- Finger and Wrist Activation : Perform wrist rolls, finger stretches, and simple open-hand and closed-hand exercises to activate the fingers.
- Dynamic Stretching : Focus on your shoulders, wrists, and hips, as these areas are heavily engaged during campus board training.
- Easy Climbing : Finish with an easy climbing session on a wall to get the feel for the moves and ensure your body is ready.
Starting with Basic Campus Board Exercises
If you're an intermediate climber, you already have some climbing experience, so you'll want to begin with exercises that focus on body control, finger strength, and power.
1. Dead Hangs on Slopers (Finger Strength & Contact Strength)
Start by using a campus board with sloper holds. Focus on dead hanging from the slopers, ensuring you maintain a slight bend in your elbows to avoid overloading your joints. Aim for 5--6 second holds with a 3-second rest in between.
- Progression : Start with two-arm dead hangs, then gradually move to one-arm dead hangs once you build sufficient strength. Keep the hands open to target the specific sloper control you need.
2. Pull-Ups (General Strength)
If you're not yet comfortable with dead hanging from slopers, the pull-up is a great way to develop your upper body strength. Focus on controlled pull-ups rather than explosive ones to build stability in your shoulders and arms.
- Progression : Start with basic pull-ups. As you get stronger, progress to archer pull-ups or one-arm assisted pull-ups.
Incorporating Sloper-Specific Campus Board Exercises
Once you feel comfortable with the basic exercises, you can move into sloper-specific training on the campus board. These exercises will build power and control, specifically for sloper holds.
1. Touch and Go Drills (Explosiveness)
This exercise focuses on explosive power while still maintaining control. Using slopers on the campus board, perform a touch and go drill:
- Start hanging from a sloper with both hands.
- Explosively pull up and touch the next sloper hold with one hand, then return the hand back to the starting position.
- Gradually increase the number of touches and the difficulty of the holds as you progress.
Goal : Focus on explosiveness, but ensure your body is aligned and that you are not swinging excessively.
2. Explosive Pull-Ups (Power Training)
Explosive pull-ups help build the fast-twitch muscle fibers needed for dynamic moves on slopers.
- Hang from a sloper, then perform a quick, explosive pull-up and try to reach the next sloper hold or the top of the board.
- This movement should be fast but controlled, focusing on generating maximum upward force.
Goal : Train your muscles to react quickly and explosively while maintaining tension in the body.
Working on Sloper-Specific Movement
The key to mastering slopers is not just strength but also technique and body positioning. Use the campus board not only for static strength exercises but also for improving dynamic movement on slopers.
1. Controlled Campus Moves (Body Tension & Precision)
Use the campus board to simulate sloper movements by focusing on body tension and control:
- Start by hanging from a set of slopers.
- Move one hand up to a higher sloper while keeping your body close to the wall. Use your feet to maintain balance and stability.
- Focus on maintaining constant body tension while reaching for the next hold, as slopers demand precise body control.
Goal: Improve your ability to move dynamically on slopers while maintaining control and tension.
2. Campusing with Slopers (Full-body Power and Control)
As your control on slopers improves, you can work up to campusing on a sloper-laden board.
- Start with dead hangs, then progress to small pulls before working up to full campusing.
- The key is to use body tension to pull yourself up smoothly and efficiently, without relying too heavily on the arms.
Goal : Build both finger strength and explosive movement, while ensuring you maintain strong body posture.
Cool Down: Recovery and Stretching
After completing your campus board routine, it's essential to cool down properly to promote recovery and reduce the risk of injury.
- Gentle Stretching : Focus on your fingers, wrists, shoulders, and forearms. These areas are heavily involved in campus board training.
- Foam Rolling : Roll out your arms, shoulders, and back to release any tension and increase blood flow.
- Rest Days : Ensure you schedule adequate rest days between campus board sessions to allow your fingers and muscles time to recover.
Progression and Frequency
As an intermediate climber, you'll want to avoid overtraining while still making steady progress. The key is to progress gradually, adding new exercises only once you've mastered the basics.
- Frequency : 2-3 campus board sessions per week is ideal for most climbers, allowing sufficient time for recovery.
- Progressive Difficulty: Each week, increase the intensity by adding harder sloper holds, more explosive movements, or longer hang times.
Tip : Keep track of your progress, and don't rush. Focus on quality over quantity.
Conclusion
Developing a campus board routine for sloper control is an essential step in advancing your climbing abilities. By combining finger strength training, explosive power, body tension exercises, and controlled movement, you'll gradually improve your ability to handle sloper holds with ease. Remember, consistency and proper progression are key. Stick with your routine, listen to your body, and soon you'll be able to tackle slopers with the control and power that will make all the difference in your climbing.