Old and New Polls

The polls for last week on training just closed. Most people out there seem to just climb a lot as their main training method, but there are a few people with home walls and other training equipment that can be used on their wall...HIT, fingerboards and rock rings to name a few. If you dont do any climbing training at home...why dont you? I have found that a simple pair of Rock Rings or Pump Rocks are a cheap and great way to get a climbing specific work out, as well as, a general conditioning work out. You can hang them almost anywhere, they are easy to move if you are renting or plan on relocating them often, they supplement a home wall well, and they are easy to work out on. I also like that you can do as little as a 10 minute work out, a few times a week, and see and feel a difference in your climbing. If you have a home wall and can fit a set of HIT strips into it, I highly recommend doing so. I was able to get my set from "clemsonscooby" from the CCC and SCC messageboards (thanks again if you read this), and I have been addicted to using them ever since. I have seen a noticable change in my endurance, power, and finger strength. I jumped up a bouldering grade immediately after starting to use them. The more I use them, which is about 1-2 times a week, the better I can climb and my confidence continues to be on the rise. I used to climb in the V4-V6 range regularly years ago, but I started letting my focus get away from climbing and training. When I started back bouldering more frequently, I could barely get some V2's and V3's. Even after training like I used to, I still couldnt achieve the grades I was used to climbing. After starting the HIT training, I have been jumping up a grade every month or so. Now I have been climbing more V4's and got a couple of V5's the other day at the gym...that hasnt happened in a while. I think a combination of addressing my weaknesses by training on Rock Rings and HIT strips, has put me back closer to my "glory years" than anything else.

Anybody have any successful training tips to share? I think one reason most people climb is to get better and climb through the grades to harder and more challenging problems...what has helped you get to the grade you are at right now?

The new polls ask what your favorite local bouldering areas are. I have been to most of these areas and each has their own charisma, so if you want to add a comment about why its your favorite boulder area, please feel free to do so here. Also, if you have a favorite area that I have left off, please make a comment and I'll add it on there.