Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Pain Doesn’t Always Mean Gain
Sore muscles and other pains are part of the climbing experience. When you push yourself to the limit, you’re going to feel it, and that’s all right.
That doesn’t mean you should ignore every ache, however. Pain is your body’s way of getting your attention, so take some time to find out what your body is telling you.
Some tweaks and twinges you can climb through. Others may be signs of real trouble. The classic mistake is to let enthusiasm eclipse common sense, whether on a climb or just working out. It’s hard to describe how to tell the difference, but with experience you’ll learn to read your own body’s signals.
It’s pretty common for climbers in their first few years to have problems with finger tendons, for instance. Tendons and ligaments don’t grow as fast as muscle, and they don’t get a lot of blood. So give yourself time to condition them for the high, dynamic loads of climbing movement. Once you’ve built up your strength, you may only need some climbing tape to support a finger tendon that’s acting weird or hurting a little bit.
One thing to remember is that when your muscles are warmed up and flushed with blood, an injury may not reveal itself as much as it will the next morning.
If you tear a tendon, pull a muscle or otherwise really hurt yourself, you simply have to lay off the hard climbing. Some light movement after an initial immobilization period can help a lot. When you come back, start slow, use tape, and build up gradually.
It’s common sense, but sometimes we need reminders.
Sore muscles and other pains are part of the climbing experience. When you push yourself to the limit, you’re going to feel it, and that’s all right.That doesn’t mean you should ignore every ache, however. Pain is your body’s way of getting your attention, so take some time to find out what your body is telling you.
Some tweaks and twinges you can climb through. Others may be signs of real trouble. The classic mistake is to let enthusiasm eclipse common sense, whether on a climb or just working out. It’s hard to describe how to tell the difference, but with experience you’ll learn to read your own body’s signals.
It’s pretty common for climbers in their first few years to have problems with finger tendons, for instance. Tendons and ligaments don’t grow as fast as muscle, and they don’t get a lot of blood. So give yourself time to condition them for the high, dynamic loads of climbing movement. Once you’ve built up your strength, you may only need some climbing tape to support a finger tendon that’s acting weird or hurting a little bit.
One thing to remember is that when your muscles are warmed up and flushed with blood, an injury may not reveal itself as much as it will the next morning.
If you tear a tendon, pull a muscle or otherwise really hurt yourself, you simply have to lay off the hard climbing. Some light movement after an initial immobilization period can help a lot. When you come back, start slow, use tape, and build up gradually.
It’s common sense, but sometimes we need reminders.
Labels: climbing, tips, touchstone
¶ Tuesday, July 31, 2007
