Training for mixed climbing: Fundamentals

Vlog #8: Winter is coming. Are you ready? In this episode I go through the fundamentals of what I do to prepare for the mixed climbing season. Dry tooling, cardio training, and some other important points that lead the dry tooling beasts to still fail to achieve their potential on the actual winter routes.
You'll find over a decade worth of climbing performance advice and information on my blogs and in my books at www.davemacleo...

[@benhewitt97]

Never climbed Ice or Mixed, but this video and the insights in it are still absolute gold! Tempted to pick up some tools some day now... Cheers Dave!

[@ReaIJohnDoe]

Certainly an asset to any educational institute that is ever lucky enough to nab him. I learn so much from Dave, he has a fantastic manner about him, could listen to him for hours.

[@Duckers_]

These are some absolutely amazing videos you're putting out Dave, can't get enough!

[@ezrabyrne3793]

Agreed

[@elfriederich]

Excellent quality of content

[@climbingRoman]

Dave it is very good that you post videos more often. I hope there will be a lot of content with very high quality. Good luck with your vlogs and I can't wait to watch the next educational one.(If you are out of ideas for winter vlogs, you can include these topics: your nutrition, (your)future projects and how to train for them, your activities besides climbing, (your)gear for winter, how to improve rock climbing during winter indoors) Thanks for your time :)

[@Radioactive_Treehouse]

Thanks for the video! I'm very fortunate to be in decent enough shape physically but I'm struggling immensely with getting in solid holds as well as just plainly pushing myself past my limits. Hope I break through my greatest mental barriers this season!

[@akmcdowell1]

dave please start doing podcasts or audio book versions of your books I know I would buy them in an instant!

[@liamelliott3779]

I agree, very good voice for instructionals like this. I'd listen to make or break on the way to work for sure.

[@keirmcewan4392]

Great video Dave 💪. Looking forward to the clothing and gear episode soon 👍

[@JesperJohannesson]

YES! Here it is. So psyched.

[@TheGreinprecht]

Love your videos!
You are talking about basic conditioning a lot, could you do another video on that? Would be super interesting how you do that :D

[@DenzelLN936]

These videos are gold Dave!

[@eirikgudbrandsen2526]

Great content, thanks Dave!

[@jamief2488]

This is very helpful! In fact all of your videos are, thanks Dave!

[@Vicentecarmonagonza]

Excellent pieces of advice. Thank you. Congrats from Spain for a magnificent chanel

[@elfriederich]

3:38 your right arm looks like the arm of a giant

[@elfriederich]

Great as always!

[@AnonymousOtters]

Dave, how did you put the dry tooling "slots" into your climbing holds? Dremel? I had been using the bolt holes for this on some of my holds, but they tend to chip out, looks like yours are slotted much deeper. Thanks for the great training tips , all your videos are a must watch for me!

[@climbermacleod]

Hilti hammer drill, 14mm bit rolled around to make a big wide hole.

[@Banchorian]

Nice one Dave!

[@ClimbMitBourbon]

Amazing video, thank you!!!

[@mileshaughery608]

Miles Tobin I am the only miles

[@user-dg9ti5gq4e]

Cheers dave

[@johanpersson597]

Thanks.

[@zoestrong1940]

Really like this blog post - Dave do you know any indoor walls in the central belt where you can take your axes and get some dry tooling practice?

[@climbermacleod]

GGC used to many years ago but I doubt they do now. There are an abundance of train bridges though. Will be seeking out some myself when I'm studying in Glasgow next month.

[@zoestrong1940]

@@climbermacleod thanks Dave I can see why they don't but it's a shame - will have to check out some bridges instead

[@RichardBaran]

What is winter? Ice? Snow? It's almost 90 degrees out here in Florida.

[@DrewWithington]

Really interesting and articulately presented. Are your family actually able to live in your house or is it completely devoted to climbing?

[@jaimenavarrogutierrez6337]

Thanks for the video Dave! 15 -20 days of winter climbing seems like a pretty reasonable amount. Josh Wharton mentioned that he finds bouldering a key component of being strong in all other disciplines (Sport, Big wall, Mixed) would you agree on that? Do you think it transfers to winter climbing? Thanks!

[@cmiles1669]

Hi dave i know this is an older video. What picks are you using on the BD fuels for mixed and drytooling routes. Thanks

[@douglasbubbletrousers5622]

Dave great video! Question, do you have any problems with cracking climbing holds from your picks? I'm looking to build a drytool wall but curious if I should stick to wood holds or if the plastic holds will hold up.

[@climbermacleod]

Plastic is fine but you just have to stick to beefy ones. I generally drill them rather than just use the hold. If you drill a big chunky hole in the strongest part of the hold then you can minimise the chance of breaking them.

[@darylmacvicar6313]

For purely dry tooling which tool would you suggest , I'm stu k between Nomic and ergonomic

[@rickedeckard2006]

Love the scots.

[@rudolfogdetorensdyr4967]

I love these videos but bouldering with ice tools cant that be dangerous?( no criticism)

[@climbermacleod]

You will find a lot of far more dangerous things on this channel.

[@gt4joe]

Which gloves are you wearing Dave, can't find them on the ME website!

[@climbermacleod]

They don't make them any more. But I forwarded your comment to the design team to restart the conversation about adding more tooling/work gloves in the range.

[@gt4joe]

Dave MacLeod that would be grand!