Coming Up In The Ranks
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It finally happened—climbing is in the Olympics! Upgrade to a van and stake out your spot at the nearest gym. Opportunities for climbing pros are blooming; money from sponsors and investors is raining in. If you’re a parent or coach, the time is now to prep young climbers who aspire to reach their full potential.
But how do we shepherd kids along that path?
The best athletes start early. They’re given the right amount of gas at the right time in the right direction. Hitting the developmental stages, or characteristic periods of growth and maturation, correctly requires active planning. To cultivate your young athletes to have healthy mindsets and long-term passion for climbing can be a daunting task. Based on the recommendations made by Athletics Canada (athletics.ca), below are nine tips for addressing each crucial stage, adapted for climbing. Age ranges and stage names are from Athletics Canada.
And for all those individuals who are pushing young climbers too hard, we have created a nice little chart.
Stage One: Active Start (ages 0-6)
Your youngsters are just beginning to understand the world around them. Their senses and motor skills are developing as they learn to walk and talk. In this stage it is important to get them moving. Don’t let them be
6-year-old couch potatoes. Climbing, much like crawling, is intuitive to kids from the start—take them to the gym and let them play around. Teach them that physical activity is
a fun, normal part of the day. Also stress the importance of good nutrition. Kids need a colorful diet high in fruits and vegetables from the start.
Stage Two: FUNdamentals (ages 6-8)
Now is the time for your kids to be “running, jumping, throwing,” and learning more complex, coordinated movements. Get them out of their comfort zone to learn
new moves by focusing on agility and dynos. Teach them to “monkey climb,” which involves swinging around on jugs and doing fun run-and-jumps in tennies. Be sure to monitor them to avoid bad movement patterns and injuries. It’ll be less fun than dynos, but also sit your kids down to practice flexibility.
Stage Three: Learning to Train (ages 9-12)
By around age 9, kids should be ready to focus on more sustained, challenging tasks. Introduce them to coaches who will lightly push them in longer bouts of exercise. Testing and tracking protocols can also be introduced, with supportive concepts like attention to warm-ups, cooling down and maintaining good nutrition.
According to Athletics Canada, “Children who do not develop their fundamental motor skills by age 12 are unlikely to reach their genetic athletic potential.”
This is the time to get children into professional coaching programs that will integrate the physical, mental and emotional concepts within climbing. And keep focusing on flexibility as your kids hit their growth spurts. Weekly training time shouldn’t exceed 11 hours.
Stage Four: Training to Train (ages 12-16)
In Stage Four we’re talking about pre-pubescent and pubescent teens. Beware! They will be experiencing the biggest growth stages and changes in their bodies in their lives.
Their training routines will need to be catered to developmental changes. Because bones tend to grow before tendons and ligaments, youths’ connective tissue may be at risk during peak growth. Athletes should focus on endurance activities, such as sustained route climbing, to protect their tendons. After a child has attained peak growth, he or she can focus on strength and speed. Athletes seeking to reach an elite level may want to begin to specialize in climbing and spend less time doing other sports. Total weekly training time can be 12-15 hours.
Stage Five: Learning to Compete (ages 16-18)
Sport specialization continues in stage five, along with the development of required technical, physical and mental skills. The athlete can begin entering open (adult) competitions, up to around 10 to 18 per year. The ratio of training to competing should be 90:10.
Stage Six: Training to Compete (ages 18-21)
Here athletes can begin following advanced training cycles, and focus on mental growth in preparation for the stress of high-level competitions. Athletes should focus on developing a thorough competition routine that includes strategies for coping with increasing stress.
Originally appeared in Gym Climber #4
Feature Image courtesy Eldorado Climbing Walls