Adam Ondra touts the campus board as one of the most effective training tools for climbers; however, he also cautions its high risk for causing finger injury.
He intently discourages use of the campus board for beginner climbers; noting that if you gain power too quickly, you miss out on learning efficiency and technique in your movement. He suggests that only climbers with at least two years of experience, over the age of 15, and who can climb 7b (5.12b or V5) should train on the campus board.
Adam uses the campus board for two purposes:
- Power training
- Power endurance training
Power training on the campus board entails less exercises, less moves, and longer breaks. Adam emphasizes that you only want to approach the campus board when fresh, well-rested, and warmed up.
In this video, he demonstrates his favorite power training exercises, including 1-5-9s and double-dynos; both of which are highly advanced and only encouraged for very experienced climbers. If nothing else, this will give you a peek into what elite-level training looks like.
For less advanced campus board exercises, check out these recommendations from Eric Hörst.
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