Ryan Sklenica’s Current Training Schedule: Behind the Scenes

Ryan Sklenica:

I’ve been through many phases with climbing, I've spent seasons bouldering in Squamish and trad climbing in Tasmania, but I'll always be a sport climber. Now, most of my time is spent trying projects in a style that is most enjoyable for me and at a level where I can push myself physically and mentally. Recently this has been around my local crag in Nowra - a very physical style that also rewards full body technique.

I’ve always struggled splitting my time between training and getting out on rock. When it comes down to it, assuming I have the choice, I’ll always choose to be out at the crag on rock. This mindset has worked well for me throughout my climbing career. Training to get stronger is always of great benefit but movement, efficiency and strategy goes a whole lot further. As I’ve progressed as a climber over the last couple years, I've found that it has become more important to find a combination of these two in order to maintain my current level as well as pushing myself further.

On the days where I get to be on rock, I primarily try routes that are at my limit. I find I get the most satisfaction from climbing when I combine this with easier climbing/short term goals, especially when I need a break from my primary project. I tend to try several projects at a time and begin focusing on one when I feel I'm starting to become close. I also fine tune my training with these goals in mind.

There are so many exercises and training plans out there, it's impossible to fit everything into a week of training and climbing. An essential part of my success comes from specialised training for each route. My current projects are based on finger strength and power endurance and therefore my weeks are focused around these systems.

General Training Routine

Can you describe a typical week of training for you?

A week of training varies depending on the time of year and my current goals. My priority is always to be out climbing and I can usually do this 2-3 times a week. I generally climb 1 day on, 1 off which leaves only 2 days a week to train. However, since I'm always climbing after a rest day, I can give 110% every session rather than squeezing in 3-5 sessions per week.

My weeks change a lot, but they generally look something like this:

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Train (Limit board + Power endurance)
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - Train (Volume board + Power)
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest or Crag day
Sunday - Crag day

How many days a week do you train?

I consider my crag days training so four. Two indoor, two outdoor (approximately).

How do you structure your training sessions throughout the week?

Most sessions begin with a board session. The two ways I approach board climbing are volume sessions and projecting sessions, sometimes both. Usually one board session per week will be volume, this can be anywhere from 5-10 hard boulders that I can do most of the time but are still difficult, somewhere in the v9-12 range. The other session of the week, my board session will be focused on harder moves, maybe only doing 1-3 boulders and sometimes none, but just working limit moves.

I try to focus on one energy system per session on top of my board sessions, so if my focus is anaerobic; I’ll do my board session then a short, hard circuit usually linking into a hard boulder I know well. At the moment I am also trying to build some power, so my second training session of the week is board climbing followed by 3 reps of one arm pull ups at the appropriate weight.

When I am climbing at the crag I'll have 2-4 attempts on my primary project, which is the best training, but then I will make sure I get a good training session in by doing another 2-3 laps on a route that I am fairly confident I can get up or at least get pumped on, ideally in a similar style to the fitness I am trying to target.

What are your primary goals for your training block?

All my training is targeted at whatever my current project is or at a specific weakness, so the goal is to get good enough to send and stay injury free.

Specific Workouts

What types of exercises or workouts do you include in your training?

Currently the main ones are:

Limit/ volume bouldering ~ 2 hours
Weighted pull ups - One arm, 3 reps, 4 sets.
Circuits - Targeting/ replicating current project.
Single finger lifts - Finger health/ weaknesses.

Do you focus on different aspects (e.g., strength, endurance, technique) on different days?

I focus primarily on my board session and then try to limit my training to one other aspect (strength or endurance) per session.

How do you warm up before your training sessions?

Fingerboarding, gradually increasing difficulty and grip types.

I am currently doing single finger lifts at the late stages of my warm up to target a weakness, these are 30 second, open hand lifts with the appropriate and safe weight for each individual finger.

Finally, I will do around 5-8 boulders, gradually increasing the difficulty until I am ready to try hard.

What cool-down routines do you follow after your workouts?

I should probably stretch more…

Do you have goals for your training workouts?

Just targeting my weaknesses and goals.

It's also motivating to see progression, often I will have a short term goal for these exercises, ie; reaching a certain weight or doing however many laps on my circuit.

Time Management

How long does each training session typically last?

Anywhere from 2-4 hours.

Do you have a specific time of day when you prefer to train?

In the evening or when conditions are the best.

Variation and Progression

How do you ensure variety in your training to avoid plateaus and do you track your progress and make adjustments to your training routine?

I switch up exercises when I plateau or when progress becomes slow, usually to a similar exercise with more reps for a period of 4-6 weeks before returning to the original exercise. For example, I am currently doing one arm pull ups and if I plateau with this exercise, I will do two armed weighted pull ups with around 10 reps per set for that period of 4 weeks before continuing with one arm progression.

As I mentioned above, there are two kinds of board sessions: volume and limit. As long as you are alternating between these two I think it's easy enough to avoid plateaus, another good option is to alternate the style of board you are climbing on. My home board targets tension, power and small holds, often I'll try to switch the style and train on a board that targets other aspects of climbing, for example the kilter board would target explosive power and shoulders.

In general, if a specific exercise isn't working, it's probably the wrong one to be focused on or needs some specialised adjustments. I am always analysing my projects or goals and adjusting accordingly or better yet, getting outside on the project more. Finding a short term project, especially one in a relevant style that will contribute to the main goal, is also helpful.

I record the weights and number of successful reps when I train but the main way I track progress is through body awareness whilst climbing outside, either on the project or any routes I do consistently. Often progress isn't as obvious as getting a highpoint but more based on how I felt whilst climbing and after I have fallen off.

If all else fails, try harder - giving 110% and being consistent are the most important training attributes.

Do you incorporate any periodization or specific cycles in your training plan?

Training with specific routes in mind creates a cycle in itself - A period of training followed by days on the project which naturally forces me to rest more so I can give 100% on redpoints.

During the off season I'll focus more on weaknesses and have some more structure to my training as I prepare for the season or a trip.

Recovery and Rest

How do you incorporate rest and recovery into your weekly schedule?

I only train/ climb when I am recovered, this means I climb one day on, one day off. I find I can get more out of two or three sessions than I can out of more average sessions.

Ideally, a rest day means no physical or mental exertion, unfortunately this is not always possible. I will often take two rest days before trying a project I am close to.

My sleep and nutrition are important for optimal recovery, I can notice differences in my climbing performance based on these. Whilst I don’t track my nutrition, I make sure to eat well and enough, including during a climbing day!

Do you have any specific recovery techniques or routines you follow?

Beyond actually resting on rest days I don’t do much. I feel like good sleep is really key but whether or not I sleep well seems to rest in the hands of the gods.

Nutrition and Hydration

How do you manage your nutrition and hydration around your training sessions?

Not really, other than focusing on eating and sleeping well.

Lately I've been experimenting with activation sessions when I have two rest days. First day is a complete rest and recovery day, the second is a light session just to the point of a full warm up but not trying anything harder. So far, this has worked really well. I feel more ready to climb after an activation session than I would if I just had two complete rest days.

Do you follow a specific diet or nutritional plan to support your training?

Not really, I just make sure to get enough protein and have a varied diet with plenty of vegetables.

Challenges and Adaptations

What challenges have you faced in your training, and how have you overcome them?

The main issue I have with training is trying to improve in too many aspects at once. There is not enough time or energy to fit everything into a session or week without sacrificing the quality of the training. The way I overcome this is exactly what I've been talking about the whole time - training with specific goals/ routes in mind and only focusing on the relevant aspects of training.

How do you adapt your training routine when faced with injuries or other setbacks?

I don't get injured much. Maybe partly due to genetics, but also due to rest and recovery. When I do get minor injuries I avoid the obvious triggers but it's important to keep training and use the time to focus on other aspects of your training.

Mental and Emotional Aspects

How do you stay motivated and mentally focused throughout the week?

I don't have many strategies for this. I am self motivated, I think you have to be to climb at a high level. I also always have a goal in mind to work towards and just enjoy climbing on a board. Staying consistent is helpful and reminding yourself that improvements might happen gradually over time, not necessarily session to session.

Do you incorporate any mental training or mindfulness practices into your routine?

Not a routine as such, but climbing is constant mental training. Every redpoint attempt is mentally taxing, staying distraction free, calm and still giving 100% when needed in order to execute perfectly is exhausting. Debriefing with your climbing partner can be beneficial too. Discussing how you are feeling before climbing, why you are frustrated/ disappointed and strategies you can implement to help deal with this mentally and climb better under pressure is also useful.

Additional Activities

Do you participate in any cross-training or complementary activities?

No, unless bolting/ route development counts.

How do you balance training with other aspects of your life (e.g., work, family)?

I am fortunate enough to have plenty of time to focus on climbing, but also I only train when I am rested, which is usually 2-3 days a week so I'm not trying to squeeze 10 sessions into a week. I also believe there is plenty of time in a day, training is easy enough to fit in, the difficult part for most people is being self motivated enough to do it. I've seen people much busier than me fit their training into a week whilst studying full time, being an elite athlete and doing all sorts of cross training and that's not even including family time, so it all comes down to motivation.

Advice and Insights

What advice would you give to someone looking to improve their training routine?

Create a short and long term goal, ideally the short term goal compliments the long term goal. Structure your training around these goals and stay consistent. Consistency gives an exercise time to work, progress is often slow, don't jump from exercise to exercise because you don't see quick progression. Of course, there is a time to switch exercise after plateauing or when progress slows dramatically, but I think any given exercise needs 6 or more weeks to even notice slight progression.

It's great to have some structure in training as long as it comes with flexibility. I think the ability to move your sessions around as needed is essential. Skipping or swapping sessions around when necessary means you are getting the most out of any given exercise. For example, if you're feeling tired and you have scheduled a power session, switch this to another exercise such as endurance where you don't need to operate at 100% and whilst it's still not ideal, you will get more out of this then just pushing through half a power exercise and risking injury. Listen to your body, even after a rest day I often still feel tired. Take into account your cumulative load for the week - including work and other physical or mental stress, most of us have to train after work and some days I feel more drained than on others. Listening to your body can help you get the most out of your training activities and reduce injuries.

One more important aspect of training for me is motivation. I am very self motivated because I train what I enjoy, I pick projects which I am psyched to do. I look forward to my sessions and always want to keep going to get the most out of them. Find what makes you motivated, if a goal is not enough but you feed off other peoples psych, then train with a group when possible. It is always good to be analysing your climbing and identifying weakness, I do train my weaknesses around the more enjoyable parts of my session. I love board climbing the most, so most of my sessions are focused on some kind of board session. At the moment I want to train pockets as they are a weakness and I want to focus on them for an upcoming trip. To fit this in I do my usual hangboard routine to warm up then do 4 sets of 30 second single finger lifts on each finger at a fairly comfortable weight - not going to max. By the time I've done these I’m feeling warmed up, but something like this can also be done at the end of a session, it only takes 15 minutes.

Are there any resources or tools you find particularly helpful for your training?

Having a home board, one that I can set up exactly how I want, change when I need and have permanent, easy access to, is essential for me and helps me stay motivated.

All the usual essentials: Hangboard, lifting edges, monos, pulley system, weights.

I find podcasts very useful. There is a vast amount of climbing knowledge out there, research some people, find some sources you trust and try anything new that may sound worthwhile.

Having access to coaches and physios when necessary. I think most climbers can benefit from a coach, even if you have all the knowledge needed to train. Having someone hold you responsible, giving you some structure and giving some outside perspective/ analysis is of great benefit. An outside perspective may identify your weaknesses better too.

Extras

Have you read/listened/watched anything recently that you think others would enjoy?

I've been following a lot of Dr Tyler Nelson's protocols recently.

Who’s training schedule would you like to hear more about?

Adam Ondra and Sean Bailey.

Follow Ryan Sklenica on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to his YouTube.