HELP & FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

FITclimbing help

SUBSCRIPTION

Go to the web store and buy the membership of your choice. After you have paid your account will be created immediately. You will receive a confirmation email with an invitation to activate your account. Download the App for Apple or Android and login with your account.

One week before the end of your membership, it will automatically be renewed. When becoming a member, we ask you to fill in your personal data and your bank account. With these data we automatically debit the membership from your bank account. If you don’t want to continue with FITclimbing you have to cancel your membership 7 days before the end of your membership.

You can pause or cancel your membership in your ‘Club Account Info’ in your FITclimbing account (only visible in browser, not in app).

  1. Go to https://fitclimbingonline.virtuagym.com and log in to your account.
  2. Go to Club Account Info.
  3. Go to ‘Products’ where you can see your memberships. Pause or deactivate your account.

Each membership will be renewed 7 days before it ends. Cancel your membership before that date. You can reactivate your account again by buying a new membership. Meanwhile your data will be saved.

Your personal data will be protected. Read our privacy statement and general terms for more info.
You can cancel a membership in your ‘Club Account Info’ in your FITclimbing account (only visible in browser, not in app).

If you cancel your membership your account will continue to exist in our database as inactive.
Want to have your account completely removed?
Please send an email to
hello@fitclimbing.com.

START WITH FITclimbing

For every climber who wants to train in an efficient and balanced way. Whether you are a competition athlete or a recreational climber you have to build a solid base to increase your training load. If the framework isn’t right, it may limit future progress. 
Plan workouts at your level. Our app contains 800+ H(F)IIT Workouts for lead climbing and bouldering, starting from level 5 up to 7c (first or second go level). Chain easily from one workout to the next one to make progress.

HIIT Workouts are programmed from level 5 up to 7c (onsight level).

1. Choose your goal and workout:

  • HIIT Lead Workouts < to develop endurance
  • HIIT Boulder Workouts < to develop endurance and power endurance
  • HIIT Boulder Power Workouts < to develop power and power endurance (start with Boulder Workouts first to have a solid base before starting with ‘Boulder Power’).

2. Choose your FITclimbing start level
Your start level is the level you climb at most of the time in your first or second go.
Example: you climb a 6a most of the times in your first or second go. Start with Route/Boulder 6a.01.

3. Start with workout no.1 from your start level
Start with workout no. 1 in your level, repeat the workout twice and go up 1 number. Keep scaling up by chaining from one workout to the next one.

The workouts are High Intensity Interval Training that are played as a timer in the FITclimbing app and which shows which grades you have to climb and for how long. A workout is between 45 and 75 minutes. The time given for climbing means you climb continuously. For HIIT Boulder you are switching from boulder to boulder.

Some advice before you start.
– Put on comfortable climbing shoes you can wear for the whole session.
– Make sure you know where the routes/boulders you want to use for your training session in the gym are. For the harder levels you can choose only 2 to 3 routes/boulders who are close to each other to make your round. You can climb a route/boulder several times.
– Choose routes/boulders in different styles, as many as possible. Also choose the ones which are often not your style.

Your climbing level and experience with strength training will indicate your Strength Workout start level. We advise you to complete Strength Basics first before you start with Strength Progressions.

If you have less than 3 months experience with strength training or any other training, start with Strength Basic 01.01. Repeat every workout 2x and after that go 1 workout up. 

If you have more than 3 months experience with strength training your climbing level is the indication for your start level:
5 to 5+ (5a-5c) < start at Strength Basic 01.01
– 6a to 6b < start at Strength Basic 02.01
– 7a and more < start at Strength Basic 03.01

Are you climbing 7a or harder (consistently, so at least 50% in your first or second go) and you are confident with fundamental strength exercises,  you may start at Strength Progressions 01.01. 

In addition to these suggestions, always use your common sense or ask advice from a strength trainer.

HIIT WORKOUTS

You will train your heart (muscle) and will develop local anaerobic fitness (Targeted muscle groups; the forearms!) and your maximum performance

You will also enlarge your recovery capacity and you will train your mental and neurological capacity. It will improve the efficiency from your other climbing sessions (strength training, projects and technical training) and in the end it will raise your climbing level.

Your goal(s) and training needs will determine which workout would be best for you.

HIIT Lead Workouts < to develop endurance
HIIT Boulder Workouts < to develop endurance and power endurance
HIIT Boulder Power Workouts < to develop power and power endurance (start with Boulder Workouts first to have a solid base before starting with ‘Boulder Power’).

The HIIT schemes don’t let you to choose your own rest periods. The non-linear programming in the app means that the workouts aren’t predictable. They are programmed to have an optimal training load and recovery time.

You can choose your own start level and easily chain from one workout to the next one to make progress. Want even more advanced training? Use a heart rate monitor to make 100% sure you are training at the right intensity.

No, the timer in the App indicates when you climb and when you stop. When the timer says you have a rest you stop climbing.

 

You can climb a route/boulder multiple times but try to climb as many different routes/boulders as possible during your workout.

For Lead Workouts our advice is to stay on the same rope the whole climbing interval (from rest to rest). Lower off as normal when you reach the top of a route and start over again. Change rope during pauses.

For Boulder Workouts our advice is to pick about 4 or 5 varied boulders from the same level and not too far from each other. Then, make a round between those boulders. For warming-up and cooling down you can choose to climb a circuit at the indicated level.


For Boulder Power Workouts our advice is to pick about 2 boulders from the same level for each climbing round.

No, it is better to keep moving. Walking and finding the next route is much better for your recovery and progress.

The idea is to climb at your max so keep climbing even when you are at that max. Give your utmost and try to climb that route or boulder and continue climbing during the given time, or in the worst case rest on the wall.

If you fail (fall) more than 3 times during a training session, choose 1 grade easier than the workout indicates. Complete the session as good as you can!

During the next training session, you then choose 1 or more workouts lower than the workout you did last time. Repeat this process until you no longer fail.

“If you can measure it, you can (im)prove it”.

It’s important to create an optimal balance between load and recovery, whether you are in the middle of a workout or between two workouts. For an efficient workout you want to spend 40% or more of your training in heart rate zone 4 – 5 to develop (local) anaerobic fitness and maximum performance.

Our HIIT Lead and Boulder workouts are set up to reach this 40% so that you will train at the right intensity to trigger muscle and vessel growth. Measuring your training with a heart rate monitor shows if you are in the right zone(s). Training less than 40% in heart rate zone 4 – 5 indicates your workout is too easy. Tracking more than 40% in zone 4 – 5 means you have reached the right intensity to trigger muscle and vessel growth.

STRENGTH WORKOUTS

Whether you are a competition athlete or a recreational climber, a good physical frame is important to avoid injuries and unlock your full performance potential.

Often, strength training in climbing ends up with only specific strength training without a solid base of general strength resulting in injuries. Climbing does look like a full body workout, but some muscle groups are easily forgotten. Forget about training single antagonists but build a solid base with strength workouts based on fundamental climbing movements.

For the Strength Basic Workouts are workouts without added weights. We programmed the workouts with as less equipment as possible to keep the workouts easy to do also when you are not in a gym. Depending on the workout you may need a floor or mat if you prefer, a flat wall, Dyna-band and/or elastic, table and/or box, kettlebell, stick, TRX/rings, rig, exercise ball.

For our Strength Progressions Workouts, we work mainly with Kettlebells. Your body weight and level will determine the weight. And you need a rig for pull up variations. Your start weight for each exercise is based on your body weight and is given for each exercise. Go to the workout, go to an exercise and click on the note button (book) for instructions. Check also the information button (‘i’) for instructions on how an exercise should be done. 

Do you fail at 1 of the exercises of a strength workout? Don’t worry, continue with the workout and chain up after repeating every workout 2x. 

If you fail multiple times on multiple exercises, the workout may be too heavy. Go back 1 or more workouts than the workout you did. Repeat this process until you no longer fail.

With every exercise, there is a video playing which shows you how to do it. Click on the ‘i’ on top of the screen for some extra guidelines.

Try to keep your torso straight with every exercise. You can do this by “bracing”. Keep tension on your abs, glutes and leg muscles to keep your torso straight (like if there is a stick behind your back that connects your tailbone, shoulder blades, and head). In that way, you will train your core like how you want for climbing. Make sure you keep breathing during the exercise and bracing.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS

Use Running Workouts to support your body with a perfect oxygen supply and maximum function of your oxygen transportation.

Don’t have running experience, start with Running 01.
Repeat every workout twice and continue to the next one.
Having more than a year of running experience, start with Running 11.

Train your shoulders and upper body with pull ups. With the ‘Pull up – Startup Plans’ you can easily start training pull ups. Use a rig, an easy grip on a hang board or use a door frame, step of the stairs or any other easy grip to start your hangs. There are 3 8-week plans. In 2 sessions a week, Plan 1, 2 and 3 will guide you from zero pull ups in week 1 to 3 x 12 pull ups in week 24 (3 x 8 weeks).

Train grip strength and upper body strength with Hangs. With the ‘Hangs – Startup Plan’ you can easily start training with hangs. Use a rig, an easy grip on a hang board or use a door frame, step of the stairs or any other easy grip to start your hangs. It’s a 8-week plan where you will do 2 sessions a week.

The program is for beginners with no or almost no experience with hang training. We recommend only to start with Hangs if you climb at least for 1 year.


Before you start doing Hangs

We recommend only to start with Hangs if you climb at least for 1 year. You must have climbed over a year with consistency. It takes years for your cartilage, tendons and ligaments to adjust to climbing. Train your fingers first by climbing. Climb more overhang or use smaller footholds to strengthen your fingers.

Are you 18 years or older? If not, it can be dangerous for you to do ‘Hangs’. Consult your trainer first.

Are you injury-free? Don’t do ‘Hangs’ if you have any injuries at your fingers, shoulders or elbows.

Can you hold the grip you want to hang on for at least 15 seconds? Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to start doing ‘Hangs’ on this grip.

Before you start the session, always warm up properly. You’re risking injuries every time you don’t warm up properly. Warm-up with cardio and activation & mobility. Your warm-up should be at least 15 minutes long. Use one of the FITclimbing Warm-up workouts to start your session. Each hang session starts with squeezing a stress ball or any other tool you can squeeze in.

And also important for hangs….
! Do never do full crimps. Youse only half crimps and open hands.
! Retract Your Shoulders
! Don’t want to go too fast. It should take at least 2 months before noticing any significant improvements.

 

  1. Open your FITclimbing app and Click ‘+ BUTTON.
  2. Click ‘workout’ and search for ‘Hangs – Startup Plan’.
  3. Click ‘PLAN THIS WORKOUT’
  4. Than:
    Choose the days you want to do your hangs. 
    Select your start date.
    – And click on ‘PLAN THIS WORKOUT’

Now your 8 weeks plan is added to your calendar.
Do you want to move a session to another day?
Go to the workout. Select the workout and choose ‘move’.

PLAN YOUR TRAINING

Option 1: Use the ‘+ Button’

  1. 1. Click on ‘+ button’ in your home screen.
  2. Choose ‘Plan Workout’.
  3. Select your workout (see also our FITclimbing Planner to choose your workout).
  4. Click ‘add to today’ or choose the calendar button at the bottom of your screen to select the day(s) for your workout(s).

Option 2: Plan directly in the Activity Calendar

  1. Go to the Activity Calendar.
  2. Click the day you want to plan a workout.
  3. Click ‘+ button’.
  4. Click ‘Plan Workout’ and choose your workout (see also our FITclimbing Planner to choose your workout).
  5. Click the ‘calendar button’ at the bottom of your screen to select the day(s) for your workout(s).

If you are new to FITclimbing your climbing level and experience will determine your start level (see also our FITclimbing Planner). You will start with workout no.1 in your level, repeat the workout 2 x and go up 1 number.

Before you can play a workout, you have to add the workout in your calendar. 

To play your workout:

  1. Go to the workout in your calendar.
  2. Open the workout.
  3. Click on ‘Play’ (the workout will start directly) or click on the first exercise and click on the play button to start.

The workouts are played as a timer and shows when and what you have to do and when and how long you need to rest.

Workouts are training programs made by us like our HIIT Lead and Boulder workouts, Strength workouts, Running workouts and Warm-up Workouts. These are complete workouts with several exercises and activities in a time frame. Activities are single activities you can add to your calendar to log all your (sport/training)activities. For example, you are doing some yoga practising next to your climbing training routine.

To delete or move a workout or activity, go to your activity calendar. Open the workout/activity and select the complete workout/activity. Click on the menu on top of your screen (right) to copy or move or select the bin to delete.

You can combine all workouts as long as you take into account the recovery time of each training. Follow these guidelines.

 

Recovery time
before training

Recovery
time in between

2 similar trainings

HIIT Lead Workouts

12 hrs

24 hrs

HIIT Boulder Workouts

24 hrs

48 hrs

HIIT Boulder Power Workouts

24 hrs

48 hrs

Strength Basics Workouts

24 hrs

48 hrs

Strength Progressions Workouts

24 hrs

48 hrs

Running Workouts

12 hrs

24 hrs

For example, you have done a Strength Workout on Monday evening. You could plan a HIIT Lead Workout the next (Tuesday) morning because you had 12 hours rest. You can plan your next Strength Workout on Wednesday evening, after 48 hours rest after the first Strength Workout.

Do you want to train for sport climbing and bouldering? You could combine HIIT lead and boulder workouts, but our advice is to choose one of these options which fits best with your goals for a certain period and combine it with free climbing from the other discipline. For example, choose twice a week for HIIT Boulder Workouts in the boulder season and combine with free lead climbing another day and switch for the lead season.

For all workouts (Lead and Boulder, Strength or Running):

  • After 1 week no training < start with the Workout you did last.

  • After 2 weeks no training < start with 1 Workout below the one you did last.

  • After 3 weeks no training < start with 2 Workouts below the one you did last.

  • After 4 weeks no training < start with 3 Workouts below the one you did last.

  • For more than 4 weeks without training < start 4 Workouts below the one you did last or more if needed.

Go on again from here. Do the workout 2 x again and chain to the next one and the next one.

This also applies to a planned rest week, deload, tapering or if you have not trained because you have climbed outside or had competitions.