How Gym Climbers and Weekend Warriors Should Fuel for Climbing

Joe is an accountant. He’s in a rush in the morning, so he skips breakfast. He sits at his desk all day, crunching numbers and mindlessly munching popcorn from the break room. There’s no real lunch to speak of—just some trail mix and an apple at his desk. He sits some more, and then drives to the climbing gym after work. At the gym, he feels frustratingly stagnant in his climbing—he’s not getting stronger and it’s been six months since he’s climbed a new grade. He is irritable and slips off easy moves. Joe isn’t a real person, but he represents many clients who come through my office door—professionals by day, athletes by night. Under-fueled and over-stressed, not making gains and not feeling well.

If you are a climber who trains and competes predominantly in a gym, or climbs only on the weekends, I have specific nutrition advice to help you progress. Even if you’re an outdoor climber, most of us end up climbing indoors at some point, so the information here should be helpful as well.

From a nutrition standpoint, there are a few things to consider about indoor climbing that differ from outdoor climbing:

• Often, indoor climbing sessions take place after work or school, which means you may be low on fuel if you weren’t eating regularly throughout the day.
• Indoor climbers usually have easy access to food, water, and restrooms.
• Indoor climbing is in a temperate environment (no extreme heat, cold, humidity, or wind).
• Competitions can be all-day or multi-day events, meaning a strategic fueling plan is necessary to avoid hydration issues or running out of fuel or over-fueling.
• Weekend warriors who only hit the gym once a week, but go for a long, hard session, need to fuel that session and the recovery period afterwards.

Nutrition for indoor climbing

If you’ve just finished a long day of work or school, you may feel mentally or physically drained from simply sitting at a desk, thinking hard, or participating in school PE. To feel fresh for a climbing session, it’s important to fuel well throughout the day as well as just before the session.

Start the day right by eating a breakfast with both protein and carbohydrates. Eating within an hour of waking up will help your body be energized for your day. Eat according to your hunger throughout the day, usually every three to four hours. Lunch should be substantial. A modest afternoon snack an hour or two before your climb will help you refuel from your mostly digested lunch, but at the same time be small enough not to feel too heavy in your stomach when you start climbing.

Here is what a sample day looks like for a climber who is at work or school for the day, and then climbs in the late afternoon or evening. Portion sizes will vary from person to person, based on calorie needs and current hunger level.

Nutrition for all-day competitions

For competitions that last all day, you want to fuel consistently to make sure you have enough energy when it’s time to climb. Unpredictable comp schedules make it hard to know when, what, and how much to eat. If you’re going to be in isolation for part of the time, that’s an additional challenge, as you usually don’t have access to outside food or water. Conversely, you also want to avoid overeating because of boredom or nerves. Try to eat things that have very little fiber or fat. This allows for your stomach to digest the food quickly. This is good for two reasons: 1) It makes the food available as fuel, and 2) Your stomach will feel lighter and not bogged down by a heavy meal when it’s time to climb.

You might need to pair these with some protein to help the food last longer in your system—do so if you’ll have time to digest the food between competition rounds (a span of about two to four hours). Things like string cheese, nuts, jerky, nut-butter pouches, protein bars and shakes, a tuna or chicken sandwich, and boiled eggs are quick, easy snacks that you can consume throughout the comp.

Be sure to first test all foods and fluids out during practice to make sure you tolerate them. You don’t want any gastrointestinal surprises during competition! No new foods on comp day. Repeat after me: “No new foods on comp day!”

For hydrating throughout the day, you can drink according to your thirst. If you feel you get distracted or forget to drink, plan a schedule to drink about eight ounces every 60-90 minutes. Drink what agrees with your stomach and makes you feel hydrated and fueled. For some, that can mean a sports drink like Gatorade; others prefer just water. Watch your urine color. It should be light yellow. If it’s too dark, like a brown tea color, drink more. If it is clear or very light and you feel like you’re going to the bathroom too much, scale back your hydration.

Hydrating and getting enough carbohydrates will help you climb your best. If you notice any of these symptoms, it may mean you are not drinking or eating enough:

• You suddenly feel very hungry during climbing (breakthrough hunger).
• You fade away toward the end—you can’t quite do a move that should be easy.
• You feel like your concentration and mental focus are not as sharp as the session goes on.
• You make dumb mistakes you don’t usually make.
• You feel dizzy, shaky, or nauseated.
• You are hangry (hungry + angry) and irritable.
• You quit earlier than you’d like, either from mental or physical exhaustion (or both).

Nutrition for weekend warriors and long gym sessions

Weekend warrior/long gym session: If you’re the type of person who doesn’t climb during the week, then goes all-out on the weekend, there are a couple things to keep in mind for your nutrition needs.

First, you can fuel similarly to the all-day and multi-day comp strategies mentioned above. Eating simple carbohydrates that are easy on your stomach and digest quickly will help you stay energized throughout the day. Couple that with some protein and healthy fats, and you’re good to go.

The difference between these occasional spurts of long climbing on the weekend versus climbing several times per week (and maybe also on the weekend) is that your muscles and body might feel extra sore since you’re not as used to climbing and training. If you feel particularly beat up after your weekend-warrior session, eat lean protein and healthy fats like fish, nuts, and seeds. Also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, because these have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which will enable your body to recover and minimize soreness. Be sure to rest by getting adequate sleep the night after climbing and by skipping a second hard workout the next day.

“Food first” is a good way to eat, but some supplements may also be worth considering. Muscle soreness may be helped with fish-oil supplements at 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams per day (always talk with your doctor before adding any supplements like fish oil to make sure they’re right for you). Tart cherry juice—try 12 to 24 ounces—is anti-inflammatory and may reduce muscle damage (bonus: it’s a food, not a supplement!); drink it at night, as it contains natural melatonin, which makes some people feel sleepy.

Excerpted with permission from “Nutrition for Climbers: Fuel for the Send” by Marisa Michael, MSc, RDN, LD, CSSD, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. You can pick up a copy of the book here.

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