Training is the most important aspect about each individual climber’s skills. If you don’t train and you don’t work on your weaknesses it is very hard to see an improvement in the sport. Each climber should also note that not every technique works for everybody so it is up to that individual to determine what works best for them and go from there. A common way to train is the use of a training board. The training board can help you in a variety of exercises such as building power or endurance (“Training Guide” 1).  Finger training on the board is a very fast and efficient way to work on one’s grip and hanging endurance. It is also important to note from the “Training Guide” that, “It takes a long time to notice gains in strength in this tissue and a very long time to heal once it has been injured” ( 1). Along with hangs, the training board can be used for pull ups, knee lifts, and shoulder shrugs. Making your own personal work out schedule can also prove very beneficial to maximizing gains and minimizing stress and overdoing yourself. By building up a strong base you can then maximize your strength by periodic changes in the intensity of the workouts. An example, of this can be seen in figure 1. Stretching and warming up are key to preventing future injuries of any of the muscle that you’ll be working out. Stretching out your muscles warms up the body and extends the muscle so that a tear or strain is minimized. When one doesn’t stretch before performing rigorous exercise the muscles are not properly relaxed and are in a tense state that can easily put your body at risk of injury. The idea of relaxing the muscles allows for optimum power and endurance while minimizing cramps, tears, or pulling of any of the muscle groups. Although the sport may seem like it is all upper body and finger strength the ability to focus your actions and overcome your fears is also a factor that many people forget about it. You have to have the mindset and the ability to take some risks and learn from your mistakes. As Sarah Kettelcamp, a rock climber at FSU, states “You will fall and you will probably be pretty bad, but absolutely do not let that stop you from trying and practicing. It might be embarrassing at first, but remember that everyone started off bad and that the only way to get better is to practice and go outside your comfort zone” (Interview). As you progress through your training make sure to have the end goal in mind and to conquer each challenge with a positive mindset that anything is possible when you have a passion for it.