Hey Paul,

Did you know that one of the most elite strongmen won a stone lifting competition without even training by lifting stones?

He had 6 months to prepare.

And while most competitors were lifting heavier and heavier rocks day after day, he decided to take a risk.

Instead of straining his joints and his back on the same motions over and over, he decided to train for the competition using just three simple exercises:

• Deadlifts for his back and hip strength

• Bench presses for chest and compression

• Wrist curls for his wrists to “hook” around the rock

Then a month out from the competition, he did what the others had been doing the whole time: applying the strength towards actually lifting stones, getting used to the weight and how to engage the raw power he had worked up to.

And as you already know, he won.

“But wait,” you might ask. “What does this have to do with climbing?”

It shows us that it’s not always about performing the exact exercise, but that the best training can look nothing like the sport itself.

By performing exercises that targeted specific muscles and motions, the strongman was able to build far greater strength through simple movements and intentional training rather than just throwing himself at the heaviest rocks he could find. Rather than being limited by the weakest link, he could train each piece of the puzzle separately for greater overall results.

So when you see a tool like the Unlevel Edge 2.0 or the Talon Ball Grip Trainer, it might not be what you’re used to.

But just remember:

When you train with raw strength and intentionality in mind as opposed to just powering through climbs and hoping something sticks, you might be surprised where you end up.

Let's get after it,

-Garret and Team Frictitious

Hey Paul,

We’re not just engineers and product designers…

We’re climbers.

And we care about the science behind our training just like you.

We listen to the same training podcasts, watch the same Mellow videos, and have the same questions on how to break past our plateaus and finally send that project that feels just out of reach.

So when we design tools like the Unlevel Edge 2.0 or the DoorMount Pro…

We’re not doing it as a business.

We’re doing it because we want the same things you do.

So come see the difference.

-Garret and Team Frictitious

P.S. Are you eager to find out how to get the most use out of your training tools?

Keep an eye out over the next couple months for a BIG announcement.

We can’t wait to share what we’ve had in the works…

Hey Paul,

If you’re reading this, congratulations: you made it through the summer, and sending temps are here!

You might already be out there crushing your projects (great job!) or looking for new ones, but either way, your goals are the same: you want to be in the best shape possible so you can make the most of that sweet cold weather.

So today, we want to share a few tips for training that we use to make sure we’re ready for prime conditions.

Tip #1: Identify and train your weaknesses

Look, we get it: If you’re a fan of smashing crimps, the last thing you probably want to do in the gym is lock off on some greasy slopers.

However, being well-rounded is crucial to progressing, even in your preferred style. As you get more comfortable with various types of movement and holds, you’ll find that positions that stumped you before end up being a piece of cake– letting you save energy and finally make it through the crux. Plus, not working the same muscles over and over reduces the risk of injury due to overuse.

Your fingers and ticklist will thank you for it!

Tip # 2: Maximize force production

Sometimes, just climbing isn’t enough: you want to execute specific, measured exercises that will lead to the greatest strength gains possible.

• Not a fan of gastons? Consider building shoulder strength off the wall to make that lock-off happen.

• Struggling with slab? Try pistol squats and leg presses to lessen the chance of cheese gratering down that runout.

• Finger strength holding you back? This one should be obvious: a new hangboard regimen might be worth a look. Just don’t overdo it!

Even though climbing itself is great, and should absolutely be a part of your schedule, you may want to give a second look to improving the mechanics behind it.

Tip #3: Make training easy for yourself

Sometimes training isn’t just about your time on the wall; it’s about all the in-between, too.

Between work, commuting, family, and the rest of life, it can be difficult to find the time to progress. Having the ability to train at home wherever you are can be the difference between maintaining strength or regressing. Starting small is the key: even if you can only do a few pushups or stretches some days, it’s better than nothing!

When you work training around your life, rather than the other way around, it becomes a lot easier to stay on track and get the gains you’re dreaming of.

And that’s it! If you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably itching to get started on your new training schedule and knock out some of your projects this season.

But maybe you don’t know where to start?

So here’s the thing:

Our products are designed to help you accomplish the exact goals we outlined above.

• If you’re looking to train your weaknesses, our Doorway Mount is designed for easy swaps between hangboards, hold plates, and anything you need to push that next grade.
  

• If you want to maximize force production, our selection of portable training tools like the new Unlevel Edge 2.0 are designed to help you pull as hard as you can, in a grip that lets you exert more force.
  

• And if you want to make training as easy as possible, our brand new DoorMount Pro is designed for that: clamp it on and take it off your door frame in seconds, letting you train when you want, how you want.

At Frictitious, we want to build better climbers, and we do that by building better tools. Here’s to a great season.

–Garret and Team Frictitious