Tips and Tricks

Out of Shape Butterfly

July 28, 2020

Route-setter and coach Ara Morton sending a few laps on the lead wall back in the before-the-virus days. by Ara Morton I returned to Salt Pump for the first time on Wednesday, June 17, a few hours early for my shift and our grand re-opening in order to get in…

The Home Sessions: Tino on Fingerboarding

May 12, 2020

Hi Salt Pumpers, A big howdy from my overcrowded garage where my hangboards live. These days I spend a lot of time with my energetic 3+yo son, working on my wrist mobility kneading a lot of dough and I’m quickly wearing the tread down on a pair of runners to…

The Home Sessions: Will on Shoulder Stability

May 9, 2020

Hey Folks, A lot of things have changed lately and I know many of you have been adapting to the new normal… It’s important to strive to find balance during such a dynamic time, and keeping our bodies balanced is important for when we return to the sport we love.…

The Home Sessions: Will on Core

April 7, 2020

Hey Salt Pumpers, Will here with a few ways I like to keep my core in tip top shape when I’m not at the gym. I’m self quarantined here in my apartment and I have limited workout equipment at my disposal. I get very bored with planking for 10 minutes…

youth competitive team coach

The Home Sessions: Ara on Therabands

March 28, 2020

Therabands are a must have item for any climber or athlete… especially one stuck working out in their basement or garage! The range of uses and applications make it one of the most cost efficient workout tools out there. Here are a few of Coach Ara’s favorite ways to band…

Training At Home

March 28, 2020

A global pandemic is as good a time as any to invest a little in your home gym scene. But what gear to get, and what exercises to do? The fitness industry is rife with overly complicated, expensive workout equipment, but at Salt Pump, we like to keep our training…

Training for Climbing: Step Zero

January 28, 2020

Although it may not feel like it right now, spring is just around the corner. That means it’s a great time to start thinking about what you can do to improve for the upcoming rock season. Training for climbing is hardwork, but finding the motivation to commit to a training…

Stay Hip: Working the Glutes, Hamstrings, and Core

December 17, 2019

You need strong hips to support the work being done by our pelvis and core – the hinge point of so much climbing motion. When these muscles aren’t strong enough, you begin to compensate for the weaknesses in unhealthy ways, resulting in many injuries from this break in the kinetic…

Head 2 Head: Mind Games With Will Wild

September 16, 2019

Fear is a funny thing. When I first started lead climbing I was terrified of falling. I felt helpless on the wall, unable to move above my last clip and into the unknown territory of the iminent whipper. I climbed below my level for a long time trying to build…

The 10 – 4 Rule: Why Projecting Might Be Holding You Back

August 19, 2019

Local hardwoman and Team Salt Pump coach Alison Crofton-MacDonald on Ride The Lightning (V6) at Pawtuckaway State Park. Climbing has a tendency to bring out the obsessive side in all of us. We all know the feeling of getting sucked into trying that one boulder problem or route that’s a…