TBP 063 :: The Anderson Brothers’ Evolving Training Philosophies and New Research

About The Anderson Brothers

For the uninitiated, Mark and Mike are the Rock Prodigy guys, the authors of the very popular book, The Rock Climber’s Training Manual, all about the training methods they’ve developed over the last two decades. They’re the trainers who helped J-Star turn his training methods around in order to do “Biographie” (or “Realization”, 5.15a) and many other hard climbs. But they also have impressive climbing résumés themselves, despite having high-stress jobs and families.

Mike is 39 years old and is an Aeronautical Engineer, aka robot developer. He’s an officer in the US Air Force and he has 2 young sons with his wife in Colorado. He’s redpointed 5.14c sport and onsighted 5.13d, and has done some very impressive 5.13s, including First Free Ascents of Touchstone Wall (5.13, IV), Space Shot (5.13 IV) and Thunderbird Wall (5.13 VI) in Zion, UT, and Arcturus (5.13, VI) on Yosemite’s Half Dome.

Mark, also 39, (by the way, they’re twins) supervises a team of computer engineers and has 2 kids with his wife, and they also live in Colorado. He’s an “all-around” climber, having climbed on four continents, established numerous first ascents, freed El Cap, summited Denali, red-pointed 5.14d.

Along with their book, Mark and Mike Anderson also partnered with Trango to make the Rock Prodigy Training Center, a hangboard they recommend. They now have a new hangboard, the Forge, which they say is the Ferrari of hangboards. So they’re kinda the shit when it comes to training.

Anderson Brothers Interview Details

In this second interview with both of the twins, Mark and Mike Anderson, we talk about what they've been sending since last time we talked, how their training philosophies have changed, and the academic research they've been doing on climbing training. 

• Mark's send of Shadowboxing (5.14d)
• Mike's crushing spree (5.14c's and onsight of 5.13d)
• Mike's research on finger training
• How Mark trained specifically for Shadowboxing
• Linear vs Non-Linear Periodization
• How much weight to add on hangboard
• Training and sending while having a job and family

Anderson Brothers Links

• Mark and Mike’s website - www.rockclimberstrainingmanual.com
• Article by Mark about sending Shadowboxing
• New research by Mike about finger strength in climbers
• Their book, The Rock Climber’s Training Manual
• Their hangboard, the Rock Prodigy Training Center by Trango
• Their new hangboard, The Forge by Trango
• Jonathan Siegrist’s interview with me about training with the Anderson brothers