IRCRA 2025

The final evening of the IRCRA conference. Thank you all for participating. We look forward to seeing you again!🧗.rocks

Thursday's morning climbing session in 🧗
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First day of IRCRA conference 🧗
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We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to the 7th IRCRA Congress in Prague, held from August 5th to 8th, 2025.

Location:
Charles University – Faculty of Physical Education and Sport; José Martího 31, Prague 6, 162 52, Czech Republic

Registration:
Tuesday, 7:45–8:45 at the main entrance; other days - registration and info desk in the coffee room.

Parking:
Paid parking (10 CZK/hour) is available directly in front of the faculty
Free parking - GPS: 50.0983054N, 14.3361229E

Food:
Lunches and coffee breaks are included in the congress fee.
The closing banquet - Friday evening (also included in the registration).

Climbing:
A non-formal climbing session will be held on Thursday, August 7th, at the nearby JamJam Bouldergym. Entry is covered by the organisers (rental is not included).

All participants will also receive a free entrance voucher to Smíchoff Climbing Centre (https://www.lezeckecentrum.cz/en/).

To help us organize the event as smoothly as possible, we kindly ask you to fill out this short form: https://forms.gle/uPbN1yuf3FaETbcE9
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The poster session is a typical format where posters are displayed on boards in a hall, and attendees walk around viewing the posters and discussing with the researchers standing by their posters. The presentation of each poster will be led by a session chair, who will introduce the author and lead the discussion.

Each presenter will have 5 minutes for their presentation followed by 3 minutes of discussion.

Presenters are required to mount their posters on the designated poster boards before their assigned presentation session.

Participants are required to be present at their posters for the full 90-minute poster session.

Format: Posters must be printed in A1 size (height: 84.1 cm / 33.1 in; width: 59.4 cm / 23.4 in) in portrait (vertical) orientation).

All authors are required to send a PDF version of their poster, which will be projected on the screens during their talk and during coffee breaks. Please email the PDF file to [email protected]
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A climbing-specific upper-body ergometer test for evaluating aerobic capacity at systemic level

Research has shown that climbing-specific aerobic capacity at a systemic level cannot be assessed by the traditionally used maximal exercise tests, nor by climbing to failure. A more suitable test for this purpose is the specialized upper-body ergometer test (UBT), which will be presented during this workshop. The protocol of UBT corresponds to the load pattern of the standard step tests and does not require isometric efforts. However, UBT is not an arm crank exercise. It is performed by pulling. During the seminar, participants will be introduced to the reasons why the UBT is preferable to climbing to failure and maximal bicycle or treadmill tests. Participants will also be able to try out the UBT and analyze the test results.

This workshop will be presented by:
M. Michailov
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Force-Velocity Profile in Climbing – current state of knowledge and practical demonstration of simple evaluation methods for climbers

This workshop will present the concept of the force-velocity (F-V) profile applied to upper-body pulling actions in climbing. The F-V profile is a powerful tool for assessing individual mechanical capabilities, identifying performance limitations, and guiding targeted training interventions. A brief overview of the scientific literature on F-V profiling in climbing and related upper-body assessments will be provided. The session will focus on the practical application of a simple, field-friendly evaluation protocol, requiring minimal equipment, that allows climbers and coaches to assess key parameters such as maximal force at null velocity (F₀), maximal velocity at null force (V₀), and peak power (Pmax). Participants will learn how to conduct the test, analyze the results, and use them to optimize strength and power development in climbing training.

This workshop will be presented by:
F. Bertauld-Becourt, E. Pirodon

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Climbing terminology - overview of current state, group discussion

In this workshop, an overview is given of the different uses of terms for different types of climbing. The problem of terminology is illustrated by two studies: a survey conducted with climbing experts and a systematic literature review. This overview leads to suggestions for terminology, which will be discussed in groups.

Climbing terminology - IRCRA consensus statement

This workshop is the continuation of the first workshop on climbing terminology. The suggestions developed for naming and defining various climbing disciplines are to be adopted in a joint IRCRA consensus statement.

These topics will be covered by:
C. Augste

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🧗Biomechanics and Motor Control of Climbing Grips: Applications for Training and Injury Prevention.

This workshop focuses on the biomechanics and motor control of various climbing grips, highlighting their role in both performance enhancement and injury prevention. Participants will engage in hands-on practice of proper grip ex*****on, covering both basic and advanced variations. Emphasis will be placed on identifying common technical faults that often lead to overuse injuries, and on strategies for targeted prevention. The session integrates physiotherapeutic and performance-oriented perspectives, providing practical insights for coaches, therapists, and athletes alike.

This workshop will be presented by:
N. Chovanová, P. Chovan
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Applied Blood Flow Restriction Training: From Physiology to Practice

This hands-on workshop focuses on the practical application of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, integrating cutting-edge physiological monitoring with performance training. Participants will engage directly with BFR protocols while utilizing Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and real-time signal analysis through the custom-developed application Tilboard.LabView—a tool designed and programmed at the University of Innsbruck. The session offers a unique opportunity to discuss both the technical aspects and practical implications of BFR training with the application's lead developer and a professional coach from Olympiazentrum Tirol.

This workshop will be held by:
F. Ebenhoch, T. Javorský
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IRCRA standard for determining the maximum force of the finger flexors 🧗

To improve comparability across studies, reproducibility and long-term tracking of performance, standardized methods are essential. However, there is a lack of standardized, climbing-specific performance assessments. A key example is finger strength testing, a well-established predictor of climbing performance. Despite its relevance, no standardized familiarization protocols exist—unlike in lower limb testing, where such procedures significantly influence outcomes. In this workshop, we would like to discuss with you the various factors that influence the outcome of assessments of maximum finger strength, starting with warm-up and ending with signal processing. We are particularly interested in your input on aspects for which there are no clear study data – we will then outline suitable study protocols with you and develop preliminary recommendations so that we can ultimately publish an IRCRA recommendation for assessing maximum finger flexor strength.

This workshop will be introduced by:
P. Wolf, K. Langer

Critical force in Climbing - current state of knowledge and practical demonstration of tests for climbers

This workshop will introduce the concept of critical force, which distinguishes between metabolic steady-state and non-steady-state conditions and represents an important indicator for both diagnosis and training in climbing. A brief overview of current scientific knowledge will be provided with focus on practical demonstrations of four different testing protocols directly applicable to climbers. Participants will learn how to evaluate endurance and maximal capacities in a precise, evidence-based way, and how to interpret test results to guide individual training plans.

This workshop will be presented by:
Jiří Baláš, Hervé di Domenico