Sputnik Research is a project of Sputnik Climbing that was born at the beginning of 2022. Its objectives are to deepen the scientific knowledge of training, contribute to the professional development of a high performance team, both competition and rock, and generate positive impact on the entire climbing community.
Sputnik Climbing, a reference in the management of climbing centers, develops parallel projects to connect with two of its founding objectives: to produce positive impact and to use climbing as a transmitter of knowledge.
In this context Sputnik Research was born, a bet to improve the incipient scientific knowledge of climbing performance. This involved the creation of two environments working in unison: on the one hand, the interdisciplinary technical team of professionals from different areas of sport (training, nutrition, physiotherapy, psychology and specific competition equipment) and, on the other hand, a group of high-level athletes.
“The conclusions obtained must permeate down to the lower echelons and the experience must be transmitted to all areas and levels. This is, in short, Sputnik Research’s big bet.
It is made up of two coaches (Pedro Bergua and Ekhiotz Alsasua), a nutritionist (Andrea Argüello) and a physiotherapist (Rubén Martínez, with the support of specialists Xeber Irruretagoinea and Ander Etxabe). Two competition routesetters (José Luis Palao and Nacho Sánchez, sometimes joined by Kymy de la Peña and Lucas de Jesús) are also involved. In addition to the daily work of research and monitoring of the athletes, team concentrations and a competition drill are held throughout the year.
They are Iziar Mártinez, Guillermo Peinado, Iván Germán and Alejandro Crespo, as Competition Team, and Ainhize Belar, Jorge Diaz Rullo and David Bermúdez in the Rock Team. The coaches are responsible for the personalized design of their integral training, and also for detecting, selecting and developing the main physical, technical-tactical and psychological deficiencies according to their sporting objectives. Socio-sporting aspects are not neglected either. Sputnik’s financial support was the definitive step for the professional development of all its members.
The conclusions obtained through the research work and the high level equipment revert directly to the entire climbing community. The knowledge gained through high performance permeates into the lower echelons and the experience is transmitted in all areas and levels. This is, in short, the great commitment of Sputnik Research.
