Circuits

Build Big Endurance With 3:2 Intervals

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By Steve Bechtel If you have been training for climbing very long, you’ve probably come across the idea of doing some kind of interval in order to help improve your endurance. Even a person that is totally focused on bouldering is going to need to tap into their ability to endure longer durations of power…

Sixteen: An Odyssey Into Endurance

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By Steve Bechtel Training sessions have a way of being sneaky when we look at them on paper. We look at something like “5×5 at 80%” and it doesn’t seem all that hard. Nor does “4 pitches at 2nd tier.” Nor does “Do five pull-ups. Add two per day for 30 days.” Much like the…

Fundamentals of Endurance

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by Steve Bechtel I couldn’t even close my hands. I clawed at the huge holds, hoping the skin on my palms would tear a bit and give me a few seconds of purchase before I flew off into the sky below. My hips were slack. My footwork sloppy. Once again I flailed at the moves…

“Rolling Focus” Strength Sessions

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by Steve Bechtel One of the most exciting times for me as an athlete was way back in college, training in the weight room. There were always new exercises to learn and it seemed like I got stronger pretty quickly. This is especially true when compared to my training these days, where is is weeks…

Jordan Jack Demonstrates a Push Up in Climb Strong Class B&W

Variations on Integrated Strength

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We’ve been training strength for a long time. For years, I struggled with just how to fit all the hangboard training, general strength training, and supporting exercises in a normal climber’s week. Many of us try to get by without the extra work, opting to just go climbing instead. A look at the big picture,…

A Child Climbs in a Bouldering Gym B&W

Sessions For Any Climbing Gym

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By Steve Bechtel One of the biggest barriers to effective progress as a rock climber, ironically, can be training sessions in a commercial climbing gym. Oh, sure, there are good gyms around, but they’re rare and many lack certain very useful things. These things can range from lacking a good hangboard, to limited hours, to…

Another Way To Endure

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By Steve Bechtel Endurance training comes in many forms and it can be argued that any climbing you do that makes you tired makes you better at enduring fatigue. As I’ve said before, most climbers who boulder indoors are, in fact, training endurance when they think they’re training power. Problem is, they are training an…

route climbing b&w

Route Climbing Endurance 1

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The route climbing endurance plans are built around developing sustained power outputs for long duration. These marry the needs of most climbers, and neither focus on strength-endurance nor on the low-end and recovery-heavy training of pure endurance climbing. This program features maintenance of strength through weekly bouldering and maintenance-level finger strength training. The bulk of…

power bouldering, image courtesy of Butora USA

Strength and Power Sessions for Bouldering

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By Steve Bechtel Training for bouldering is a little bit different than just bouldering. I submit that just bouldering itself is great for getting good at the sport, just as going running is a good way to get ready for a 5k. As you know, though, top runners don’t “just run.” In order to develop…

Brad Hilbert Bouldering, image courtesy of Butora USA

Introduction to Training for Bouldering

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By Steve Bechtel Bouldering is exactly the same as rock climbing, except that it’s way harder. In an attempt to do this way harder sport, we often employ rock climbing training programs, yet they don’t quite work. This article is intended to highlight these differences, provide an introduction to bouldering training, and suggest an alternative…

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