Training Plans
Bouldering Training – Advanced Undulating Program – 4 weeks
Tags: Bouldering, Periodization, Training Plans
The problem with getting good at bouldering is that getting even better gets even harder. An avid boulderer has a pretty steady improvement in strength and ability over the first year or two, and then often falls into a rhythm of getting in and out of shape for basically the same grades over and over.…
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The World’s Simplest Hangboard Plan 2
Tags: Finger Strength, Hangboard, quick workouts, Simplest Hangboard Plan, Training Plans
TOOLS TIME CYCLE LENGTH 1 medium-sized edge + additional weight as needed 22 minutes after warm-up 8 sessions I released the first World’s Simplest Hangboard Plan in 2017 or so, and it became really popular right away. The reason is partially its simplicity, but also its brevity. People were just starting to carry…
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Glycolytic Peaking Training Plan 341
Tags: Endurance, Intervals, Power Endurance, Training Plans
I would always hope for four of us in the gym on “Endurance Day.” The gym was a bedroom-sized room in the back of Todd Skinner’s garage, and it acted as the local climbing gym in the early days of climbing in Lander, Wyoming. The gym featured holds on all walls and across the ceiling,…
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Bouldering 436 Plan – Specific Power
Tags: Bouldering, Power, specific, Training Plans
4 week plan – 3 days per week – 60-120 minutes per session This is a 3x per week bouldering plan that last 4 weeks. The training involves a medium-intensity day, a high-intensity day, and a low-intensity day each week. It is best to start this cycle with a good base of finger strength and…
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Finger Strength 432 Plan – 6 session cycle – Medium, High, Low Volume
Tags: Finger Strength, finger training, Grip Strength, Hangboard, Training Plans
Arguing about the merits of specific isometric finger strength protocols is a prime example of not seeing the forest for the trees. We brand a certain program as superior for this or perfect for that, but the biggest part of progress is doing it over long enough periods to see a relatively permanent change in…
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Aerobic Capacity Training Plan 2A – 6 Week
Tags: aerobic endurance, Anaerobic Endurance, High Low, muscular endurance, Training Plans
“To increase endurance, you don’t need Tabatas. You definitely don’t need Tabatas.” Pavel Tsatsouline Endurance is like money. If you don’t use a lot, you don’t need a lot. You just need enough to stay ahead of your goals. Most importantly, you never want to spend it faster than you can sustain it, or you’ll…
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Intermittent Hangs for Finger Strength
Tags: Hangboard, intermittent hangs, Repeaters, Training Plans
I have been opposed to time-driven strength sessions for most of my career. This position is based on the fact that load is the most important factor in gaining strength and taking the time to provide enough load each session is key. This means that worrying about holding rest periods to a specific length should…
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Q+A: Effective Training Two Days In A Row
Tags: Conditioning, Q+A, Strength, Training, Training Plans
Q: Hey Steve, Wondering how many days on you recommend and if switching between workout types on different days is recommended. -B.H. A: What you did the previous session is the key. Was it a long session? Was it high-intensity or low intensity? Because there are many possible combinations of back-to-back sessions, I built this…
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Training Beta Podcast 080 | Steve Bechtel on Designing a Training Program for Yourself
Tags: neely quinn, podcast, Steve Bechtel, training beta, Training Plans
This was a conversation in May of 2017. Neely has a great audience and a huge number of knowledgable guests, so it is always an honor to be asked on the show. Date: June 1st, 2017 About Steve Bechtel Steve Bechtel is a well-known climbing trainer, and I’ve had him on the podcast 2 other times…
6|16 Finger Strength Plan
Tags: 16, 6, Bouldering Training, Finger Strength, Hangboard, Max Hangs, Training Plans
The Plan I wrote this program for my athletes that couldn’t handle a lack of specifics when it comes to strength training. I am still a big fan of staying “organic” in your work and rest and in loading, but here is a plan that give you some exact details on how to build sessions.…
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Route Climbing Performance 1
Tags: ARC, Contrast Bouldering, Redpointing, Repeaters, Training Plans
There are a lot of good climbing exercises out there, and there are a ton of fun climbing gyms, so why don’t we see better progress from most climbers? I don’t think it’s a lack of a good facility, nor a lack of knowledge of exercises. I think it’s a lack of practical application of…
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The High-Low Plan
Tags: Endurance, High Low, Power Endurance, Route Climbing, Strength, Training Plans
The Plan This training program is designed for route climbers working on redpointing higher grades. This is the style of plan most of our climbers started using back in 2010 or so, featuring significantly reduced power-endurance training. The idea comes from the training plans designed by the legendary Charlie Francis, widely considered to be the…
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