We build all of our training plans to work for real people. Built on 4-week cycles, our plans can be assembled to address almost any training goal. Whether bouldering, big-wall climbing, redpointing, or just getting generally stronger, this is your starting point for getting better.
The “Get Into Strength Training” Plan
Tags: basic strength, Weight Training, winter training
by Steve Bechtel It can be overwhelming to consider adding even more hard training to a full climbing schedule. We come home from a bouldering session and we’re sore and tired…why would adding even more of that help? And how would exercises that don’t even look like climbing help our climbing? It’s not the…
3-2-1 Boulder
Tags: Bouldering, Finger Strength, Skills, winter training
3-2-1 Boulder – by Steve Bechtel Sometimes you just need some simple guidance. There is so much training “noise” these days, it’s hard to tell what you need to be doing to get better. In the interest of making things less confusing and simpler to progress, I am suggesting a 3-2-1 plan as a weekly…
Slow Strength 2
Tags: Bouldering, Finger Strength, parsons, Strength
by Steve Bechtel As with all good programs, there is a part two to Slow Strength. Unlike almost every other program you read, though, I can’t say that you must do part 1 first. In fact, you might call this Slow Strength “Variation 2.” I tried to keep the training pretty much the same volume,…
The Complete Home Board Training Plan
Tags: fixed board, home wall, Moon Board, year-round
by Steve Bechtel This is a comprehensive year-round training plan for performance rock climbing. It features strength and power development, mobility work, and energy system sessions, all aimed at building sport or trad climbing fitness. It can easily be scaled to bouldering goals, and is built into 4-week blocks for scheduling ease. The planned outcome…
Slow Strength 1
Tags: easy, limited time, Steve Bechtel, Strength
by Steve Bechtel Sometimes you just want to be climbing. I get it—it’s what we all got into it for, and the training can sometimes feel like a massive distraction. These days, I’m super busy, and when I get a chance to get outside, even for just a couple of pitches, I take it…and my…
Rebuild I
Tags: basic strength, Novice Training, rebuild
By Steve Bechtel This is a training cycle of 4 weeks for climbers who have either never trained using weights and hangboards, or who have been away from climbing and training for an extended period of time. The volume and difficulty is progressed conservatively, and we are looking for the work capacity and strength to…
In-Season Training (Power-Endurance Redpointing) – Weekends Only Climbing
Tags: in-season training, Power Endurance, redpoint climbing, Steve Bechtel
by Steve Bechtel The vast majority of climbers hold two things in common: They like to send. They have to work. Short of taking a month off work every time you’re in peak shape, you’ve got to use a training plan that is going to get you to the weekend topped up of fitness…
AIP Program – 2024 Update – PERFORMANCE CYCLE (and Recovery)
Tags:
To reiterate the intro from the previous phases: The hardest thing about writing the world’s best training program is that most of us are just different enough that not everything works for all people. Which is why we can’t have a world’s best. There are infinite ways of organizing training, and the fundamental parts…
AIP Program – 2024 Update – INTENSIFICATION CYCLE
Tags: AIP, Intensification, Simple Programming, Yearly Plan
by Steve Bechtel The hardest thing about writing the world’s best training program is that most of us are just different enough that not everything works for all people. Which is why we can’t have the world’s best. There are infinite ways of organizing training, and the fundamental parts of it that almost all programs…
AIP Program – 2024 Update – ACCUMULATION CYCLE
Tags: Accumulation, AIP, Simple Programming, Yearly Plan
by Steve Bechtel The hardest thing about writing the world’s best training program is that most of us are just different enough that not everything works for all people. Which is why we can’t have a world’s best. There are infinite ways of organizing training, and the fundamental parts of it that almost all programs…
Bouldering Training – 4 week Power Cycle with Aerobic Volume
Tags: Bouldering, endurance training, undulating
One of the more effective plans we’ve run with boulderers over the years is an undulating power cycle. It’s been OK for route climbers to develop their power, too, but I started to find that regaining capacity for redpointing took too long as we transitioned into a performance phase. Thus, we started testing out added…
“Time Off” Training Plan
Tags: Minimal Training, Steve Bechtel, time off
by Steve Bechtel OK, It might seem weird to write a training program for time away from climbing. It also might be weird to be seeking out a training plan to do that involves “time off.” Because isn’t “time off” just time away from doing a training plan? Sure, you could do that. You have…