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MY ACCOUNT
(/MY-ACCOUNT/)

Specific Endurance Training Plan 1

 Bouldering (/training-plans/?
fwp_training_plan_subcategory=bouldering),
 Route Climbing (/training-plans/?
fwp_training_plan_subcategory=route-climbing)
alactic power
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/alactic-power/), Endurance
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/endurance/), energy systems
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
 center/tag/energy-systems/), High Low
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/high-low/), Intervals
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/intervals/), Power Endurance
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/power-endurance/)

The alactic energy system is primarily responsible for extremely high-power, short duration activities. Because it relies on energy stored locally
in the muscle, supplies dwindle immediately, and then are replenished via the aerobic system. This system is the one you use to do most
strength and power training, and it is the one that kicks in when you really have to go big on a move or two.

Although this is the least-trainable of the energy systems, developing an ability to do very high power activity and then recover quickly is a
much more effective way of enduring hard climbing than relying on the less-powerful lactic energy system. Although the common conception
is that this energy system is used for the first 8-10 seconds of activity, this is a bit simplistic – in fact, we are never really going “full tilt” in one
system alone, so the true working range of this system is closer to 12-15 seconds per interval.

Because of the short duration alactic metabolism is at work, it also creates little fatigue. The aerobic system works constantly in the
background to replenish the energy spent here, and is partially responsible for the fatigue felt when training hard in this system. On a climb
with short cruxes separated by rests, alactic metabolism fuels your highest power movement, and how well you get recovered depends on
your aerobic system.

 
Overall, climbing is most efficient if it is an alactic-aerobic sport, with as little lactic metabolism as possible. Too much lactic work, and the
days get very short indeed. 

Through training, we can increase the enzymes responsible for ATP production, such as creatine kinase. More of this means more alactic
power. We can also increase the alactic capacity of the muscles, though that is not the focus of this training cycle. 

The interval program lined out below must be done at maximum effort levels, with passive rest between. Don’t cheat the rests of go longer on
sets in order to feel a pump. If you’re doing this kind of training right, you won’t be pumped – you’ll just notice a gradual decline in power over
the session. 

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

Week 1 Interval 1 Boulder 60-75 min Rest Interval 2 Rest Boulder – Performance, 120+ min. Rest

Week 2 Interval 3 Boulder 60-75 min Rest Interval 4 Rest Boulder – Performance, 120+ min. Rest

Week 3 Interval 5 Boulder 60-75 min Rest Interval 6 Rest Boulder – Performance, 120+ min. Easy Open Climbing

Week 4 Rest. Interval 7 Rest Interval 8 Rest Boulder – Performance, 120+ min. Easy Open Climbing

Training Detail:

Week 1, Monday: Interval 1. 3 rounds on a 40 second clock: Campus Ladder, Box Jump 5x, Edge Hang 8sec, Kettlebell Swing 5x, rest. Finish
with 15 minutes easy climbing at conversational intensity – no pump.

Week 1, Tuesday: Bouldering, hard problems 60-75 minutes.

Week 1, Wednesday: Rest

Week 1, Thursday: Interval 2. 5 rounds on a 40 second clock: Campus Ladder, Box Jump 5x, Edge Hang 8sec, Kettlebell Swing 5x, rest. Finish
with 20 minutes easy climbing at conversational intensity – no pump.

Week 1, Friday: Rest

Week 1, Saturday: Performance Boulder, i.e. comp style or outdoor session, 2+ hours. Also can be a hard crag day.

Week 1, Sunday: Rest

Week 2, Monday:  Interval 3. 5 rounds on a 30 second clock: Campus Ladder, Box Jump 5x, Edge Hang 8sec, Kettlebell Swing 5x, Power Push-
Up 5x, rest 10 minutes. Repeat. Finish with 10 minutes easy conversational climbing.

Week 2, Tuesday: Bouldering, hard problems 60-75 minutes.

Week 2, Wednesday: Rest

Week 2, Thursday: Interval 4. 7 rounds on a 40 second clock: Campus Ladder, Box Jump 5x, Edge Hang 8sec, Kettlebell Swing 5x, Power Push-
Up 5x, rest. Finish with 20 minutes easy climbing at conversational intensity – no pump.

Week 2, Friday: Rest

 
Week 2, Saturday: Performance Boulder, i.e. comp style or outdoor session, 2+ hours. Also can be a hard crag day.

Week 2, Sunday: Rest

Week 3, Monday: Interval 5. On a 30 second clock, alternate between a campus ladder (10 sec max time) and a set of 6 jump squats. 5 rounds.
Rest 10 minutes. Then, 15 minutes, hard boulder moves on-the-minute. Stop at 12 seconds’ work, even if you don’t top out. Rest 10 minutes.
On a 30 second clock, alternate between a small edge hang (10 sec) and a set of 6 Power Push-Ups. 5 rounds.

Week 3, Tuesday: Bouldering, hard problems 60-75 minutes. Rest a lot between problems.

Week 3, Wednesday: Rest.

Week 3, Thursday: Interval 6. 8 rounds on a 40 second clock: Campus Ladder, Box Jump 5x, Edge Hang 8sec, Kettlebell Swing 5x, Power Push-
Up 5x, rest. Finish with 15 minutes easy climbing at conversational intensity – no pump.

Week 3, Friday: Rest.

Week 3, Saturday: Performance Boulder, i.e. comp style or outdoor session, 2+ hours. Also can be a hard crag day.

Week 3, Sunday: Easy open climbing (Extensive Endurance), 4 intervals of 10 minutes each.

Week 4, Monday: Rest.

Week 4, Tuesday: Interval 7. On a 30 second clock, alternate between a campus ladder (10 sec max time) and a set of 6 jump squats. 6
rounds. Rest 10 minutes. Then, 18 minutes, hard boulder moves on-the-minute. Stop at 12 seconds’ work, even if you don’t top out. Rest 10
minutes. On a 30 second clock, alternate between a small edge hang (10 sec) and a set of 6 Power Push-Ups. 6 rounds.

Week 4, Wednesday: Rest.

Week 4, Thursday: Interval 8. 8 rounds on a 35 second clock: Campus Ladder, Box Jump 5x, Edge Hang 8sec, Kettlebell Swing 5x, Power Push-
Up 5x, rest. Finish with 10 minutes easy climbing at conversational intensity – no pump.

Week 4, Friday: Rest.

Week 4, Saturday: Performance Boulder, i.e. comp style or outdoor session, 2+ hours. Also can be a hard crag day.

Week 4, Sunday Easy open climbing (Extensive Endurance), 4 intervals of 10 minutes each.

There should be very little pump. You might not even think it’s working, but it is slowly changing the way you access energy for hard moves.
Most climbers just lose that searing pump, and start sending more, and doing it with less pain. Not bad for a few intervals’ investment.

Posted in:

Tags: alactic power (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/tag/alactic-power/), Endurance

(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/tag/endurance/), energy systems (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/energy-systems/), High Low (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/tag/high-low/), Intervals
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/tag/intervals/), Power Endurance (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/power-endurance/)

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