Turn Power Endurance Training into a Game with This Workout

Are you projecting a route that’s made up of a series of stacked boulder problems and you just can’t seem to get through that last crux section without falling off? It might be time to train your power endurance – the ability to execute multiple near-maximal moves in a row without rest. Luckily, power endurance can be improved rather quickly – much faster than pure power or strength – and there are lots of fun exercises that you can use to improve it.

Power endurance is different than regular endurance and therefore deserves its own dedicated training. Routes defined by power endurance are often steep, dynamic, and bouldery, with limited rest opportunities between crux sections. Long, exhausting boulder problems can also be classified as power endurance climbs.

When we climb these types of routes and problems, we are continuously performing moves near our limit, fatiguing fast-twitch muscle fibers in our forearms, biceps, shoulders, back, chest, and core. Because these fibers are not activated in less intense endurance training, we must put them through unique training to strengthen their metabolic pathways and prevent that dreaded fall-inducing, powered-out pump.

In this unique workout, perfect for beginner and intermediate climbers, you’ll gamify power endurance training on the bouldering wall. The goal is to collect as many V-points as you can in the allotted time – usually somewhere between 30 to 45 minutes. To collect points, you must successfully climb a boulder problem twice in a row with no rest in between. For example, to be awarded three points, you’d climb a V3, drop down or downclimb, and then immediately climb the problem again. If you fall off on the first or second lap, you do not collect any points. You tally your points throughout the workout to see how many you collected by the end of session. From session to session, you can track how you’re improving by comparing your collected V-points.

Here’s a typical outline of a “collecting V-points” bouldering workout:

1. Before starting, ensure that you’re fully warmed-up and ready to climb at max effort.
2. Start your timer. If you’re a newer climber or have never done much power endurance training before, aim for a 30-minute session. If you have more experience, try a 45-minute workout. You can perform this workout on your gym’s bouldering wall, spray wall, or LED board.
3. Climb a problem twice in a row with no rest in between. Feel free to chalk up between laps but do not rest. Throughout the workout, you should be aiming to climb problems up to your onsight level. Slightly above your onsight level is fine too if you have climbed the problem in a previous session.
4. If you were successful, write down how many points you got in your training logbook. For example, if you climbed a V4 successfully two times in a row without resting, then write down 4 point in your notebook. If your gym doesn’t use V-grades, assign points to whatever system they use.
5. Take a short rest and then jump on your next problem. As you move through the workout, rest an appropriate amount of time between problems. If you feel very fatigued, rest longer. If you feel decent, get on another problem. Remember, the goal is collect as many V-points as possible before the timer runs out so you’ll have to set your rest periods accordingly.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 until your timer goes off. It’s a good idea to keep your eye on the time throughout the workout.
7. A good strategy is to switch up wall angles and hold types as you progress through the session. Move back and forth between steep and vert problems to help you recover. For finger health, start with crimpy problems early in the session and move to juggier (yet still powerful) problems near the end.
8. Another good strategy is to switch up the problem difficulty. For example, do a hard problem followed by an easy problem. The easy problem acts as a bit of rest before getting on another hard problem.
9. If you fall on a problem more than two times, move on to a different one. You shouldn’t be projecting anything in this workout.
10. As you get more and more fatigued, be careful with unexpected falls high up on the wall. Only climb as high as you feel comfortable.
11. You should feel quite pumped throughout the workout, but you should not be failing your problems near the beginning. As you get to the end of the session, you should be getting close to failure or even fail a problem or two.

Try performing this workout once per week on a power endurance training day. Over the weeks you should see your total points collected grow. You should progress in volume first (i.e. total number of problems climbed) and then in problem difficulty.

It’s a great idea to write down the details of your workout in a training logbook. For each problem, write the points collected, grade, attempts, number of moves, and problem style. If you failed to complete a problem, record which hold you reached and why you think you were unable to complete the move or sequence.