How to Use Bouldering to Train for Rock Climbing

Because the two sports are essentially the same, bouldering is a great way to develop your overall rock climbing skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Athletic Tapes
  • Climbing Gear
  • Climbing Harnesses
  • Climbing Helmets
  • Climbing Ropes
  • Climbing Shoes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get a training partner. If you can find someone who is as motivated to train as you are, you can push each other to work harder and get better.

    • 2

      Warm up and stretch before every bouldering session. An effective warm-up is an easy jog or bike ride followed by a few pull-ups and 10 minutes of stretching.

    • 3

      Build your climbing endurance with long and easy traverses and by spending increasing amounts of time on the rock without resting. Endurance training will build muscles while giving your ligaments and tendons a chance to recover.

    • 4

      Build power on short, difficult moves that require everything you've got. Be sure to rest between power-training sessions, as they can be extremely stressful on your ligaments and tendons.

    • 5

      Work on your weaknesses. Find boulder problems that force you to concentrate on aspects of climbing (balance, power, endurance, etc.) that you might need to improve.

    • 6

      Avoid overtraining to the point of injury - listen to your body's warning signs. Rest for at least 24 hours between sessions to allow your muscles to rebuild and grow.