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Boulder flash round

6 new boulders below your max: read each for 1-2 min, then one all-out flash attempt.

On the wall
Reading
35 min
High intensity
Moderate injury risk
Boulders

How to do it

Pick 6 boulders you haven't tried, a bit below your max. For each one, spend 1-2 minutes reading it: plan every hand and foot and act out the hardest moves from the ground. Then give it one all-out attempt to flash it (climb it first try). Afterward, note what was different from your plan. Rest 3 minutes between boulders.

Run it now

The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.

Boulder flash round

0:00 / 35:05

Ready

35:05

6 rounds

6 new boulders below your max: read each for 1-2 min, then one all-out flash attempt.

6
rounds
3:00
rest
35:05
total

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Who it's for

Competition climbers and anyone who gets one shot at a boulder outdoors. Reading well and committing first go is a trainable skill, and almost nobody trains it.

Common mistakes

  • Reading for too long. One to two minutes. Real flash attempts come with a clock.
  • Trying it again after failing. One attempt. Then move on, or it isn't a flash round.
  • Choosing boulders that are too hard. A bit below max, so the reading is what decides it rather than the difficulty.
  • Skipping the review. Note what differed from your plan. That's where the learning is.

How to progress

Move the grade up as your flash rate improves, and shorten the reading time. Doing it with a partner who also can't touch the problem first makes it much closer to a real comp.

When it fits

The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.

  • Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.

  • Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.