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Sloth and monkey

4 boulders x 2 laps: one like a sloth (slow, never stopping), one like a monkey (swinging through).

Slot
On the wall
Focus
Flow
Time
17 min
Intensity
Moderate
Injury risk
Low
Intervals
8 rounds, 1:00 rest
Equipment
Boulders

How to do it

Pick 4 boulders below your flash level and climb each one twice. First lap, sloth: move uncomfortably slowly but never stop, one steady rhythm from start to top, feeling every shift of weight. Second lap, monkey: let each move's momentum carry you into the next, swinging through instead of settling and readjusting, a little more dynamic than feels comfortable. Rest a minute between laps and compare: which moves wanted the sloth, which the monkey? As it gets easier, pick harder boulders. The point is to own both rhythms and everything between them, not to decide which one's right.

Who it’s for

Climbers who climb every boulder with one rhythm, usually a stop-start one. The sloth lap trains moving continuously with no pauses to readjust. The monkey lap trains letting one move carry you into the next. Most climbers are at home in one and awkward in the other.

Common mistakes

  • Stopping on the sloth lap. Slow isn’t the same as paused. If you’re hanging still to plan, keep something moving.
  • Turning the monkey lap into a race. Speed isn’t the aim. Let the swing from each move take you into the next, and don’t stop to shuffle your feet.
  • Playing it safe on the monkey lap. It should feel a little more dynamic than you’re used to. If it feels comfortable, swing more.
  • Skipping the comparison. Use the rest to notice which moves suited which style. That’s the part you take to your projects.
  • Choosing boulders near your limit. Below your flash level, so the rhythm is the only thing you’re working on.

How to progress

Pick harder boulders once both laps feel natural. Then try mixing them on one problem: sloth through one section, monkey through the next.

When it fits

The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.

  • Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
  • Endurance Climb longer before you pump out, by moving efficiently.
  • Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.
  • Deload Train less, let your fingers recover, keep moving.

Start with a ready-made block

A six-week strength plan with a deload, as a file for the app, and seven short emails on how to run it.