Up-and-down boulders
5 easy boulders, 2 laps each: climb up, then all the way back down. 1 min rest.
- Slot
- On the wall
- Focus
- Endurance
- Time
- 25 min
- Intensity
- Moderate intensity
- Injury risk
- Low injury risk
- Equipment
- Boulders, Easy circuit
How to do it
Pick easy boulders with big holds. Climb up, then climb all the way back down instead of jumping off, moving slowly and with control - that's one lap. Do 2 laps on each boulder with only 1 minute rest, on 5 boulders in total. For variety, traverse into the next boulder instead of stepping off. Keep your feet quiet and shoulders relaxed.
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.
Up-and-down boulders
0:00 / 24:55
Ready
24:55
10 rounds
5 easy boulders, 2 laps each: climb up, then all the way back down. 1 min rest.
High risk: read the protocol, stop if anything feels wrong.
- 10
- rounds
- 1:00
- rest
- 24:55
- total
Done.
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Take the quizWho it's for
Anyone who wants mileage without a hard session. Downclimbing doubles the time on the wall for the same number of problems, and it's the cheapest way to get better at lowering yourself under control, which is what saves your ankles outdoors.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the way down. Down is the training. If you're dropping the last two moves every time, the boulder is too hard.
- Picking problems with a jump start. You can't reverse a dyno. Choose boulders that stay in contact with the wall the whole way.
- Letting the feet get loud. Tired feet get sloppy first. If you hear them slapping, that's the signal to stop, not to push one more lap.
- Resting longer than a minute. The short rest is what makes five easy boulders into endurance work.
How to progress
Add a lap before you add difficulty: three laps on the same five boulders beats two laps on harder ones. Once three laps feel easy, traverse between the boulders so you never touch the floor.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
Power Endurance Keep your power through one hard move after another.
Endurance Climb longer before you pump out, by moving efficiently.
Deload Train less, let your fingers recover, keep moving.