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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
Injury risk
Low
Intervals
10 rounds, 1:00 rest
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.

Who 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.

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.