How long to rest between boulder attempts without wasting your session
At your limit, rest 3 to 5 minutes between attempts. If you're only trying the first move or two of a boulder, 2 to 3 minutes is enough. After a long go, take 4 or 5. Give each boulder about 3 good attempts, or 10 minutes, then move to the next one and come back later. About 6 to 8 real attempts fit in 30 minutes. Stop the hard part of the session as soon as your attempts start getting worse, even if there's time left. On easier boulders a minute or two is plenty.
“Three minutes feels like forever”
It does, because you’re standing around while someone else tries your project. So most people cut the rest short and get back on after a minute. The first attempt goes fine and the fourth is a tired copy of it. You fall at the same move, a bit lower each time, and a limit session turns into a pump session without you noticing.
Moves at your limit need your fingers and arms fully recovered. A short rest takes that away first, and a tired attempt teaches you to do the move badly. The usual coaching advice is to rest a little longer than feels necessary.
How long, for what you’re trying
| What you’re trying | Rest between attempts |
|---|---|
| Warming up on easy and moderate boulders | A minute or two, then 2 to 3 once it gets hard |
| The first one or two moves of a boulder above your grade | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Single hard moves or two-move links | 3 to 5 minutes |
| A whole boulder at your limit | At least 3 minutes, and 4 or 5 after a long go |
| Pump training, like 4x4s | Short on purpose, because that’s the exercise |
How many attempts before you move on
Give each boulder about 3 good attempts, then try the next one and come back later. That stops you camping on one crux until your skin’s gone. If you’d rather stay with each problem, give it about 10 minutes, like hard projecting, and move on when the time’s up, sent or not.
A short block of single hard moves, like the limit movement bite, fits 6 to 8 real attempts in half an hour. That’s a proper amount of hard climbing, even if it doesn’t feel like much.
What to do while you rest
Sit down and keep a layer on so you stay warm. Don’t fill the gap with “just one easy one”. It’s still climbing, and it comes out of the next attempt.
Use the time to decide what you’ll change. Attempt analysis is exactly that: say what stopped you, pick one thing to do differently, then get back on. Brush the holds, watch a video of your last go, and put a timer on the rest so it’s the same length every time.
When to stop
Stop the limit part of the session as soon as your attempts get worse. You’re falling lower, missing holds you hit an hour ago, or your skin’s starting to go. Move on to easier climbing, or finish for the day.
Put this work at the start of the session, after a warm-up that builds up to a few hard moves, like the progressive limit boulder ramp. At the end of a two-hour session, even your first attempt is a tired one.
Who this isn’t for
If you climb for mileage and fun, or you’re on problems well below your limit, you don’t need a rest timer. Climb and chat, and get back on when you feel like it. The long rests are for sessions where you’re trying moves you can’t do yet.
The exercises
Progressive limit boulder ramp
2-3 easy, 2-3 moderate, 2-3 hard boulders, then 1-2 powerful attempts just below max.
First moves on too-hard boulders
Only the first 1-2 moves of 4 boulders above your project grade, max 3 attempts each.
Limit movement bite
3-4 hard single moves or 2-move links, 3-5 min rest between every attempt. Stop when quality drops.
Limit boulder rotation
3-4 limit boulders, 3 attempts each, 3-4 min rest. Move on after 3 tries.
Hard projecting
6 boulders at your limit, about 10 min each. At least 3 min rest between attempts.
Attempt analysis
After every fall, name what stopped you and pick one change before the next attempt.
With Pro, the guided timer in Blok Sessions counts each attempt until you tap Done, then counts down your rest, so you don't have to guess when 3 minutes are up.
Questions
Is a minute between attempts enough?
On moderate boulders, yes. At your limit, no. After a minute your forearms are still carrying the last go, so the next one is weaker. Give hard attempts 3 to 5 minutes.
How many attempts should I give a project in one session?
About 3 good attempts, then try something else and come back to it. Keep going while each attempt is as good as the one before. When you start falling lower, you're done with it for today.
Should I rest this long on a board?
Yes, on problems near your limit. On a board session that builds from moderate problems up to hard ones, start at 2 to 3 minutes between tries and rest longer as the problems get harder.
Won't long rests make me worse at pumpy boulders?
No. Pump is trained with short rests on purpose, in exercises like 4x4s. Do that in its own session or after your limit attempts, never before them.