How to run an adult training squad at a climbing gym
Short answer
Run one fixed weekly session with a clear shape (warm-up, one main block, a finisher, a cool-down), group climbers by level rather than age, and give everyone a short plan for the days between sessions so the squad is training, not just meeting. Take attendance, ask how they feel before you start, and test at the start and end of each block. The Blok Sessions coach area puts the weekly session, the plan and who came in one place, free for up to 5 climbers.
Coaching climbers? The coach area is free for up to 5 climbers: their plans, what they log and who has a sore finger, in one place.
See the coach areaGroup by level, not age
Adults join a squad with very different backgrounds. Group them by what they climb and how long they've trained, so the main block suits everyone in it:
- Getting stronger: climbing for a year or two, no structured training yet. Mostly climbing, movement and general strength.
- Training: a few years in, some finger training behind them. Limit bouldering, board climbing, measured finger work.
Two groups in the same evening works if each has its own main block.
Give the session a shape
| Part | Minutes | What |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in | 2 | How they slept, how the body feels, anything that hurts |
| Warm-up | 15 to 20 | General, then easy climbing building to harder |
| Main block | 40 to 50 | One goal: limit boulders, a board session, technique or power endurance |
| Finisher | 10 to 15 | Strength or antagonist work |
| Cool-down | 5 to 10 | Easy climbing and stretching |
Keep the shape the same every week and change the main block with the period: more volume early in a block, harder and shorter later.
Plan the days between sessions
One evening a week is a club night. A squad that trains also gets something for the other days: two short sessions they can do on their own, sent to the whole squad and changed for anyone who needs something different.
Know who came and how they are
- Take attendance every week. A climber who misses two weeks in a row often drops out next.
- Read the check-ins before you start. A sore finger changes that climber's main block tonight.
- Test at the start and end of each block, the same way both times. Retesting at the end of a block covers how.
Run it from your phone at the gym
In the coach area, a squad has its weekly team training on its weekday. On the night, the iPhone app's coach view shows who's here, what's on and a guided timer for the whole group. Climbers log the team training in one tap, so it counts in their training and Workload without anyone typing it in.
Questions
How many climbers per coach?
Small enough that you can watch everyone climb during the main block. For a strength or hangboard block that's fewer people than for an easy volume session.
Should the gym charge for the squad?
That's the gym's call. Most run it as a paid block of weeks with a fixed group, which keeps attendance up better than drop-in sessions.
What do squad members see in the app?
The weekly team training on its weekday, with what's on and the coach's note, any plan you send them, and a check-in before training. They log the team training in one tap.
How much does the coach area cost for a squad?
Free for up to 5 climbers. Then €10 a month or €99 a year for up to 25, €18 or €179 for 50, and €30 or €299 for 100, BTW included, with as many coaches as you like.
Coach your first 5 climbers free
Write each climber's plan, see what they log and read their check-ins before training. Paid plans start at €10 a month for up to 25 climbers.
Free for up to 5 climbers