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How many days a week should you boulder?

Three questions, then the days that'll get you better without wearing you down, which days to rest, and a free plan for that week.

Climb
4 days a week
Rest
3 days
  1. MonHard
  2. TueSkills
  3. WedRest
  4. ThuHard
  5. FriRest
  6. SatSkills
  7. SunRest

Your week as a free plan: A bouldering training plan, 4 days a week

Get a plan built for your days

How the answer is worked out

With the rules the free plans follow. Hard days on the wall never go back to back. Hard finger work goes in twice a week at most, never on consecutive days. The days between are skills days: technique and easy problems.

In your first year, or with something sore, three days is the cap. Climbing makes your fingers stronger first, and more days only adds load they aren't ready for.

Rest days can still be active: an easy aerobic session (run, bike, row) keeps you moving without tiring your fingers. Want to climb the day after a hard session? How to boulder two days in a row. Short on time? A plan for two sessions a week.

If something hurts now, rest it, and see a physio if it doesn't settle. Training is at your own risk.

The plan generator in Blok Sessions: a Base block of 8 weeks starting 5 October, with each weekday set to wall, off-wall, skills, active or rest and its session length.

In the Blok Sessions app

Pick your days, get every session

Tell Blok Sessions which days you can train and how long you've got, and the plan generator (Pro) builds every session of the block, rest days and lighter weeks included. Or build the week by hand for free and copy it forward.

Get it on the App StoreOr plan in your browser

Planning and logging are free with an account. See what Pro adds.

Questions

How many times a week should a beginner boulder?

Two or three, with a rest day between them. In your first year, three is plenty: climbing is what makes your fingers stronger at first, and they need the days off to catch up.

Is bouldering once a week enough?

Once a week is enough to keep improving while you're new, because most of it is technique. Once the easy gains are gone, progress slows without a second day. The plans start at two.

Can I boulder two days in a row?

Yes, if the second day is easy: technique, easy problems, no hard finger work. Two hard days back to back is what wears climbers down. There's a whole guide on how to do it.

How many rest days do I need?

Hard days need at least a day between them, and hard finger work goes in twice a week at most. So at three days a week you rest four; at four, three. Rest days can still be active: an easy run, a ride or mobility.

Now fill those days

Seven questions about your climbing, then a plan built from your answers. Free.

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Seven questions · about a minute