Could there be something more to bouldering training programs apart from pull-ups, hangboarding, weights, and climbing non-stop?
Whether you’re a beginner still trying to handle your first climbs or a more experienced climber aiming to send above V10, training secrets from some of the world’s best climbers can push your level up.
Keep reading to learn tips we collected from the pros and more!
Climbing harder by climbing smarter
Wolfgang Gullich famously said, “There is no such thing as too much power”. But he also said, “The brain is the most important muscle for climbing”.
That means that the amount of muscle required for crushing in bouldering is proportional to your climbing goals and how good of a climber you want to be.
The rest comes down to strategy, breathing, introspection, and body awareness.
The connection between the mind and the body
All pro athletes train hard – there is no doubt about that. However, what makes the difference between being strong and great can be a matter of approach and strategy.
Take Adam Ondra as an example and his unique approach to climbing! An ex-prodigy now in his 30s, Adam will stay in history as one of the strongest and all-rounded climbers.
He is famous for many things but it’s important to mention he is:
- The first-ever to flash a 9a+ (5.15a – Supercrackinette)
- The first climber to redpoint a 9b+ (5.15c – Change)
- The first climber to redpoint a 9c (5.15d – Silence)
- Made the second and fastest free-ascent (32 pitches) of the Dawn Wall in Yosemite
From a distance, it may seem otherwise, but to him, not everything is about power. Part of his bouldering training secrets emphasises the importance of warming up both the body and the mind and mentally syncing with the climb ahead.
Let’s find out what Ondra’s full warm-up routine and approach is
- Screaming as a release: Adam is also known for his screams while climbing. Even if disturbing to some, it turns out screaming while climbing hard helps you regulate breathing and focuses your energy on crucial moves. Watch Adam’s bouldering training secrets and tips to climb smart
- Dynamic stretching and movement: Adam avoids static stretches and focuses instead on dynamic movements that mimic climbing motions and prepare warm-up tissues – think lunges, squats, and arm/leg swings.
- Visualisation: A Crucial Part of Climbing: Before hopping on a route, Ondra makes a point of meticulously mimicking every move that he is about to make next. He “climbs” the problem in his mind, rehearsing body positioning, and sensations.
If you want to know more about this climbing technique read our detailed article on Visualisation: How to improve route reading.
Breathing and precision: Unlock Alex Megos’ climbing philosophy
When the first person to climb a 9a route on sight (first go) tells you climbing is all about how efficiently you use your body, you have to believe them.
Alex Megos is a strong competitor with many international IFSC titles. He has repeated ‘Lucid Dreaming’ (8C/V15), did the FA of Bibliographie, and FA of Perfecto Mundo (15c), sent Change (5.15c) after only 5 days of projecting, and on the very same day repeated The Illusionist (5.14d).
But precision isn’t everything: breathing is also an important aspect to perform in climbing. Other sports such as running or yoga emphasise how important that is.
Despite that, practicing breathing is still a taboo for many climbers and is not something we necessarily focus on when it comes to climbing.
Learn more about this training Secret To Climbing Harder from Alex Megos himself.
3 reasons why breathing through the nose is important in climbing
- It calms the mind and allows you to assess your situation.
- The sound of your breathing brings you back to the present and helps you focus on your climb.
- It decreases the forearm pump therefore it improves endurance.
Practical tips for you based on Megos’ training
- Practice foot placements on easy climbs to build precision. Megos spends hours refining his foot placement, aiming for precise contact with footholds to minimize wasted energy.
- A strong core is important for maintaining body tension. You can train your core by doing targeted exercises such as leg raises and planks that improve body control.
- Quality over quantity. Instead of long, draining workouts, focus on short, high-focused climbing sessions that mimic the burst of energy bouldering requires.
Muscles to climb hard and creative techniques to send easy
Dave Graham may not be one of the strongest at the moment but he is one of the best climbers of his generation therefore we can learn a lot from him.
For Graham, bouldering is as much an art as a sport. The “wizard” has a very creative personal approach to climbing and problem-solving.
While some climbers are sometimes too fixated on “one solution only”, Dave Graham thinks there’s rarely just one “correct” way to climb a problem. Proof of that?
The cutting-edge boulder problems and FA’s he did over the years such as as Nothing but the Sunshine (V14), Circadian Rhythm (V14), and The Fly 5.14d (9a).
Moreover he sent Fred Nicole’s Dreamtime, a V15/font 8c considered to be the world’s hardest boulder route at that time, he downgraded Fred Nicole’s Elfe (9a+) to 8c in five goes and was the first person to climb Action Directe without training specifically for it.
Watch how Dave Graham working “Poison The Well” 8C+/V16 & spraying wisdom:
Bouldering training secrets from Graham’s book of strategies and tips
- Unconventional beta: Climbing is each person’s puzzle, which means there isn’t only a “right” way to do it. Like in life, if a move doesn’t feel right, Dave encourages everyone to be creative and find alternate sequences that others overlook.
- Fluid movement: He practices smooth transitions between moves so he doesn’t waste energy. Hips, shoulders, footwork, hand positioning, balance, and tension all need to work together to succeed.
- Footwork details and precision: Dave is the only person I know who tick marks the tip of the climbing shoe so they know where exactly to place it on the hold. This is proof enough of how technical this boulderer climbs.
An unconventional video with Dave talking about his approach to climbing: an oldie but goldie!
The importance of mental training in climbing
Arno Ilgner is the founder of The Warrior’s Way and the father of mental training. But someone who really took the importance of having a strong mind in climbing to the next level is Hazel Findlay, a climbing inspiration and an impressively accomplished trad, sport, and big wall climber.
Through Strong Mind, Hazel and her team provide climbers with the tools, practices, and strategies – all rooted in research-led areas of psychology including conversational therapies, CBT, mindfulness, ACT, and exposure therapy to manage their fears and perform at their best.
Whatever your level is, StrongMind Climbing courses are the first of their kind, making a positive difference to climbers and helping spread good ideas and information within the broader climbing community.
Mindfulness and letting go of expectations
Getting back to climbing after an injury is sometimes a blessing in disguise. After taking a longer and more frustrating break at first, you are usually happy just to start easy.
You know you shouldn’t force it, and you are focused on your body’s movement.
In my experience, I surprised myself the most in those moments when I was not expecting anything and ended up doing climbs I did not think I’d manage.
I learned that focusing on the present moment while climbing can reduce anxiety and help you climb more relaxed.
Overcoming fear by learning to deal with it
Alex Megos recently posted about how every climber, even if they don’t want to admit it, experiences fear of falling to some extent, holding them back.
Being physically prepared, motivated, aware of the dangers of a climb, and visualising success before attempting a problem, reinforces positive outcomes.
When it comes to falling, practicing controlled falls as a routine is also what contributes to you becoming a more confident climber.
Equanimity: The Holy Grail of climbing performance
In Buddhism, equanimity is one of the Four Brahma-viharas and refers to calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation.
The ability to problem-solve in climbing is a resourceful skill. Sometimes it comes down to breaking down complex problems into smaller sections or being reactive spontaneously during the climb and being able to deal with any situation that arises.
In some situations, visualising before climbing can help you deal with the boulder problem while you are trying to send your project.
Watch these simple tips on how to get started with mental training through Hazel’s eyes:
6 practical climbing and training tips for all levels
1. Tall or short climber? Understand to what extent this matters
We also wrote an article on this big debate and whether climbing is easier for taller people. The conclusion was that everyone experiences difficulties because of their height but also advantages thanks to it.
Watch Hazel Findlay and Angus Kille talk through 10 tips for being a short climber.
2. Understand how your body works
As Hooper’s Beta says, the abundance of information regarding training can be overwhelming – especially for beginners. But body conditioning is something as clear as the light of day.
Before taking on more advanced training, you should start working on your general body fitness to develop strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.
Here’s an A to Z video with coach and Pro Climber Dan Beall on on how to train your full body for climbing.
This video will help you better understand the fundamental mechanics of climbing and make informed decisions about your training.
3. Challenge yourself and try out different bouldering styles
It’s from failing we learn the most – which also applies to climbing. Yeah, it feels great to send harder boulder problems to the gym just because they fit your style.
However, I know it’s not thanks to that we’ll climb better but rather by climbing problems that force us to find solutions.
That’s why I try out different climbing styles and holds such as slopers or dynos whenever I get a chance. I choose boulders that I can’t complete in one attempt. Sometimes I might not be able to top at all, in which case I move on after 3, max 4 attempts.
In Romanian, an expression says “The key to being successful is to take breaks often and make them long.” And the funny thing is that this indeed applies to climbing, especially to Bouldering where the effort is quick and intense. Therefore take at least five minutes between each bouldering attempt.
Watch Beyond Strength: 6 Lessons From Adam Ondra’s Climbing:
4. Try climbing on a standardized board like a Moon, Kilter, or Tension Board
What is board climbing? Board climbing is one of the best ways to improve your bouldering skills such as explosion, learning how to place high steps, and using small feet.
Additionally, it trains four of the essential elements of climbing hard: finger strength, core, power, and body strength.
Starting to train on any of these boards can feel very challenging, especially if you’re new to it. One of the great things is that most of them allow you to adjust the angle of the wall:
- 25° or 40° for Moonboard
- 20° or 50° for Tension Board
- 0° to 70° for Kilterboard
This adjusting feature helps beginners adapt their climbing experience to suit their individual needs and skill levels. Unfortunately, not all gyms have this option.
Watch Introduction to Board Climbing & Training | Moonboard and Woodie System Board
5. Find your motivation and stick to it
Training for bouldering might initially feel exciting, especially if you have a sparring partner.
However, from my personal experience, I can tell you that after a while it can get challenging to follow through a program, stay committed to hangboarding 2-3 times a week, do those spray wall circuits at the end of the day or even try hard on boulders.
That’s why it’s super important to write down your goal. Additionally, I suggest finding an outdoor rock climbing project.
It is an ideal way to push through when you find yourself alone at the gym or feel tired after your workday and your motivation is low.
Watch Hannah Morris putting into practise tips from the pros and training like one for 40 days.
6. Work on your footwork, and body placement
I find it intriguing that even though we’ve been using our legs since we learned how to walk – therefore they’re strong, we give them very little credit.
The easiest way to become aware of how little we trust our feet is by engaging in activities that rely on feet as a support: such as yoga, or climbing.
For example, non-climbers and beginners usually think climbing is all about strong arms when in fact legs are the base.
Therefore, start thinking about your feet as a powerful support, and use your arms only as assisting parts of your body.
Watch all about the power of body placement and find out what tips Alex Puccio applies every time she climbs.
4 key takeaways to secure long-term climbing and performance
1. Make sure to complete warm-ups: Cold muscles are more prone to injury. Secondly, warmer muscles can improve your performance on the wall because your body sends more blood and oxygen to the muscles.
2. Cultivate relaxing and not over-gripping: Learn to relax your grip when it’s not climbing. I find this Coach Analyses PRO Vs Intermediate Technique ft. Alex Puccio very useful because it highlights the strengths and techniques needed to climb at the elite level.
3. Pay attention to hydration and nutrition: Fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods and stay hydrated to optimize performance and recovery. Read our Climbing nutrition guide to find the best diet for climbing.
4. Pay attention to recovery: Elite climbers know the importance of recovery. Overtraining can lead to injuries and burnout, so recovery is non-negotiable. Schedule at least two weekly rest days to allow your muscles to repair.
Here are 5 pro climbers explaining how to improve your climbing technique
Final thoughts
Bouldering combines physical power, mental sharpness, and creative problem-solving. Whether it’s about adding unique warm-ups to your routine, refining your technique, or working on your mental game, climbing tips from pro climbers can help you climb harder grades more easily. And smarter.
Remember: every climb is an opportunity to learn something new. Embrace the challenges, stay consistent with your training, and most importantly, enjoy the ride!
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