Campus boarding: Benefits and how to do it

What is a campus board?

A campus board is a set of wooden rungs spaced evenly apart on a slightly overhanging wall. It was created in the early 90s by legendary German climber Wolfgang Gullich and is found in most indoor climbing gyms. Wolfgang developed this training tool to help him build explosive power for a new route he was trying in Frankenjura. It worked, and Wallstreet, the first 8c (5.14b) in the world, was climbed.

The campus board has rungs of various sizes, from jugs to crimps and even smaller crimps. The best campus board also has slopers and pinches to help build explosive power using different holds.

If you plan to build an at-home campus board, make sure your measurements are accurate! Campus boards are generally the same everywhere, so they’re a great tool to test yourself no matter the climbing gym you’re in!

How to start campus boarding

First, you must understand that campus boarding is a strenuous activity. It should only be used by those with developed strength. If you just started climbing, work on building your strength on the climbing wall.

Before any campus board workout, make sure you are properly warmed up. A great way to do this is to boulder for a bit, increasing the difficulty so you’re almost at your limit.

Start with your feet on the kickboard when you begin using a campus board. (The kickboard is the lowest spot of a campus board near the ground. There are typically small footholds or wooden rungs to place your feet). This will allow you to practice the moves without the fully loaded stress of hanging from just your fingers.

I recommend starting with the largest campus rungs before moving to the crimps.

Next, choose what you’d like to train: accuracy, contact strength, endurance, or power. When you’ve identified the weakness you want to improve, read below for the correct exercises for your goals.

Lattice Training has an excellent video discussing campus board training and the dos and don’ts. Check that out here: 

Grip type for campus boarding

Always use an open-hand or half crimp unless you’re training on slopers or pinches. Avoid using a full crimp while training on the campus board. The repetitive act of throwing for holds can cause pulley injuries, so make sure to perform the correct grip.

If you need to familiarise yourself with holding each of these grips, practice on a hangboard before beginning a campus board routine. Once you’re familiar with how to grab each crimp then you can move on and begin campusing.

Campus boarding training exercises

These next training exercises will help you break your plateau and climb harder. A beginner campus boarder should only train on it once a week. As you improve, move this to two times a week. When climbing v10+, you can argue that you can train your campus boarding 3 times a week.

Campus boarding training should be done in blocks throughout the year. It isn’t something that you should train every time you climb at the gym. Stick to blocks of 4-6 weeks on, then 4-6 weeks off. This will allow you to reap the benefits of your training and improve your workouts during your next routine.

Begin matching on the bottom rung for each of these exercises. If you find the grip too easy for you, try moving to a smaller hold. Choose one or two of these exercises and try to perform 2-3 sets. If your form starts to go, end your workout and try adjusting to make it easier next time.

Accuracy and contact strength exercises

Single-arm bump

1. Bump one arm up each hold until you’ve reached your max rung
2. Bump the lower arm to bring it up and match
3. Drop down and repeat this exercise with your other arm

Video example: 

Taps

1. Lift one hand and grab a rung above
2. Bump that hand to a lower run, then back to the higher rung
3. Repeat this exercise until you’ve bumped from the highest rung that you can reach
4. Repeat this exercise with your opposite arm

Video example: 

Power exercises

Jump catch

1. Jump off the ground and grab the highest rung that you can, leaving your other hand on a lower rung
2. Pull up to match that high rung
3. Drop and repeat with the other side

Video example: 

Double campus

1. Reach up with one arm to the high rung that you can grab
2. Without matching, campus your other arm to the next highest rung you can reach
3. Match at the top, then return to the ground

A benchmark for elite climbers is to campus 1-5-9. This means starting on number 1, campusing to number 5 with your first arm, then campusing to number 9 with your second arm. Begin with 1-2-3, 1-3-5, and 1-4-7 to work up to your 1-5-9.

Video example: 

Single-arm max

1. Campus to the highest run you can reach
2. Pull yourself up and reach the next highest rung you can with your other hand
3. Repeat starting with opposite arms

Video example: 

Endurance exercises

Ladders

1. Alternate left and right hands to the top of the campus board
2. Match at the top then repeat this until you reach the bottom

You can perform ladders for as many reps as you like (or can). Use any of the grip types to help train your endurance.

Video example: 

Tips for campus board training

• Use both arms: For every exercise you perform with one arm, try performing it with the opposite arm, too. This will help your muscles stay balanced.
• Maintain proper from: If you can’t finish your workout with the proper form, end it. Always engage your shoulders, trying to make your shoulder blades touch.
• Consider taping skin: Campusing is rough on the skin, especially when throwing for every hold. Consider taping up to prevent any flappers.
• Start with your feet on the kickboard: This is the lowest part of the campus board meant for just your feet. If the board you’re training at allows it, use your climbing shoes and campus with your feet on the rungs. This will help you get a feel for the moves while building your campus strength.
• Never full crimp: Only use an open-hand or half crimp on the campus board.
• Properly warm up: You wouldn’t try your project as soon as you walk into the climbing gym, so prepare your body first! Start your campus board training directly after you feel that you’re warmed up. Don’t perform a campus board exercise after a climbing session, which can increase your risk for injury.
• Alternate holds: Since different-sized campus rungs are close together, you can practice mixing in different holds during a workout.

Check out Adam Ondra’s full video where he shows his campus boarding routine for more tips: 

At home campus board

If you plan to make an at-home campus board, remember that you need specific measurements. The size of the rungs and the degree that the wall overhangs should be accurate so you can train on it correctly. It’d be a shame to crush your campus board and then be shut down by one at the local indoor climbing gym.

Here is a checklist taken from Moon Climbing to make your home campus board perfect:

• Rung size: A minimum of two different rung sizes is advised. One 28-30mm, and the other 23-25mm.
• Rung spacing: 11cm between each rung.
• Campus board angle: 13-17 degrees
• Kickboard depth: Set the gap between the bottom of the campus board and the top of the kickboard to between 500-600mm.
• Foot rungs: 10-15mm deep with 150mm gap between each rung.

If you need some campus rungs, check out our range from our shop here. We have Lattice and Metolius rungs to help you set up your home gym. They’re also perfect if you want to create your own hangboard at home!

Campus your heart out!

Campus board training can be an excellent way to finally get past that climbing plateau. Who would’ve thought that simple wooden rungs could help us reach our climbing potential? Wolfgang Gullich, that’s who!

I’ve ripped plenty of flappers because I was trying to campus far past when I should have. Don’t be like me – listen to your body when training. The campus board can have amazing benefits if you stick with it. Just remember to only train it in 4-6 week blocks!

And don’t forget, if you’re having trouble performing your first campus board session, use your feet!

Let us know in the comments if you plan to use a campus board or if you have any other tips for the community!

Products related to this article