This eight-week training plan is designed to improve intermediate and advanced climbing specific fitness, and create a peak performance period which can be utilized for an upcoming trip, or a specific goal route. It is ideal for climbers operating in the 5.10 to upper 5.12+ range. The plan operates on the assumption of a Monday through Friday work schedule.

Required equipment: A simple notebook to use as a training log, access to a commercial climbing gym or home wall, fingerboard, and TRX kit. Access to outdoor climbing is preferred, but not required.

Workouts have been labeled with “a.m.” or “p.m.” when timing is important. The aim of this is to spread the load, maximize rest time, and increase workout quality. The plan will still work if you are unable to spread the workouts out as prescribed, but will likely be somewhat less effective. Skip optional workouts first whenever time constraints are an issue. Swap Saturday and Sunday workouts to take advantage of better weather for outdoor climbing, but only do this when absolutely necessary.

This plan is based on your RPE, or “Rate of Perceived Exertion,” where workout intensities are guided by how hard you are working based on your perception of effort (how hard the workout feels to you) rather than by heart rate.

We recommend that you use a chest-strap heart rate monitor and GPS watch to log all your training.