Experienced routesetters, coaches, and climbers know the value of a well-set climb for power endurance training. Atomik’s Power Endurance Edges were tailor-made for that purpose, equipping anyone looking to upgrade their training with high-quality, standardized holds in both bolt-on and screw-on varieties.
Overview
Power endurance (PE) training is the conditioning required for sustained climbing, typically encountered on sport routes and boulder problems. When setting a circuit or boulder problem for PE training, typically, if you have fewer than 15 moves on a circuit, you are closer to training for Power; if you have more than 40 moves, you have entered Endurance training. The goal is to climb into a forearm burn, resulting in your hands opening up on the holds.
The Holds
Using standardized holds in climbing circuits reduces grip variability found in traditional boulder problems, allowing for subtle adjustments in difficulty. Setting with these holds can enhance endurance training by removing the unpredictability of challenging crux moves that can lead to grip failure.
Standardized holds enable climbers to create sustained, consistent boulder problems. Atomik’s Power Endurance Edges’ ergonomic design supports the first knuckle, helping prevent injuries even during intense workouts.
Additionally, removing boulder problem crux moves allows climbers to maintain endurance on more effortless movements while still engaging with challenging holds that don’t allow recovery, which can foster higher levels of power endurance and mental resilience.
Once established, these circuits can be revisited annually to track fitness improvements, and climbers can compare their progress with friends, making training measurable and competitive.
How to choose the proper set for you
To effectively set a training circuit, examine the difficulty charts below, which outline ideal holds based on the wall angle and desired climbing grade.
- Identify the Wall Angle: Determine the angle of your climbing wall, which will influence the types of holds you should select for your climb.
- Select the Grade Range: Choose a grade range from beginner to advanced that suits your climbing level.
- Consult the Chart: Look at the middle column of the difficulty chart to find appropriate holds that match your wall angle and selected grade range.
For instance, if your wall is at a 45-degree angle and you wish to design a circuit within the V5-V6 range, look for holds that are either 25-degree or 20-degree incuts. By selecting the correct holds based on this information, you can create a training circuit that is both challenging and suited to your (or your audience’s) skill level.
Things to Remember
If you have multiple angles on your wall, our chart can help you choose the proper incut ranges to achieve your desired grade.
Remember that our chart is subjective and based on testing up to V10, so grades beyond that level are educated guesses. The goal is to select holds that match your desired style. You can decide which footholds to use, consider bump moves as single moves, and adjust rest periods between sets to fit your training type.
Avoid choosing holds that are overly incut for your wall; they should feel like edges, not jugs, and should fatigue you within 40 moves.
Training Ideas
Warm-Up
Engaging in a proper warm-up before a climber attempts this kind of training is advisable. Fortunately, the dimensions of Atomik’s Power Endurance Edges facilitate a warm-up routine directly on them. When participating in a PE circuit, the recommended approach is to ascend until you feel a slight warmness in your forearms, then safely step off the wall. Ensure you allow complete recovery before repeating the same thing several times. The design of these power endurance holds is ergonomic and gentle on the skin, significantly reducing the risk of tendon injuries.
Training Examples
- Circuits (20-40 moves)
- 4×4 (repeating four problems back-to-back)
- Limit Bouldering (trying moves at your limit)
Resting
If you can rest on a hold in your circuit after 20 or 30 moves, meaning you can shake out to prolong a circuit, then the holds or circuit are likely too easy. However, shaking out your forearms while moving is okay since the forearm burn won’t lessen much.
Your rest between sets should be between 1 and 8 minutes. This workout is meant to fatigue you. Having a goal of punching out 40 moves is missing the purpose. It’s the “my forearms are on fire” feel you want, so climbing faster has no meaningful purpose in this workout. This workout is about how long you can keep a load on your forearms.
The rest between workouts is subjective. Key workouts focused on power endurance are usually not as taxing on your body as a power workout. However, we rarely climb to pump failure, so if these workouts are done correctly, we suggest doing them 1 to 2 days a week (every 4 to 5 days) for 4 weeks to see improvement.
Footholds
The size and incut of footholds impact the difficulty of a climbing circuit. Larger footholds make the circuit more straightforward to navigate, while smaller ones demand greater precision and body tension, increasing the challenge.
Atomik’s testing used a 1-inch-deep foothold without an incut. Adding an incut to the same foothold can change the perceived difficulty within the same V-grade. For instance, a circuit may feel challenging at V4 with a standard foothold with no incut but easier at V4 with a larger one with an incut.
Our testing showed that larger footholds could increase the number of moves climbed by 20% to 25%, highlighting how small changes in foothold design can significantly affect the number of moves you can do on your circuit.
Footholds we liked
On our 45-degree wall, we liked the 30 Super Small Granite and the medium low-angled model of our Adjustable System Feet. Our higher-end V10+ testers preferred the small version of the Adjustable System Feet, which required more precision and body tension.
On our lower-angled 25-degree wall, intermediate and advanced climbers used the low-angled models, though the climbers’ chosen angle varied from neutral to sloping.
When in doubt, please call us at 801-404-0280 or email us at [email protected] and ask one of our experts for advice.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story was first published on Atomik’s website here and here.
The sponsor paid for this story, which does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
