Power Endurance (Routes)

Power endurance can be defined as the ability of your muscles to contract at or near maximum for a greater amount of time.

The more power endurance you have the longer you will be able to pull hard moves. Excellent power endurance is the ultimate goal of a difficulty (lead) competition climber, the ability to pull hard moves after already pulling numerous hard moves. Unfortunately it is also the hardest thing to train properly. It requires the correct blend between strength/power training and endurance training.

Generally power endurance can be described as climbing for 15-40 moves, or 3-8 minutes on the wall. Power endurance can be closely linked with redpointing routes. Especially indoors routes tend to be more consistent meaning that a F7a will have lots of F7a moves stacked on top of each other so that provides the perfect opportunity for power endurance training.

There are several keys to training power endurance:

• Consistent routes - the routes should be consistent without the opportunity for large rests.
  
  
• Power and Strength - the routes should have a mix of powerful moves and smaller moves on bad holds.
  
  
• Desire - power training is mentally hard. You've got to want to get better, getting tired is not a bad thing.
  
  
• Goal - getting to the top without falling. It helps when you are trying to redpoint a route to remind yourself of the goal. It can get boring trying the same route over and over, but as a part of a workout it will make you stronger.

Power Endurance Drills

The following are some drills that you can do on your own or with a partner to increase your power endurance.

Bouldering

Increase the number (volume) of boulder problems that you are attempting in a workout. Decrease the rest time between problems and always start each attempt from the first move (don't work individual moves). This allows you to pull lots of hard moves in a short period of time. Try and do three or four boulder problems in 5 minutes then a short rest 3-5 minutes, and repeat 3-4 times.

Linked Boulder Problems

Linking together two or three boulder problems is a very effective way of extending the number of moves that you are doing. Start with a hard problem that you can barely do, move to one that you can do quite easily but can't stop and rest/recover on, and then move on to a problem that is again quite hard for you. You will have to take this drill into account when you are setting problems or else it will be too hard to link them together. Two things can be accomplished with this drill; one you are climbing lots of hard moves; and two you are climbing routes that you have already done so you should be determined and will yourself not to fall.

With this drill you can partner up with one or two people and rotate through. Attempt each link up 3 times with 3-5 minutes for rest in between attempts. If you are not completing 20 moves then try and change up the boulder problems that you are doing, if you are always completing the linkup then make the boulder problems harder.

This drill is especially effective when you are starting the transition between bouldering and power endurance training. The problems should still be very hard and chances are you will not be on the wall for more than 3 minutes per attempt.

Redpoints

Redpointing routes can be a great way of training power endurance if you are making it at least 15 moves into the route each time and the route does not provide lots of areas for resting. If you do not have long routes available to you then you can link routes together in a similar fashion to the linked boulder problems, or try and be tired by the time you go to start redpointing.

Circuit Training

Make your own climbing circuit of between 20 and 40 moves. The moves should be powerful, consistent and not provide holds for resting. Try to vary the terrain that the circuit crosses and try and distribute the move/hold types evenly for both arms. The great thing about circuit training is that you can tailor it to your needs. You set the circuit for yourself and if it is too easy you can make the holds harder or take away footholds. If it is too hard then add a foothold or make the holds slightly easier. Once again you should try and be on the wall for between 3-6 minutes and attempt the same circuit 3 times in a row with a 5 minute rest in between attempts. On the first attempt you should complete the circuit and on the third attempt you should get very near the end. If you complete it all three times then make it harder, and if you can't complete it the first time make it easier.