Climbing Endurance Training: Never Get Pumped Again
Build the stamina to climb all day and the power endurance to push through pumpy cruxes. This guide covers the training methods that transform forearm endurance.
Why Endurance Training Is Overlooked
Most gym climbers focus on getting stronger — harder boulders, more crimps, better grades. But strength without endurance means falling off easy routes because you're pumped.
Here's the truth: endurance often provides faster grade improvements than strength training, especially for route climbers. Many climbers have the strength to do hard moves but pump off before reaching them.
Endurance training isn't sexy. It doesn't feel as satisfying as sending a hard boulder. But climbers who invest in endurance climb harder, longer, and with more consistency.
Types of Climbing Endurance
Aerobic Endurance (Stamina)
Ability to climb sustained moderate difficulty for long periods
Long routes, high-volume sessions, multi-pitch climbing
ARC training, long easy traverses, high-volume easy climbing
Low pump, sustainable effort, could climb for hours
Anaerobic Endurance
Ability to sustain hard effort through increasing pump
Sustained difficult routes, no-rest climbing
4x4s, linked boulder problems, timed climbing
Building pump that you manage through the climb
Power Endurance
Ability to recover between hard moves while pumped
Routes with hard moves separated by rests, boulder circuits
Interval training, on-the-wall resting, linked hard boulders
Recover enough between cruxes to keep performing
Endurance Training Workouts
4x4s (Four by Fours)
Classic power endurance workout. Climb 4 boulder problems back-to-back, rest, repeat 4 times.
4 problems at ~2 grades below max, no rest between, 4 minute rest between sets, 4 total sets
45-60 minutes
1-2x per week
Choose problems you can do but are challenging when pumped. Same grade for all 4 problems.
ARC Training
Aerobic Restoration and Capillarity. Low-intensity continuous climbing to build aerobic base.
Climb continuously for 20-45 minutes at very low intensity (shake out while climbing, never pump)
20-45 minutes continuous
2-3x per week (can be daily)
Stay well below pump. If you're getting pumped, you're going too hard. Use easy terrain.
Linked Circuits
Chain multiple problems together without coming off the wall.
Link 6-10 moderate problems with traverses between them. Rest 5 min, repeat 2-3 times.
30-45 minutes
1-2x per week
Plan your circuit in advance. Mix problem styles. Include brief shake-outs on good holds.
Interval Training
Alternating hard effort with active recovery on the wall.
30 seconds hard climbing / 30 seconds easy climbing or rest. 10 rounds. Rest 5 min. 2-3 sets.
30-40 minutes
1x per week
Use a timer. Hard intervals should feel challenging; easy intervals should allow partial recovery.
Route Pyramids
Progressive difficulty followed by regression. Builds sustained effort capacity.
Climb routes: 5.9 → 5.10a → 5.10b → 5.10c → 5.10b → 5.10a → 5.9. Minimal rest.
60-90 minutes
1x per week
Adjust grades to your ability. Peak should be challenging but achievable when fresh.
On-the-Wall Recovery Strategies
Half of endurance is recovering efficiently during rest positions. Master these techniques to extend your climbing capacity:
Active Shaking
Shake arm below heart level in figure-8 pattern. Promotes blood flow better than static hanging.
When: During rest stances on routes
Deep Breathing
Slow, diaphragmatic breaths. Reduces heart rate and promotes recovery between hard moves.
When: Whenever you have a second
G-Tox
Alternate arm position: up for blood drainage, down for blood flow. 5 seconds each.
When: On good rests with secure stance
Progressive Relaxation
Consciously relax muscles not needed for current position. Release grip tension on rest holds.
When: Rest stances, between attempts
Knee Bar Recovery
Find knee bars to completely release arms. Elite climbers rest for minutes in good knee bars.
When: When available on route
Common Endurance Training Mistakes
MISTAKE
Training endurance when pumped from bouldering
FIX
Do endurance training on fresh days or at the start of sessions. Bouldering fatigues different energy systems.
MISTAKE
Going too hard on ARC training
FIX
ARC should feel almost too easy. If you're pumping at all, reduce intensity. The point is aerobic base, not strength.
MISTAKE
Only doing high-intensity endurance work
FIX
Balance intense work (4x4s) with base building (ARC). The aerobic base supports the anaerobic efforts.
MISTAKE
Neglecting rest between endurance sessions
FIX
Endurance training taxes different systems than limit bouldering but still requires recovery. 48 hours between hard endurance sessions.
MISTAKE
Training endurance without adequate fueling
FIX
Endurance sessions burn significant calories. Eat enough carbs before and during long sessions. Stay hydrated.
Sample Weekly Endurance Program
| Day | Session | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | ARC Training | 30-40 min continuous easy climbing |
| Tuesday | Rest or Cross-Train | Light cardio, stretching |
| Wednesday | 4x4s | Power endurance, hard but sustainable |
| Thursday | Rest | Full recovery |
| Friday | Route Climbing | Apply endurance to actual routes |
| Saturday | ARC or Circuits | Volume at moderate intensity |
| Sunday | Rest | Full recovery |
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting pumped quickly is usually a technique issue: over-gripping, poor body position, or inefficient movement. First, focus on relaxing grip and keeping arms straight at rests. Then add endurance training. ARC training improves capillary density so blood flows more easily to forearms.
Stamina is the ability to sustain moderate effort for long periods (think: climbing all day at easy grades). Power endurance is the ability to perform hard moves while fatigued (think: hitting the crux after 30 moves of climbing). Both are trainable but require different approaches.
Noticeable improvements in 4-6 weeks with consistent training. Capillary development and aerobic adaptations take time. The good news: endurance tends to improve faster than max strength for most climbers.
In a session, do strength/power work first while fresh, then endurance work. In a training cycle, many coaches recommend building a base of endurance before focusing on max strength. For route climbers, endurance often provides faster grade improvements.
Partially. Running and cycling build general aerobic fitness which helps recovery. But climbing-specific endurance requires climbing. Fingerboard repeaters can build finger endurance, but nothing replaces sustained climbing.
Active recovery (walking, light movement) is better than sitting. Shake out arms below heart level. Stay warm. Light snacking maintains blood sugar. The fitter your aerobic system (from ARC training), the faster you'll recover between burns.
Track Your Endurance Progress
Use Beta Flow to log endurance sessions, track your longest circuits, and see how your stamina improves over time.