Winter Training for Spring Climbing (Part 3): Power Endurance
Last month’s blog post focused on building finger strength and power, laying the crucial strength foundation you’ll now turn into sustained climbing fitness and outdoor readiness with March’s training.
You’ve built strength all winter: stronger fingers, better pulling power, harder moves. Now it’s time to turn that strength into something usable outside:
power endurance
It’s one thing to do one hard move. It’s another to do eight in a row and still clip the chains or top out a boulder problem
March is about climbing hard while pumped, recovering faster, and still being able to send when you’re tired.
What Is Power Endurance?
Power endurance is your ability to maintain hard output while fatigued.
You need it for:
Steep routes with minimal available rests
Boulder problems with multiple cruxes
Long sport routes
Outdoor projects where stopping = falling
Winter focused on max strength: heavy hangs, limit bouldering, pulling power. That raises your ceiling.
Now the focus shifts to climbing close to that ceiling for longer periods of time.
Strength = top speed
Power endurance = how long you can hold it
The 3 Pillars of March Training
1) Power Endurance Intervals
Engage in short, intense efforts with controlled rest to enhance pump tolerance and recovery speed.
2) Efficiency Under Fatigue
Train technique even when you’re tired. This will help prevent
Quiet feet
Relaxed shoulders
Controlled breathing
Smart pacing and clipping
3) Outdoor Readiness
Prepare your body for real rock:
Longer warmups
Skin management
Joint durability
Ending sessions before breakdown
Simple Weekly Structure
Day 1: Power endurance (see workout below)
Day 2: Easy climbing + technique
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Strength maintenance (hangboard or limit boulders)
Day 5: Power endurance
Day 6: Optional outdoor/volume
Day 7: Rest
3 Effective Workouts (Pick 1–2/Week)
-
Choose 4 boulders at ~80% max.
Climb all four with 30–60 sec rest between each.
Rest 3–5 minutes. Repeat for 4 rounds.
Great for: steep fitness and pump tolerance.
-
Pick a route ~2 grades below onsight max.
Climb it 2–4 times with 2–3 min rest.
Optional: finish with one harder attempt while tired.
Great for: sport climbers and outdoor carryover.
-
For 10 minutes:
Start one hard-ish problem every minute.
Rest for the remainder of the minute.
Great for: building your body’s ability to “keep moving”.
The Key to Progress: Rest
Power endurance only improves if you give yourself time to recover.
You’re on track if:
Sessions feel hard but repeatable
Pump recovers faster over time
You feel “fit” during longer efforts
Back off if:
Elbows or fingers ache
Power drops session to session
Fatigue lingers
March Mindset
Remember, strength and the ability to climb well isn’t just stronger forearms. It’s the ability to:
Breathe when it burns
Stay technical while pumped
Commit when you want to stop
Recover on the wall instead of taking or giving up
Good luck training and we’ll see you out at the crags.
