The Bouldering Training Program
The complete online training platform for boulderers to build strength, power, and skills so you can boulder harder (even if you’ve never trained before).
The TrainingBeta subscription bouldering training program was due for an update.
So these new subscription bouldering programs are a response to the growing gap I observed between the old TrainingBeta subscription program and how I coach my 1:1 athletes.
There are lots of different ways to train, and what’s presented in these new programs is just one approach.
That said, it’s an approach that I’m passionate about because I’ve felt it work even for myself.
Before working for TrainingBeta and becoming a coach, I was strictly a boulderer and my training consisted entirely of trying whatever the new boulders were in the gym.
For a while, it worked, but I always felt like there was something holding me back from achieving the next level.
When I look back on my climbing development and training since then, it’s clear to me that that “something” was actually two things:
- Clear intent and method for learning how to climb better
- A regular strength training habit
By gradually shifting my training to account for these two elements, I now feel like I am a much more well-rounded boulderer who’s sending the boulders that are “my style,” but also boulders that previously were not my style.
Additionally, I am injured far less often.
Most importantly, however, I feel like digging into this style of training has given me a framework for continued improvement.
So I put this style of training into practice with my personal coaching clients and I’ve seen great results with them. But not everyone can afford personal coaching, so I wanted to create pre-built programs that were more accessible to everyone.
The challenge in doing so is to make them general enough that they could help a wide range of climbers.
To do this, I stuck to the underlying principles I adhere to when coaching individual athletes: facilitate intention and skill development and build a solid foundation of strength.
In these bouldering programs, I’ve included off-the-wall training that will help you get stronger and more powerful, but the importance of this supplemental training is not over-inflated.
There are 3 levels to this bouldering training program, depending on your level of training experience (not your level of climbing ability).
Whether you are a beginner climber or an elite boulderer who’s been training for years, this program will help you break through in your climbing ability.
All the programs contain a large component of directed deliberate practice.
While it will still be up to you as the athlete to dig into these drills and exercises and push yourself outside your comfort zone, we aren’t just saying that you need to try and improve your skills as a boulderer:
We are giving you a framework through which you can do so.
Your Coach, Matt Pincus
About the Programs
These are comprehensive training programs for boulderers of all ability levels.
Each of the 3 levels of the program covers strength, power, work capacity, climbing skills, and maintenance training during a performance phase.
These programs are based on the underlying principles of effective training:
- Develop the ability to be intentional
- Facilitate skill development
- Target individual weaknesses
- Build a foundation of strength
- Systematically achieve progressive overload
I follow these principles when coaching all the athletes I work with on an individual basis and find that, while the details of their progams are important, they pale in comparison to the importance of checking the boxes for the above five bullet points.
These programs are one way to approach improving your bouldering.
I hope that they make you stronger and more powerful, but, more than any physical adaptation, I hope that they make you think and help shape the mindset with which you approach the sport.
Watch the Video Tour of the Programs
These are non-linear training programs that will take you step-by-step through full cycles of training throughout the year.
As long as you have a current subscription, you’ll be able to see your entire program, record progress in your logbook, and continue progressing through all of the levels.
There are three training levels, and you’ll have access to all of them when you subscribe.
What You’ll Be Training
While strength, skill development, and power are the main focuses of the blocks, this is a non-linear program and you will be working on all three of these attributes, plus work capacity, throughout the duration of the program.
Think of it as a 4-burner stove. For example, during the strength block, we’ll turn the strength burner up and keep the other 3 burners simmering on a maintenance level.
You will start the program with a Strength block, then move on to a De-load/Skill block where you’ll take a break from hard strength training and focus on skill development.
After that, you’ll move to the Power block, where you’ll focus on increasing your ability to do hard moves quickly. Through all of this, you’ll be working on Work Capacity, which is all about training your body to withstand more climbing in a session.
You’ll also be provided with a Maintenance block to use when you’re trying to perform well, either at home or on a trip.
Each of the levels consists of the following number of sessions per block, depending on which level you choose:
- Strength: 12-16 sessions
- Skill/Deload: 4-8 sessions
- Power: 12-16 sessions
- Maintenance: 6 sessions
1. Strength
2. Power
3. Skill Development
Bouldering isn’t a strength sport and it isn’t an endurance sport. It’s a skill sport. This means improving your bouldering requires more than just getting stronger – you need to learn to climb better. We build this into the programs by using movement drills that facilitate deliberate practice. Even if you have been climbing for years, learning to practice is essential for our continued development as climbers.
4. Work Capacity
Quite simply work capacity refers to how much climbing you can do in a session. Improving your work capacity will increase the number of high-quality attempts you can give in a session.
When You Subscribe, You’ll Get ONE-ON-ONE HELP from me in monthly, private Office Hours
When you subscribe to the programs, you’ll automatically get access to me on a monthly basis.
Office Hours
Office Hours will be 15-minute zoom calls that you’ll be invited to schedule from inside the program. During those calls, we can discuss any questions you have about the program, any alterations you might want to make to it, and how to optimize it for your personal goals.
Testimonials from Clients
Went from 5.12- to 5.13-…
Before I started working with Matt I was a climber stuck in a plateau. I had tried various training regiments and fads with mixed results. I could never stick to a program, self-made or otherwise, that built me into a better climber. I was fed up with falling off the same climbs and the same grades.
Shortly after starting with Matt, he immediately identified a serious weakness in my technique. He introduced new climbing drills and tailored the training to not only hit my goals but to fundamentally improve my skills as a climber. In the short time I’ve been with Matt, I went from 5.12- to 5.13-. For me, the numbers are meaningless. Far more importantly, Matt has given me a framework for continual improvement and enjoyment of this activity we love so much.
– Said Parirokh, Southern California boulderer and sport climber
photo by @climbak15
I sent my first V12…
I signed up with Matt 6 weeks out from a trip to the USA to try and send my first V12, ‘Wet Dream’ in Red Rocks, Las Vegas. After our initial consultation, Matt did an awesome job of restructured my training schedule to target specific areas, while working around my somewhat limited facilities and 50+ hr work weeks.
I really appreciated his analytical approach and solid justifications for the workouts, and after the 6-week phase I’ve no doubt that I was in the best shape of my life. Three weeks later, late in the day on my last day of the trip, I managed to link all the moves, and top out the boulder. So psyched to have achieved a long-term goal, and to start the next round of training! Cheers Matt!
– Lans Hansen, Boulderer from New Zealand
Monthly
- Most Popular
- Clearly laid-out training sessions
- All 3 training levels visible
- Available on all devices
- Built-in logbook to track progress
- Office Hours with Coach
Quarterly
- Save 10%
- Clearly laid-out training sessions
- All 3 training levels visible
- Available on all devices
- Built-in logbook to track progress
- Office Hours with Coach
Yearly
- 2 Months Free
- Clearly laid-out training sessions
- All 3 training levels visible
- Available on all devices
- Built-in logbook to track progress
- Office Hours with Coach
Equipment Required
This is the equipment you’ll want to have in order to make the most of these programs:
- Bouldering Wall
- Gymnastics Rings or Suspension System
- Hangboard
- Kettlebells (a couple moderately heavy)
- Deadlift Setup (not required)
- Exercise Bands/Cables
- Pull-up Bar
- Foam Roller
About Your Coach, Matt Pincus
Matt Pincus is a boulderer and a sport climber who lives in Jackson, Wyoming, and often travels all over the world to climb. He’s sent up to 5.14a and V12 and is constantly changing and tweaking the ways he trains as he learns new things. He began training climbers all over the world in 2017, and this program is a culmination of his most effective training methods.
Matt has studied the art of training for climbing for years, reading dozens of books on climbing training, general strength training, mindset, and coaching. He’s attended two Performance Climbing Coach seminars, BFR Certification Course, and various other continuing education programs to hone his skills as a coach. Beyond providing guidance about strength training and skills development, Matt educates his clients about redpointing tactics and other crag/gym behavior changes that lead to quicker sends.
Matt’s ability to listen to people’s needs, his attention to detail, and his keen interest in all things training contribute to his ability to create effective training plans and coaching for his clients.
From projecting v6 and 12a to onsighting v6 and 12b…
Having followed several self-guided training routines over the past 4-5 years, I had seen some results but didn’t have the support structure I needed to simultaneously address the mental, technique, and strength improvements needed to make sustained progress. Without a good in-person coaching option in the San Francisco Bay Area, I turned to Matt to try something new. Through our 18+ months of working together, we’ve been able to talk regularly about training approach and workout specifics, optimizing the dials to make the most use of my time in the gym and focus on the power development and projecting tactics that have shored up my patience, confidence, and performance abilities. In the gym, I’ve been able to improve from projecting v6 and 12a to onsighting v6 and 12b, and getting some regular v7 and 12c sends.
Outside on my summer trips, I’ve moved from 11a projecting to solid 11a trad onsights and my first 11b PG13+ redpoints. In the same timeframe, I’ve upped my sport climbing results from three 12a’s in two years to twenty 12a’s in the next year and added a good handful of 12b redpoints too. Matt has a great understanding of when to challenge and when to commiserate with his clients, and I’m confident nearly anyone will see great gains working with him while putting in honest efforts and communicating their ideas and reflections!
– Jason Albino, dedicated sport and trad climber
Hit my goal of 5.12…
I started training with Matt about a year ago when I began to run into trouble matching my 80+ hour work schedule with climbing. I shared with him my goals of climbing v8 and 5.12 and he assured me I could get there even with my time restrictions. For the last year, he has been available whenever I’ve needed and happily adjusted my workouts to keep them exciting, efficient and fitting into my ever-changing schedule. I’ve recently hit my goal of 5.12 and know that v8 is not far behind.
– Sarah Marschall, medical resident climber with limited free time
Monthly
- Most Popular
- Clearly laid-out training sessions
- All 3 training levels visible
- Available on all devices
- Built-in logbook to track progress
- Office Hours with Coach
Quarterly
- Save 10%
- Clearly laid-out training sessions
- All 3 training levels visible
- Available on all devices
- Built-in logbook to track progress
- Office Hours with Coach
Yearly
- 2 Months Free
- Clearly laid-out training sessions
- All 3 training levels visible
- Available on all devices
- Built-in logbook to track progress
- Office Hours with Coach
Have questions? Email Matt at matt@trainingbeta.com or call us at (650) 731-5615.
Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
This is the same easy-to-follow process I take my coaching clients through that’s been proven time and time again.
It’s worked for pro climbers, novice climbers, and every climber in between.
If you’re not 100% Satisfied with the results you see after using the program, I’m going to give you your entire investment back.
All I ask is that you go through the program and stick with it for 30 days.
Then be honest with how your body feels, how much more organized your training is, and how much your climbing has improved.
If after that, you’re not completely satisfied, just let me know and I’ll refund you 100%.
Are You Ready to Sign up for the TrainingBeta Bouldering Training Program 100% RISK FREE Now?
At the bottom of this page, there is a button.
When you click it, you’ll be taken to the order form where you can purchase the program duration you want.
It takes less than two minutes, and your information will be 100% secure.
When you finish, you’ll be sent a welcome email and given DIRECT access to your training program. That means you’ll be able to get started TODAY!
Who is this for?
- You’re ready to start taking your training seriously
- You want a training plan but don’t know how to make one yourself
- You feel tired all the time and need some guidance on efficient training
- You’ve been stuck at the same grade for too long
- You want to work on skill development – not just strength training
- You want an affordable plan but still have access to a coach
- You don’t want a linear training plan
- You’re psyched to start making progress in your climbing!
Always has a reason behind the plan…
When I started working with Matt I had been climbing at the 5.11- range for a bit, but couldn’t quite move past it. I was still being held back mentally on harder sport climbs and was hesitant to try harder routes. Shortly after we started working together I sent my first 5.11c in a few tries over a very short trip and went on to send a few 5.11+’s shortly after. Later that year I sent my first 5.12 and then a few more since. Over the time we have been working together, Matt has been very responsive and has always been available to answer any questions I may have. I like that he always has a reason behind the plans, he is willing to listen to my concerns, and that he takes a long view approach to training and climbing. I always get something out of our conversations, be it about training, tactics, and even logistics around climbing trips.
Beyond the physical aspect of training, working with Matt has really helped me develop a toolbox to tackle the mental challenges of trying hard on the sharp end, from fear of committing on hard moves, all the way to dealing with the frustration that sometimes comes in the later stages of working something at your limit.
–Ruben Duque, Sport Climber from Seattle
Have any questions? Here are some FAQs about the programs:
Q. Do I need to have prior training experience?
A. No, not at all! If this is the first time you’ve focused much on your training, it’s actually great to have someone guide you through it so you’re not just guessing about what to do. This program will work for you no matter what your experience with training is. If you don’t have any experience, just start with level 1.
Q. How often will I train on this program?
A. These programs don’t specify how often you should train each week because we think that should be left up to you. However, as a general rule, do not exceed 4 total climbing/training days in a week during each training block.
One of the priorities of this training program is that you have high-quality training sessions. For this to happen, you need to be honest with yourself about how quickly you recover. For each training block, we outline what sessions are most important to be fresh for.
Q. How long are the workouts?
A. The workouts are around 2 hours long, sometimes longer in Level 3.
Q. What kind of equipment do I need?
A. The ideal climbing training setup is a bouldering wall, a hangboard with the ability to adjust the load (a pulley system or whatnot), weights/kettlebells, and gymnastic rings/TRX. That being said, you can definitely get by with less. It’s just not as ideal.
Q. How long does it take to see results?
A. As climbers, we shouldn’t be thinking of training as a path to quick gain. Long-term development as a climber is much more important, and that’s why I created this as a long-term program.
However, even with a more long-term focus, climbers, especially those without an extensive training background, can start to see results in as little as a couple weeks.
Q. What level should I do?
A. When you purchase a subscription, you get access to all 3 levels of the Bouldering Training Program, so you can move between them as you’d like. The different levels are not based on your climbing ability, but on the amount of time you’ve been training for climbing.
The intensity of training is what increases through the levels, not the grades you’re asked to climb on or the amount of weight you’re lifting, etc. Those things are determined by you, no matter what level of the program you’re in.
Q. How long is this program?
A. The duration of this program depends on how many sessions you do per week. There are three training blocks that you will go through as a series: the strength block then the skill development block, and finally the power block.
Depending on what level of the program you’re doing, there are 32-36 sessions in all 3 training blocks combined. These are followed by a 6-session maintenance period meant for climbing trips or sending seasons.
Q. How will I access my program?
A. TrainingBeta worked with a team of designers and software developers to create this brand new platform, designed just for rock climbing training. You will access this platform on your computer, mobile device, or tablet with a login on a web browser until it becomes a mobile app (soon).
Q. I don’t use pounds – I use kilograms. Can I change my logbook to account for that?
A. Yes! If you go into your settings in the program you can toggle between lb and kg as your default weight measurement.
The Gist of It
- If you sign up for this program right now, you’ll get 7 days free to try it out.
- You’ll get access to all three levels immediately. All of the days of training will be visible to you for every level.
- You’ll also get private office hours with me every month to help you tailor this program to you and answer any questions you have about training in general.
This training works. I see it all the time with my clients all over the world, and it can work for you, too.