By Head Coach Matt Fultz

When climbers think about getting stronger, the default is often: “I just need to climb more.” While time on the wall is essential, it’s not always the best path to progression. One of the most efficient and effective ways to improve your climbing performance, especially your ability to try hard for longer, is through high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. At ROQ, we believe HIIT is not only fantastic for general fitness, but also a powerful tool for climbers looking to level up.

What is HIIT?

HIIT is a training method that alternates short bursts of intense effort with periods of rest or low-intensity active rest. The work intervals typically last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, HIIT improves both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, enhances cardiovascular health, and boosts muscle endurance and fat metabolism more efficiently than traditional steady-state cardio (ACSM, 2018). For climbers, HIIT increases your capacity to recover between intense efforts, which directly translates to more high-quality attempts on your projects.

More Capacity Means More Sending

Let’s break it down: the more physical capacity you have, the more quality attempts you can put into a bouldering session. That means instead of flaming out after a few burns, you’re still sharp, still powerful, and still moving well. Not only that, but you recover faster between sessions, allowing you to climb more frequently each week.

Zoom out, and this becomes a huge advantage for you. Think about all the additional attempts on your project you can give over the course of, say, a year. That extra volume adds up fast, and so will your sends!

HIIT That Helps You Climb Better

At ROQ, we’ve taken HIIT and tailored it to climbers. Our workouts include interval training that combines climbing, rowing, and dumbbell exercises. But it’s not just about pushing your heart rate, it’s about intentional movement. During each class, our coaches incorporate technical drills to improve your climbing efficiency while building strength and capacity.

This means every workout does more than just gas you out. It makes you better!

How Does HIIT Work on a Kilter Board?

We use HIIT principles to create workouts specifically for climbers using our fleet of Kilter Boards. Here’s how that looks in action:

• Timed Intervals on the Wall: We’ve developed many workouts, but one you might see is to climb for 60 seconds at a controlled, powerful pace, followed by 60 seconds of rest. This rhythm will repeat for several rounds.
• Skill/Conditioning Fusion: Instead of just aimlessly logging climbing volume, our coaches use drills that hone specific aspects of movement (like hip engagement, flagging, or pacing), while keeping your heart rate elevated.
• Complimentary strength training: In addition to 40 minutes of climbing, you’ll spend 10 minutes of rowing and 10 minutes of conditioning on the floor.  Each round keeps your intensity high and your body adapting.

This approach not only boosts fitness but reinforces better climbing movement, even under fatigue. That’s a huge win when it comes to real-world bouldering sessions, where being tired often leads to sloppy technique.

Don’t Just Climb More, Climb Smarter

Volume for volume’s sake won’t cut it. Without intentional focus, you risk reinforcing bad habits or simply plateauing. That’s why we place such a big emphasis on deliberate practice. In each session, you’ll get feedback and instruction to ensure your movement improves alongside your fitness. In addition, the difficulty will be tailored to your climbing level and experience. Although the timed intervals will be the same for everyone, the intensity of the climbs will vary.

Consistency Through Fun

Let’s be honest, sticking to a training program is a lot easier when you enjoy it. That’s why ROQ workouts are designed to be both effective and fun. You’ll sweat, you’ll laugh, and you’ll get stronger. Most importantly, you’ll want to come back.

Consistency beats perfection, and progress is built over time.

The Science-Backed Benefits of HIIT for Climbers

1. Improved Work Capacity: A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that HIIT can significantly improve anaerobic capacity and muscular endurance (Gibala et al., 2012), both key traits for climbers tackling steep boulders or long training sessions.
2. Time-Efficiency: Research by Dr. Martin Gibala and colleagues shows that HIIT provides comparable fitness improvements to traditional endurance training but in far less time. That’s a major advantage for climbers trying to balance gym sessions with outdoor projects and recovery.
3. Mental Toughness and Recovery: Because HIIT teaches you to push at max effort, recover quickly, and push again, it mirrors the stop-and-go rhythm of bouldering. You’ll not only climb harder, you’ll climb longer, with better decision-making even when tired.

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