Ever feel like no matter how much you climb, you’re not actually getting better?
You show up to the gym, put in the effort, maybe even try some harder routes—but weeks (or months) later, you’re still stuck at the same grade. Sound familiar?
Many climbers assume that just climbing more will naturally lead to progress. And while consistency is important, mindless repetition isn’t the same as deliberate improvement. If you’re simply showing up and hoping for the best, you’re probably reinforcing bad habits instead of breaking through to the next level.
The difference between climbers who improve and those who stay stuck? Intentional practice.
As a climbing coach, I’ve seen this over and over—the climbers who make the most progress don’t necessarily climb the most; they train smarter. They set clear goals, focus on technique, and track their progress. And you can do the same.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to actually progress in climbing—with a structured, practical approach that works. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Set Clear Climbing Goals
If you don’t know what you’re working toward, how can you tell if you’re improving? Many climbers make the mistake of climbing without a plan, hoping that progress will just happen over time. But without clear goals, it’s easy to plateau or feel like you’re stuck spinning your wheels.
Why It Matters
Setting clear climbing goals helps you:
✅ Stay motivated – Having a goal gives you a reason to push yourself.
✅ Measure progress – You’ll know if you’re improving, rather than just guessing.
✅ Train with purpose – Instead of climbing randomly, you can structure your sessions around what actually helps you improve.
The problem is that most climbers set vague goals like “I just want to climb harder”—which doesn’t provide any real direction. Instead, try using the SMART goal method:
🔹 Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve? (e.g., “Send a V4” instead of “Climb better”)
🔹 Measurable: How will you track progress? (e.g., “Climb three V3s clean before attempting a V4”)
🔹 Achievable: Is this goal realistic based on your current ability? (Don’t jump from V2 to V7 overnight!)
🔹 Relevant: Does this goal align with your climbing style and weaknesses? (If endurance is your struggle, focus on that!)
🔹 Time-bound: Set a deadline to keep yourself accountable. (e.g., “Send a V4 in 8 weeks”)
Example Goals Using SMART Method:
❌ “I want to climb better.”
✅ “I want to send a V4 in the next 8 weeks by improving my footwork and endurance.”
❌ “I want to lead climb more.”
✅ “I will lead climb at least once per session for the next month to build confidence.”
Pro Tip: Track Your Goals for Maximum Progress
Once you set a goal, the next step is tracking your progress. Without tracking, it’s easy to feel like you’re not improving—even when you are.
✅ Write down each session: What routes you tried, what went well, what needs work.
✅ Track small wins: Did a crux move feel easier? Did you get one hold higher than last time?
✅ Review and adjust: If you’re not progressing, tweak your approach.
➡️ Want an easy way to track your goals? My Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker is designed to help you stay consistent, log your sessions, and make real progress [Check it out here]
By setting clear goals and tracking them, you’ll climb with more focus, improve faster, and stay motivated.
Step 2: Focus on Technique Development (Not Just Strength or Mileage)
Many climbers think that the only way to get better is to climb more or get stronger. While both can help, they won’t fix bad movement habits—and those are often the biggest reason climbers plateau.
If you’re not actively working on your technique, you’re just reinforcing the same inefficient movement patterns every session.
Why It Matters
Good technique makes climbing feel easier, even on hard routes. Without it:
❌ You waste energy by muscling through moves instead of moving efficiently.
❌ You struggle with balance, footwork, and body positioning.
❌ You feel stuck at a plateau, no matter how strong you get.
Think about it—elite climbers don’t just have strong fingers; they have precise footwork, smooth weight shifts, and efficient movement patterns that make climbing easier.
How to Improve Your Technique
Instead of just showing up and hoping to improve, dedicate part of each session to focused technique drills.
✅ Pick one technical skill to focus on per session (e.g., footwork, hip positioning, balance).
✅ Climb easier routes intentionally—slowing down and paying attention to movement quality.
✅ Use drills to reinforce good habits instead of just repeating bad ones.
A simple way to structure your sessions:
🔹 Warm-up: Do a drill focusing on a specific movement pattern.
🔹 Climb with intention: Apply that technique on actual routes.
🔹 Reflect: What worked? What didn’t? Adjust as needed.
Drills That Actually Help You Improve
The best way to develop better technique is through deliberate practice with drills. Here are a few examples:
✅ Silent Feet Drill – Forces you to be precise and intentional with foot placements.
✅ Flag Everything Drill – Trains balance and stability by requiring you to flag on every move, helping you move more efficiently and stay in control.
✅ Pause & Plan Drill – Improves route reading and movement efficiency.
💡 Want a structured way to train your technique? My book, 77 Drills to Help You Climb Better, is packed with drills to help you improve footwork, balance, efficiency, and body positioning. Instead of guessing what to work on, you’ll have a roadmap to refine your movement and climb better, faster. [Check it out here]
Pro Tip: Treat Technique Like Strength Training
Most climbers dedicate time to strength training but neglect technique training—when in reality, both should be part of your progress plan.
🚀 Try this: Spend at least 15-20 minutes per session doing drills or climbing with a technique focus. Over time, these small tweaks will add up to huge improvements.
By prioritizing deliberate technique development, you’ll climb smarter—not just harder—and unlock real progress.
Step 3: Train Your Weaknesses (Not Just What You Like)
It’s human nature—we like doing things we’re good at and avoiding things that feel hard. But when it comes to climbing, avoiding your weaknesses is the fastest way to stay stuck (that makes sense, right?).
If you only train what you’re already good at, your progress will be slow and unbalanced. Instead, the key to real improvement is identifying your weaknesses and actively working on them.
Why It Matters
Every climber has strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t address your weak spots:
❌ You’ll plateau because you’re avoiding the skills that would help you level up.
❌ Certain styles of climbing will always feel impossible.
❌ Your progress will be limited by the thing you struggle with most.
Think about it—if you only climb overhangs because you love them but avoid slabs, you’ll never develop the balance and footwork needed to improve. The best climbers are well-rounded because they train their weaknesses, not just their strengths.
How to Identify Your Weaknesses
Not sure what’s holding you back? Try this Climbing Weakness Assessment:
✅ Technique: Do you struggle with footwork, balance, or body positioning?
✅ Strength: Do you feel like you can’t hold onto small holds or lack pulling power?
✅ Endurance: Do you get pumped quickly and struggle with longer routes?
✅ Mental Game: Do you hesitate on lead, second-guess moves, or freeze up on the wall?
If you’re unsure, ask a coach or an experienced climber to watch you climb—they can often spot weaknesses you don’t notice.
How to Train Your Weaknesses
Once you’ve identified your weak areas, dedicate part of each session to improving them.
✅ If footwork is an issue → Spend 10-15 minutes doing footwork drills (Silent Feet, Flag Everything).
✅ If grip strength is holding you back → Add short fingerboard sessions after climbing.
✅ If endurance is the problem → Try ARC training (low-intensity climbing for 20+ minutes).
✅ If mental barriers are limiting you → Practice falling in a controlled setting to build confidence.
💡 A good rule of thumb: Spend at least ⅓ of your climbing time working on your weaknesses. It’s not always fun, but it’s how you make the fastest progress.
Pro Tip: Make Weakness Training a Habit
The biggest mistake climbers make is thinking, “I’ll work on that later.” But if you don’t schedule time for weakness training, you’ll keep avoiding it.
➡️ Try This: Before every session, pick ONE thing to improve and focus on it for at least 15 minutes.
By actively training your weaknesses, you’ll become a more well-rounded climber, progress faster, and break through plateaus.
Step 4: Track Your Progress to Stay Motivated
One of the biggest reasons climbers feel stuck—even when they’re improving—is that they aren’t tracking their progress. Without a way to measure improvement, it’s easy to feel like you’re not getting anywhere.
If you’re not tracking what you’re doing, how do you know if you’re getting better?
Why It Matters
Tracking your progress helps you:
✅ See improvements over time – Even small gains add up, but you won’t notice them unless you look back.
✅ Stay motivated – It’s easier to push through tough sessions when you know you’re making progress.
✅ Identify patterns in your climbing – What’s working? What’s not? Tracking helps you make adjustments.
Without tracking, you might be improving without even realizing it, which can make climbing feel frustrating when you don’t instantly send harder routes.
How to Track Your Climbing Progress
Tracking doesn’t have to be complicated—you just need a simple way to log your sessions and reflect on improvements.
Here’s what to record after each session:
✅ Routes attempted & sent – What grades? What styles?
✅ Breakthroughs & struggles – What felt easier? What did you struggle with?
✅ Specific skills or drills practiced – What technique did you work on?
✅ Adjustments for next time – What will you focus on in your next session?
This doesn’t just help you see progress—it helps you climb with intention, since you’ll start each session with a clearer focus.
The Power of Video
A game-changer for tracking progress? Filming your climbs.
🎥 Watching yourself climb can be eye-opening—you’ll catch footwork mistakes, inefficient movements, and bad habits you didn’t realize you had. Try filming the same route a few weeks apart to see how your movement improves over time.
Pro Tip: Use a Climbing Planner/Tracker for Faster Progress
A training journal makes it way easier to stay consistent and track your climbing over time. That’s why I created my Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker—to help climbers set goals, log sessions, and see real progress.
➡️ Want to make tracking easy? Grab a copy here
By tracking your sessions, you’ll be able to see and celebrate small wins, stay motivated, and climb with more purpose—which is exactly how you improve faster.
Step 5: Balance Climbing with Strength & Mobility Training
Climbing is a full-body sport, but many climbers only train by climbing—which can lead to plateaus, weaknesses, and even injuries. Strength and mobility training might not feel as exciting as sending a new project, but they play a huge role in long-term progress.
If you want to climb harder, you need to train your body for climbing—not just climb more.
Why It Matters
If you only climb, you might be neglecting key areas that impact your performance:
❌ Weak fingers or pulling strength – Limits your ability to hold onto small holds.
❌ Poor mobility – Makes high steps, drop knees, and flexibility-based moves harder.
❌ Muscle imbalances – Can lead to injuries, especially in the shoulders and elbows.
Climbers who incorporate strength & mobility work tend to:
✅ Climb harder grades with less effort
✅ Reduce the risk of injury
✅ Have better endurance and power
What to Focus On
The goal isn’t to lift heavy or train like a bodybuilder—it’s to improve the strength and mobility that directly help your climbing.
🦾 Strength Training (2x per week):
✅ Finger Strength: Hangboarding or weighted dead hangs to improve grip.
✅ Pulling Strength: Pull-ups, lock-off training, and weighted hangs.
✅ Core Strength: Leg raises, L-sits, and anti-rotation exercises (like Pallof presses).
✅ Leg Strength: Step-ups, pistol squats, and calf raises for better footwork stability.
🦵 Mobility Training (2-3x per week):
✅ Hip Mobility: Deep squats, Cossack squats, and hip openers for high steps.
✅ Shoulder Mobility: Scapular retractions, banded exercises to prevent shoulder injuries.
✅ Ankle Mobility: Toe raises and deep lunges for better smearing and toe placement.
You don’t need to spend hours in the gym—even 10-20 minutes after a climbing session can make a huge difference over time.
Pro Tip: Train Smarter, Not Harder
🚀 Try this: Replace one climbing session per week with a focused strength & mobility session.
🔹 You’ll recover better and come back stronger—without overloading your body.
By balancing climbing with strength and mobility work, you’ll feel stronger on the wall, move more efficiently, and reduce the risk of injuries—setting yourself up for long-term progress.
Step 6: Rest and Recover (Yes, It’s Part of Progress)
If you think climbing more is always the answer, think again. More isn’t always better—better is better. Without proper rest and recovery, your body doesn’t have time to rebuild and adapt, which can actually slow your progress.
Climbing is demanding on your muscles, tendons, and nervous system. If you’re constantly pushing without recovering, you’re setting yourself up for plateaus, burnout, and injury.
Why It Matters
Your body improves when you rest, not just when you train. Without enough recovery:
❌ You’ll feel fatigued and plateau faster.
❌ Your risk of injuries (like tendonitis) increases.
❌ You won’t build strength and endurance as efficiently.
But resting doesn’t mean doing nothing—active recovery and smart recovery habits will help you come back stronger.
How to Recover Smarter
✅ Listen to Your Body: If you’re constantly sore, fatigued, or feeling weaker than usual, you probably need more rest.
✅ Prioritize Sleep: Your body rebuilds and strengthens muscles while you sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours per night for optimal recovery.
✅ Hydrate & Eat Well: Proper nutrition and hydration help your muscles recover faster. Focus on protein for muscle repair and carbs for energy replenishment.
✅ Use Active Recovery: Rest days don’t mean sitting on the couch all day. Light movement like yoga, stretching, or an easy hike helps keep your body mobile without overloading it.
✅ Incorporate Rest Days: At least 1-2 rest days per week will help you improve more efficiently than climbing every day.
Pro Tip: If You’re Plateauing, Try More Rest
🚀 Try This: Take an extra rest day before a big climbing session and see how much stronger you feel. Most climbers are surprised at how much better they perform after proper recovery.
By prioritizing rest and recovery, you’ll actually improve faster, reduce injury risk, and feel stronger every time you climb.
Climb With Intention, Improve Faster
Climbing progress doesn’t happen by accident—it happens when you train with intention. If you’ve been showing up and hoping for improvement, it’s time to take a more structured approach.
Here’s your game plan for real climbing progress:
✅ Set clear goals so you know what you’re working toward.
✅ Prioritize technique development instead of just climbing more.
✅ Train your weaknesses instead of sticking to what feels comfortable.
✅ Track your progress so you can see and measure improvements.
✅ Incorporate strength & mobility training to support your climbing gains.
✅ Prioritize rest so your body can recover and adapt.
🚀 The fastest way to improve? Climb with purpose, track your progress, and train smarter—not just harder.
If you’re ready to take your climbing to the next level, start training with purpose today—and if you want an easy way to stay accountable, check out my Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker to help you log your sessions and stay consistent [check it out here].
💡 Want to improve your technique fast? Grab a copy of 77 Drills to Help You Climb Better for structured, easy-to-follow drills designed to refine your movement skills [check it out here].
👉 What’s your biggest climbing goal right now? Let me know in the comments!
