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8 weeks · 6 days · 2 climbing · open to read

8-Week Hybrid Block: Bouldering + Hypertrophy

6 days a week — 2 climbing, 4 lifting, 1 full rest. Machines and cables carry the leg and chest volume so the barbell fatigue cost stays low before climbing days. Thursday is the pinned technique day; no lower-body session ever sits the day before a climbing day. Anchors: high-bar squat, low-incline barbell press, RDL, Bulgarian split squat, strapped pull-up.

Weeks 1-3

Establish

Weeks 4-6

Double progression

Weeks 7

Peak

Weeks 8

Deload and retest

How the weight goes up or down →Live progress →

105 min · climbing

Mon · Climb A · limit and power

Why here: Fresh off Sunday rest

Warm-up: 20 min: four easy, three moderate, two at 70-80%

Warm-up20 min20 min

Four easy, three moderate, two at 70 to 80%

Plate pinches4 × 20-30 s per hand8 min

The best free pinch tool that exists, and it trains the weakness you named

Start at a weight you can hold 30 s with about 5 s to spare. Progress hold time to 30 s across all sets, then add 2.5-5 lb and drop back to 20 s.

Rest 90 s

Limit block4-6 near-limit problems · max 3-5 serious attempts each45 min

Film one attempt. Name one failure reason before you retry.

Miss: Grinding out attempt 8 on a problem that died at attempt 4

Rest 3 to 5 min between serious attempts

Hold-type block15 min at the current 2-week emphasis15 min

Moderate grade. This is where finger strength gets trained without a hangboard.

60 min · lifting

Tue · Lower A · squat, quads, glutes, calves, trunk

Why here: 48 h before Thursday, bilateral and machine-biased, low soreness

Warm-up: 5 min easy cardio, mobility primer, then 2 ramping sets on the squat

High-bar back squatanchor

4 × 5-8 reps@ 2 RIR

barbellDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 3 minwatches Low back / hip

now 270 lb45 lb bar, then 45 + 45 + 10 + 10 + 2.5 a side

The one heavy barbell leg movement in the week. Everything else here is cheap.

Miss: Chasing a PR in weeks 1-3. Establish the load, do not test it.

Leg press

3 × 10-15 reps@ 1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 2 min

now 310 lb

Quad volume at almost no systemic cost — this is why quads went back up to 11 sets

Miss: Letting the pelvis tuck at the bottom to chase depth

Barbell or machine hip thrust

3 × 8-12 reps@ 1-2 RIR

barbellDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 2 minwatches Left wrist, Right wrist

now 370 lb45 lb bar, then 45 + 45 + 45 + 25 + 2.5 a side

Glutes, and the hip/low-back goal

Miss: Gripping the bar tight and loading the wrists for no benefit

If the tissue complains: Machine hip thrust — Better for the wrists than steadying a loaded bar

Leg extensionoptional

2 × 12-20 reps@ 0-1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 90 s

now 185 lb

Optional but cheap. Skip it if Thursday's climbing quality is suffering.

Calf raise machine

3 × 10-15 reps@ 0-1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 90 s

now 80 lb

Full ROM with a 1 s pause at the bottom

Kneeling cable crunch

3 × 10-15 reps@ 1-2 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 60 s

now 80 lb

The only loadable ab movement you have — it progresses, which nothing else here does

Miss: Hinging at the hips instead of flexing the spine

Kneeling cable Pallof press

3 × 10-12 reps@ 1-2 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 60 sper side

now 54.5 lb

Anti-rotation — resisting a barn door is exactly this pattern, and nothing else in the program trains it

Miss: Letting the torso turn toward the stack on the way out

Copenhagen plank (short lever)

2 × 20-30 s hold

timed holdHold time to the ceiling, then loadrest 45 sper side

Adductors and lateral trunk — drop knees and compression

If the tissue complains: Hip adduction machine — Easier to progress than a plank if the machine exists — 3 × 12-20

Week 8 keeps every load and cuts the sets by roughly a third.

60 min · lifting

Wed · Upper A · push

Why here: Zero grip demand the day before climbing

Warm-up: 5 min general, then 2 ramping sets on the incline press

Low-incline barbell press (15-30°)anchor

4 × 6-10 reps@ 1-2 RIR

barbellDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 3 minwatches Shoulder, Left wrist, Right wrist

now 60 lb45 lb bar, then 5 + 2.5 a side

Upper chest

Miss: Chasing range at the bottom when the shoulder is already talking

If the tissue complains: Machine incline press — Swap the anchor here if the shoulder is yellow two weeks running, and keep progressing

Machine chest press or pec deck

3 × 10-15 reps@ 1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 2 minwatches Shoulder

now 90 lb

Fixed path, and you choose the range — high chest volume inside the shoulder pain window

Miss: Progressing range instead of load. Progress load.

Low-to-high cable fly

2 × 12-20 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 90 swatches Shoulder

now 20 lb

Upper chest with constant tension and no tension spike at the bottom

Miss: Turning it into a press by bending the elbows more as it gets hard

Cable lateral raisesuperset A

4 × 12-20 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest Superset with the pressdownper side

now 30 lb

Side delts, width. Constant tension beats dumbbells, which give you nothing at the bottom.

Rope overhead triceps extension

3 × 10-15 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 90 swatches Shoulder

now 35 lb

Long head at long length — the growth position

Rope pressdownsuperset A

2 × 12-15 reps@ 0 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest Straight into the next lateral raise

now 38.5 lb

Superset with the lateral raise to save time

Cable external rotationoptional

1 × 15 reps

cableNo load progressionwatches Shoulder

A warm-down you like, not treatment. The treatment is the first three lifts, loaded.

Serratus wall slideoptional

1 × 10 reps

bodyweightNo load progressionwatches Shoulder

Optional 3 minutes. Not a prescribed block.

Week 8 keeps every load and cuts the sets by roughly a third.

105 min · climbing · pinned to this weekday

Thu · Climb B · technique, mileage, downclimbing

Why here: Legs not sore, hands recovered. Thursday is the technique day and it does not move.

Warm-up: 15 min

Warm-up15 min15 min

Easy to moderate, progressing toward the day's hold types

Technical mileage12-18 problems at 65-80% · one or two attempts each45 min

Downclimb everything at V2 to V3 — the highest-value free tool in the program

Hold-type block15 min at the current 2-week emphasis15 min

Same emphasis as Monday

Competition block15 min15 min

Preview from the ground, commit to a sequence, attempt

Miss: Changing the whole sequence after a failure — change only the part that actually failed

Bar hang test3 × max-effort hang · log set 15 min

Your finger endurance trend line — the weekly number you currently do not have

Add a small amount of weight once set 1 clears 60 s

Rest 2 min

Power endurance2 rounds of 4 moderate problems20 min

Weeks 5-8 only, and only if symptoms stayed green

Rest 8 to 10 min between rounds

65 min · lifting

Fri · Lower B · posterior chain, unilateral, lateral

Why here: 24 h after climbing, 72 h before Monday — this day carries the soreness

Warm-up: 5 min easy cardio, hip mobility primer, then 2 ramping sets on the RDL

Romanian deadliftanchor

4 × 6-10 reps@ 2 RIR

barbellDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 3 minwatches Low back / hip

now 310 lb45 lb bar, then 45 + 45 + 35 + 5 a side

Use straps: spares the fingers, keeps the wrists neutral

Miss: Losing the neutral spine at the working load. That is a replacement trigger, not a cue.

If the tissue complains: Cable pull-through — Same hip hinge pattern, no spinal load — the substitute if the low back is yellow

Seated leg curl

3 × 10-15 reps@ 1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 2 min

now 140 lb

Seated, not lying — hip flexed puts the hamstring at a longer length and grows it more

Bulgarian split squat (DBs)anchor

3 × 8-12 reps@ 1-2 RIR

dumbbellsDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 2 min per sideper side

now 50 lb

Balance, unilateral quad and glute, high-step strength — the one thing no machine replaces

Hip abduction machine

3 × 12-20 reps@ 1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 90 s

now 195 lb

Your stated weak point, now actually loadable and progressible instead of a band

Lateral lunge or Cossack squat

2 × 8-12 reps@ 1 RIR

dumbbellDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 90 sper side

now 50 lb

Keeps the multiplanar and end-range component the machine cannot give you

Calf raise machine

3 × 10-15 reps@ 0-1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 90 s

now 100 lb

Different machine or foot position from Tuesday if available

Slider body saw / pike

3 × 8-12 reps@ 1-2 RIR

bodyweightHarder variation once the reps top outrest 60 swatches Left wrist, Right wrist

No straps needed — feet on towels or small plates on a smooth floor

Seated pike compression lift

2 × 8-15 reps@ 1 RIR

bodyweightBenchmark — tracked, not progressedrest 60 s

Your compression benchmark. Log one metric — reps, heel height, or hold time — and never change it.

Week 8 keeps every load and cuts the sets by roughly a third.

70 min · lifting

Sat · Upper B · pull

Why here: Grip fully recovered by Monday

Warm-up: 5 min general, band pull-aparts, then 2 ramping pull-up sets

Pull-up (wrist straps around the bar)anchor

4 × 5-10 reps@ 1-2 RIR

bodyweight + loadReps to the top of the range, then load+5 lb a jumprest 3 minwatches Shoulder

now 50 lb

Lats and the V-taper. Straps mean the lats fail, not the fingers.

Seated cable row or chest-supported machine row

3 × 8-12 reps@ 1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 2 minwatches Low back / hip

now 160 lb

Mid-back thickness

Lat pulldown

2 × 10-15 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 90 s

now 110 lb

Extra vertical pulling at almost no cost — straps make it grip-free

Machine chest press or low-incline DB press

3 × 8-12 reps@ 1 RIR

machineDouble progression — reps first, then load+10 lb a jumprest 2 minwatches Shoulder

now 100 lb

Second chest exposure of the week

Cable rear delt fly or face pullsuperset B

3 × 15-25 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest Superset with the lateral raise

now 45 lb

Constant tension, and far harder to accidentally turn into a row than the DB version

Miss: Do not turn it into a row

Cable lateral raisesuperset B

3 × 15-25 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest Superset with the rear delt flyper side

now 30 lb

Second side-delt exposure of the week

Cable or EZ-bar curlsuperset C

3 × 8-12 reps@ 0-1 RIR

cableDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest 90 swatches Left wrist, Right wrist

now 40 lb

Neutral or EZ grip only — straight-bar supinated curls load the wrist badly

Incline dumbbell curloptionalsuperset C

2 × 10-15 reps@ 0-1 RIR

dumbbellsDouble progression — reps first, then load+5 lb a jumprest Superset with the cable curlwatches Left wrist, Right wrist

now 10 lb

Long-length biceps position

Week 8 keeps every load and cuts the sets by roughly a third.

Rest

Sun · Complete rest

Why here: A true rest day. No finger work, no lifting.

Hard sets per muscle, per week

Weekly volume targets

chest12

back9

side delts7

rear delts3

biceps3-5

triceps5

quads11-12

hamstrings6-7

hip abductors3

calves6

trunk11

Two weeks per hold type

Finger work

Weeks 1-2

Pinches

Every problem you can find with pinches, V2 to V4. Repeat them. Hold each pinch an extra beat.

Weeks 3-4

Slopers and compression

Squeeze-dependent problems. Focus on body position, not grip force.

Weeks 5-6

Small edges, open hand

Deliberately open-hand what you would normally crimp. The safest way to load edges with a pulley history.

Weeks 7-8

Pinches again + steep foot tension

Retest phase 1. You should feel the difference.

Pick two per technique session

Technique constraints

— Silent feet
— No foot readjustment
— Pause before every hand move
— Straight arms only
— No matching
— Downclimb everything
— Climb it with someone else's sequence

Rotated across the block

Limit-day styles

— Pinch
— Steep foot tension
— Compression
— Coordination / dynamic
— A style you are already good at

Any one of these ends the session

When to stop climbing

— Attempt quality falls off sharply
— You start missing warm-up-level moves
— Symptoms rise
— 105 minutes