Training on Auto Belay: Phase 1

Phase 1

Base Conditioning

Increase your base strength, endurance, general fitness and develop supportive skills. You can break the plan at any point to go climbing on rock. If you really wish to perform at your best then take two rest days, even if this involves missing one of the prescribed training sessions.

Quick Start Guide

Initial Steps

Firstly, don’t be put off by the length of this training plan! You don’t need to read everything before you start training. Just take 4 simple steps:

Have a quick look at the overview plan at the start of the document. This will show you how the training is divided into phases.
Then have a quick look through the weekly plans, which follow straight afterwards. These will show you how each week of training is structured for each phase.
Then go back to Phase 1 (Base Phase) and locate the detailed session plans, which you’ll need for each day. These are all located straight after the weekly plans and are grouped as follows:
- Warm-ups
- Strength sessions
- Endurance sessions
- Conditioning sessions
- Skills sessions
- Home training (general advice on hangboarding)
Take 2 rest days and start training!

Disclaimer Notice

Please note that sports injuries can occur for any reason and at any time, regardless of careful warm-up and correct training practices. Neil Gresham and Headrush cannot be held responsible. You train at your own risk. It is advisable to show your training program to a doctor if you have a medical condition.

This is a generic training program. If you have selected the correct plan then the workload will be geared approximately to a climber of your level. However, due to the effect of individuality, some will find the workload to be slightly too demanding, whereas others may find the plan too easy. It is your responsibility to fine-tune the plan so that it is right for you in terms of the overall workload.

It is also your responsibility to fine-tune each session (select appropriate climbs, grades etc).

If you are not confident to train then seek advice from a coach or apply for a personalized training plan from Neil at www.neilgresham.com

Need A Plan?

Start training today with a free Training on Auto Belay with Neil Gresham 6-week training plan.

Training Plans

Base Conditioning Training Videos

Auto Belay Safety

Whilst auto belays are incredibly simple and fun to use, you still need to have your wits about you at all times. Don’t get so into the zone with your training that you forget about the safety fundamentals. The main auto belay self check is to make sure that the carabiner is securely attached to your belay loop and that the gate is securely fastened.

Climbing with Style

When we see good climbers in action, one of the first things we notice is that they have this lovely, relaxed, fluid climbing style. Auto belays provide a perfect opportunity to work on this, mainly because you’re not having to stop and clip and you can really get into your flow.

Planning Your Climb

When resting in between climbs during an auto belay session, you can use the time to read the sequence and plan the next route. This isn’t something you’ll need to do if you know the climb well, but you’re climbing on-sight then this is time well spent.