If you’ve ever been interested in climbing training boards, but you don’t know where to start—we’ve got you covered. From Tension to Kilter to campus, we’re covering the basics of the climbing training board landscape in 2024.
*Please note that we do not recommend using this equipment unless you have at least one year of climbing under your belt (meaning, you're consistently climbing twice a week for 1-2 hours). Please make sure that any training board workout sessions are done after warming up thoroughly, but before any climbing or other heavy physical workout.
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Modern Training Boards
In recent years, a subset of training boards called modern boards have entered the scene and taken up residence in gyms and homes alike. With contemporary features such as app connectivity and a global network of problems to choose from, modern boards are the future of climbing training. Here are some popular boards:
Tension Board and Tension Board 2.0
The first Tension Board (TB1) offered all-wooden holds that are skin friendly, but quite slippery. TB1 was formatted in a mirror layout to help train out muscle imbalances.
Tension Board 2.0 (TB2) brought a new level of versatility to training with a combination of dual-tex plastic and wood holds, as well as the option between mirror and spray layouts for the board. Training with the TB2 can target various training needs, including crimps, pinches, footwork, and dynamic/static movement.
Both TB1 and TB2 connect through the Tension Board app, offering infinite options of problems set by climbers around the world or setting your own. The boards have identifying lights on each hold that outline your chosen problem. The app also supports the adjustable frames the TB1+TB2 are built on so you can practice progressive training on various angles.
Kilter Board
The Kilter Board connects you with a network of climbers through an app on your phone and has a unique LED display to light your climb, similar to the Tension Board. The Kilter Board is adjustable from 0-70°. The texture of the holds is somewhere between the slippery wood of the Tension Board and the rough resin of the Moon Board. Its wide range of problems means that if you're new to training on modern boards, this could be a good option for you.
For a breakdown on how to pair your device with Tension and Kilter boards to go from the app onto the wall, click here!
Moon Board
The Moon Board was first modern board on the market and set the standard for modern boards that followed it, like the Tension and Kilter board. It’s fixed at an angle of 40° and works with an app on your phone to light up pre-set climbs on the board with LED markers. The app also connects you to a world-wide community of climbers who are climbing the same climbs.
Its climbs are notoriously difficult, and the texture of the holds is rough. If you’re training to transition to outdoor climbing, the Moon Board could be a good choice for you.
Classic Training Boards
Campus board
A campus board is designed to help you build upper body and finger strength without the use of your feet. Campus boards usually have a variety of hold widths, shapes, and textures. Most are slightly overhung and fixed at an angle somewhere between 0-20°.
Kickstart your campus board training with these tips.
Hangboard
Hangboards are used to build hand and finger strength. Most of our gyms have multiple boards so that you can try out different hand positions.
New to hangboarding? Here's 4 quick exercises.
Systems Board
A systems board (also known as a spray wall) is great for developing hand and finger strength while also developing your climbing technique. The systems board is a wall with a lot of holds of varying sizes and shapes that are set very close to each other. With a systems board, you can play around with creating your own problems to work specific moves or practice on holds that you find challenging on ropes or in the bouldering area.
All these training board options have their benefits and their limitations. If you’re looking to build a well-rounded training routine, you should look at incorporating a few of them into your schedule.
If you want more information on any of the equipment in the training areas at any of our gyms, head to your gym's website. From the menu, click on the calendar to locate any upcoming Intro to Training classes or our free Board and Training Area Introduction Clinic.
You can also work with one of our private climbing coaches to develop a personalized training plan or more specific suggestions on how to add training board workouts to your routine.