So in the previous posts of this series, (Missed 'em? Scroll down to the bottom of this post.) we learned why we should campus, the basics of how to do it, and when to use the plyometric approach to campusing. Still, that doesn't tell you much about how to actually implement it, now does it?

There are a few rules I follow, and questions I ask, when programming for campusing:

Campusing, when appropriate, is always part of a power phase.

The campus board can be used for exercises during other phases, but campusing itself is a powerful activity by definition.

The campus board can be used for exercises during other phases, but campusing itself is a powerful activity by definition. If bouldering and campusing in the same session, boulder first.

Bouldering is much more demanding technically, so it should always come first in your workout. If you are doing other exercises, such as various powerful lifts, those should always be programmed after. These bouldering sessions are usually very short to save energy for campusing. If you are already very sound technically, and pulling strength and explosive power are your true limiters, then this rule may not completely apply to you... but that is a very small percentage of the climbers I've observed.

Bouldering is much more demanding technically, so it should always come first in your workout. If you are doing other exercises, such as various powerful lifts, those should always be programmed after. These bouldering sessions are usually very short to save energy for campusing. If you are already very sound technically, and pulling strength and explosive power are your true limiters, then this rule may not completely apply to you... but that is a very small percentage of the climbers I've observed. Campusing may not be necessary.

I always first look to determine if the climber stands to gain more from improving their technical abilities, including in more powerful techniques. If so, then campusing won't be the best use of their time. I generally don't advocate campusing until an athlete is climbing mid-5.12 and V5/6, and has a good grasp on how to climb dynamically. Campusing will NOT help you learn to climb dynamically.

I always first look to determine if the climber stands to gain more from improving their technical abilities, including in more powerful techniques. If so, then campusing won't be the best use of their time. I generally don't advocate campusing until an athlete is climbing mid-5.12 and V5/6, and has a good grasp on how to climb dynamically. Campusing will NOT help you learn to climb dynamically. More isn't better.

I generally ramp up the volume of campusing as the athlete improves, and then reduce it again as they transition to another phase. Beginners do less than intermediate climbers, who do less than advanced climbers, and so on. Also, more than twice a week, for more than 4 weeks, is going to be too much for most people, even elite climbers.

The following four images are screeenshots from the web version of the mobile app that I'll be integrating into our training platform later this summer. They are the campus portions of workouts for the people we train, from around beginner (climbing mid-5.12 and V5) to elite (approaching 5.14, V10, and beyond). Occasionally these will change slightly depending on the individual needs of the climber, but the basic template is there.

Keep in mind that every workout you see is completed AFTER a warmup of bouldering, meaning that no warmup is included in the workouts you see. If you aren't bouldering prior to campusing, more laddering and easing into the harder exercises is advised.