Treadwall 28 week training Program

The Dr. Phil Watts 28 Week Training Plan

Here is a 28-week Treadwall® training program that covers 28029 feet (Everest). The program follows a periodized schedule that gradually increases training volume (feet per week) with time and as climbing fitness improves. Weekly volume is cycled over 4-week microcycles. The last 4-week cycle has a reduced volume, as in a taper, and could be coordinated – scheduled with a climbing comp. or destination climbing trip. The training levels represent different intensities as follows: 

CYCLEFEETPERIODIZATION (ft/wk)INTENSITY DISTRIBUTION (%)
Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Level ILevel IILevel III
123225346046735110.600.300.10
229036687558426390.600.250.15
3348380190610107660.600.250.15
443541001113212639580.600.200.15
5580613351509168412770.600.200.20
6725716691887210515970.600.200.20
729036687558426390.500.250.25
Weekly Feet By Intensity LevelDAY 1DAY 2DAY 3
WEEKFt/WkLevel ILevel IILevel IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
1534320160531444883280321443213
2604362181601635493691361633615
367340420267182611040101401824017
4511307153511384683177311383113
566840116710018050154083601803325
675545318911320457174594682043828
7842505210126227631951105762274232
86393831609617248143880571723224
9801481200120216601848100722164030
10906543226136245682054113822454534
111010606253152273762361126912735138
1276646019211520757174696692073829
131001601200150270602360100902704038
1411326792261703066825681131023064542
1512637582531893417628761261143415147
1695857519214425957225796862593836
1713358012672673618040801341603615367
1815099063023024089145911511814086075
1916841010337337455101511011682024556784
2012777662552553457738771281533455164
2116691001334334451100501001672004516783
2218871132377377509113571131892265097594
23210512634214215681266312621025356884105
2415979583193194319648961601924316480
25668334167167150502533831001503342
26755377189189170572838941131703847
278424212102101896332421051261894253
2863931916016014448243280961443240

Level I

Easy endurance climbing ar lower angles or up to vertical with medium to large holds. For serious climbers Level I should be a 3-4 grades below their best top-rope difficulty rating.

Level II

Vertical to slightly overhanging on good holds with some smaller holds.

Level III

Moderate to severe overhanging with good holds for most moves.

The following page contains an Excell worksheet that modified as needed. The proportions of Level II and Level III intensities increase later in the program, assuming that difficulty will increase towards the end of a climb. The periodized table provided ‘easy’ weeks after ‘difficult’ weeks to promote restoraton and prevention of overtraining.

The spreadsheet on the following page can be modified as follows:

Total Volume:

Any number can be entered here and the program will adjust.

% of Intensity Distribution:

These are the % values and can be changed as needed as long as the total of levels I – III in any one cycle add up to 100.

Noting Progress:

Users can color in the days climbed to keep track; highlighters work well.

The basic concepts are from “Serious Training for Serious Athletes“, Rob Sleamaker (Leisure Press/Human Kinetics, 800-342-5457, Champaign, IL)

Dr.Watts is a member of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Northern Michagan University in Marquette, MI He is a long-time researcher of climbing and fitness, and can be reached at pwatts@nmu.edu.

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