Best Climbing Training Books
Updated How we research
The Climbing Bible: Technical, Physical and Mental Training for Rock Climbing by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen
The Climbing Bible by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen, covering technical, physical and mental training.
The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael L. Anderson PhD and Mark Anderson
The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael and Mark Anderson, a structured periodization guide for committed sport climbers.
Good information is the cheapest training upgrade in climbing, and books still beat scattered videos for building a coherent picture. The classics cover different ground: some are systematic programming manuals, others focus on movement technique, tactics, or the mental game. They also disagree with each other in places, which is worth knowing before you commit a season to one author's plan. Depth and readability vary as much as the subject matter does. We weighed evidence quality, practical usability, and how well each book serves its intended reader rather than ranking apples against oranges. Newer climbers gain most from technique and movement titles, since strength is rarely their bottleneck. Intermediate climbers stuck on a plateau are the natural audience for the programming manuals, and the injury-focused titles deserve space on any shelf. Read skeptically, apply gradually, and let your fingers veto any timeline a book proposes.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 8.0 to 9.1 out of 10.
- Best overall:The Climbing Bible: Technical, Physical and Mental Training for Rock Climbing by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.1/10.
- Also great value:The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael L. Anderson PhD and Mark Anderson. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.6/10.
- Solid build:Training for Climbing: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance by Eric Horst. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 8.6/10.
- Feature-rich:The Science of Climbing Training: An Evidence-Based Guide by Sergio Consuegra. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.The Climbing Bible: Technical, Physical and Mental Training for Rock Climbing by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen9.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael L. Anderson PhD and Mark Anderson8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Training for Climbing: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance by Eric Horst8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.The Science of Climbing Training: An Evidence-Based Guide by Sergio Consuegra8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Beastmaking: A Fingers-First Approach to Becoming a Better Climber by Ned Feehally8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.The Climbing Bible: Practical Exercises - Technique and Strength Training for Climbing8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.9 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes by Dave MacLeod8.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.The Rock Climber's Exercise Guide by Eric Horst8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1The Climbing Bible by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen, covering technical, physical and mental training.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Balances technique, physical training and mindset in one book
- + Clear visuals help readers learn movement concepts
- + Widely recommended for climbers moving past beginner level
- - Large book is not a quick reference at the crag
- - Covers many topics, so advanced athletes may want deeper specifics
#2The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael and Mark Anderson, a structured periodization guide for committed sport climbers.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Lays out season-long training phases instead of random workouts
- + Written by climbers who used the system on their own hard projects
- + Detailed hangboard and campus protocols suit data-minded trainers
- - Dense, program-heavy approach can overwhelm casual gym climbers
- - Assumes access to a home board or well-equipped training space
#3Training for Climbing by Eric Horst, a broad guide to strength, technique and mental skills for improving performance.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Covers physical, technical and mental training in one reference
- + Eric Horst is one of the most widely read climbing training authors
- + Useful for climbers from first-year boulderers to seasoned leaders
- - Broad scope means individual topics get less depth than niche books
- - Some training ideas have evolved since earlier editions
#4The Science of Climbing Training by Sergio Consuegra, an evidence-based guide that links research to practical training.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Evidence-based approach helps separate myths from proven methods
- + Explains why protocols work, not just what to do
- + Great for coaches and climbers who like understanding physiology
- - Scientific detail can feel heavy for casual readers
- - Less focus on climbing technique and movement skills
#5Beastmaking by Ned Feehally, a fingers-first approach to becoming a better climber from a leading boulderer.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Finger strength focus suits boulderers and hangboard users
- + Author's bouldering background adds practical credibility
- + Clear explanations of grip types and finger training
- - Narrow focus on fingers covers less endurance training
- - Hangboard exercises need a board to put into practice
#6The Climbing Bible: Practical Exercises, a companion book of technique and strength drills for climbers.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Practical exercise format turns theory into session plans
- + Technique drills help climbers who plateau on movement
- + Complements the original Climbing Bible well
- - Works best alongside the first book for context
- - Exercise-heavy content offers less background explanation
#79 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes by Dave MacLeod, a candid look at the habits that stall climbing progress.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Focuses on common mistakes rather than generic training plans
- + Dave MacLeod brings experience from hard trad, sport and winter climbing
- + Thought-provoking read that changes how you plan sessions
- - Few ready-made workout plans for readers who want a program
- - Opinionated style may not suit everyone
#8The Rock Climber's Exercise Guide by Eric Horst, an exercise-by-exercise manual for strength and conditioning.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Exercise-focused format makes it easy to build a gym session
- + Covers antagonist and core work that climbers often skip
- + Pairs well with Horst's broader training book
- - Less guidance on technique and tactics than all-round guides
- - Photo-based exercise descriptions still need careful form checks
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Large book is not a quick reference at the crag (The Climbing Bible: Technical, Physical and...)
- Dense, program-heavy approach can overwhelm casual gym climbers (The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael...)
- Broad scope means individual topics get less depth than niche books (Training for Climbing: The Definitive Guide...)
- Scientific detail can feel heavy for casual readers (The Science of Climbing Training: An...)
- Narrow focus on fingers covers less endurance training (Beastmaking: A Fingers-First Approach to...)
- Works best alongside the first book for context (The Climbing Bible: Practical Exercises -...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among climbing training books?
The Climbing Bible: Technical, Physical and Mental Training for Rock Climbing by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen is our top overall pick. The Climbing Bible by Martin Mobraten and Stian Christophersen, covering technical, physical and mental training. It earns our score of 9.1/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael L. Anderson PhD and Mark Anderson is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. The Rock Climber's Training Manual by Michael and Mark Anderson, a structured periodization guide for committed sport climbers.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Climbing Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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