Development of Specific Motor Skills through System Wall Bouldering Training: A Pilot Study

This study evaluated the effects of a five-week period of practicing specific climbing movements using a system wall on motor skills and bouldering performance compared to self-regulated, conventional bouldering. Thirteen advanced female boulderers (age: 24.5 ± 3.6 years, height: 166.9 ± 3.4 cm, and body mass: 63.4 ± 8.0 kg) were divided into an experimental group (n = 7) and a control group (n = 6). Both groups continued their normal training routines during the intervention, but the experimental group dedicated 30 minutes of their climbing time twice per week to practicing specific motor skills on a system climbing wall. Before and after the intervention, the participants attempted two boulder problems on the same wall. The performance was registered as the number of attempts to complete the boulder problems and as the highest hold reached within four attempts. Video recordings of climbers' best attempts, capturing the highest hold reached from a perspective directly behind them, were analyzed by three independent experts. The analysis was conducted using a five-point scale across six categories of movement quality. Modest enhancements in certain motor skills and performance were evident in both groups, revealing no significant distinction between them. The results underscore the efficacy of incorporating system walls into the training routines of advanced female boulder climbers, but the absence of between-group differences highlights the significance of individual preferences when choosing between conventional and system wall bouldering.