UKC

I really like a good circuit board for training and find they are very effective in getting strong.  The one at Sheffield Works is great if rather small. Unfortunately the circuit board at Awesome Sheffield always seems to be poorly set (maybe why I rarely see anyone on it?).  I travel around the country for work quite a bit and would be interested in finding other really good circuit boards for solitary training, so recommendations will be greatly received. 

Eden Rock in Carlisle normally have 9 circuits from 5+ to 8a. 

https://picgra.com/media/1973376288370823713

2nd vote for the Carlisle Eden Rock circuit board, prob worth mentioning a varied campus section and peg board.

They have a good couple of boards at Manchester Depot. Normally quite quiet.

It's really small, but the Kendal Wall "Malham Board" is brilliant - I think it's Neil Gresham's work. 15 deg overhanging with 4 sets of wood handholds (crimps basically) and two sets of feet (awful and really  awful). 

There's a chart which tells you how many laps of what hands and feet are equivalent to different Malham routes, e.g. 3 laps of spots/green feet plus one lap hardwood/red feet = Obsession. 

Personally I'm not interested in the Malham correspondence element, but it makes for a really convenient training tool for power endurance, being really easy to set the intensity at whatever level you desire.

Stronghold in London has a pretty great circuit board - moderately overhanging circuits that link into the 45 degree board.

Yonder has a great one too - adjustable from 10 degrees to 40 degrees overhanging.

Thanks everybody so far. What makes a good board for me is lots of up and down moves needing pulls in different directions, lots of dependence on body tension, finger holds, lay aways and occasional jugs. Not to steep, 6b to 7b (sport grade). Sheffield Works is a great example 

Love a good circuit board.

My local wall doesn’t set circuits on the circuit board

Is that the Beacon?

I like the one at Leeds Depot.

Yeah

I've used the ones in The Works, The Derby Unit, The Nottingham Depot and the Loughborough Station. I think out of those Loughborough has the best. There is one at 10 degrees and one at 35 degrees. Routes from 6b to 8a+ on the 35 and 5+ to 7a on the 10 degree. On the 35 the routes are about 40 moves. The 10 degree wall is smaller, as they have built a lattice board that has used up some of its former space. I think the setting is really good, they have some circuits on wood holds which i find better for the skin.

Personally I hate tricky downclimbing sections; I have no desire to have my training buggered up by movement that has no relevance to what I'm training for.

My local, Boulderwelt (Munich) is a repeat offender in this regard, and in general tends to set tricky circuits with complex, low percentage cruxes. This may well be great for entertaining folks for whom having fun on the plastic is an end in itself - the main market these days - but severely compromises their usefulness as an endurance training tool.

The UK walls I've been to this century - Works, Climbing Station, Highball in Norwich, Manchester Depot - tend to be better in this regard. The Depot really is the opposite end of the scale from Boulderwelt - completely cruxless monotonous stamina plods. Which is not a criticism, it's great for what they're there for.

Well on a circuit if you want more ups then surely they have to be balanced by downs? Rather than simple traversing. I understand that controlled extension of arms, eg slow reversing a one arm pull up is particularly good for strength training? Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can confirm or correct me?

Well yes, obviously you have to go downwards at some point. But it shouldn't be the crux.

I agree there shouldn’t be a particular crux anywhere maybe 5 or 6 moves harder than the others, it should be all about power endurance. 

I really, really wish The Valley in Newcastle hadn't built the "skip" into theirs. Adding the roof in means that the crux of every route that goes that way is totally distinct and there's rests either side out have to choose to ignore.

I’ve a 32 degree symmetrical board at home which also works for laps, with mostly hardwoodholds and Beastmaker holds. I’ve got room for a circuit board, what’s everyone’s preferences for angle?ive seen everything from 15 to 50 degrees I guess.

Well I guess it depends how strong you are? Steep enough to train on slopers and crimps but not so steep that all the holds have to be jugs. I’m frustrated that the three Sheffield walls all have 45 degree system boards. 30 degrees would be better for most of the customers. Otherwise how are we going to get strong enough to use the 45 degree boards?

Awesome Sheffield was rammed today but circuit board and bouldering was empty. I wish some walls would get their act together re effective training bouldering and circuit boards . I’d be happy to buy a season pass for one that does. It will be interesting to see what the new Sheffield Depot comes up with

Boulder UK, circuits from 6b up to 9a, brilliantly set by Ian and the team.

I would expect the Sheffield Depot to have excellent circuit boards for endurance / stamina training.   Manchester has 2 large boards. one 10-20ish degrees the other 20-30ish degrees, each board has 6 circuits so 12 in total usually from 6a to 8a/+ and 35 to 50 moves.  Circuits are generally very well set for endurance training and use a decent variety of holds as well.   

plus one to this, last time I went to the awesome walls I jumped on the easiest circuit as a warm up (maybe 6a) and immediately almost wrenched my shoulder out and failed on the "crux" move (I'm not a great climber but have a OK record on 6a's!).  Beyond that the whole set up seemed bewildering with little indication of starting hold, or direction of travel.  Seems odd to have the resource in terms of wall space and not make use of it.  The Edge's board was much better before it closed.  The climbing works after the re-set is also OK, but I think narrowed now due to the newer steep boards.

Can't wait for the depot to open in Sheffield, the bouldering is usually excellent at those centers, and the promise of a decent circuit board is another bonus.

Bit like this?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEBaVdhF_n/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_she...

As much as I disliked TCA Bristol their circuit boards were pretty cool. One of my local walls occasionally sets decent circuits. The other doesn't, but is crap for bouldering anyway. I'm content with pumping out after 6 moves. 

I think Veroboard was the best, cutting your own lands and being able to solder both sides gave great versatility.

Can I make a plea for circuits that follow a figure-of-eight rather than a loop. Then you get two “ups” instead of just one.

Opening day at Sheffield Depot. Yes!! At last a local wall delivers loads of excellent circuit board climbing