Acute motor–cognitive responses to a bouldering fatigue protocol in indoor recreational climbers

Objectives To evaluate the impact of an ecological bouldering fatigue protocol and quantify acute changes in climbing-specific motor performance and visuospatial working memory in indoor climbers. Methods Non-randomised pre–post study in 28 indoor boulderers (18 male, 10 females; 15–34 years). Participants attempted sex- and skill-matched problems on a 15° overhanging Kilter Board to volitional exhaustion. Pre- and post-fatigue assessments included finger-hang endurance, pinch-grip strength, explosive pulling power, static balance, upper-limb dynamic stability, and visuospatial working memory. Results The protocol achieved all feasibility criteria. The intervention produced physiological stress (heart rate +60 bpm from baseline: 118.9 ± 22.0 to 178.6 ± 11.1; RPE 14.7 ± 1.8) and forearm-related termination in 75%. Performance changes: finger-hang endurance −34.2% (d z = −0.85, p < 0.001); pinch-grip strength −5.8% (d z = −0.53, p = 0.009); explosive pulling power −4.8% (d z = −0.52, p = 0.010), and visuospatial working memory +16.4% (d z = 0.54, p = 0.008). Static balance and upper-limb stability showed trivial non-significant change. Conclusion A brief, standardised, sex- and skill-matched bouldering protocol was feasible and induced climbing-specific fatigue. The observed improvement in visuospatial working memory challenges simple fatigue-impairment assumptions. This ecologically valid protocol provides a foundation for future work on motor–cognitive interactions and injury-relevant performance in climbing athletes.