Climbers must produce powerful movements and repeat them several times with little or no rest. In order to maintain the same amount of power with each effort, a certain level of power endurance is required.
Power endurance is typically characterized by intense, repeated efforts for a relatively short period of time.
Once maximal strength has been developed (earlier on in the strength program) it can be converted into explosive power through various methods of power training (bouldering, campusing etc). Power endurance training can be used to train the fast twitch fibres to resist fatgiue allowing explosive power to be maintained for longer.
Power endurance training uses moderate loading of 50-70% of max for 15 to 30 moves. Because this can lead to a significant build up of lactic acid, rest periods between sets are long (7-10 minutes). Exercises are also completed in a circuit training format i.e. one set of one exercise is completed, then one set of the next exercise and so on (The Vertical Sequence): Alternating exercises allows maximum recovery and sufficient time for lactic acid to disperse.
This is a critical rule to follow. If rest intervals are too short and sets are completed while the climber is fatigued the result will be hypertrophy (increase muscle mass) rather than power endurance. Sets should not be completed to failure but should end when repetitions are no longer powerful and rhythmic.
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