Climbing Exercises

Rock climbing can be a great activity for anyone looking for a fun and exciting sport. It is a strenuous sport that requires higher strength, endurance and aerobic capacity. It is a challenging activity that exercises your entire body and requires high flexibility in the hips, shoulders and core muscles in order to manage wide stems, twisting overhangs and high mantels. Hence, whether you are a beginner or intermediate rock climber it is important to do some fitness training before rock climbing else you may end up having, injuries, muscle spasms or pulls, etc. Rock climbing fitness training usually involves some strength training climbing exercises that will enhance your flexibility and endurance, strengthen your muscles and will shape you not only physically but mentally as well. But if you are thinking that for conditioning or strengthening the body you will have to hit a gym, then you are certainly wrong as here comes some basic exercises that can be performed easily at home.

Rock Climbing Training Exercises

In order to enjoy rock climbing, here are some great exercises that can give your body a good boost for your climbing endeavor and keep you from unexpected injuries.

Pull Ups: The first and most essential climbing exercise of which most of us are well aware of are pull ups. Pull up is an upper body strengthening exercise wherein you have to pull your body up holding an overhead fixed bar until the chin clears the bar and then return by lowering the body until your arms and shoulders are fully extended. Pull ups or chin ups are an effective exercise for your climbing workout routine that will help to increase your upper body strength. Hence it is advisable to practice at least 20 - 30 pull ups in a slow and controlled manner 3 - 5 days a week.

Abdominal Crunches: Abdominal crunches are another climbing exercise wherein you have to lie down on the ground with your lower legs and feet in the air. Bend your knees at a 90 degree angle, keeping your hands behind your head. Take a deep breath and try to raise your upper body towards your knees. Exhale when you reach the up position, hold for 2 seconds and then slowly lower yourself back to the floor. Relax and repeat the entire procedure in 3 - 4 sets.

Leg Lifts: For this exercise, hold on to a pull up bar or hangboard with your hands, shoulder a width apart. Pointing your toes forward and keeping your legs straight, try to lift them to your head's height and slowly lower them back to the initial position. Relax and repeat the entire procedure in 3 - 5 sets. If you find it difficult to do the exercise with straight legs, you can bend your knees and then lift your legs.

Forearm Curls: This climbing exercise can be performed in a seated position, hence sit on a bench or chair and slowly try to pick up the dumbbell holding it with a fist. Now allow the bar roll down to your fingertips and then roll it back up into your palms again. Start doing the exercise for a minute or so and then increase the time duration up to 5 minutes or more.

These were some basic exercises that mainly target your forearms, arms and shoulders and helps to strengthen the muscles. Another factor to be considered for rock climbing is that you should have a balanced body weight or should not be overweight, else you may find difficult pulling yourself up. Hence, besides improving your endurance, these exercises will also help you shed those extra kilos and stay fit in the long run.