Although in some cases rock climbing still represents life on the literal edge, it has also evolved into a gymnastic sport verging on art form. This kind of climbing, often termed "sport" climbing, requires strong, balanced musculature to support your body in a variety of unlikely positions. Although technique is important for good climbing, having the right training tools can help you build the strength to climb challenging, gymnastic routes.
Pullup Bar
Although technique is more important than strength in the long run, being able to do pullups does come in handy, especially when climbing difficult routes. You can also use a pullup bar to do a number of fiercely difficult core-training exercises, such as rollups and front levers.
Gymnastic-style Rings
Gymnastic-style rings make a challenging substitute for a pullup bar; your shoulder and core muscles must constantly stabilize you against the rings' instability. You can also use height-adjustable gymnastic-style rings to train other muscles with exercises such as pullups and dips.
Climbing-hold Pullup Grips
Climbing-hold pullup grips work just like gymnastics rings -- they dangle loosely from a cord or rope so that your muscles must work overtime against the constant instability. But instead of easy-to-grip rings, these climbing-hold-style grips are modeled after after climbing holds. This allows you to build grip strength and body mechanics at the same time as you work your back and arm muscles.
Campus Board
The campus board resembles a ladder set at an overhanging angle. You "campus" up and down by leaping from rung to rung using your upper body only -- your feet dangle throughout the exercise. This builds power for performing similar dynamic moves while climbing. Some campus boards also have strips mounted on a flat surface, which are much harder to grip than simple rungs.
Finger Board
You can do pullups on finger boards, but they're also used for building tendon strength by hanging from a variety of holds. Most finger boards are built to allow a variety of grips, from open-handed "sloper" grips to crimping on thin edges.
Climbing Wall
The principle of sport specificity dictates that you get better at what you practice. To a very real degree, the best training tool for rock climbing is time spent on an indoor or outdoor climbing wall.
Free Weights
Although climbing requires full-body strength, it tends to emphasize involvement of some muscles more than others. For example, climbers often use their back muscles more than their chest muscles. Using free weights to train the opposing, less-developed muscle groups -- in this case, your chest -- helps reduce your risk of injury from muscular imbalances.
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