Rock climbing can be an exciting way to work muscle strengthening into your exercise regimen while challenging both your body and your mind. Whether you climb outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine, or inside in the safety of a gym or climbing facility, climbing works all your major muscle groups simultaneously, in addition to providing balance training and mental exercise. However, as with all sports, if you don't vary your routine, your physical advancements will plateau, or stop progressing. Check with your doctor before starting or accelerating an exercise routine, especially if you have health problems.
Plateaus
Usually plateaus become noticeable after about six months of successful strength training, according to exercise physiologist Jessica Matthews in a video for the American Council on Exercise. The first several months of rock climbing, weight training or any muscle strengthening routine typically show increases to your physical fitness. However, if you don't change up your routine, you will stop seeing progress. Varying the type of exercise or order of exercise can push your body through the stalled phase.
Forearms
Strengthen the muscles you use to climb with by doing alternate activities that improve your climbing and push you through your plateau. Your forearms play a key role in climbing, so build forearm strength by doing static arm hangs from a bar until absolute muscle failure. Shake out your arms for a few minutes, then repeat the procedure three times. Forearm dumbbell curls are another alternative for strengthening these important climbing muscles.
Shoulders
A sure-fire way to build muscle strength in the much-needed muscle group of your shoulders is pull-ups. If you are unable to complete traditional pull-ups, use a chair to assist your training with the help of your legs. Do as many pull-ups as possible each time you work out. Slow your movements down for additional endurance training, which is helpful to climbers.
Core
Your core muscles provide power and stability in your climb, while assisting with balance. Core workouts can include plank poses, crunches, quadrupeds and hanging side crunches. Hang from a chin-up bar and raise both legs to one side. Hold the pose for five seconds, then switch sides, for a climbing-specific oblique exercise.
Mental
To avoid struggling with plateaus, push through times when you would just rather skip it, advises martial arts coach and personal trainer Shawn Mozen in "Power Athletes Magazine." Mozen suggests that any time you consider postponing a workout, it is then that you absolutely must work out, and work your hardest. Pushing past mental plateaus, Mozen states, will take you to the next level of fitness.
General Tips
Improve climbing abilities by cross-training on a trampoline, allowing 48 hours of recovery to fatigued muscles before training the same group again and making time for a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Nutrition may also play a helpful role in your fitness routine. Before climbing, eat a combination of carbohydrates and proteins in a ratio of 4:1; and consume post-workout snacks within 45 minutes of exercise with a 3:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio. Consider enlisting the help of trainer.
References
- IndoorClimbing.com: Indoor Rock Climbing
- American Council on Exercise: Tips for Avoiding Strength Training Plateaus
- Power Athletes Magazine: Pushing It
- IndoorClimbing.com: Rock Climbing Exercise
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- Mayo Clinic: Slide Show: Exercises to Improve Your Core Strength
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