Hey my name is Julie and I’ve never rock climbed before. I want to start conditioning so I can start climbing in the summer. I’m not in very good shape so I want to build some muscles, otherwise I’m going to fall off as soon as I get off the ground. I’ve looking on difference sites and they give advice like flexibilty, endurance but I’m looking for something specific like pulls up, push ups, squat thrusts etc. and proper kinds of stretching for rock climbers before working out.
Answer:
Hey Julie,
That’s kind of a complicated question. You see one of the best ways to start conditioning for rock climbing is by rock climbing. However, if you can’t get access to rock climbing or even a fingerboard to train on here are some things I would suggest.
- Start doing some pullups and chin ups so that you can build up your pulling muscles. In climbing you will aim to use your legs and technique as much as possible, but having good pull strength can certainly help you.
- Start doing some push ups, dips, and shoulder presses. A lot of climbers are muscularly unbalanced which can cause bad posture and can lead to injuries in underdeveloped areas.
- Work on developing overall flexibility focusing on hamstring, hips flexors, back, etc. It is also a good idea to do yoga as that can have some similarities to climbing.
- Build up your cardio by either doing kettlebell swings, jump roping, or jogging. I prefer kettlebell swings.
- Finally I would focus on doing a lot of core work something like pilates will really help strengthen your core which is more than just your abs.
