Exercises

Here are some suggested exercises to help strengthen different parts of the body.

Misconception with rock climbing: People may believe that climbing requires insane grip strength. While it can be helpful, this is not necessarily true. Grip strength is how strong you are when it comes to clasping your hands around objects such as bars for pull ups. In other words, the use of your whole hand, which is not seen in many climbs. Instead, climbing holds generally limit climbers to using only parts of their fingers or pinching with the thumb. Moreover, slope holds that do use the entire hand primarily focus on applying pressure for friction rather than gripping it. Therefore, finger and pinch strength should be prioritized without neglecting grip strength.

Back

Pull ups: Hang from a bar with your arms straight. Then pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.
- You can work up to a full pull up by starting with negatives or placing a rubber band underneath your foot. A negative is where you start with your chin above the bar and arms bent. Then, you try and lower yourself as slowly as possible. As you do more negatives, you will build the strength to do a full pull up.
Inverted row: Go underneath a bar or surface and hold yourself up where your back is facing the ground but not touching it. Then, pull yourself towards the bar. This should look like a push up but flipped over.

Chest

Push-ups: Place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart and extend your legs out with your toes touching the ground. Keep your back and legs straight, then lower yourself towards the ground by bending your arms. Once your arm forms about a 90-degree angle, push yourself back up to the starting position.
- You can work up to full push-ups by starting with knees on the floor and crossing your legs. You can also work up to the full push-up by starting with an inclined surface and slowly decreasing the incline as you become stronger.
Bench press: Pressing a weight while laying your back horizontally on a bench.

Fingers

Finger pull ups: Doing a pull up but on a surface that only uses your fingers rather than your whole hand.
- Practice regular pull ups before advancing to this exercise.
- You can make it more intense by decreasing how much surface your fingers are holding onto.
Finger resistance band: Place your fingers into the finger resistance band and try to extend your fingers as far as possible. You can either do repetitions of the movement or hold your fingers at the extended position for a period of time.
- You can make it more intense by using bands made of rubber with more resistance.
- This helps increase finger, wrist, and forearm strength.

Legs

Squats: Place your feet about shoulder-width apart and bend down with your back straight until your hips are below the knees. Then, rise back up to a standing position.
Wall sit: Place your back against a wall and place your feet a little bit in front of you and shoulder-width apart. Then, bend down until your legs form a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for a period of time.

Pinch Strength

Pinch hold objects: Grab an object such as a weight plate. Place your thumb on one side of the object and your fingers on the other side. Hold this position for an extended period of time. You can also use a pinch block, which is a tool that you can attach weights to and then lift the block while pinching it.

Shoulders

Pseudo push-ups: This is similar to a push-up except you place your hands farther behind you. You also turn your hands to the outside to decrease pressure on your wrists.
- You can make it more intense by increasing the distance you place your hands behind you until they are placed about where your hips are.
Dumbbell shoulder press: While sitting or standing, grab a pair of dumbbells and raise them to the height of your shoulders. Then, push them up until your arms are straight. Afterwards, bring them back down to the starting position.

Core

Sit ups: Lie on the floor and bend your legs slightly. Lift your back off the floor by using your abs and without lifting your legs. Go back down after you reach the top.
Crunches: Lie on the floor and bend your legs slightly. Lift your back slightly off the floor by using your abs and without lifting your legs. Go back down after you reach this position.
L-sit: Raise yourself off the ground either by pushing off the ground with your arms or by hanging on a bar. Then, raise your legs straight in front of you forming an L with your body. Hold this position for a period of time.
- You can work up to the L-sit by first starting with seated leg raises. This is where you sit on the floor with your back and legs straight. Place your hands slightly in front of you and raise either one or both legs as far up as you can. Repeat this motion. You can make the seated leg raise more intense by putting your hands farther in front of you.

Disclaimer: This website only provides tips for indoor rock climbing. Additionally, individuals must be responsible for their own health and safety.