Climbing is more than just an arm workout. It requires power, endurance and the ability to plan and anticipate movements.
Climbers are a friendly, supportive community. They often train together, sharing tips and encouragement to help each other improve. Whether they’re beginners or veterans, they all want to see each other succeed. Read on Alta Climbing & Fitness for more details.
Climbing involves exerting forces against gravity, and thus the strength of the muscles is an important factor for successful climbing. Climbers that possess a high level of relative strength are better able to sustain a given force for an extended period and/or generate a greater peak force than weaker climbers. Therefore, a focus on increasing muscular strength has gained interest in the research and coaching of climbing athletes.
The development of muscular strength in a climbing-specific manner is generally considered to be the most effective way to improve performance. However, increasing strength alone is not enough to improve climbing ability. This is because the sport of climbing requires a complex interplay between central and local muscular control, as well as dynamic movement patterns and energy system efficiency.
Maximal and explosive strength are important factors in climbing. Increases in maximal strength can alter the shape of the force-curve, allowing a higher rate of power production for a given muscle mass. In addition, it has been demonstrated that a higher maximal strength increases the ability to perform repeated sets of high-intensity exercises at a submaximal load.
In climbing, explosive strength has been shown to be an important factor for differentiating climbing performance levels and disciplines. For example, elite climbers demonstrate greater rates of force development (RFD) during campus board and finger flexor isometric tests than less-advanced climbers.
It has also been found that the occurrence of injuries is directly proportional to a climber’s strength level, and that improving strength is one of the most effective ways of decreasing injury risk. It is recommended that an overall training program includes the targeted improvement of grip and finger strength, shoulder endurance, power and RFD, in addition to developing general and climbing-specific explosive capacity.
Flexibility
Often overlooked by many gym-goers, flexibility is the ability to move your muscles and joints through a full range of motion. It improves posture, helps reduce muscle imbalance, maintains appropriate muscle length and balance, increases strength and decreases injury risk. It is an important part of any complete fitness program, especially as we age.
Climbing requires you to not only strengthen your arms and legs but also your core and back muscles. Flexibility improves the ability to move your body through a full range of motion while climbing and helps prevent injury by decreasing stiffness and increasing mobility. Flexibility is also essential to maintaining proper alignment and improving balance while climbing, as well as everyday activities such as sweeping the floor or getting out of bed.
Most climbers know how important it is to have flexible limbs, but they forget about their trunk (spine). The spine is made up of the cervical, thoracic and lumber segments. Flexibility of these areas is important for movement and balance because it allows the joints above them to rotate freely, which is required for proper posture and movement.
The mental aspect of climbing is also important. It is a great way to challenge yourself and push your boundaries in a safe and supportive environment. Climbing can help you build confidence and trust in your abilities, so that when it comes time to take on a new skill set or challenging situation in your life, you’ll be more willing to try and less afraid to fail.
Climbing is a fun, social activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s easy to make friends at the gym, whether it’s through sharing the excitement of a successful climb or simply swapping stories and advice. Having a group of fellow climbers will also help motivate you to get out and exercise, as you can plan your next adventure together.
Coordination
Climbing requires the coordination of multiple muscle groups and energy systems. It also requires visual skills to assess a route, determine the best placement of the next hold and to judge your progress.
Climbers often develop strong visual skills, resulting in improved proprioception and balance. To improve your proprioception, try taking it slow — consciously checking the distance between your feet and hands (or center of mass) while moving. This will help you be more accurate with your foot placement and overall movement, making you a more efficient climber.
Achieving skilled coordination requires the ability to plan and execute a sequence of movements while minimizing prolonged pauses and ensuring smooth transitions between movements. This is a challenge because of the dynamic nature of climbing, which demands quick movements that require precise execution.
For example, if you’re trying to reach for a toe hook and grab it with one hand, you have to simultaneously push upward with your legs and pull downward with your arms. This combination of movements is called dynamic coordination and can be practiced by doing drills with both your feet and hands together, such as push offs from the wall or jumping rope.
If you ask around at any gym, you’ll find that most climbers come from a variety of athletic backgrounds and are likely engaged in a second sport or activity. This demonstrates that climbing isn’t just for superhuman biceps and lats – it helps build coordination in the entire body, which in turn will make other sports easier to participate in. And, as a bonus, climbing can improve your footwork for other activities, such as avoiding defenders in soccer or executing a dance move.
Balance
Balance is important for a climber to have because it allows them to move through terrain with confidence. This could be moving over steep slopes of snow or rocky mountainous terrain, catching a fall of another climber, or making it up a technical and difficult route. Having good balance allows you to navigate these types of terrain without having to use too much effort or energy, which can wear you out quickly.
Balance relates to both static and dynamic movements. Static balance is done when you’re rooted to the ground, and dynamic balance is the type of balance used during movement on the wall. For example, when you’re “deadpointing” a problem where you need to move quickly up a wall by placing your feet in different positions to reach for holds that are far apart, you’re using dynamic balance. If you’re not properly balanced, then you will swing out of control and use too much energy to get to the next hold. With practice, dynamic balance can be improved by doing drills that force you to move quickly and change position while remaining centered.
Yoga poses, like tree pose (Utthita Padmasana), help improve balance by strengthening the legs and core muscles. Additionally, climbing specific movements, such as heel-to-toe moves or foot-to-hand transitions, are great ways to develop balance.
A great way to improve your balance is to practice traversing up a wall with a large variety of different holds to choose from. This can be done at a local indoor gym or even at your home bouldering wall. It’s best to start by choosing a lower angle to work on at first to ensure you can successfully and safely make it across the wall with proper balance.
Mental Health
The connection between physical activity and mental health has been well established in the scientific community. Climbing, in particular, has received special attention in this regard due to the unique way it integrates both physical exertion and mental engagement.
For many, climbing is the perfect way to relieve stress and channel emotions in a healthy, productive manner. In fact, some people even consider it a form of therapy. The concentration needed to focus on the task at hand—simply moving from hold to hold—is a powerful mindfulness exercise that helps to clear the mind and melt away stress, like morning fog under the sun.
Moreover, the goal-oriented nature of the sport encourages you to keep challenging yourself and fosters a sense of accomplishment, no matter your skill level. Setting and meeting goals—whether it be improving your grade or completing a route you’ve been working on for ages—provides motivation to push yourself further in the gym, and outside of it.
Climbing also requires a high degree of coordination, as the legs, arms, and fingers work in close coordination with one another to maneuver over obstacles. This full-body workout is unlike any other and engages more muscles than traditional strength training.
Furthermore, climbing can be a social activity—whether it’s working together as a team to solve a bouldering problem or simply supporting each other in the gym. This can be beneficial for young people and adults alike as it can help build a strong support system that encourages growth. In addition, climbing can break down social barriers and connect people from all walks of life. This is especially important for children and teenagers, whose development is influenced by their peers.
