Weight Training for Rock Climbing

Posted by Green on April 15, 2010

Get yourself ready to climb!

When considering the best method for weight training you must first consider your goals. With this article we want to address the use of weight training for rock climbing.With rock climbing we want to achieve strength, endurance, and agility. Bulk would be a hindrance.

The best training that we can achieve would be to first

stretch out our muscle groups, ie: shoulders, chest, back,

arms, and hands(yes you can work out the hands). Stretching

avoids injury of the muscle,joint, and tendons.

Lets start with some push-ups, try and do at least twenty-five. Move to some pull-ups, again work toward twenty-five or more. This will stretch those shoulders, and back.

Now move to your first weights, only when you are fully warmed up. The first weight that I think would be good to start with will be the Lat Pull Down. You want to go for many reps and at least five sets. Keep the weight around half of your maximum. This lift will work shoulders, lats, and bi-ceps. Secondary will be your tri-ceps, and pectorals.

Second lift will be chest press. Again multi-reps and five sets. This will focus on pecs and arms. Do both the incline and decline lift. Keep your weights around half of your maximum.

Then go to butterfly’s, forward raise, side raise, and

finally dumbbell press. Each of these will bring your training into a focused muscle group. You can alter your work out by moving to machines. This will help keep your muscles from getting bored (it can happen). Now, your probably wandering about the arms and hands.

Do some light weight arm curls. But when you go down let the dumb bell roll to the end of your fingers. This works the hand with the arms. Next turn your forearm and lift the dumbbell with just the wrist. Roll the arm again and repeat. This is a hard work out but it will increase your strength tremendously.

Now, your goal is to increase your strength in increments. Do this workout on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, schedule then add a strength day on the Wednesday.

What is this? This day you do your lifts as a five reps, and three sets. Pyramid your weights from light, to medium, to heavy and back down. Push yourself to increase the maximum weight by tens each heavy day. This should take your other workout into higher weights.

Safety Notes:

Use common sense when your doing this training. Never push yourself into injury. Let your body tell you when it is being pushed too hard.

Always breath when lifting. Holding your breathdoesn’t

help you it only hinders you. Breathe out when lifting and in when lowering. Air is vital to muscle development.

Try and keep a bottle of water with you as you lift. Water helps you with your workout. It is your life blood.

Eat healthy. This isn’t a brilliant revelation. You should obviously know this. Protein and a low calorie diet will help you achieve your goal.