How to Weight-Train for Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is a challenging sport, with unique fitness requirements. These include strength, flexibility, balance and agility. The primary muscles used in rock climbing include the forearms, lats, shoulders, biceps, triceps, core hamstrings, gluteals and quadriceps. Additional strengthening exercises will be needed for the wrists and hands.
Rock climbing involves muscular endurance, as opposed to maximum strength. As such, you'll concentrate more on repetitions than on strength.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Strength training equipment Balance board
Strength training equipment
Balance board

Step 1

Set up a training schedule. Because rock climbing uses your pulling and pushing muscles, devote, say, 2 days a week to the pulling muscles such as the lats and biceps, and 2 days a week to your pushing muscles such as triceps and chest.

Step 2

Perform at least three sets of 12 repetitions of pull-downs, bicep curls, seated rows and pull-ups. These should be done on your pulling muscle days. Add balance training to this routine by placing a balance board near the cable machine, and performing a rowing exercise while standing on the board.

Step 3

Perform at least three sets of bench presses, military presses and triceps extensions. These are your pushing muscles. Add balance training by performing a military press while standing on a balance board.

Step 4

Plan 3 days a week for your leg workouts. Include exercises such as hamstring curls, leg presses and squats. For balance, perform squats on a balance board.

Step 5

Perform wrist curls 3 times a week.

Tips & Warnings

Train your larger muscle groups before your smaller muscles.

Weight training every day will break down the benefits you gained from your training session. Allow at least 24 hours of rest between sessions. The leg extension machine can create shearing forces in your knee. Use the leg press or squat machine instead.

Weight training every day will break down the benefits you gained from your training session. Allow at least 24 hours of rest between sessions.

The leg extension machine can create shearing forces in your knee. Use the leg press or squat machine instead.

Resources

Article Written By Lisa Mercer

In 1999, Lisa Mercer’s fitness, travel and skiing expertise inspired a writing career. Her books include "Open Your Heart with Winter Fitness" and "101 Women's Fitness Tips." Her articles have appeared in "Aspen Magazine," "HerSports," "32 Degrees," "Pregnancy Magazine" and "Wired." Mercer has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the City College of New York.

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