It's common knowledge that indoor climbing is a fun sport with many physical benefits. It is a great way to be social, meet new friends and stay in shape. However, it's not the easiest sport to get into, it requires some skill and uses many different muscle groups that most of us are not used to using on a regular basis. So, what's the best way to prepare for climbing and hone those skills, let's dive into the best exercises for climbers.
Climbing is a very challenging sport and requires a lot of strength and stamina, which is why it’s such a great workout. Indoor rock climbing is an efficient way to get your heart rate up and burn some calories. It’s a great way to work on your balance and coordination. As in outdoor climbing, indoor rock climbing work is must to train your mind and body to climb up by pushing yourself to new heights.
Being a highly demanding sport, indoor rock climbing training will not suffice merely with rock climbing exercises on the wall. This is a tasking total-body work, and these 13 rock climbing exercises for beginners can get you fully ready for indoor climbing both psychologically and physically.
13 Best Indoor Rock Climbing Workouts
We have compiled this list of 13 rock climbing workouts that will help you increase your strength, stamina, and flexibility while also improving your climbing technique. You can practice them in-house as the rock climbing exercises at home.
Pullup: Strength & Endurance
Pullups are a great exercise for climbers to be done indoors and don’t require any equipment. Plus, they provide an intense workout that is perfect for those days when you don’t have time to go to the gym. Pullups train your entire body while building strength, endurance, and core strength are crucial for rock climbers. The muscles are worked on the front of the body most when you do pullups. You will be using every muscle in your body as you pull yourself up to full extension.
Spiderman Pushup
Spiderman Pushups are a great workout for the climbers to start rock climbing. They are intense and require a lot of upper body strength. It is a great strength-building workout for the arms, core, and shoulders. They are so intense that it will be hard to do them for more than five minutes at a time.
To perform these pushups, you will need a sturdy, stable surface. You can use a chair, tree, or fence to do them on. When performing these pushups, you will need to have the body in an athletic position. The position is similar to the front lever, with the hands and feet touching simultaneously.
The Spiderman Pushup is also great for improving your grip strength. Your hands will be similar to when you are climbing holds. Keep your hands in the same position as when you are doing pullups. It is a great exercise to do once or twice a week and especially beneficial when used with your front lever routine.
One-arm Suspension Trainer Inverted Row
Climbing is a great exercise for toning the arms and shoulders, but it can be tough to get a good workout if you lack space or flexibility. One-arm suspension trainers make it easy to do various exercises without having to use your legs, and inverted rows are one of the best exercises for the arms and shoulders.
This rock climbing trainer allows you to lift weights with just one arm, making it an ideal workout for climbers who want to work their arms, shoulders, and legs. You can also use a one-arm suspension trainer to do squat or bench presses.
To get the most out of your inverted rows, you should vary the angle at which you hold the bar. The exercise will determine how low you lower the bar and how far away from your body you hold it.
Single-leg Burpee: Leg’s & Abs Muscles
The single-leg burpee targets the muscles in your legs and abs. You can perform this workout using any object around your house, like a phone book or a door frame.
Standing with one leg in front and the other one back. Place your hands on your hips and jump into the air, landing on the opposite foot. Keep your balance and repeat the motion with the other leg.
Bentover Row: Build Upper Body Muscle
Bentover row is a great strength-training exercise for building upper-body muscle. A great indoor climbing workout is a great way to work your back and core muscles. The main muscles that are worked during a bent-over row are the traps and the rhomboids.
Perform this exercise by leaning forward from a flat position parallel to the floor with your torso. Pull yourself up until you are about two inches above the ground with your arms straight. Keep straight and bend your elbows to help you lift. Return down until you are in the starting position.
You can do this exercise, which can also be done with a band, but it’s not as effective because it doesn’t allow you to use your muscles properly.
Reverse Cable Flye: Aerobic Fitness
Reverse cable flyes are great to add an indoor climbing workout to your routine. Using this exercise, you can work on your balance, strength, and coordination. You can also use reverse cable flyes to increase your aerobic fitness.
There are two different ways to perform this exercise. You can either pull your feet off the ground while doing this exercise or lift your feet up and down while doing it. Either way, be sure that you do not bend your knees too much when doing these exercises. They should be straight when you are doing these exercises.
Reverse Cable Flyes will help you strengthen your leg muscles and help improve your leg strength. You can also use this exercise to add an effective way of working on your legs.
Forearm Kettlebell Curl: Improve Strength & Power
If you’re looking for an intense indoor climbing workout, consider doing forearm kettlebell curls. This move targets your biceps and forearms and can help improve your strength and power while climbing.
Foam Roll – Get the Rippage out of your Legs. Like with your back, you should foam roll your legs every time you have to. This helps loosen up any tight muscles in your leg muscles and make them stronger.
Try adding a reminder to your daily routine to foam roll your legs at least once a day. If you have time, try doing this workout on alternate days. This will help you get the most out of your leg workouts.
Single-leg Lever: Quadriceps & Hamstrings
The single-leg lever is a great way to work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. This exercise is also great for improving your balance, as it requires you to stabilize yourself while keeping a foot on the ground. If you can do this exercise with both legs, do so! This will help you get the most out of your climbing workout.
Swiss Ball Pressup: Core & Abdominal Muscles
Swiss Ball Pressup is one of the most unique and challenging rock climbing exercises at home that you can do for your abdominal muscles. It requires balance, coordination, and strength in your core muscles. The Swiss Ball Press is a great exercise to help tone your midsection and improve your posture.
This exercise is a great choice for those who want to lose weight and get rid of belly fat. Like it, sit-ups, also known as the ab crunch, are an excellent way to tone your abdominal muscles and improve your posture.
Toe to Heel Leg Raise: Improve Balance & Endurance
If you’re after an intense workout to do anywhere, then consider performing toe to heel leg raises. Yes, it can be an excellent workout at home, keeping rock climbing in mind. You can perform this exercise on a stair climber.
A great activity to include in your rock climbing training if you have limited space or want to kill two birds with one stone by doing something that also helps improve your balance and coordination.
Single-leg Plank: Cardio Workout
As a rock climber, one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy and fit is to include a variety of exercises in your routine. One great exercise is the single-leg plank. This move targets your core, glutes, and hamstrings, and it’s a great way to get a cardio workout while also building strength and endurance.
To do the Single-leg Plank:
1) Lie flat on your back on the floor with your palms flat on the ground next to your hips.
2) Lift one leg straight and parallel to the ground.
3) Hold this position for two seconds, and lower your leg back down to the floor.
4) Repeat this sequence with the other leg.
Slow-motion Bicycle: Heart Rate Up & Calory Burn
Slow-motion bicycle workouts are a great way to get your heart rate up and burn calories. They can improve strength and endurance. To do the slow-motion bicycle exercise:
1) Start with your hands and knees, with your arms straight and palms flat on the ground.
2) Shift your weight to your right arm and raise it perpendicular to the ground.
3) Hold this position for two seconds, and lower your arm back down to the floor.
4) Repeat this sequence with the other arm.
FAQs
What exercise is good for rock climbing?
Rock climbers face many physical challenges while scaling the cliffs and mountains of their favorite climbing destinations. While different exercises are beneficial for rock climbers, some exercises are more specific to this sport than others. Here is a list of six rock climbing-specific exercises that can help improve overall fitness and strength:
1) Climbing stairs.
2) Crawling on all fours.
3) Pulling yourself up a wall using only your hands
4) Jumps on a trampoline or piece of equipment with a good rebound for height.
5) Running and Hiking.
6) Weight lifting.
How can I practice rock climbing without a gym?
There are many ways to practice rock climbing without a gym. One way is to find an outdoor climbing spot near you. Another way is to use a bouldering wall. A bouldering wall is made out of metal bars that climbers can climb on.
Boulders are the equivalent of climbing on the ground. They are available in almost every area but are more prevalent in areas with lots of climbing gyms.
How can I practice climbing without climbing?
Climbing is both a psychologically and physically demanding sport. Climbing can be practiced without climbing, but it is not as satisfying. Moreover, it is difficult and frustrating because it takes longer to build the skills necessary to climb effectively.
There are several ways to practice climbing without actually climbing up a rock face, including taking climbing classes and going rock climbing outdoors merely for short climbs until you have mastered the basic techniques. Once you have mastered these fitness techniques, you can venture out on longer climbs.
Can rock climbing be your only workout?
Rock climbing is an efficient way to get your heart rate up and burn calories. It’s also a great workout for the arms, legs, and core. If you’re new to rock climbing, start with easier climbs first so that you don’t get injured. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, try some more challenging climbs.
Is rock climbing once a week enough?
Rock climbing is a popular sport that many people enjoy. It can be done at any fitness level and can be fun for all ages. However, many people believe that rock climbing once a week is not enough to maintain good physical condition. Many experts recommend rock climbing once a week as a starting point, but increasing the frequency as your conditioning improves.
Can rock climbing get you ripped?
Rock climbing is a great way to get fit and ripped. It provides an excellent workout, but it also builds strength, agility, and endurance. Rock climbing is both an indoor or outdoor sport and to be done in various settings, such as gyms, parks, or cliffs.
Wrap Up
So, indoor rock climbing workouts are a great way to get a full-body workout while having fun. They are also a great way to improve your strength, coordination, and balance. If you are looking for a new workout routine or want to have some fun, indoor rock climbing workouts are worth trying.
So, what are you waiting for? Master over the tricks mentioned in this indoor rock climbing workout list. There is no need to get out there to start climbing.
Written by Afzall Rahman for Climbing Call, published on April 29, 2022
N.A.C. NEWS
(Sunday, December 31, 2023)
Good Morning,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
It is December 31st, the final day of 2023, (or 123123). I would like to thank all of those who supported Niagara Adventure Club and participated in our many adventures this past year. In 2023, Niagara Adventure Club hosted 23 Indoor Rock Climbing Evenings, 13 Day Hikes, 2 Multiday Hikes and two International Expeditions. This was NAC's busiest year ever, hosting events nearly every week. Our two International Expeditions, Iceland and Yosemite, California, were a great success and all those who participated pushed their limits and learned new skills, all the while creating memories that will never fade.
Due to rising costs, you may have noticed a slight increase in our pricing for 2024. Day hikes will now be $5 per person, and Season Pass prices have also increased by $5. However, this only means that purchasing a Season Pass is now of even greater value! For less than $5 a month you can have access to a year of adventures plus all the benefits offered to Season Pass holders from our NAC Partners! Season Pass sales are a big part of what keeps this club operating. The funds generated from Season Passes goes directly to the cost of operating this club. GET YOUR SEASON PASS NOW!
Registration for the 2024 Iceland Expedition is open and we still have plenty of space left! Registration will close on January 31st @ 10:00am. The magical land of Iceland is like nothing else on this planet and is truly life changing. Join us as we spend 9 days trekking through the backcountry of Iceland and visiting the capitol. This is one trip you don't want to miss.
On April 15th, NAC will be hosting the Michaux Forest Multi-day Hike. This six day adventure will have us hiking the Appalachian Trail through Michaux State Forest for 4 days and 3 nights in the state of Pennsylvania. The event will begin on Monday, April 15, 2024 and run for 6 days and 5 nights until Saturday, April 20th, 2024. Check out the event info below or on the web page!
2024 will begin with our Festival of Lights Walk, our Rock On Indoor Climbing evenings, and a beautiful day hike in Lincoln, Ontario. Check below for full details, and get your spot soon!
That's all the news for this week. As always, stay safe, and happy adventuring!
Lenny Burch