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What are the best exercises for a rock climber?

Rock climbing engages the majority of muscles in the upper body: Deltoids, trapezes, latissimus dorsi, biceps, triceps, forearms, forearm extensors and phalanges, as well as the lower body: Quadriceps, gluteus and gastrocnemius. To improve your climbing ability, you need to condition your muscular endurance and strength. At the gym, do high repetitions with a lower load (3 sets of 20 reps) for the muscle groups above. The same way you’d run at a slower pace over a longer period to build your cardiovascular endurance, lifting a lower load but at high reps helps to improve your muscle endurance.

It’s important to note that for a climber, ‘leaner is better’ because you’re climbing against gravity. Stick to training with a lower load at high reps so you won’t put on excessive bulk while concurrently burning excess body fat. You can also train your endurance by going for a slow-paced jog for 45 minutes to an hour to help you to stay lean and to build your mental strength.

To improve your speed, you’ll need to improve your ability to move from one point to another faster. Vary your weights training by using slightly heavier weights with lower repetitions but with more explosive movement. This trains your muscles to react faster.