If you want to be the best climber you can be, you should be doing the best complementary exercises for climbing.
These are not only going to give you excellent grip, strong lats, and bulging biceps, but will challenge your core, back muscles, obliques and hip flexors.
The “key” to a great climbing workout is to focus on holds, dynamic exercises, and atypical movement patterns that might mimic a climber’s effort.
Many climbers are going to be doing a lot of lat pulldowns and pullups for their workout.
Get smarter with your supplementary lifts and add these 10 complementary exercises for climbing.
Complementary Exercises for Climbing
1. Mixed Grip Pullups
The first complementary exercise you need as a climber is a mixed grip pullup.
The mixed grip pullup is going to be the closest thing you can do to mimic climbing in the gym.
Use the overhand, underhand and wide grip pullup variations.
Try the assisted pullup machine to help you increase strength over time.
This is also a great way to do a lot of consecutive reps til failure, adding to your muscular endurance.
Once you get strong enough, you can throw on a weight vest for even more resistance, making rock climbing that much easier.
2. Grip Squeeze and Grip Extension
A climber’s biggest hindrance might be their grip.
If you can’t hold on for an extended amount of time, you’re going to have a hard time keeping up with others.
Grab a grip strengthener and grip extension device.
You not only need to be able to hold a strong grip for an extended amount of time, but you need to have strong extensor muscles that will help balance muscles controlling the hands.
DON’T FORGET to grab this KDG Hand Grip Strengthener.
You can sit at your desk all day improving your grip, giving the edge over other climbers.
3. Push-up Jacks
Another great exercise that complements climbing is the pushup jack.
This exercise will not only work your chest but will help give you a strong core and hip flexors.
These muscles are necessary for body balance and quick bodily movements when you’re hanging on a ledge.
4. Single Arm Lat Pull Downs
A great way to work your lats and rear delts is with the single arm lat pull down.
By challenging your body unilaterally, you will create a rock-solid upper body foundation.
To do this exercise attach a single hand grip, turn your body and pull down, squeezing your lat at the bottom of the pull.
5. Wood Chops
An often-forgotten muscle group climbers need are the obliques.
While rock climbing, you must twist, turn and angle your body in a way that creates leverage to get from handle to handle.
Wood chops are a great way to develop your obliques, giving you a rock-solid core.
6. Straight Arm Pull Downs
Another exercise that does well to mimic a climber’s movement is the straight arm pull down.
These exercises are going to focus your effort on strengthening your rear delts and triceps.
You will need excellent strength in both areas to maximize your climbing skill.
7. Captains Chair Knee Lifts with Weight
Hip flexors and abs are crucial to a climber’s scaling ability.
You need to be able to lift your legs into certain positions that allow you to easily move from grip to grip.
In order to make this exercise more challenge, put a dumbbell between your feet and lift.
8. Deadlifts
A complementary exercise that climbers need is the deadlift.
A climb will utilize leg muscles and the erector spinae to get to the top.
Hit all these muscles at once with a deadlift.
Vary the angle of your legs to challenge your inner thighs.
9. TRX or Stability Ball Pikes
The last exercise you need to complement your climbing is the TRX or stability ball pikes.
This exercise will challenge the forearms, shoulders, chest, abs, and hip flexors.
A stable core and upper body is ideal for climbers of any level.
Supplement your climbing with these 9 exercises and you will have no problem scaling the peak.
Also, DON’T FORGET to improve your climbing with an in home TRX suspension training system.
Challenge your pushes, pullls, and core with this versatile and challenging suspension strap training device.
Summary: Complementary Exercises for Climbing
Some of the best climbers in the world are going to have the best exercise routines. Picking a solid set of complementary exercises for climbing is going to be crucial to your success. Make sure to always vary the angle of exercise, mix up the frequency, duration, and intensity, and do most exercises to fatigue. Add holds and eccentric lifts to go with your concentric lifts. Most of all, don’t forget to rest, recover and hydrate to properly build the muscle you need to be a great climber.
