Of course, you dont have to pull an Alex Honnold and ascend sans ropes to gain the mind and body benefits of reaching a peak. Simply scrambling up an indoor rock wall will give you a massive sense of accomplishment.
I always describe rock climbing as an exercise in disguise, says Emily Varisco, ACE-certified personal trainer, head coach at The Cliffs Climbing and Fitness in New York City. It truly is a full-body workout, but its also a lot of fun.
And when she says full body workout , she means it-rock climbing works your forearms, biceps , triceps, deltoids, lats , traps, legs, and even your fingers. (Dang.) Rock climbing is an especially great way to quickly build upper-body and core strength, Varisco says. And women tend to pick up the technical skills a bit more quickly because their center of gravity is lower and that can make for a pretty decent advantage in the sport.
Whether you're new to climbing, or want to up your game, Varisco curated a list of the best exercises to strengthen your arms , legs, back, and abs . Try em out as a complement to climbing, and see how quickly you can scale that next obstacle that gets in your way to the top.
Do each of the moves below either after climbing or on off-the-rock days. We do a lot of pulling in rock climbing, so when we cross-train, its important to work the opposite motions and antagonist muscles, says Varisco. These moves will work the areas you need to climb higher, plus the opposing ones to keep you balanced as you go-all of which will help you reach peak performance.
11. Superman Important for strengthening your low back and posterior chain-a muscle group crucial to climbing, especially at steeper angles. How to: Lie on your stomach, and extend your arms in front of you and legs behind you. Keep your palms facing down. Lift your legs and arms at the same time, hold, and release. Complete for 50 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Reported by Kristine Thomason .