Rock climbing is one of the most well known adventure sports that have crazed fans for many years now. Nothing can beat the rush of adrenaline or the feeling of supreme satisfaction when you finish climbing over a difficult rock hill and can finally stand at the apex of your goal. Rock climbing is an extremely challenging game that requires a fit body, strong knowledge of climbing techniques and a calm and cool mind to deal with unprecedented problems.
Though rock climbing can be exhalating, a strict work out regime is required to ensure that you can develop a body fit enough to endure extreme conditions and strain under climbing. Climbing over large chunks of rock only looks entertaining. In reality, it requires precision, strength and meticulous training.
If you are planning to become a professional rock climber, you need to spend a lot of time climbing actual rock. Since climbing is a physically demanding activity, you have to remember not to overstrain your body with exertion.
Rock Climbing Fingers and Forearms
The most important portions of your body that you need to train for climbing are your fingers and forearms. Grip strength for your fingers needs to be made extremely strong and infallible. This can be done only through intense and consistent training.
Rock Climbing Grip
A good grip training program for rock climbing should deal with strengthening both your fingers and your forearm. It should cover areas such as:
- Increasing flexibility of hands
- Strengthening the "high use" areas for climbing
- Toughening the hands and finger's skin
- Increasing the durability of soft tissues involved
- Increasing the muscle, tendon and bone strength for climbing
- Increasing the flow of blood for speedy recovery and healing are essential for climbing.
- Correcting the muscular imbalances
Rock climbing is definitely no child’s play. Though no form of exercise can substitute for experience and strength developed through actual climbing, there are certain routines to be followed to ensure that you are well trained when you actually get an opportunity to try out the sport.
Training for Fingers and Thumb
Grip for your fingers has to be strengthened immensely as part of your climbing related training. Rock climbers expose their fingers and hands to extreme conditions. Strengthening of every hand joint and related muscles is necessary for climbing. Climbing over rock mainly makes use of the finger tips for gripping rock.
- To increase the strength of fingers, you can use hand grippers and rubber balls for exercise.
- You can also try doing push ups on your finger tips for great results.
- Another form of exercise for your fingers would be to squeeze two weight plates between your hands.
- Rock climbers can also use barbells a little differently to increase their grip strength.
Training for Forearms and Wrists
Rock climbers also need to give proper attention to strengthening of forearms and wrists as part of their training for climbing. Climbing involves putting extreme pressure on the forearm muscles and tissue for pulling and reaching. To strengthen your forearm muscles, try the following exercise:
Grip a chin-up-bar with your hands, set up as far above your head as possible, and try hanging for at least a minute off it. Once you reach the minute mark, leave the bar and rest your hands for 3 to 5 minutes before repeating the process. While resting, remember to shake your hands thoroughly.
Once you feel that you can do the sets without feeling too much strain, you can try the same routine again by starting off with both hands. After every minute, leave one hand and shake while gripping the bar with the other hand. Wait for 5 seconds before repeating with the other hand. This exercise also should be performed with intervals of 5 minutes. Grip for your fingers is also immensely strengthened with this technique.
The Ultimate Sport: Rock Climbing
Climbing sport requires thorough training, but at the same time it also requires providing enough rest for your body. Climbing sessions carried out too frequently can even harm the body. Grasp cuts, aches and other common climbing injuries will be repaired by the body itself through appropriate rest. Rock climbers must indulge in non-climbing activities as it will help to increase the blood flow in your body.
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