Specific Weight Exercises for Climbers

versión en español
 
When we choose the strength exercises that we will perform at the gym, we should select those that induce a positive stimulus over the muscles and joint angles that determine performance.

Actually, as Badillo and Ribas (2002) suggest, the goal should be to train movements, not muscles. According to this, exercises that involve a very limited number of muscles, like biceps curl or hammer curl, have little to no impact on climbing performance; they would only be useful when there is a clear lack of pulling force due to the flexor muscles of the elbow being weaker than the rest of the pulling muscles, which is often the case, especially for women.

As an example, when we pull from a hold, we first need our finger flexor muscles to be strong enough to grab the hold. But when the time comes to reach for the next hold the impulse force will come from the legs first, then the hips, trunk and shoulder all the way to the elbow.

Given that the lack of pull force usually is not attributable to the legs, we could focus on upper body strength exercises that reproduce the different pulling movements that we use while climbing.

This way we'll be working our muscles simultaneously and in the same coordinated sequence that we demand from them in a route. The more similar a training exercise is to the actual physical performance, the greater the possibilities of transfer (Stone and col, 2007).

So our question for today is:

What weight exercises have a greater transfer to our sport's movements?

In my opinion, the following do:

• Dumbbell row (with arm at 90º abduction) and one-arm reverse flies *
• One-arm lat pulldown (slightly laid back)*
• One-arm standing cable pullover or dumbbell pullover *
• Dumbbel row (with arm at 0º abduction), or sitting one-arm cable row *
• Standing one-arm cable triceps pushdown or triceps kickbacks *

Nonetheless, keep in mind that these really specific exercises are suitable for adult advanced athletes, i.e., those who have completed a more general and basic stage of strength training.

 

ROW WITH THE ARM AT 90º ABDUCTION

OR... ONE ARM REVERSE FLIES

ONE ARM LAT PULLDOWN (slightly laid back)

ONE ARM STANDING CABLE PULLOVER OR DUMBBELL PULLOVER  
DUMBBELL ROW WITH ARM AT 0º ABDUCTION OR SITTING ONE-ARM CABLE ROW
 
STANDING ONE-ARM CABLE TRICEPS PUSHDOWN OR TRICEPS KICKBACKS

Alberto, Fontainableau. Picture: Jon Juarez. Source: www.harrihorrihar.blogspot.com

If you do a lot of bouldering it would be interesting to include dumbbell chest flies as well.

In future entries you can get info on methodology (number of sets, reps, rests, etc.) and planning to correctly apply your new workout routine.

* Cable or pulley exercises don't allow for big loads, so if you plan on doing maximum strength with maximum load methods (less than 6 reps), the best way is to use free weight exercises.