A strong core is crucial to progressing as a climber. Body tension, keeping your feet on the ground, moving efficiently, walking on your toes, everything revolves around the core. Plus, a solid core helps prevent injuries. You’ve probably heard a core strength evangelist preach the benefits before, and you’ve probably been pointed toward endless sit-ups or even expensive programs like Pilates, TRX, or yoga. Get ready for a new approach: varied exercises that are specifically aimed at working multiple parts of your body at the same time, just like rock climbing.
guidelines
- Choose five or more of these exercises and do them at least three (and up to five) times a week for best results.
- Add as many sets or exercises as you need to feel the burn; you should be struggling to complete the last set
- Do them at any time: at the end of a climbing session, on a rest day, in the morning before work, but avoid doing them right before climbing as this could tire your base and lead to poor technique causing injuries.
- A good core workout affects all aspects of your core, not just your abs in the front. Each of these exercises has varied movements to work the front, back, and sides.
- Take at least one or two days off each week to allow your muscles to recover.
- If you have a history of back or neck problems, check with your doctor before starting high-intensity exercises like these.
1. Hanging Leg Raise
Start with the jugs on a hangboard or pull-up bar. Keep your arms straight, your shoulders tight (bring your shoulder blades together), and your legs straight down. Raise your legs so your hips are at 90°, without bending your knees. When you lower your back, keep your body as still as possible (you’ll have a tendency to sway). Raise your legs again without using momentum. Do three sets of 15, resting about a minute in between.
Variation
For a more difficult challenge, raise your legs with your knees bent, pulling them toward your chest. Or try hanging with your knees bent, hips at 90°, and ask a friend to put a weight on your lap. Start with 10 to 15 pounds, hanging for 15 seconds. Ask your friend to remove the weight before lowering your legs.
Approach
Abs, lower back, hip flexors
2. Arm dip
Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Choose a dumbbell that provides good resistance; 15 pounds is a good starting point. Hold it with your left hand and slowly lower your left shoulder down as far as it will go. Try to keep your right hip in line with your body; don’t let it stick out to the side. In a controlled movement, bring the weight and your body back to the starting position. The up and down should be two separate movements. Do 20 reps, then switch arms.
Approach
obliques
3. Sit down, get up
Lie down with your back on the floor, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Hold a weight plate (start with 20 pounds) low to the ground with your arms straight from your head. Using momentum, squat the plate in the air, get your feet under you near your butt, and lift yourself all the way up, keeping the plate in the air. Lie down again in the starting position (the plate does not have to be raised when you sit down again, but do not put it on the floor); repeat 15 times.
Approach
Abs, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads, shoulders
4. Wheelbarrow ride
Those wheelbarrow races you used to do as a kid are really great for your core. Get on a high board, with your hands directly below your shoulders. Ask a partner to lift you by the ankles. Keeping your body straight (don’t bend at the waist) and looking straight ahead, move your right hand forward about six inches. Then move your left hand up six inches past your right, finding a good rhythm for you and your partner to avoid planting each other in the face. Keep your core and glutes engaged to maximize the movement. Go about 30 feet, then switch with your partner. Try to do five rounds, without compromising technique.
Approach
Obliques, abs, lower back, glutes, shoulders, arms
5. Plank oblique knee raise
Start on a high board. Bend one leg and bring the knee just outside the corresponding elbow. This should open your groin to the ground as you move your knee up. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Keep it controlled but keep a steady pace. Do this for a minute.
Approach
Abs, lower back, obliques, glutes, hip flexors, shoulders, chest
6. Farmer’s Walk
Choose two weights that are at the higher end of your comfort range. Holding one in each hand, start walking. For this move to be effective, keep your core tight and posture straight, standing as tall as you can. Find the distance (50 yards) or the time (1 minute). If you want to test yourself, walk until your arms are about to fail; just be careful not to drop the weights.
Variation
Instead of using the same weight in each hand, hold about five more pounds of weight in one hand. This will force you to keep your core tight as you try to balance the two different weights.
Approach
Lower back, obliques, abs, forearms, hamstrings, quads, calves
7. A-arm drop
Start in a seated C position, with your knees bent at 90°, your abs tight so your upper body is off the floor, and your heels on the ground. Bring both arms straight above your head, keeping your palms together. While keeping your upper and lower body completely still, slowly lower your arms to the right of your hips, hit the ground, and bring them up. Now go down to the left side. Do 30 total, 15 per side.
Approach
Abs, obliques, lower back, shoulders
8. Plank Variations
With a full-body burnout, it’s hard to ignore planks as an effective core-strengthening exercise, but here are a few variations to keep it interesting. For each one, keep your muscles engaged and actively holding onto the board. Start with three one-minute rounds, resting one minute between rounds.
raised plank
This is a standard high board, but you want your toes to be on an elevated surface (bench, chair, etc.), so your whole body is parallel to the floor. Use a wobbly exercise ball to increase the difficulty.
Plank to walk sideways
Get into a high plank position. From here move your right hand about six inches to the right and then move your left hand six inches to the right. Move your left hand back to the starting position and follow with your right. Go to the left side, then repeat.
Side plank with leg raises
In a side plank position (left hand on the floor directly under the shoulder, body straight, balancing on the outside edge of the left foot), lift your right leg so your feet are wider than your shoulders, and hold.
Approach
Whole body
9. Kettlebell Figure Eight
Start with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and bend at the waist, keeping your back straight and your head up. Use a light kettlebell and circle your right leg with your right hand, then bring it under your right leg to your left hand. Repeat on the left side. That’s a repeat; repeat 15 times.
Approach
Abs, lower back, glutes, hip flexors, obliques, arms, quads
10. The Matrix
Start with your knees hip-width apart with your back straight. Hold a weight near your belly button and slowly lean back as far as you can, keeping your back straight. Hold the position for three seconds and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 20 times.
Approach
Abs, lower back, glutes, quads, hip flexors
This article originally appeared on Climbing in 2014.
