Post by Danielle, a personal trainer and fitness instructor in SF
Climbing is a challenging sport. It requires a great deal of technique, strength, flexibility, endurance and power. I see a ton of climbers at our gym who have so much technique and skill – but sometimes, there’s one part of the puzzle that is holding them back from those bigger more challenging climbs.
First off, I want to clear the air about one misconception – just lifting weights will not cause you to get bulky or gain weight (though, if that is your goal, it is possible with the right diet and routine!). With the right choice of reps and weight, an athlete can get stronger, denser muscle but not put get bulky. In turn, having more dense muscle in the body will cause the metabolism to increase – allowing us to burn more calories throughout the day without any additional exercise – which translates to less body fat. So by adding denser muscle – we will get stronger AND we will lose weight! That’s a win-win for our sport!
Most climbers do a lot of upper body PULLING and usually have a good base of slow twitch muscle fibers; the muscle fibers that are necessary for endurance sports like long distance running or yoga. While climbers have exceptionally strong backs and biceps, there are a few exercises we can add to give them an extra edge on their abilities. The movements I’ve found that translate to better power and strength for climbing are those that build fast twitch muscle fibers, improve overhead mobility and increase stability through the core. So let’s get into it. Which exercises are the best compliments for climbers – and WHY should I add them into my training?Read More…
Who are you? What do you teach? Emphasis on a specific type of yoga?