Logan Steele
Rock climbing is a physically intensive sport that provides a full-body workout and targets several muscle groups. It requires a blend of strength, flexibility, and technique, and the muscles used can vary depending on the style of climbing and the climber's technique. Overall, the muscles used in climbing include the forearms, hands, fingers, back, core, abdominals, legs, and shoulders.
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What You'll Learn
Latissimus dorsi (lats)
The latissimus dorsi (commonly known as the 'lats') is a large, flat muscle that occupies the majority of the lower posterior thorax. The name 'latissimus dorsi' comes from the Latin 'latissimus' (meaning 'broadest') and 'dorsum' (meaning 'back'), which translates to the 'broadest [muscle] of the back'. It is one of the largest muscles in the back, stretching across the lower posterior thorax.
The latissimus dorsi is responsible for extension, adduction, transverse extension (also known as horizontal abduction or horizontal extension), flexion from an extended position, and medial internal rotation of the shoulder joint. It also plays a role in the extension and lateral flexion of the lumbar spine. The muscle fibres extend towards the axilla, wrapping around the teres major, and insert on the floor of the intertubercular sulcus of the humerus.
The latissimus dorsi is an essential muscle for rock climbers. When pulling yourself up a wall, especially with fully extended arms, you engage your lats and other back muscles. As you move up the wall, you work the muscle from every angle, leading to significant development over time. The muscle is also important for other physical activities such as swimming, rowing, and chopping.
The latissimus dorsi can be trained and strengthened with a variety of exercises. Some of these include vertical pulling movements such as pull-downs and pull-ups (including chin-ups), and horizontal pulling movements such as bent-over rows. It is important to note that the latissimus dorsi can be injured due to overuse, poor posture, or poor form in sports and exercise. Common exercises that engage the muscle, such as pull-ups, bench presses, and weightlifting, can also lead to injury if not performed correctly.
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Forearms and grip
Forearm and grip strength are essential for rock climbing. While climbing, you are constantly hanging off the wall with your fingers, and a weak grip will not get you very far. Interestingly, there aren't many muscles in your hand that facilitate gripping—it is your forearms that are mostly engaged.
To improve grip strength, you can try static hangs on a bar. Hang on until your muscles fail and you literally peel off the bar. Then, shake it out for five minutes and repeat the process three more times, aiming for at least four sets. This will improve both your forearm strength and endurance. Continuous low-stress repetitive gripping is another way to improve endurance.
You can also work on forearm strength and endurance by traversing a near-vertical wall for 20 minutes without a break. Start with a pull-up to get blood into your forearms and raise your heart rate. You can drop one arm at a time to shake, but the key is to maintain continuous low-stress gripping for 20 minutes.
Another simple forearm exercise is squeezing a latex rubber ring. There are also more complex devices available that can help with specific muscle targeting. Forearm muscle exercisers help develop strength and endurance in both the forearms and fingers, which is very important for all types of climbing.
Rock climbing is a full-body workout, and several other muscle groups are essential for climbing. The latissimus dorsi (or 'lats') are one of the major muscle groups worked when climbing. When pulling yourself up a wall, especially with fully extended arms, you engage your lats and other back muscles. The abdominal muscles are also important for body tension, particularly when climbing steep terrain.
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Core and abdominal muscles
Rock climbing is a physically intensive sport that works out several muscle groups in the body. It is often considered a whole-body activity, requiring the coordinated engagement of muscles throughout the upper and lower body.
Core muscles are very important in climbing, and core training is almost universal among climbing-related training regimes. The core is not just the abdominal muscles, but a band that wraps around the abdomen and the back. The core muscles are the deepest layer of postural muscles that envelope the torso, hips, and pelvis. In the front, the core is made up of the rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscle), external and internal obliques, and the transverse abdominis. In the back, the core is comprised of the superficial erector spinae muscles, paraspinal muscles, and posterior hip muscles such as the glutes. The diaphragm forms the top of the core, while the bottom is made up of the pelvic floor muscles.
The core serves as a mobilizer and stabilizer during movement, helping to transfer force from the legs and arms to maintain tension on the wall. A strong core is necessary to maintain proper alignment, especially when climbing up a steep part of a wall and the body position becomes inverted.
To improve climbing performance, it is important to include climbing-specific core exercises in one's training regime. Certain exercises can target the abdominal muscles specifically, such as crunches, which are better than classic sit-ups for targeting the rectus abdominis muscle. Other exercises that target the rectus abdominis and obliques include hanging leg lifts, where the legs are lifted until the back is almost parallel to the floor, and then moved from side to side.
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Calf muscles
The "two-headed calf muscle" and the soleus muscle are, anatomically, flexor muscles, which means they are responsible for the bending of the foot down. Tight calves can cause muscle imbalances in the opposing Tibialis muscles or the hamstring, which work together with the calf muscles to move us around. The Tibialis controls the dorsiflexion of the foot (raising your toes towards your shin). If the opposing calf muscles are tight, there is less chance of raising your toes to get on a high foothold or having any strength while toe hooking.
Calve tightness is common, and most people are unaware of it. Tightness in the calves can be caused by running, plyometric movements, excessive sitting, or a distinctive gait. However, it can be prevented by simple stretching or fascia rolling. To stretch your calf muscles, stand facing a wall, tilt your foot upwards, and place your toes flat against the wall. Place your hands flat against the wall and lean forward. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat twice more.
Therefore, well-developed and flexible calves are crucial for climbing, as they enable you to reach higher footholds, maintain your foot position, and prevent injuries.
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Biceps
Rock climbing is a physically intensive sport that works out almost all of the body's skeletal muscles. While the biceps are not generally considered to be a "climbing muscle", they are still incredibly valuable when climbing. The bicep is responsible for providing arm flexion and is used in most pulling movements.
When rock climbing, you engage your biceps when underclinging. Underclinging is when your hand is facing upwards and your elbow is flexed. This is the primary role of the bicep. The biceps are also used in pulling movements, although not as much as the brachialis and brachioradialis. The brachialis is located under the bicep and connects the bicep to the tricep. The brachioradialis connects the upper arm to the forearm. Both of these muscles are very important for pull-up movements, assisting the latissimus.
Exercises that target the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis can help to improve your underclings and pulling strength. For example, hammer curls target the brachioradialis, and preacher curls with a reverse grip target the brachialis. Gunderclings is an exercise designed to isolate the bicep while climbing.
It is important to note that the biceps tendon can sometimes rupture during climbing, so it is important to be aware of any injuries and seek medical advice if needed.
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Frequently asked questions
The latissimus dorsi (lats) are the main muscle group worked when climbing. The anterior deltoid, rhomboids, biceps, and large round muscle are also used to pull your body up and towards the wall.
The forearm muscles are responsible for a strong grip. Dead hangs and pull-ups can help strengthen these muscles.
Yes, leg muscles are important for climbing. Calf muscles are essential for standing on tiptoes and maintaining foot position on a ledge. Quadriceps are also important for straightening the lower leg from a bent position.
