Perpetually hunched shoulders, a concave chest and a neck jutting forward may sound like the description of a caveman, but these postural flaws also commonly appear in modern-day rock climbers. Rock climbers often build up impressive strength and size in particular upper-body muscles while failing to adequately develop their opposing muscles. Muscle imbalances occur when one muscle is significantly stronger than its opposing muscle, as explained by Core Performance. Imbalances can impair climbing performance and lead to injuries.
Balance your shoulder muscles by adding strength-training exercises to your workouts that counter the typical pulling motions of rock climbing. Appropriate choices include military presses, bench presses and shoulder raises. Start by performing two to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions twice weekly to build strength and power, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. Stretch tight shoulder muscles to improve flexibility and lengthen muscles following your strengthening exercises.
Rock climbing works your upper and lower arms consistently and repetitively, both during pulling motions as well as simply while you're hanging on. Develop more balanced muscles in your upper arms with bench presses, triceps pushdowns and pushups. Counter the stress of holding on with your fingers by performing reverse wrist curls. Stretch your arms after strength training. For a simple finger/forearm stretch, grasp each finger and thumb individually, palm facing away and arm straight, and pull back gently.
Work your pectoral muscles to combat the classic climber hunchback posture. Effective chest muscle exercises include bench presses, pushups and chest flys, as suggested by BodyBuilding.com. Stand in a doorway after climbing and lifting to stretch your chest. Place one hand on the door frame above your head. Bend your elbow so that it's at shoulder height. Turn away from your bent arm until you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat on the other side.
Rock climbers often ignore training their lower-body muscles entirely. Just like upper-body muscle imbalances, a relatively weak and unbalanced lower body can negatively impact climbing ability and lead to injuries. Use deadlifts and squats to efficiently strengthen leg and core muscles. These muscles play vital roles in most rock-climbing movements. Compound exercises such as deadlifts and squats also engage numerous muscle groups in a coordinated effort, encouraging your body to work as a coherent, strong and balanced whole.
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