Climbing Training Tools

After learning the necessary safety skills to mitigate the inherent dangers of technical rock climbing, the next step toward proficiency involves spending hours on the rock learning specific climbing techniques and tactics. Beyond practicing climbing movements on real rock-climbing terrain, climbers can supplement rock-climbing improvement by employing training tools that target key areas that are crucial for top climbing performance.

  1. Indoor Gym

    • Indoor rock-climbing gyms offer the most complete rock-climbing training tool beyond climbing on real rock outdoors. In the controlled, relatively safe indoor climbing environment, climbers can experiment with new movements, handholds, footholds, angles and techniques with less fear and risk than outdoor climbing entails. In addition, the indoor climbing gym offers climbers an opportunity to learn by observing how more experienced or stronger rock climbers ascend difficult routes.

    Hangboard

    • A climbing hangboard looks like a fancy pull-up bar made specifically for rock-climbing training. Along with doing pull-ups, the climber can train his fingers for improved grip strength on the hangboard. The various sizes and shapes of the grips on a hangboard allow the climber to perform dead hangs on climbing holds that usually include pockets, slopers, crimpers and jugs. The hangboard can also be used for other climbing exercises, including lock-offs and core exercises.

    Exercise Bands

    • Simple, inexpensive and versatile, exercise bands make rock-climbing training easy at home or while traveling. Use exercise bands to work on developing stronger climbing-related muscle groups, such as triceps and forearms. Climbers can also employ exercise bands to maintain muscle balance by exercising the muscle groups not used as much during rock-climbing movements. Cultivating stronger opposing muscles will also help prevent injuries.

    Weight Vest

    • Wearing a 10- or 20-lb. weight vest while training in an indoor climbing gym or on a climbing hangboard will instantly make the workout much more difficult and strenuous. Weighted rock-climbing training should only be used by experienced rock climbers with a strong base of rock-climbing training behind them. Add weight to familiar exercises with caution and start slowly, performing shorter routines and fewer reps or sets than normal during the first few weighted sessions.

    Books

    • Several books on climbing training provide not only advice on the physical aspects of training, but also guidance on training the mind for improved climbing performance. Eric J. Horst's "Maximum Climbing: Mental Training for Peak Performance and Optimal Experience" offers sound, scientific research on how the brain works coupled with field-tested mental training tactics. Arno Ilgner's "Espresso Lessons from the Rock Warrior's Way" provides well-illustrated, easy-to-follow mental training advice for rock climbers as well.