The Best HIIT Workout for Rock Climbers
If you had to put rock climbing into a workout category, it would fall into full-body strength. That’s not to say there aren’t benefits to having a strong cardiovascular system, especially if you regularly climb ropes. The better your cardio fitness, the easier it will be to recover between climbs. You may be able to climb a greater volume of climbs and for longer when your muscular and cardiovascular endurance are equally well-trained.
But what if you want to accelerate your strength and cardio gains beyond training on the climbing wall? That is where HIIT Workouts, specifically one designed for climbers, can be beneficial.
An Introduction to HIIT Workouts
HIIT workouts, or high-intensity interval training, are great for delivering strength and cardio adaptations advantageous to your climbing goals. HIIT training is time-effective and can be done with a wide variety of gym equipment, making it ideal for those with busy schedules or limited access to equipment.
The goal of any HIIT workout is to alternate between near-maximal effort intervals and very easy rest. For example, you’d complete five rounds of 20 seconds of high-intensity effort followed by 40 seconds. You can use the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale to measure effort. An example using RPE would be a HIIT workout where your working intervals are an RPE 8-10, and your rest intervals are RPE 3-6/10.
The Best HIIT Workout for Rock Climbers
Now that you understand the structure of HIIT workouts, it’s time to do one for yourself. The workout takes 25 minutes, making it easy to fit in before or after a climbing session. It is divided into four sections. Each section is five minutes long. Between each section, you’ll complete a 60-second cardio sprint of your choice (bike/run/elliptical/rower). You’ll start each exercise at the top of the minute and perform the exercise for 30 seconds. You’ll rest for the remainder of a minute (30 seconds).
The exercises in this workout were selected with rock climbers in mind.
Burpees with Pushups
Burpees are a full-body blaster. They help improve explosiveness, a key component needed for dynos and other dynamic movements. Pushups strengthen your pectoral muscles, which can be weaker in climbers due to the repetitive pulling motions. Strong pectoral muscles will help prevent injuries from muscle imbalances and make movements like mantles feel easier.
Overhead Reverse Lunge
Reverse lunges improve unilateral leg strength. When climbing, you rarely use both legs at the same time. Instead, you rely on single-leg strength to drive your body upward. Holding weights overhead while lunging also forces you to engage your core and upper body, mimicking the full-body engagement required on the wall.
RDL to Row
RDLs strengthen your hamstrings and glutes, the primary muscles involved in heel hooks. Rows target your back muscles, which are heavily recruited during the pulling motions of climbing.
Bench Dips
Bench dips target your triceps. Strong triceps make moves like mantles, lock-offs, and lateral movements easier. Strengthening your triceps helps prevent muscle imbalances between your biceps and triceps, which can lead to elbow pain or tendinitis.
THE WORKOUT
This workout does not include a warm-up, but it is highly recommended that you do 10 minutes of cardio and mobility work to warm up your muscles and increase your heart rate. If you are doing this workout immediately after a climbing session, you can skip a warmup if your body is still warm.
Section 1
5 Rounds: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
60-second cardio sprint
Section 2
5 Rounds: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
60-second cardio sprint
Section 3
5 Rounds: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
60-second cardio sprint
Section 4
5 Rounds: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
60-second cardio sprint
Remember, to get the most out of the workout, push yourself to your limit during the 20-second working intervals. Your muscles and lungs should be screaming for the 40-second rest! To see the most improvements in your climbing, aim to incorporate it 1-2x per week for at least 6-8 weeks. Don’t forget to come back and share how the workouts went and if you feel stronger from incorporating a HIIT routine into your training.
