Why Every Climber Should Try Our HIIT Class

HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training is a form of training that was modernized in the 1930s by Swedish coach Gösta Holmér’s “fartlek” (speed play) method. These workouts use weights to increase strength, or can be done with bodyweight alone. This all depends on the coach and the type of workout. Some HIIT workouts also focus on core, cardio, or mobility. Different gyms and HIIT workouts can be tailored to your goals. Whether you are a boulderer or a rope climber, you can significantly benefit from HIIT, and here’s an in-depth reason why you should consider taking a HIIT class here at Climbing Collective. 

During a HIIT workout, the goal is to have your heart rate around eighty to ninety percent maximum effort while staying in forty to sixty percent maximum heart rate while active or passive resting. This is done with a period of fast, complex movements, whether it be pushups, pullups, curls, etc., followed by a short rest. This is repeated with a range of activities and workouts to stimulate your muscles. Similar to biking, running, swimming, or other cardiovascular activities, HIIT helps improve your heart and increases your metabolic rate. This also enhances your body’s ability to circulate blood and oxygen. Rather than being on a treadmill or bike, you can mix it up with a HIIT workout, further benefiting your climbing rather than just your cardiovascular system. Climbing Collective and other climbing gyms offer HIIT classes that are specific to climbers, allowing you to take full advantage of HIIT.

Through repetitive movement, this workout style significantly improves your muscles’ capacity to sustain repeated effort, which is crucial for climbers. Throughout the class, HIIT targets different parts of your body, with a focus on your arms, shoulders, back, and core. When it comes to legs, as climbers, the priority is mobility and stability over muscle mass. Taking a class can lead to faster recovery between climbs and sessions and to decreased muscle soreness while climbing. Depending on the coach, weights and/or bands can be added to strengthen your body further and address ways to increase strength. During the fast, repetitive movements, it’s also important that you maintain proper form when executing the training plan. The last thing you want is to injure yourself while trying to better your body. Our fitness instructors are there to walk you through the workout before and during it to help you maximize the benefits of HIIT. 

This style of training can also be beneficial as a form of antagonistic training. Focusing on pushing rather than the pulling that climbers are constantly doing. Antagonistic training ensures that your body stays balanced and can keep up with your physical capabilities without giving out. Since climbing is a full-body workout, it can be challenging to know what parts of the body you need to tackle to ensure your body stays balanced and healthy. Furthermore, the time it might take to keep on top of all parts of the body you’d have to focus on can be very time-consuming. HIIT workouts are no more than an hour, yet tackle wherever you need to work on.

Below is a list of the days and times that each location typically has a HIIT class:

Greeley: Tuesday HIIT and core, 18:30-19:30 with Kaylee

Longmont: Tuesday HIIT and core, 6:15-7:15 with Joey

Just including one HIIT class a week can drastically improve your climbing abilities. Be sure to check out any of our courses or ask our fitness trainers how our HIIT workouts could help you get closer to sending your next project. Regarding HIIT workouts, there are no downsides. So give one a try!