What Is Rock Climbing?
Rock climbing is exactly what it sounds like. It's an activity where you climb on rocks or mountains outdoors, or on rock climbing walls indoors, for fun, adventure, or exercise.
Climbing used to be a way for people to explore new areas. By the early 1900s, it had evolved into a fun activity, and it started gaining popularity by the end of the 20th century.
Is Rock Climbing a Good Workout?
Rock climbing is a good workout because it builds strength, improves endurance, and boosts flexibility. "It engages your core, arms, shoulders, and legs while also improving grip strength — something many workouts overlook," explains Raphael Longobardi, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with RWJ Barnabas Health Medical Group in Jersey City, NJ, who specializes in sports medicine. Climbing also challenges your balance and coordination, engaging both your body and mind.
If you like your workouts mixed with adventure and adrenaline, then rock climbing may be the exercise for you. Whether you’re climbing at an indoor rock gym or on real rock faces in the great outdoors, you'll work muscles you never knew you had. And you’ll be surprised at how fast you break a sweat!
Is rock climbing hard?
You can't really do "rock climbing light." Even relatively easy routes require a whole-body effort and intense focus. Super-tough routes will push you to the limit.
Does rock climbing build muscles?
Climbing does build muscle. In fact, it works muscles all over your body — including your core, arms, legs, glutes, and back.
Proper climbing technique relies mostly on the legs and glutes for the power to propel you upward, but your core gives you the balance and strength you need to hold your body close to the wall. Your forearms also get a real workout, and your upper arms and shoulders pull you up when your legs can't provide enough pushing force. Muscles like your rhomboids, trapezius, and lats work with your core to keep you stable on the wall.
What kind of workouts can you do with rock climbing?
Rock climbing combines several workouts into one.
Flexibility. You'll do a lot of reaching and stretching from one hold to the next.
Aerobic. Climbing can push your heart rate to between 120 and 180 beats per minute. Plus, it's low-impact. If you're doing it right, your feet won’t even touch the ground.
Strength training. Because you need to hold on, rock climbing improves your hand grip strength. It also strengthens muscles in your arms, upper back, and legs.
Benefits of Rock Climbing
A rock climbing workout challenges your body and mind. "It's a full-body workout that not only builds strength but also keeps you mentally challenged and motivated," says Longobardi.
Physical benefits of rock climbing
Some rock climbing health benefits include:
- Stronger muscles in the arms, legs, core, and back
- Better flexibility, coordination, and balance
- Better hand grip strength
- Improved cardiovascular fitness
The combination of pulling, pushing, and stabilizing involved in climbing builds stabilizer muscles, such as the transverse abdominis in your core and the trapezius muscle in your upper back. These muscles are sometimes missed in traditional workouts, Longobardi says.
Mental benefits of rock climbing
Rock climbing challenges your mind as much as it does your body. Finding the right hand and foot placement requires mental focus, concentration, and problem-solving skills.
Climbing is also a potent stressbuster that has shown promise for easing anxiety. "Rock climbing allows you to fully disconnect from [your] worries and focus on the task," says Sergio Pedemonte, a certified personal trainer at Your House Fitness in Toronto, Canada.
Less experienced climbers may actually experience a temporary increase in stress. The intense focus needed to plan out the next move, coupled with a fear of falling, may boost levels of stress hormones such as cortisol.
Rock climbing and cardiovascular health
Scaling a mountain or rock wall is good for your heart. Climbing is a good cardiovascular workout because your heart has to beat faster to pump more blood to your muscles. The physical exertion increases your VO2 max, which measures how much oxygen your body uses during exercise and indicates your cardiovascular fitness.
"[Rock climbing is] actually a great way to increase cardiovascular fitness without the repetitive effects of running or high-intensity workouts because it combines strength and aerobic activities," says Jeffrey S. Lander, MD, co-director of sports cardiology at RWJBarnabas Health in West Orange, NJ.
What Muscles Does Rock Climbing Work?
Rock climbing works muscles in almost every part of your body, including:
- Arms and hands: Biceps, triceps, brachialis, forearm flexors
- Upper back: Rhomboids, lats, trapezius
- Core: Abs, obliques
- Legs: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves
How to Train for Rock Climbing
To be safe, you need to know what you're doing. If you're new to rock climbing, consider taking lessons with a qualified instructor to learn the basics, such as foot placements and belaying (using ropes). Do your first climb in an indoor climbing gym where you can learn the proper techniques and safety measures in a supervised setting.
Start slowly. Climb for just 10 or 20 minutes to start. Slowly increase the length and intensity of your climbs when you feel ready.
Workouts to improve rock climbing
Next, work on the physical skills you'll need to climb, such as strength, endurance, and flexibility. "Strength training, especially for your core, legs, and grip, will help prepare your body for a demanding sport like climbing. Focus on bodyweight exercises that imitate the movements in climbing, like pull-ups, planks, and squats," Longobardi suggests.
These exercises will strengthen the muscles you'll need for rock climbing:
- Grip strength training: Dead hangs, pull-ups, fingerboard training (hanging from a special board to strengthen the finger muscles)
- Core strengthening: Planks, leg raises, Russian twists
- Lower body strengthening: Squats, lunges, deadlifts
What Else You Should Know
Cost: Expect to pay for time on a climbing wall at a rock gym, plus rental fees for equipment.
Good for beginners: Climbing requires a basic level of strength and fitness, so it's probably not for you if you're not active now.
Outdoors: Most new climbers start at indoor rock gyms, but there are many climbing sites outdoors.
At home: This isn't a sport you can do at home. But if you find you have a passion for climbing, a portable chin-up bar that you hang in your doorway can help you build upper body strength.
Equipment required: You'll need at least climbing shoes and a harness, which you can rent at any rock gym. Climbing gyms usually provide other needed equipment, such as ropes and carabiner clips. If you're climbing outdoors, you'll need to bring your own.
Is Rock Climbing Good for Me if I Have a Health Condition?
Rock climbing is an excellent workout, but it can be rough if your body isn't up for it.
Weight loss helps many medical conditions, and rock climbing is an excellent way to drop a few pounds. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, check with your doctor first and get the OK.
The aerobic workout and muscle building will help you burn more calories throughout the day. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor what to do in case your blood sugar goes too low during exercise.
Because of the demands that rock climbing puts on the body and the heart, rock climbing may be too tough for someone with heart disease. Look for another activity that your doctor suggests, and ask if rock climbing may be an option in the future.
If you have a knee or back injury, rock climbing isn't likely for you — yet. Researchers are looking into whether rock climbing can help speed recovery from a knee injury. Until we know more, it's better to hold off until you're fully recovered. When you're ready, work with an experienced climber who can give you pointers on how to keep it safe.
Also, if you have arthritis, rock climbing may be tough, since it can stress almost any joint in the body. Before climbing on the wall, get your joints in better shape and work with someone who can show you the ropes to help prevent further stress and pain.
If you have any other physical limitations, rock climbing may still be an option. Work with an instructor to see if it's possible to adapt the activity to fit your needs.
Take caution if you're pregnant. If you were an avid rock climber before getting pregnant, you can still take part if your doctor gives you the OK — at least early in pregnancy. The main concern is the risk of falling. Later in pregnancy, the additional weight and your baby bump will make rock climbing increasingly difficult.
Takeaways
Rock climbing is a good workout because it builds strength and improves endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. This activity also benefits your mental health by relieving anxiety and improving problem-solving skills. When you're starting, learn the basics by taking climbing lessons with a qualified instructor and doing your first climb while supervised on a gym rock wall.
Rock Climbing FAQs
What equipment do I need for rock climbing?
You'll need climbing shoes, a rope, a harness, and a helmet. Climbing gyms usually provide equipment for you.
How can beginners start rock climbing safely?
Start by taking lessons with a qualified climbing instructor. Do your first climb in a supervised setting, such as a gym rock climbing wall.
What to wear for rock climbing?
Lightweight, breathable clothes are best. You'll also need climbing shoes, and a helmet is recommended.
How many calories does rock climbing burn?
Rock climbing burns about 774 calories per hour for someone who weighs 155 pounds.
