Dynamic Climbing Warm-up

A new climbing specific warm-up that is supported by the latest research evidence and can be performed in less than 10 minutes.

What is static, ballistic and dynamic stretching?

Static stretching is when you hold a single position to achieve a stretch. Common hold times are 30 seconds. An example is bending down to touch your toes and holding.

Ballistic stretching is when you bounce in and out of a position to achieve a stretch. Common hold times are less than a second. An example is bending down to touch your toes and bouncing several times at the bottom of the stretch.

Dynamic stretching is when you smoothly move through a full range of motion spending equal time in each phase of the stretch. An example is bending down to touch your toes while counting to three and coming back up to standing while counting to three.

How to stretch before climbing?

Static stretching is a poor choice: The research shows that statically stretching a muscle before activity impairs muscle strength and leads to decreased performance. There is also evidence that shows that it can actually increase injury rate.

Ballistic stretching is a poor choice: It has been shown in numerous research studies that ballistic stretching is hazardous when used as a warm-up. The rapid nature of the movement activates a reflex in the muscle causing it to contract to protect itself from harm. This can cause micro-tearing of the muscle.

Dynamic stretching is the best choice: Research supports that a sport specific dynamic warm-up is the best way to increase blood flow to the muscles and tendons in the body. This method prepares the body for a specific activity and can help reduce injury rates.

This dynamic climbing warm-up is broken down into four sections

Section 1: On The Wall

Uses the entire body to generate warmth. It mirrors specific body positions that are used while climbing. 5 repetitions each exercise holding the end of the position for 1-3 seconds.

  • Sideways Flag: Start standing upright. Extend your arm and opposite leg as far as possible while balancing on the other leg.
  • Reverse Flag: Start standing upright. While bending your stance leg, extend your opposite arm into the air away from your body and extend the same side leg behind and across the body.
  • High Step: Flex your hip up toward your chest. Grab your knee and pull it into your chest and then release back down to the floor.
  • Frogger: Start in a toed-out crouch position with the weight mostly in your heels. Bend forward and place your elbows on the insides of your knees. Perform circular rotations of your hips clockwise and counter clockwise while pressing your elbows outwards into your knees.
  • Drop Knee: Start by facing forward. Lunge to the side while keeping your core engaged. Spin your back leg into the same direction by dropping your knee and reaching your arm up overhead.
  • Rose Move: Start by facing forward. Lunge to the side with your right leg and reach with your left arm across your body as you reach your right arm overhead and bend your torso inward.

Section 2: Rotation

Uses rotational movements to warm-up the joints. This often overlooked stage is very important in climbing because of the rotational nature of the sport. Perform the circular movements both clockwise and counter-clockwise for five repetitions.

  • Rotations: Rotate your arms in both large and small circles, rotate your hips in circles with your knees bent, and rotate your knees in circles.

Section 3: Arms

Uses dynamic stretching to warm a primary muscle and its opposing muscle in a single motion. Perform 5 repetitions each upper body exercise.

  • Sun Salute: Start with your hands in a prayer pose at your chest, push your palms together and raise your arms up over your head, reverse you palms to the sky and pull your elbows down towards your hips.
  • Cross-Body Stretch: Swing your arm across your body and press with your opposite hand into your chest. Hold for three seconds. Swing the arm back out away from your body. Hold for three seconds.
  • Back Taps: Reach both hands overhead with your elbows bent and tap your shoulder blades. Hold for three seconds. Straighten your elbows into the air and reverse the position by reaching your arms behind you. Hold for three seconds.

Section 4: Wrist and Fingers

Targets the smallest muscle groups with tendon glides. Perform 10 repetitions each wrist and finger exercise. Perform 10 repetitions each wrist and finger exercise.

  • Wrist tendon glides: Start with your wrist flexed forward and your elbow bent, straighten your elbow and simultaneously extend your wrist backwards as you press toward the ground, start with your wrist flexed forward and your elbow bent, and straighten your elbow and simultaneously extend your wrist backwards as you press in front of you or overhead.
  • Finger tendon glides: Start with a straight hand, slowly crimp your fingers into a hook fist, making sure that your knuckles stay aligned with your wrist, roll your fingers down into a full fist, and transition into a flat fist. Focus on your ability to maximally close each position.

References:

-Aguilar AJ, DiStefano LJ, Brown CN, Herman DC, Guskiewicz KM, Padua D. A dynamic warm-up model increases quadriceps strength and hamstring flexibility. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Apr;26(4):1130-41.

-McMillian DJ, Moore JH, Hatler BS, Taylor DC. Dynamic vs. static-stretching warm up: the effect on power and agility performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2006 Aug;20(3):492-9.

-Sim AY, Dawson BT, Guelfi KJ, Wallman KE, Young WB. Effects of static stretching in warm-up on repeated sprint performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Oct;23(7):2155-62.

-Turki O, Chaouachi A, Behm DG, Chtara H, Chtara M, Bishop D, Chamari K, Amri M. The effect of warm-ups incorporating different volumes of dynamic stretching on 10- and 20-m sprint performance in highly trained male athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Jan;26(1):63-72.

-Gelen E. Acute effects of different warm-up methods on sprint, slalom dribbling, and penalty kick performance in soccer players. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Apr;24(4): 950-6.

-Winchester JB, Nelson AG, Landin D, Young MA, Schexnayder IC. Static stretching impairs sprint performance in collegiate track and field athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Jan;22(1):13-9.

-Sayers AL, Farley RS, Fuller DK, Jubenville CB, Caputo JL. The effect of static stretching on phases of sprint performance in elite soccer players. J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Sep;22(5):1416-21.

-Fletcher IM, Anness R. The acute effects of combined static and dynamic stretch protocols on fifty-meter sprint performance in track-and-field athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 Aug;21(3):784-7.

-Neil Gresham. Improve your climbing with Neil Gresham maser class part 1. Film. 2005.