What supplementary, non-climbing-specific exercises can you do at home? Here are four bodyweight exercises from T4C guest author Daniel DeMoss.

If you’re on the T4C website, then you’re surely an enthusiastic climber interested in training. Naturally, climbing-specific exercises such as pull-ups, hangboarding, and campus training are of greatest interest and importance to climbers.

However, developing a balanced physique that will perform optimally—and hold up to the rigors of climbing⁠—is essential if you want to climb your best and, hopefully, remain uninjured in the long run. Doing a variety of supplementary exercises that targeted the antagonist muscles, as well as the often-overlook muscle of the posterior chain, is central to building a biomechanically sound and robust body for climbing.

Towards this end, here are fur body-weight exercises that you can perform at home. (Of course, if you have access to a full-service gym, then there are a myriad of other exercise options.) Perform one set of each exercise, resting for about 1 minute between sets. Once you complete one round, you can rest for 2-3 minutes and then start over for a total of 3 sets. Don’t forget to begin your workout with 10 minutes of warm-up⁠—either be some easy cardio and a few dynamic stretches to make sure your muscles are ready to work.

1. Pistol Squats

Pistol squats improve balance, body control, and joint mobility by engaging your entire body throughout a complete range of motion. As a unilateral exercise, the pistol squat increases mobility, strength, and stability for increased control during your climbs.

How To Do It:
To perform a pistol squat, stand on one leg, with your feet pointed forward.
1. Activate your core and hip flexors while keeping one foot planted securely on the floor and the front leg flexed outwards and pointed in front of you.
2. Next, slowly lower yourself into a squat, making sure that your weight is distributed in your planted foot.
3. Use one leg to press into the floor while locking your core to propel yourself upwards. Assume standing position on the working leg and repeat the process to start your next rep.

To get the most out of your pistol squats, I recommend 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions. Pretty hard!

2. Jump Lunges

This plyometric exercise will improve the strength and power in your posterior chain–important for powerful, jumpy, and steep climbing moves.

How To Do It:
1. For this exercise, start in a standing position with your feet staggered and keep your body loose.
2. Maintain an active stance by engaging your knees in a slight bend and tightening your core muscles. Then, push off the bottom of both of your feet into a jump.
3. While in the air, switch the position of your feet to land in a basic lunge stance. Alternate legs and repeat this movement without resting between repetitions for optimum results.

Do 3 sets of 20 repetitions.

3. Clap Push-Ups

Try clap push-ups in your workout routine to build strength and power in your chest and upper back.

How To Do It:
1. Start this exercise down on all fours with your palms down on the floor and in line with your shoulders.
2. Engage your abdominals and glutes to form a straight line from the crown or your head to your ankles. Lower your body until you almost reach the floor and pause.
3. Then, push yourself up and off the floor with enough force to propel yourself up and clap your hands in mid-air.
4. Return your hands to the ground to resume starting position and begin your next rep.

For your first go at clap push-ups, try for 5 reps. Rest 3 minutes, then do a second set. As you gain strength and explosiveness, build up to 10 to 15 reps. Do two sets per session.

4. Shoulder Tags

Shoulder tags are kind of a push-up and plank hybrid exercise. They offer a more engaging way to train the push muscles and core, all in one.

How To Do It:
1. Begin this workout in the classic plank position with your arms and legs straight, and your palms flat and in line beneath your shoulders.
2. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, lower your chest towards the ground with your by bending your elbows.
3. Once your shoulders are in line with your elbows, inhale and straighten your arms. While in this position, lift one hand and tap the opposite shoulder.
4. Place your hand back on the ground to resume starting position before repeating the process with your other hand to complete a single rep.

Begin with two sets of 10 reps, but build to 3 sets of 20 reps over several weeks or months.

About the Author:

Daniel DeMoss is physical therapist, personal trainer, and owner of Dumbbellsreview.com.

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