Stronger Wrists for Climbers - 4 Must-Do Exercises
Wrist strength and mobility are crucial for climbers, as they play a significant role in grip, stability, and injury prevention.
These 4 exercises are for any climber that want to increase wrist strength and to help injury prevention.
If you happen to incorporate these into your weekly routine you’ll have happy wrists, stronger wrists and increase your chances of being a more well rounded climber.
After dealing with wrist injuries over the years, these simple exercises have made my wrists more resilient and highly recommend at least trying them for a short period of time.
Exercises 1. Wrist Curls
- How To: Hold a light dumbbell or a resistance band with your palm facing upward. Rest your forearm on a bench or your thigh, allowing your wrist to hang off the edge. Slowly curl your wrist upward and then lower it back down.
- Benefits: Strengthens the flexor muscles in your forearm, which are crucial for maintaining grip strength on holds.
Exercises 2. Reverse Wrist Curls
- How To: Similar to wrist curls, but with your palm facing downward. Hold a light dumbbell or resistance band and perform the curl by lifting your hand upward.
- Benefits: Strengthens the extensor muscles in your forearm, balancing out wrist strength and helping prevent injuries like tendinitis.
Exercises 3. Wrist Rotations
- How To: Hold a lightweight dumbbell or a hammer at the end of its handle. With your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your forearm parallel to the ground, rotate your wrist slowly from side to side.
- Benefits: Enhances wrist mobility and strengthens stabilising muscles, which is vital for maintaining control on varied holds.
Exercises 4. Pronator and Supinator Exercises
- How To: Hold a light dumbbell, hammer, or a tool with a long handle. Rotate your forearm so your palm moves from facing up (supination) to facing down (pronation) and back.
- Benefits: Targets the muscles that rotate your forearm, which are essential for dynamic grip adjustments during climbing.
To build strength in your wrists, aim for the following sets and reps:
- Sets: 3 to 4 sets
- Reps: 8 to 12 reps per exercise
Key Points:
- Focus on controlled movements with proper form to target the wrist muscles effectively.
- Use enough resistance that challenges you, but allows you to maintain good technique.
- As your strength improves, gradually increase resistance while keeping the same rep range.
- Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets to allow proper recovery.
Incorporating these wrist exercises into your training routine on a weekly basis doesn’t take long and can lead to stronger, more stable wrists, all while reducing your risk of injury.