

By Yusuf Daneshyar, Program Director








By Yusuf Daneshyar, Program Director
By Nick Hollander, Instructor
We all know our core is important in climbing, but training your core to be stronger is only half the battle. It is also important to teach yourself how to USE your core when climbing. Your “core” is actually made up of a lot of muscles and your brain has to tell them all to “turn on” at the same time to generate body tension. Climbers use body tension to keep pressure through their feet while climbing through difficult positions.
My core workout is about teaching your brain to turn all of those muscles on when you need them, not just to make your core muscles stronger. As such, it is very important that you focus on turning all of your core muscles on while you perform these exercises. This requires a lot of concentration, so it’s important to pay attention when training and not simply go through the motions.
All of these workouts require a great deal of focus to do correctly. They are also easy to cheat with bad form. As such, it’s important that you take your time and do them as slow and controlled as possible. If you can’t do very many sets at first, that’s okay.
A strong core is required for many difficult climbing moves, but how strong your core is doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to use it when you need it. Pay attention to what it feels like when you are doing these exercises and try to recreate that tension next time you’re on the wall.
There’s no timer this week. Just get as many rounds in as you can in 40 minutes. The burpee is your round counter. Take breaks between rounds as needed while trying to keep them as short as possible. If you do not have a crash pad you can replace that with a squat jump, adding the arm movements if you want.
Alternating Toe Touch with a Lift
Reverse Bear Crawl (Go approximately 8 feet or the distance you think you can broad jump.)
Mat Flip or Squat Jump
Broad Jump
Single-Leg Pushup (Both Sides)
Mountain Climbers (10 total, 5 Each Leg)
Burpee (Add a Burpee Each Round)
Do as many rounds in 45 minutes as you can. It took me about 6 minutes to do one round. I would suggest a 1:00 minute rest in between each round but rest whenever you need it.
10 Each Leg – Single Leg Deadlift
Use laundry soap, a kettlebell, or whatever other heavy items you want to try. If you have a Bosu Ball, you can do this exercise on it for an extra stabilizer workout. I would use a lighter weight item if attempting the Bosu challenge.
5 Total – Pushup with Elbow Tap
10 Total – Jump Lunge with Ankle Tap
If you can’t quite tap your foot, work on just lifting your back foot off the ground.
5 Total – Plank Walkouts
Put your feet against a wall for a little extra help!
10 Each Leg – Reverse Lunge with Step-up Thrust
Shown on Bosu Ball and stairs. You can also use a bench or box if you have those.
40 Seconds Active, 15 Seconds ISO, 30 Seconds Rest
Go through the whole animal kingdom (5 sets) and then repeat 5 times.
40 Seconds – Bear Crawl
15 Seconds – Wall Sit
30 Seconds – Rest
40 Seconds – Crocodile Pushups
15 Seconds – Plank
30 Seconds – Rest
40 Seconds – Crab Walk
15 Seconds – ISO Chair Dip
30 Seconds – Rest
40 Seconds – Guerilla Run
15 Seconds – ISO Sumo Squat
30 Seconds – Rest
40 Seconds – Walking Inchworm
15 Seconds – Handstand or Pike on Wall
30 Seconds – Rest