Winter is Coming
As winter approaches and gym climbing gains popularity, the risk of climbing-related injuries unfortunately tends to increase. With the colder months discouraging outdoor climbing, it becomes tempting to spend a significant amount of time climbing at the gym. Below are some valuable tips to minimize the risks of injury.
Here are 5 tips to stay healthy and climbing injury free
Perform 100 warm up moves (50 on each hand) to properly increase internal temperature, bring blood flow to your fingers and prep your tissues for climbing.
Practice different climbing styles throughout the month to variate the demands on your body and decrease chances of overuse.
Quality > Quantity: Keep your climbing sessions less than 2 hours. When you notice your form/technique is diminishing it is a good cue to end your session for the day.
Take Breaks! Allow your body to recover between climbing sessions by taking days off.
Listen to your body, if you are having pain or discomfort that is limiting you when climbing, seek out a Physical Therapist who specializes in treating Climbers.
3 Warm-up exercises off the wall to prime your fingers and shoulders
Open Hand on Finger Board: 10 sec on, 10 sec off for 1 minute (x2) (1 min rest in between) Keep your feet on the ground
Need more help with creating a warm-up? Read more here…