Poor posture, a sore elbow, tingling fingers: do these symptoms sound familiar? Then someone has probably forgotten to do their balance training.
Below, we would like to introduce you to some exercises that you can use to strengthen your opposing muscles . Incorporate them into your regular training and hey presto: you'll feel a little less tingly.
The basics
The opposing muscles should be trained at least once a week. If you are already noticing initial deficits or pain, you should do counter-player training two to three times a week. You can do the exercises as a warm-up or after training - or additionally on "non-training" days, for example as circuit training.
Compensation training prevents injuries
Muscular imbalances are the reason why you get twinges and aches from time to time. They are caused by one-sided strain, both during training and through monotonous everyday movements (such as constant screen work). The background to this is that only one muscle is heavily loaded, while others - namely its counterpart - are hardly loaded or not loaded enough. During training, we therefore incorrectly focus on strengthening the "important" muscles while neglecting others.
Muscular imbalance, Klee 1995, Source: Dr. Klee - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
In Klee's illustration, a schematic representation of a state of muscular imbalance can be seen on the left. The antagonistic muscles A and B maintain a state of equilibrium around the pivot point D - which represents a joint.
Due to a specific stimulus with a higher tension (e.g. caused by strength training), an imbalance occurs due to muscle shortening in muscle B. Muscle A has not been exposed to any stimulus, its tension remains the same.
A disturbed balance subsequently leads to muscle tension, overloading of the tendons, wear and tear of the joint cartilage, etc. In short: injuries and pain! In short: injuries and pain!
Right now: Variety in training
At the moment, we're all busy on the hangboard and training our fingers. Perhaps some of you have noticed the first pains in your elbow? This is due to the one-sided strain caused by the constant finger position on the training board. That's why it's important to change your holding position after a few sessions of half-crimp training and train with open fingers (on round handles) (see "Fingerboard - everything you need for proper finger training"). If you start doing this, your elbow pain could disappear in no time.
Climbing compensation exercise: with open fingers on round holds, photo: Martina Scheichl
Stretching is not enough!
According to current literature, it is a misconception that imbalances can be compensated for by stretching the stressed muscles. Instead, strengthening the opposing muscles plays a central role.
The most important climbing balancing exercises 1) Fingers
Finger climbing balancing exercise, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Take a Theraband or another tightly stretched elastic band and push it outwards with your fingers.
2) Finger stretcher
Use a weight or Theraband to train the finger extensors.
Climbing balancing exercise finger stretcher, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Hold your arm at the side of your body and bend it at the elbow by 90 degrees. Now you should stabilize the weight. Then slowly lower your wrist and stretch it straight up again.
If it is too difficult to stay straight, support your forearm on a table or sitting on your thigh. Make sure that the weight is not too heavy.
Note: Strictly speaking, the downward movement is not a balancing exercise, but an additional strengthening of the antagonist. The pure balancing exercise starts in the neutral wrist position (wrist straight forward) and the direction of movement is only upwards. Return until the wrist is in a neutral position again.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions per side, 3 series
3) Finger extensor rotation
Climbing balancing exercise finger extensor rotation, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Hold your arm at the side of your body and bend it 90 degrees at the elbow. Now slowly rotate the weight to the right and then over the middle to the left.
If it is too difficult to stay straight, support your forearm on a table or sitting on your thigh. Make sure that the weight is not too heavy.
Note: Again, strictly speaking, the inward movement is not a balancing exercise.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions per side, 3 series
4) Push-up
Climbing balancing exercise push-ups, photo: Martina Scheichl
The classic balancing exercise, the push-up, trains all the major climbing-specific antagonists (chest, arm and shoulder muscles as well as overall body tension). There are endless variations for performing this exercise, which can be perfectly adapted to different strength levels.
5) Rowing with Theraband
The following exercises prevent a rounded climbing back and strengthen many important antagonists, especially the trapezius muscle and the rhomboid muscles.
Climbing balance exercise rowing, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Start with the outstretched arm and raise it backwards. The shoulder should remain stable in the starting position. It is easier to remain stable when supported by a chair.
-> 10 to 12 repetitions per side, 3 sets
6) Rowing with sling trainer (TRX, rings)
Climbing balance exercise rowing sling trainer, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Start with your arms stretched out on the floor. Build up body tension and lift your back/legs off the floor, then pull yourself up with both arms. Keep your elbows close to your body. Hold briefly in the end position, then slowly slide back to the starting position.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions, 3 sets
6) Side raise and front pull with Theraband
These exercises work the muscles used to rotate and stabilize the shoulder blades. They are also responsible for their retraction.
Their working direction is exactly opposite to the climbing load, which creates a balanced relationship between the shoulder and back muscles.
Climbing balancing exercise side raise, Martina Scheichl
Execution of the side raise: Stand upright and with tension, now raise your outstretched arm slightly elliptically backwards at least to the height of your head. The further you can move your arm backwards without changing the position of your shoulder, the stronger the strengthening effect. However, make sure that you do not rotate with your body.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions, 3 sets
Climbing compensation exercise front raise, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution of the front lift: Stand upright and with tension, holding the Theraband with your arms stretched downwards. The movement goes upwards in front of the body, with the fists moving towards the chin and the elbows leading the way.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions, 3 series
7) External rotation
This exercise trains the external rotators of the shoulder.
Climbing balancing exercise shoulder rotation, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Hold the Theraband relatively straight in front of your body and rotate outwards and back again. Your elbow remains close to your body during the entire rotation.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions, 3 series
8) Handstand
The handstand mainly trains the antagonists of the shoulders and arm extensors, and the exercise is also a welcome change to do something for coordination and balance.
Climbing balance exercise handstand, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Place your hands on the floor about 30 cm apart, push yourself firmly off the floor so that your feet fall against the wall, tense your stomach and pull your pelvis inwards - this will prevent you from having a hollow back. Push yourself upwards with all your strength from your shoulders. Look towards the floor.
-> Hold the handstand for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 series
9) Support
Climbing balance exercise support, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Support yourself on two chairs/rings. Now push yourself up firmly from the shoulders and hold the tension for about 60 seconds, using the strength of the shoulder and shoulder blade stabilizers. Alternatively, this exercise can be performed on rings, as the instability also trains your body tension and back.
-> Hold 3 times for 60 seconds each
10) Scapula pushes
A simple exercise with a big effect.
Climbing balancing exercise scapula pushes, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Get into the plank position and pay attention to your body tension, which you maintain throughout the exercise. Now pull your shoulder blades down inwards - hold briefly - and push yourself out again.
-> Either 15 repetitions and 3 series or 60 seconds and 3 series
11) Scapula pull-ups
Climbing balancing exercise scapula pull-ups, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Same as above, only this time hanging on outstretched arms. Pull the shoulder blades inwards - hold the position briefly - and slowly slide out again.
-> 10 to 15 repetitions, 3 sets
12) Back exercises
Training the back extensor muscles , especially the lower back.
Climbing back extension balancing exercise, photo: Martina Scheichl
Execution: Lie flat on your stomach, raise your arms and legs and build up tension throughout your body. The intensity of the exercise increases if you stretch out your arms or alternatively hold a weight in your hands.
Alternating rocking with your legs also has a strengthening effect.
-> Hold for 40 to 60 seconds, 3 repetitions
A second good exercise for the lower back is this one from Pilates:
Back Pilates climbing balancing exercise, photo: Martina Scheichl
Lie on your back and bend your legs. Now lift your pelvis upwards and pay attention to your tension. Alternatively, stretch one leg upwards or stand with your feet on a wobble board.
-> Hold the position for 40 to 60 seconds, 3 repetitions
