Rope Climbing

[Calbear]

When I was a high school wrestler I climbed the rope in our gym all the time. I got quite good at it and I loved the exercise. Then i got to college and our conditioning for the sport i played did not have any rope climbing and I got pretty bad at it. Well i decided to join the Marines and I need to get back at it with the rope climbing because the O-Course has it as the final test. Does anyone know how I could properly simulate no foot hand over hand rope climbing?

Thank You

[Paul]

I guess the best thing would be to do rope climbing itself.

You can buy ready made climbing ropes with a shackle on one end for hanging. Search on google for something called Manila Climbing Rope. They tend to be 1.5" diameter or 2" diameter.

Here's an example of what's on ebay.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl ... category0=

If you are lucky you may find a gym with a Viper Rope Climber. Don't know how it compares to actual rope climbing though. See here -

http://www.marpokinetics.com/

Paul.

[George Launchbury]

Hi Calbear,

My cousin used a similar machine when he was in the Royal Marines, and in his opinion, climbing a rope was king for strength ...he compared it to pullups vs lat-pulldown machine. Apparently theirs measured distance, and they had a lot of fun competitions/races on it!

I guess you could also get a shorter length of rope and arrange it over your pullup bar for rope pullups, with or without one-arm variations. Or simply a couple of towels hung over the bar?

I saw a great exercise on Crossfit once, where you put one towel over the bar, and hang with one end in each hand. Then simply alternate one hand pulling while the other hand goes up to the bar (keeping constant tension throughout) as though 'sawing' the bar with the towel. Does that make any sense?

Ultimately, though, Paul's right - there's no substitute for actually climbing a rope if that's your goal.

Hope some of that might have helped.

Cheers,

George.

[Calbear]

thanks for the replies. Just after I posted i found some of those ropes with the attachments you were referring to. I will probably ante up for one and just start climbing away. Im hoping my strength with it comes back quickly.

Cheers

[Calbear]

OK dumb question but are there any that will be easily attached to say a swing set or something? It seems like most of the models have to have some sort of ceiling clamp and for me i have to have one that I can attach is say a park so I can take advantage of the height of something like a swing set

[Coach Sommer]

Attaching a Climbing Rope to Playground Equipment

I recommend anchoring the rope to a swing set (or other playground overhead support) by using a small section of chain and a carabiner. Simply place the chain over the bar, secure the two ends with the carabiner and then attach the rope itself to the carabiner as well.

Also remember that a short length of rope is not necessarily an impediment to building up substantial rope climbing strength. First build up to the standard variation of using no legs, then to climbing non-stop for several laps and then progressing on to more difficult rope climbing variations.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Calbear]

Coach S,

Thanks for the reply, I think we have ESP. Right after I posted the question I thought to myself, maybe I should just use chain and a caribener and I guess that is the right approach.

Thank you for the suggestions as well on the proper progression.