Are you an avid climber or just beginning to explore the wonderful world of climbing?
If so, incorporating yoga into your regular routine can be highly beneficial to help increase your flexibility and strength, which are important to climb safely and efficiently.
Yoga poses specifically designed for climbers help open up the hips and shoulders while developing the balance needed in sport climbing.
In this blog post, we will cover the best yoga poses for rock climbers that have been proven to be very helpful in improving our performance and teaching us skills that we utilize daily, such as managing stress levels through mindful breathing exercises.
Let's get started!
Related: Reasons to try rock climbing
How Can Rock Climbers Begin Their Yoga Practice?
- To begin, take a deep breath in and extend your body from head to toe.
- Always come back to Mountain posture.
- Take 30-60 seconds to hold each position.
- Strike stances that are lopsided on both sides.
- Trying extreme positions is not a good idea if you're just starting out with yoga.
- Stand up straight, keeping your chest and buttocks in.
Best Yoga Poses For Rock Climbers
Listed below are the best yoga poses for climbers that they can make use of to take their rock-climbing game to the next level:
1. Mountain Pose
Mountain is probably one of the best yoga poses for climbers as it promotes stillness and increases body strength.
Here’s how you can do it:
- It's best to stand with your heels just slightly apart, and your big toes touching.
- Lift and spread your toes, then sway your body from side to side to maintain a steady center of gravity.
- Bring your pelvic bone and tailbone closer together, draw your upper thighs in slightly, and draw up on your kneecaps.
- Raise your chest without protruding your ribs, drop your shoulders, and broaden your back.
- Put your hands down and out in front of you, palms up.
- Put your weight on the top of your head, then stretch up until your chin is level with the floor.
- Lay your tongue completely flat on the bottom of your mouth.
- At last, soften your eyes.
Benefits Of Mountain For Climbers: This position is known as the "ready" stance in yoga. It helps one remain calm, strong, and "grounded." Imagine that you are a mountain.
2. Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Another amazing yoga pose for climbers is the downward-facing dog. If you have no idea how to do it perfectly, we have got you covered here.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Come down on your hands and knees, hips over knees.
- Put your hands out in front of you, slightly below shoulder level, and turn out your index fingers.
- Keep your knees from locking as you straighten your legs and lift your buttocks.
- Put your toes up and relax your calves. Walking around with your heels off the ground and your knees slightly bent is acceptable.
- Lift the inner arms and press the bases of the index fingers against the floor.
- Scapulae should be drawn away from the ears to open up the collarbones.
- Keep your head high, in between your arms.
Benefits Of Downward-Facing Dog For Climbers: It reduces the risk of rotator cuff injuries, lengthens your spine, eases back tension, and provides better lats to extend your reach while climbing.
3. Plank Pose
If you want to become a professional climber, the plank pose will help you reach your goal because it is one of the most recommended yoga poses for climbers.
Here’s how you can do it:
- As you transition from Downward-Facing Dog to Plank, focus on keeping your body weight forward.
- Keep a straight line from your ankle bones to the base of your cranium at all times.
- Get as much of your body weight as possible onto the floor.
- Take note of any swaying or anterior (forward) or posterior (backward) pelvic tilting.
- Attempt to achieve a position of sagittal balance in the pelvis.
- When you're ready, choose a comfortable position in which you can hug or squeeze your two front hip bones together without rounding your back.
- Wait for 5 deep breaths here, then return to Down Dog.
Benefits Of Plank For Climbers: It strengthens the core and improves shoulder stability.
4. Warrior I Pose
If you love climbing and you want to know about the ideal yoga poses for rock climbers, we strongly suggest this Warrior I Pose.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Extend your left leg behind you and cross your right knee over your right ankle.
- Lie flat on your left foot at a 45-degree angle.
- Your right heel should be in line with your left heel, and your right ankle and foot should be pointed forward at a 90-degree angle. (Those with ankle issues should try standing on their toes instead of their heels.)
- The right outer hip should be drawn back, and the right thigh should be aligned perpendicular to the floor.
- Raise your arms above your head and arch your upper back slightly.
- Show the thumbs and index fingers pointing upwards while the palms are together. Raise your chest off the ground.
- Keep your head up and focus forward.
- Right leg forward, then left, and keep doing that.
Benefits Of Warrior I For Climbers: Your quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors will all benefit from this yoga pose by being more toned and flexible.
5. Bridge Pose
Another super-cool and beneficial yoga pose that every rock climber should try is the bridge pose.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Put your arms at your sides and lie face up.
- To do this, squat down such that your heels are touching your behind.
- Raise your chest and hips while maintaining a straight back and a parallel set of thighs. (Avoid fist-clenching.)
- Root your feet, then pull your knees in front of your ankles as you elevate your pelvis and lengthen your tailbone.
- Raise your chin and keep your shoulders back and together.
- Bring your chin up and away from your chest, and press your head down.
- Pull your belly button in and round your back and shoulder blades.
- Tense up your entire body.
- Slowly roll the spine down.
Advanced Yoga Poses For Beginner Climbers
Here are a couple more yoga poses that are advanced but beginners can do following the guidelines:
6. Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Low Lunge is a fantastic yoga pose for rock climbers because it stretches the hips, quads, and groin, which are areas that often get tight from climbing.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Start in a Downward Dog position, with your hands and feet on the floor and hips lifted up.
- Step your right foot forward between your hands, aligning your knee directly over your ankle.
- Lower your left knee to the floor, keeping the top of your left foot flat on the mat.
- Inhale, and as you do, lift your torso upright and raise your arms overhead, palms facing each other or together.
- Keep your hips facing forward, allowing the hips to sink gently toward the floor.
- Hold the pose for a few breaths, feeling the stretch in your hips, quads, and groin.
- To release, exhale and place your hands back on the mat, stepping back into Downward Dog or transitioning to the other side.
7. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Chair Pose helps build strong thighs, glutes, and core muscles, all of which are essential for climbers who need to maintain solid footing and body control.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Stand tall with your feet together, arms resting by your sides.
- Inhale and raise your arms overhead, keeping your palms facing inward and shoulders relaxed.
- Exhale, bend your knees, and lower your hips as if you're sitting in an imaginary chair.
- Shift your weight into your heels, ensuring your knees stay behind your toes. Keep your chest lifted and spine straight.
- Draw your belly in to engage your core, and try to lower your hips as much as possible while maintaining good form.
- Hold the pose for a few breaths, feeling the strength in your legs, glutes, and core.
- To release, inhale as you straighten your legs and bring your arms back down to your sides.
8. Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
Eagle Pose is great for improving balance and coordination, which are important for navigating tricky foot placements on the wall.
This at-home yoga pose for rock climbing also stretches the shoulders and hips, areas that tend to get tight from the twisting and reaching involved in climbing.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides.
- Bend your knees slightly and shift your weight onto your right foot.
- Cross your left thigh over your right thigh, hooking your left foot behind your right calf if possible (or just resting the toes on the ground for balance).
- Extend your arms forward at shoulder height. Cross your right arm under your left arm, bending both elbows to bring your palms together (or as close as possible).
- Sit deeper into the pose, keeping your chest lifted and spine tall. Squeeze your thighs together and focus on balance.
- Hold the pose for a few breaths, then gently release by uncrossing your legs and arms.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Benefits Of Bridge For Climbers: The bridge pose improves the strength of your buttocks, which is useful for heel hooking, high stepping, and keeping your balance on small holds.
Over To You
Climbing is a full-body workout that requires both strength and flexibility. That’s why climbers need to do yoga.
Yoga can help improve your range of motion, increase your core strength, and decrease your risk of injury.
The best yoga poses for climbers are mountain pose, warrior I, plank pose, downward-facing dog, and bridge Pose.
These poses will help you build the muscular strength and endurance you need to climb successfully.
So, get on your mat today and start practicing right away.
