Rope climb, or rope climbing, is a staple of CrossFit® and functional fitness; Are you wondering why? Why develop the force and upper body strength like very few other exercises are able to do!
If you own a box, gym, or home gym and are looking to add rope climbing to your workout routine, you need to know that choosing the right type of rope is crucial.
Let's find out all the benefits of this exercise and the most suitable ropes to perform it at its best.
Index
How is rope climbing in CrossFit®?
The standard rope for climbing in a typical CrossFit® wod is about 4 meters high and is sold in lengths of 15 meters; like any piece of gym equipment, a good climbing rope must be made with a high quality and durable material, able to withstand pressure.
Most CrossFit® climbing ropes are designed for indoor training, although some are specific for outdoor training; before assembling a rope outdoors, check whether the weather conditions could deteriorate it and whether it is actually safe.
Before starting any training with the rope, it is a good idea to check that it is well fixed to the ceiling; in CrossFit® they exist two types of rope climb: the classic rope climb and the one without the use of the legs (legless).
Let's find out the differences:
- Basic rope climbing: classic rope climbing involves using the feet, an exercise that can be difficult to learn at first; the first time you manage to climb using your legs, you experience a unique euphoria as for the first one muscle-up! There are several variants of using the feet on the rope, such as the "J" winding technique, the simplest and most suitable for beginners: the rope starts from the outside of the knee and descends under the foot, the left foot fixes the rope into a J-shape, pinning it inside the right foot; the foot must not disengage.
- Legless rope climb: with the evolution of CrossFit®, exercises must also evolve in order for athletes to try new levels of difficulty; legless climbing has become famous for this: making life difficult for the athlete. The key to this drill is the forward thrust of the hip that generates momentum on the rope.
Benefits Rope climb
Rope climbing trains the upper body, engaging muscles such as the biceps, lats and shoulders; Furthermore, it significantly improves the strength of the pinch (made with three fingers).
Although basic rope climbing and legless climbing are performed differently, they both develop the core strength and require some coordination. Like most CrossFit® exercises, rope climbing is a full-body exercise.
Requirements for the purchase of a rope
Before buying the rope for your box, carefully evaluate these characteristics:
- material: the most suitable rope for rope climbing is the one in manila hemp fiber, which tends not to fray and last longer over time
- duration: all ropes for CrossFit® must be strong; some ropes will be very slippery at the beginning, you have to be patient, use them and use magnesium to avoid slipping
- thickness: the ideal diameter of the rope must be 38 mm
- lunghezza: hemp ropes tend to stretch over time; start with one rope 1 meter off the ground
- weight capacity: a good rope must have a weight capacity of at least 150 kg.
And you, how many rope climbs do you do in your workouts? Let us know in the comments and remember to follow us on our telegram channel 
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