The Surprising Connection for Yoga and Rock Climbing

You already know how to master a challenging climb. Your next adventure is prepped and ready. Before you head out, however, you need to get your body in great shape.

That’s where yoga comes into play. When you think about training for your next rock climbing adventure, practicing yoga may not have been at the top of your mind.

Yoga is a fantastic way to train your mind and body to become more adept at scaling mountains. Yoga for rock climbers isn’t a gimmick—it’s a proven strategy that works no matter what your skill level is!

Here’s why.

The Connection Between Yoga and Rock Climbing

Yoga masters and expert rock climbers have a lot in common. They both need to be very in tune with their bodies and their breathing. They need to be hyper-aware of what their bodies are doing at each moment.

When you’re climbing a mountain, it’s essential that you know how to stay calm when faced with an unfamiliar situation. Is this a right spot for a toe jam? Can you reach the next foothold?

Yoga teaches you to be calm and connected.

Of course, you can’t ignore the obvious physical benefits. Climbers need to have stellar core strength. It’s not easy scaling an unforgiving cliff face.

Yoga is an incredible way to stay in shape. Your post climbing stretches should always include a few yoga poses.

Yoga for Rock Climbers

There are so many reasons why yoga is an excellent idea for climbers that it would be impossible to list them all. Here are a couple of the main ones.

Flexibility

The mind-bending, pretzel poses that you sometimes see in yoga videos are fun, but they aren’t necessary. You don’t need to be super flexible to enjoy yoga.

If you’re a climber, you’re better off focusing on the stability that yoga can provide. If your joints are too loose, you can hurt yourself on the mountain.

Some flexibility, however, is useful. You want to have a full range of motion for your climb.

Balance

A lot of favorite yoga poses require exquisite balance. When you’re on the mountain, that balance will allow you to be acutely aware of your center of gravity.

You’ll feel strong and in control of yourself.

Strength

Some people think that yoga is just about stretching or taking it easy. They couldn’t be more wrong!

Yoga requires incredible strength. Like rock climbing, yoga relies on your body weight to build muscle rather than dumbbells or special equipment.

Endurance

If you become an experienced yoga practitioner, you’ll find that muscle endurance improves dramatically. It’s clear why this would be helpful to any climber.

Ready to Get Started?

Yoga is for everybody. Young, old, fat thin. It doesn’t matter what your current physical condition is. There’s a yoga routine that will suit you. People have done routines from hospital beds.

Because you’re a climber, you already have an advantage. Yoga for rock climbers is like yoga for anyone else except there’s an extra focus on preparing your body for unusual moves.

Climbing can be difficult. We have tons of helpful advice. However, that can help you prepare for your next adventure. Yoga is far from the only way to get your body ready.