Effect Of A Seven-week Rock Climbing Course On Physical Fitness And Performance

Abstract

Rock climbing is an increasingly popular physical activity as seen by the number of indoor climbing gyms and the increase in rock climbing competitions. Due to this popularity it should be considered an activity that can be enjoyed recreationally or for sport; thus, it is important to evaluate courses and training programs to determine their efficacy in improving fitness and performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess changes in physical fitness and performance by rock climbing twice a week (50 minutes/day) over a 7-week time period as experienced through participation in a college rock climbing class. METHODS: 16 subjects (3 females and 13 males) who were enrolled in a 7-week rock-climbing course participated in the study. All data was collected the week before and after the course. Demographic information included: Age, height, body mass, BMI, arm-span, ape-index, and % body fat. A variety of tests were used to assess physical fitness and performance, including grip strength (kg), grip endurance (seconds), pinch strength (kg), upper body aerobic power (ml.kg-1 .min-1), and time (seconds) to complete a 5.8 rated route (YDS Scale) on the climbing wall. Data were analyzed using dependent t-tests with significance determined at p<0.05. Results: Significant improvements were observed in right hand grip endurance (pre 33.52±9.5, post 40.61±12.57, p = .034), left hand grip endurance (pre 29.86±7.31, post 42.74±16.91, p = 0.001), right hand pinch strength (pre 9.93±1.87, post 11.1±2.6, p= 0.001), average pinch strength (pre 9.89±1.81, post 10.62±2.18, p= 0.002), and timed climb (pre 116.89±68.02, post 55.73±43.24, p=0.001). No differences were seen in body mass (p=0.732), % body fat (p=0.073), grip strength for left hand (p=0.542) or right hand (p=0.263), left hand pinch strength (p=0.235) and upper-body aerobic power (p=0.635). CONCLUSION: A 7-week rock climbing course meeting 50 minutes/day twice a week can improve some physical fitness parameters and performance. Future research should begin to look at specific training programs for rock-climbing and their efficacy for improving fitness and performance.