Climbing isn’t just about pulling yourself up a wall—it’s about moving with your whole body. But before you even step on the wall, warming up is essential. A proper warm-up keeps you safe, helps you climb better, and makes the whole session feel smoother, and in a long run, your body will thank you!
In this post, we’ll go through some simple warm-up moves for your whole body. But the most important is, that you create your own warm up routine WHICH YOU LIKE! I can give you thousand warm up routines but if they don’t resonate with you, it is more likely that you won’t stick with them. I have now, after yeeeeaaarsss, a warm up routine I do a pretty automatically, I enjoy doing it, and sometimes I slip in some new things if I notice I need to tweak it.
Why Warm Up?
Think of climbing like dancing—if you jump straight into it cold, you’ll feel stiff and risk injury. Just 10 minutes of moving your body, breaking a little sweat and get your heart rate a bit up makes a huge difference! If you have a sporty background, you probably can extract your warm up routine from there, but remember take in consideration your fingers, hands, and shoulders too!
Quick Warm-Up Routine
Hands & Forearms
- Wrist rolls: Rotate your wrists in both directions for 20–30 seconds.
- Rubbing hands: Rub your hands together like if they are freezing, create a friction to warm them up.
- Finger flicks: Stretch your fingers wide, then make a fist, repeat 10–15 times. (There are tools for this too, check e.g., this out!)
- Forearm squeezes: Squeeze a stress ball or just clench and release your fists .
Shoulders & Upper Body
- Arm circles: Small to big circles, both directions, 10–15 each.
- Shoulder shrugs & rolls: Loosen them up with 10 reps each.
- Wall push-ups: A few gentle ones to get the blood flowing.
Core
These are back-friendly options.
- Standing twists: Rotate your torso side to side for 20 reps.
- Plank hold: 20–30 seconds is enough to “wake up” the core.
- Air Bike: Lie flat on your back, arms relaxed at your sides or hands under your hips for support, begin “cycling” your legs in the air, as if pedaling a bike.
- Heel Taps: Lie on your back, knees bent, and reach your hands toward your heels one side at a time. Simple but effective.
- Dead Bug (easy version): Lie on your back, arms and legs in the air, and slowly lower one leg and the opposite arm, then switch. Builds coordination + core strength.
Legs
- Bodyweight squats: 10–15 to activate the legs, a few reps.
- Lunges: 5 on each side, a few reps.
- Ankle rolls: Keep those ankles mobile for better foot placement.
That’s it—by taking just a few minutes to prepare your body and focus on simple movements, you’ll climb more efficiently, reduce the risk of injuries, and enjoy your sessions way more. And most importantly, get to know your body in the making! Learn to know what serves it and what not. I will tell you more about my routines and thinking, in the blog posts!
Every climbing session is a progress! Next we will learn how to fall safely!
Why Climbing for Beginners?
Starting out in climbing can feel overwhelming — new terms, unfamiliar gear, and a wall that looks impossible to scale. Climbing for Beginners exists to make that first step easier. Here, you’ll find simple guides, practical tips, and encouragement from someone who was also learning along the way, and still learning! No jargon, no pressure — just a friendly place to help you start climbing with confidence.
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