With all of the increased emphasis on training for climbing, it’s easy to forget that training isn’t when we get stronger.  We actually get stronger when we recover from the abuse of training and climbing.  As a result, climbers looking to maximize the gains they can make through hard training should be taking their recovery just as seriously as they take their training sessions.

However, recovering properly is easier said than done.  Simply taking a few days away from the gym or the crag often isn’t enough and we need to be proactive in helping our bodies recover.  To show you how to do so, here’s an article from the Mountain Project Journal by Dr. Lisa Erikson that lists her seven favorite recovery tools and outlines exactly how each one should be used.

“Here are the self-care tools that I use to win over sore muscles and fatigued fingers. Collect these as a mobile self-care kit you can use at home or on the road. Use them 2-3 times per week to recover from all that training and prevent injury.” – Dr. Lisa Erikson

Recovery Tools Covered:

While there are lots of different recovery tools out there, here are Dr. Erikson’s suggestions specifically for climbers:

• Basic Foam Roller
• Armaid
• The KnotOut
• The Acupressure Ring
• The FlexBar
• Kinesiotape
• Hand Putty and a Rubber Band

Click through below to read about each of these recovery tools in more detail.  Dr. Erikson does a great job of describing what each of these tools are used for as well as giving you some instructional videos to show you how to use them properly.

Full Article from Mountain Project: The 7 Best Recovery Tools for Climbers

(photo courtesy of mountainproject.com)

Other Articles You Might Like:

• Evening Sends – 5 Recovery Tools Every Climber Should Have
• Failure to Sleep = Failure to Train
• TBP 026 :: Dr. Lisa Erikson on Preventing and Healing Injuries
• Training: Efficient Rest Days