Warming up properly and doing the necessary body maintenance work is the best way to prevent climbing injuries.  An important part of both of these processes is stretching.  However, we’re not talking about the kind of stretches you learned growing up in gym class.  We’re talking about the type of stretches that either help you get ready for climbing specific movements or aid in your recovery from the physical abuse of climbing.

To help you learn how to incorporate stretching into your warm-up and cool-down, here’s an article from Climbing Magazine and professional climber and yoga teacher Heidi Wirtz.  In it, Heidi outlines 10 stretches, 5 for warming up and 5 for cooling down, that will help your body get ready for and then recover from your day of climbing or training.

“A formula for a great climbing day: a good night’s rest, plenty of snacks and water, and supportive friends. But pro climber and yoga teacher Heidi Wirtz, the instructor for Climbing’s Yoga for Climbers online course, thinks we should also add stretching and asana. Here, she walks us through her routine, which includes dynamic movements to warm up and longer poses to recover.” – Climbing Magazine

10 Warm Up and Cool Down Stretches

Wirtz and Climbing Magazine divide the stretches in this article into two categories:

1. Dynamic Stretches for warming up
2. Long Restorative Poses for cooling down

The idea here is that your warm-up stretching will focus on actively moving your body through the range of motion you do while climbing and the cool-down stretching will prioritize helping to kick start your recovery process.

Wirtz designed this warm-up/cool-down program specifically for climbers so with both categories of stretches you’ll be focusing on the areas of your body that need the most attention.  Click through below to read the full article and check the stretches out for yourself.  Taking the time before and after climbing to do this kind of body maintenance work will not only help prevent injury, but can even help improve your climbing performance as well.

Full Article: Climbing Magazine – 10 Warm Up and Cool Down Stretches

(photo courtesy of climbing.com)

Other Articles You Might Like:

• Online Yoga for Climbers
• Six Yoga Poses for Climbers
• Dynamic Climbing Warm-Up
• Evening Sends – 5 Recovery Tools Every Climber Should Have