Whether on the TRX system or on gymnastic rings, more and more climbers are incorporating suspension training into training programs in an effort to strengthen their core, shoulders, and entire body in a climbing specific way.  Additionally, when combined with more traditional forms of climbing training, like campusing and hard bouldering, suspension training has the added benefit of being a great form of injury prevention as well as a form of strength training.  Here at Training Beta we are big fans of suspension training and some sort of it is featured in all of our Training Programs.

“Suspension training engages those tiny stabilizing muscles in your core, shoulders, legs, and back that are necessary for climbing but often ignored by traditional weight machines and dumbbell exercises.” – JP Whitehead

To help you add some suspension training into your training program, here’s an article from Climbing Magazine that outlines three different circuits featuring a total of ten different exercises.  Climbing Magazine worked with Fraser Quelch, the head trainer for TRX, to specifically design these circuits for climbers with the goal of strengthening specifically injury prone areas.

The ten exercises feature are:

1. Body saw
2. Side plank with hip raise
3. Overhead squat
4. Clock press
5. Deltoid series: I,Y,Ts
6. Atomic pushup matrix
7. T-spine rotation
8. Pike
9. Rotational Warding with March
10. Plank with Abduction and Scorpion

Click through below to check out the circuits for yourself.  All the exercises are illustrated with pictures and instructions to make it really easy for you to give these circuits a shot.  While there are tons of other beneficial suspension exercises, these three circuits are certainly a great place to start. 

Click Here: Climbing – Suspension Training Circuits

(photo by Ben Fullerton; courtesy of climbing.com)

Other Articles You Might Like:

• Suspension Training for Rock Climbing
• Gymnastic Rings: Strength Training for Climbing
• TBP 048 :: Neil Gresham on Training for 5.11 and 5.12
• A Workout from Nina Williams’ Training Program