10 Minute Workout Routines For Post Climbing Sessions

Most climbers blame a failed climb on one of two things: strength or technique. Technique you learn on the wall, but strength is where a little work off the wall goes a long way, often faster than just logging more climbing time. That’s why so many climbers add strength training. If you’re like me and you don’t love the gym or long weight sessions, then climbing training with 10 minute workout routines for post climbing sessions might be exactly your speed. You finish climbing, you knock out a quick routine, and you’re done.

I like to do one routine right after a session and switch it up each time so I never run the same routine two days in a row. Keeping the block short stops you from frying your muscles, and it leaves you enough in the tank to recover before your next climb. If getting more climbing in without hurting yourself is the goal, it pairs well with the recovery ideas in how to climb more often without getting injured.

How these 10 minute post-climbing workout routines work

For every one of these routines, you’ll want a timer. An interval timer app on your phone or watch is perfect. You do as many reps of each exercise as you can for 1 minute, then rest for 30 seconds. Each routine ends with 2 minutes of stretching. Do not skip the stretching. Stretching is a real part of muscle recovery and it helps your performance too.

Every exercise is explained in the exercise overview section at the end of this article.

Shoulder Exercise Routines

Your shoulders matter a lot for how you climb and how you feel doing it. Beyond the pulling strength they give you on the wall, it pays to train the muscles you don’t lean on while climbing so you don’t end up unbalanced, hunched, or nursing a rotator cuff. Rotator cuff strains are one of the most common climbing injuries, so this area is worth the attention. If you want to dig into what tends to go wrong, take a look at 5 Common Injuries in Climbing and How To Prevent Them. Here are a couple of 10 minute routines you can run after a session to build strength and stay healthy.

Routine A

What You’ll Need:

• Resistance Bands
• Dumbbells 

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Pushups
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: Shoulder Rotations with Resistance Bands
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Front Raises
• Exercise 4: Lateral Raises
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 5: Pushups
• Exercise 6: Shoulder Stretches

Shoulder Routine B

What You’ll Need:

• Dumbbells 
• Inclined bench or exercise ball

Workout Routine

• Exercise 1: Pushups
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: I’s Y’s and T’s
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Shoulder Press
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Reverse Fly
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 5: Pushups
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 6: Shoulder Stretches

Arm Exercise Routine

Your arms do a lot of the pulling that gets your body up the wall. Guys are famous for leaning on their arms more than anything else, while women tend to trust their legs more. Climbing builds arm strength on its own, but if you want to level up a bit faster, some extra arm work helps. Here are three quick routines to pick from for a solid finish to your session.

Arm Routine A

What You’ll Need:

• Bench
• Dumbbells 
• Pull-up bar
• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Pull-ups
• Rest: 30 Seconds 
• Exercise 2: Tricep Dips
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Bicep Curls
• Rest: 30 Seconds 
• Exercise 4: Pull-ups
• Exercise 5: Arm Stretches

Arm Routine B

What You’ll Need:

• Dumbbells 
• Pull-up bar
• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Pull-ups
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: Hammer Curl 
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Neutral-Grip Triceps Extension
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Pull-ups
• Exercise 5: Arm Stretches

Arm Routine C: Push-Up/Pull-Up Pyramid

Get through as much of the push-up and pull-up pyramid as you can in 8 minutes, then stretch for 2 minutes. This one’s a little different from the rest of the article because it’s the same two exercises over and over. If pull-ups and push-ups aren’t easy for you yet, treat this as something to work toward rather than something you’ll finish on day one.

For this one you’ll need to know how to do push-ups and pull-ups, both of which are covered in the exercise overview section at the end of this article. The pyramid goes like this. Start with 10 push-ups, then do 10 pull-ups. Then 9 pull-ups and 9 push-ups. Then 8 pull-ups and 8 push-ups. And so on until you’re down to 1 pull-up and 1 push-up. 

You probably won’t finish the whole pyramid the first time, and that’s fine. The stronger you get, the closer you’ll come to closing it out inside 10 minutes.

Core Exercise Routine

Your core is huge for climbing. Body tension, moving a limb, keeping your feet on, staying efficient, all of it runs through the core. The stronger it is, the better you climb, and a solid core looks good too. The nice thing is your core can take a lot of work without getting overused, so you can finish just about any session with one of these 10 minute core routines and not worry about it. If you want more ways to build tension, our roundup of bouldering drills is a good next read.

Core Routine A

What You’ll Need:

• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)
• Yoga Mat (optional)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Oblique Knee Raise Plank
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: Mountain Climbers
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: High Boat, Low Boat
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Oblique Knee Raise Plank
• Exercise 5: Core Stretches

Core Routine B

What You’ll Need:

• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)
• Yoga Mat (optional)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Hanging Leg Lift
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: A-Frame Arm Drop
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Oblique Knee Raise Plank
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Hanging Leg Lift
• Exercise 5: Core Stretches 

Leg Exercise Routine

Your legs are one of the biggest engines in climbing. They do most of the work pushing your body up the wall. Women are known for leaning on their legs more than anything else, especially compared to men who reach for their arms first. You build leg strength just by climbing, but if you want to level up faster, a quick leg routine after a session helps. Here are two 10 minute routines to choose from for a strong finish that builds those muscles.

Leg Routine A

What You’ll Need:

• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)
• Yoga Mat (optional)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Single-Leg Squat (30 seconds on each leg)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: Side Plank Adductor Lift With Hip Flexion (30 seconds on each leg)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Kettlebell Swing 
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Single-Leg Squat (30 seconds on each leg)
• Exercise 5: Leg Stretches

Leg Routine B

What You’ll Need:

• Jump Box: a wooden box that’s stable to stand and jump on
• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)
• Yoga Mat (optional)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Toeing Squats
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: Step Up to Reverse Lunge (30 seconds on each leg)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Explosive Sprinters Lunge (30 seconds on each leg)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Toeing Squats
• Exercise 5: Leg Stretches 

Full Body Exercise Routine

Sometimes a quick full-body burst is the perfect way to cap off a climbing session. Whether you just want a bit more blood moving or a little more sweat, a short routine can leave you feeling like you got the most out of your day. Here are three quick ten minute full-body routines to run after you climb.

Full Body Routine A

What You’ll Need:

• Dumbbells
• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)
• Yoga Mat (optional)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: Oblique Knee Raise Plank
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 2: Hanging Leg Lifts
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Explosive Sprinters Lunge (30 seconds on each side)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Pushup with Single Arm Row Exercise
• Exercise 5: Full Body Stretches 

Full Body Routine B

What You’ll Need:

• Timer (I recommend an interval timer app)
• Yoga Mat (optional)

Workout Routine:

• Exercise 1: 10 Pushups and 10 Pullups = 1 rep, repeat rep for 1 minute
• Rest: 30 seconds to 1 Minute
• Exercise 2: 1 Leg Squats (30 seconds on each leg)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 3: Oblique Knee Raise Plank (30 seconds on each leg)
• Rest: 30 Seconds
• Exercise 4: Side Plank Hip Flexor Raises (30 seconds on each leg)
• Exercise 5: Full Body Stretches 

Full Body Routine C

Pick 10 floor ab exercises (crunches, leg lifts, and the like) and do each one for a minute with no rest in between. If you go with a plank, use a version that adds movement so you get more out of it.

Arms/Shoulders Exercise Overview/How-To:

Pushups

In a high plank position, place your hands shoulder-width apart. As you bend your elbows and lower toward the ground, keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body and lower until your elbows reach at least 90 degrees (further is better), then push back up to a high plank. If you can’t do multiple pushups, do as many as you can on your feet and then drop to your knees for a modified pushup for the rest of the exercise.

Pull-ups

To do a pull-up, grip the bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands shoulder-width apart. In one movement, pull your body up until your chin is higher than the bar and your arms are in a full lock-off position (your shoulders touch the back of your hands), then let yourself back down until your arms are straight. If you can’t do pull-ups yet, or can’t do many, do negative pull-ups instead. Negative pull-ups start with your arms in a full lock-off position (chin above the bar) and then you slowly drop down to straight arms.

Shoulder Rotation with Resistance Bands

For this one you’ll need a resistance band wrapped around a bar or pole. Hold the end of the band in the hand for the shoulder you’re rotating. Bend your elbow 90 degrees and hold it level with your shoulder so your upper arm (between shoulder and elbow) runs parallel to the floor. Keeping that 90-degree angle and parallel line, rotate your shoulder sideways or up and down depending on the rotation you’re working. Here are 4 shoulder rotations: 

• Internal (Side) Rotation (One shoulder at a time): Start with your elbow out to your side and bent at a 90-degree angle. While keeping your upper arm parallel with the ground, rotate your shoulder inward until your elbow is in front of your body. 
• External (Side) Rotation (One shoulder at a time): Start with your elbow out in front of you and bent at a 90-degree angle. While keeping your upper arm parallel with the ground, rotate your shoulder out until your elbow is to the side of your body.
• External Rotation Down: Start with your elbow out to your side, level with your shoulder and bent at a 90-degree angle with your hand straight up. While keeping your upper arm parallel with the ground, rotate your shoulder down until your hand is level with your elbow and shoulder. 
• Internal Rotation Up: Start with your elbow out to your side, level with your shoulder and bent at a 90-degree angle with your hand level with your elbow and shoulder. While keeping your upper arm parallel with the ground, rotate your shoulder up until your hand is directly above your elbow

Warning: Work one elbow and rotation at a time. If you haven’t done rotation exercises before, go slow, and if you get sore, stop and let yourself recover.

Front Raises

For a front raise you’ll need dumbbells in both hands. Standing, hold the dumbbells against your thighs with your palms facing you. Keep your arms straight and, in one movement, raise the dumbbells in front of you to shoulder level. Then lower them back down to your thighs.

Lateral Raises

For this one you’ll need dumbbells in each hand. Standing, hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing inward toward your body. Keep your arms straight and, in one movement, raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they reach shoulder level. Then lower them back to the start.

I’s Y’s and T’s

For this one you’ll need an inclined bench (45 degrees) or an exercise ball plus small dumbbells. If it’s your first time, try it without dumbbells first. 

• I’s: With your chest facing the bench, extend your arms in front of you and keep them straight. While keeping them straight, move them above your head so your back, shoulders, elbows and hands are all in line, making an I shape.
• Y’s: With your chest facing the bench, extend your arms straight. Imagine a large clock in front of you and, keeping your arms straight, reach your hands to 2 and 10 o’clock so your arms make the shape of a ‘Y’.
• T’s: With your chest facing the bench, place your arms at your sides, then keep them straight and bring your hands up to the side so your arms make the shape of a ‘T’.

Shoulder Press

For this one you’ll need dumbbells in each hand. To start, hold the dumbbells level with your shoulders and your elbows fully bent. Raise the dumbbells above your head until your arms are completely straight. Then return to the start and repeat. 

Reverse Fly

For this one you’ll need dumbbells. To set up, keep your back straight, press your hips back and bring your chest forward (almost parallel to the floor). Let the weights hang straight down with your palms facing each other. With straight arms, raise both arms out to your sides while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Don’t let your shoulders hunch up during the movement, and focus on your shoulder blades coming together.

Tricep Dips

For a tricep dip, place your hands on the edge of a bench and put your legs out in front of you so you’re holding your body up with your hands on the bench and your feet on the floor, with nothing under your butt. Bend your arms and lower your body until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Then straighten your arms and push back up to the start.

Bicep Curls

For a bicep curl you’ll need dumbbells in each hand. Stand with the dumbbells at your sides, palms facing out, use your bicep to pull the dumbbell up toward your shoulder, then slowly lower it back to the start.

Hammer Curl 

For this one you’ll need dumbbells in each hand. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and your palms facing your body. In one movement, keep your palms facing inward toward each other, bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells up toward your shoulders. Slowly lower them back down to the start at your sides.

Pushup with Single Arm Row Exercise

For this one you’ll need dumbbells. With your hands gripping the dumbbells, do a pushup, and when you return to the high-plank position, pull one dumbbell into your chest, one arm at a time.

Neutral-Grip Triceps Extension

For this one you’ll need a bench and dumbbells. Get into the starting position with your back flat on the bench, legs secured and a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and raise the dumbbells above your head. In one movement, straighten your elbows while keeping your upper arms in place. Then slowly bend your elbows back to 90 degrees. 

Core Exercise Overview/How-To:

Oblique Knee Raise Plank

You don’t need anything for this one, though a yoga mat is nice. Start in a plank with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Bend one leg and bring the knee toward your shoulder on the same side while keeping your upper body still the whole time. Repeat on each leg.

Mountain Climbers

You don’t need anything for this one, though a yoga mat is nice. Stay in a plank with your hands directly under your shoulders. With your core engaged, bring your right knee forward under your chest with your toes just off the ground, then return to the start. Switch legs, bringing the left knee forward, and keep going at a pace that feels like running in place while in a plank.

High Boat, Low Boat

You don’t need anything for this one, though a yoga mat is nice. You’ll move between a high boat and a low boat. For high boat, start seated on the mat with bent knees and feet flat. Lean back until your back is at a 45-degree angle and straighten your legs and arms out in front of you so you make a V shape balancing on your tailbone. For low boat, lean back until your hands and legs are 2 to 3 inches off the ground.

Hanging Leg Lift

For this one you’ll need a pull-up bar. Start with your hands gripping the bar and your body hanging down. In one movement, bring your knees into your chest. Then let your legs back down. To make it harder, keep your legs straight and raise them until they’re at a 90-degree angle (or less) to your torso.

A-Frame Arm Drop

You don’t need anything for this one, though a yoga mat is nice. Sit on the mat with your knees bent at 100 degrees and your feet on the ground. Lean back and lift your feet off the ground so you’re balancing on your tailbone. Make an “A” shape with your arms, palms together and elbows straight. Twist side to side, touching your fingertips to the ground on each side of your body.

Explosive Sprinters Lunge 

This is a core and leg exercise, and you don’t need any equipment. Start in a lunge, both legs bent at a 90-degree angle with one leg in front of your body and one behind, in line with your hips. In one movement, put all your weight on your front leg and straighten it completely. Then pull the back leg up so your upper leg is parallel with the ground and your hip is at a 90-degree angle. Repeat on both legs.

Legs/Hips Exercise Overview/How-To:

Single-Leg Squat

You don’t need any equipment for this one. Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Balance on one foot with the other foot out in front of you and squat down as far as you can, then return to standing. For an extra challenge, try to keep the non-weighted leg straight out in front of you the whole time.

Side Plank Adductor Lift With Hip Flexion

For this one you’ll need a bench. A yoga mat is nice but not required. Hold a side plank for the whole exercise with your top foot on top of the bench. Straighten your body and legs and support your weight on your elbow and the foot on the bench. Slowly raise your hips as high as you can, then lower them back down. Repeat on each side.

Toeing Squats

You don’t need any equipment for this one. Keep your feet together and stay up on your toes the whole time. Bend your knees until you’re in a sitting position (or lower), then straighten your knees and stand as high as you can on your toes.

Step Up to Reverse Lunge 

For this one you’ll need a sturdy box you can put your weight on (most gyms have these). The step up reverse lunge is a few movements strung together. Start with the box 5 to 10 inches in front of you. (Movement 1) With one leg, step onto the box and push up until you’re standing on top, balancing on that one leg. (Movement 2) Bring your other leg up into your torso, bending the knee as needed. (Movement 3) Using that same leg, step back down from the box, splitting your weight between both legs, the one on the ground and the one still on the box. (Movement 4) Move your foot from the top of the box to behind you and drop into a lunge. Repeat the movements with the opposite legs.

Explosive Sprinters Lunge 

You don’t need any equipment for this one. Start in a lunge, both legs bent at a 90-degree angle with one leg in front of your body and one behind. In one movement, put all your weight on your front leg and straighten it completely. Then pull the opposite leg into your torso and chest. Repeat on both legs.

Side Plank Hip Flexor Raises

You don’t need anything for this one, though a yoga mat is nice. Get into a side-plank position. A side plank is like a normal plank, but instead of both feet and both hands on the ground, you’re on your side. Once you’re set, raise your top leg as high as you can in a controlled move, then bring it back down. Repeat on both sides.

Choose 1-3 routines/week and push yourself

If you want to level up your climbing without long strength sessions, a quick 10 minute routine after each climb is a great place to start. These are just a handful of ways to top off a session. Notice that every routine hinges on how much you can do in a minute across 10 minutes, so you can push as hard or as easy as you need on any given day. Track your progress by writing down your reps and the weight per exercise, then re-check yourself in a month to see how far you’ve come. If you’d rather not keep it on paper, the Grip & Grind app keeps your sessions and progress in one place so you can just show up and train. Ideally you nudge things a little harder each time so the gains keep stacking.

Want a steady drip of climbing drills you can actually fit around a session? The Send Edition newsletter sends you one every week, about 15 minutes each, and it’s free. It’s an easy way to keep the small stuff going between these post-session routines. Two more worth bookmarking while you’re at it: 17 footwork drills for climbing and a proper 5 to 10 minute warm-up to run before you pull on.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a post-climbing workout be?

Around 10 minutes. Every routine here runs on 1 minute of work and 30 seconds of rest, finishing with 2 minutes of stretching. Short blocks keep you from frying your muscles and leave enough in the tank to recover before your next session.

How often should I do these routines?

Aim for 1 to 3 routines a week, one after a climbing session. Switch up the routine each time so you don’t run the same one two days in a row, which helps your muscles recover.

Do I need a full gym of equipment?

No. Some routines use dumbbells, resistance bands, a bench or a pull-up bar, but several of the core, leg and full-body routines need nothing more than a timer and an optional yoga mat.

Do I really need to stretch afterward?

Yes. Don’t skip the 2 minutes of stretching at the end. Stretching is a real part of muscle recovery and it helps your performance too.

Won’t training right after climbing wear me out?

Not if you keep it short. Ten minutes is enough to build strength without overexhausting your muscles. Your core in particular can take a lot of work, so it’s easy to finish a session with a quick core routine and not overdo it.

Sara Climbing Coach, Climbing Trainer, Writer

Sara is the founder of Send Edition, author of '77 Drills to Help You Climb Better,' the creator of 'Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker,' and climbing coach.

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