Breaking up is hard to do...
In the spring of 2013, a tall, handsome man invited me to climb with him. We had been skiing together and the season was over. He mentioned that climbing was a good sport to do in the off-season. It was love at first climb! For the rock-wall....and well, maybe the guy also. I was head over heels (for both) and started climbing twice a week. I even bought my own gear.
I improved quickly and it encouraged me to try harder routes, no matter what. When you're focused, your body will do whatever the mind asks. This is wonderful when you want to impress yourself...or a handsome man.. Aside from climbing harder routes to impress this guy, I also had a goal for my upcoming trip to Southeast Asia. I wanted to climb the cliffs in Railey Beach, Thailand. (photo above)
Glamour and fun take priority over proper form when handsome men and trips abroad are at stake.
The body does what's necessary to get the job done. We all pay the price at some point or another. For me it was a sore neck, tingling hands and achey feet. Luckily, in Thailand massages are only $5.00. Therapy will ease the pain, but not correct the problem. At this point of inflammation, rest was what the doctor ordered.
Talk about a fling! Six months of climbing and I was done.
Luckily, time heals all wounds. My upper trapezius eventually relaxed, my finger tips stopped tingling and my feet felt better. However, my heart yearned for the challenge of climbing and my body missed being so strong. Of course, there was also the guy (who I'm marrying this fall).
In the summer of 2014 it was time to try again, with a new plan. I set boundaries and rules. Proper form became priority over competition to climb harder routes. I studied the mechanics of climbing, reviewed anatomy and designed appropriate warm up exercises to get my body ready for what was coming. I tuned into my body more than ever before to listen for signs of fatigue.
I was in it for the long haul this time. No more flings!
Primary muscles for climbing (often get under used)
*Latissimus Dorsi
*Teres Major
*Lower Trapezius
*Gluteus Maximus
Secondary muscles for climbing (often get over used)
*Upper Trapezius
*Gastroc Nemius
*Hand Flexors
*Toe Flexors
Why are muscles weak?
When you set your mind to a task, your body will recruit muscles to perform, no matter what it takes. The muscles that are naturally strong in your body will over-power the weaker muscles when a challenging task is presented. Without correction, strong muscles stay strong and weak stay weak. Anatomy and awareness are required to progress those weak muscles.
This lesson can be applied to any sport. My new favorite one is nordic skiing. What about you?
tell me what's happening with you:
*What is an activity that you love, but always leaves you sore or injured afterwards?
*What muscles contribute to the movements of the activity?
*Which of those muscles are prime movers and which should be secondary?
*How might you be compensating?
Click Here to download a worksheet to help you.
Answer the questions above in the comments below.
Please share this post with anyone who can benefit from this message.
Receive FREE updates by joining the mailing list, and thanks for reading!
