How to do a Rope Climb
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Rope Climb
Rope
Workouts with Rope Climb
Instructions for Proper Form
Rope Climb is a challenging, compound exercise that primarily targets the upper body muscles including back, biceps, and shoulders. It also requires substantial core engagement for stability and control. This exercise helps develop grip strength, coordination, and overall upper body strength. Ideal for those looking to enhance their climbing skills or add a full-body movement to their routine.
- Grab ahold of the rope tightly with your right arm over head.
- Jump up and grab the rope with your left arm at the highest point so that your right arm is in front of your chest and your left arm is overhead.
- Wrap the rope around your right foot and pinch the rope with both feet.
- Pull your left elbow down towards your side to raise your body as you simultaneously raise your right arm overhead and grip the rope and again pinch the rope with your feet.
- Continue alternating your arms until you’ve reached the top before returning to the floor.
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Alternative Exercises to Rope Climb
1. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 26 TIMESThis compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
2. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 23 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown
3. Renegade Row
33.7 mSCORESWAPPED 18 TIMESRenegade Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back, shoulders, and core. The movement involves holding a plank position with a dumbbell in each hand and performing a row on each side. This exercise adds instability from the plank, forcing you to engage your core for stability while performing the rows. It's great for developing overall strength and functional fitness.
4. Pull Up
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 17 TIMESPull Ups are compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily target the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. While this exercise does have a decently high barrier to entry, it can be easily adapted to match your current conditioning with weighted or assisted variations. This is an excellent exercise for building functional strength and body control.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Pull Up Bar
5. Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly
81.9 mSCORESWAPPED 17 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. Leaning forward during the exercise allows for better isolation of the targeted shoulder muscles while also recruiting some muscle activation in the upper back.
6. Rope Climb
67.4 mSCORESWAPPED 16 TIMESRope Climb is a challenging, compound exercise that primarily targets the upper body muscles including back, biceps, and shoulders. It also requires substantial core engagement for stability and control. This exercise helps develop grip strength, coordination, and overall upper body strength. Ideal for those looking to enhance their climbing skills or add a full-body movement to their routine.
- Advanced
- Back
- Rope
7. Bird Dog Rows
69.2 mSCORESWAPPED 14 TIMESBird Dog Rows are a compound movement that primarily targets the back, core, and glutes. This exercise combines a row with a Bird Dog position, adding significant instability that requires strong core activation. It's particularly useful for improving balance, overall stability, and addressing strength imbalances between sides. This is an effective addition for those looking to enhance functional strength and coordination.
8. Straight-Arm Pulldown
81.4 mSCORESWAPPED 13 TIMESThis is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your back. Pulling the bar down in an arc with your arms straight helps to remove muscle groups like biceps from the movement, and allows you to focus your attention on your back. You can further adjust where in your back you’re targeting by moving your hands closer to the ends of the bar.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown
9. Battle Ropes
82.1 mSCORESWAPPED 13 TIMESBattle Ropes are a high intensity compound movement that target a wide range of muscle groups throughout the body, but primarily hit your shoulders, arms, and core. They are a fast paced, explosive exercise that can be used for cardio, building muscle, and developing power.
- Intermediate
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- Battle Ropes
10. Hammerstrength High Row
91.5 mSCORESWAPPED 13 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is somewhere in between a Lat Pull Down and a Seated Row. The Hammerstrength Machine helps restrict your range of motion by moving on a set path, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is a great exercise for building strength, and the use of a machine allows you to focus more of your efforts on exertion rather than form.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)