Balance and Stability for Climbers
Photo Credit: Jake Rehm
Balance and stability plays a fundamental role in climbing. It is in the roots of The Summit’s movement and technique clinics, and our climbing conditioning class. Last semester I found this exercise from The Climbing Doctor, Dr. Jared Vagy. It was written by Alex Hoang, PT, DPT. The ankle stability lunge matrix has been my favorite additions to the class. It adds a challenging, beneficial, and fun element to lunge progression.
Ankle Stability Lunge Matrix
Muscles involved: Peroneus longus, gluteus medius
Why: Improve toeing in for turns, pivots, and flags
- Place a Theraband underneath the knuckle of your big toe
- Pull up with your opposite hand
- Lunge backwards
- DO NOT CLAW YOUR TOES!!!
Easy? Try flagging.
Still easy? Now add a non-compliant surface such as an Airex pad or Bosu ball. Style points if you do it on stability ball.
Really? Fine add some weight
Insanity mode! Eyes shut!
Unstable Progression
Increase the level of challenge by adding an unstable surface such as an Airex, Dynadisc or Bosu ball