In climbing, our ability to ascend depends on many factors, but two of the most fundamental are the pulling strength and pushing strength of our upper body. While finger strength often gets the spotlight, the ability to move on holds—either pulling up or pushing to overcome a lip—is equally critical. In this post, we’ll explore the importance of these capacities, the key adaptations we seek, and how we can train them effectively to optimize our performance.

The Interconnection of Movement in Climbing

Moving on holds is not an isolated act. The force generated in pulling is deeply influenced by the ability to push with the lower body and by the stability of the rest of the body. Climbing technique, the ability to generate deadpoints, and movement inertia also play a crucial role.

While finger strength has been widely studied, pulling strength has received less scientific attention until recently. However, systematic reviews confirm that both the strength and endurance of pulling are as important for performance as grip strength and endurance.

What Manifestations of Pulling Strength Should We Train?

Pulling strength is not a single capacity, but manifests in various ways, all relevant for climbers:

Isometric Endurance: 90º elbow flexion lock-offs (with body weight) have shown a strong correlation with performance.
Concentric-Eccentric Endurance: Pull-ups to failure with body weight also correlate with performance.
Explosive Strength: The explosive pulling capacity is a key variable to characterize the arm capacity of the climber.
Maximal Strength: Both maximal strength measured as 1RM and endurance derived from the Force-Velocity curve correlate with performance.

A recent study (Rokowski et al., 2024) even suggests that the endurance of the elbow flexors and scapular girdle is as predictive of performance as the endurance of the finger flexors. This indicates we should train isometric, maximal, explosive, and endurance manifestations of pulling strength.

Is the Importance Different by Level or Gender?

Interestingly, in elite men, the correlation between pulling strength and performance is lower. This could be because, with much training, their strength already exceeds the threshold needed to move their own body. However, in women, this correlation remains at all levels, as they are genetically less predisposed to develop such high relative pulling strength.

In competition, especially in bouldering, pulling strength is a critical factor due to demanding moves and the mandatory use of feet.

The Relevance of Pushing Strength

Although for the lower body it is only crucial in competition (except in cases of deficits), upper body pushing strength is very important in climbing. It is fundamental in movements like mantles and in boulders, and the agonist pushing musculature acts synergistically to stabilize many pulling gestures, so its parallel development is key.

Key Adaptations to Gain Pulling and Pushing Strength

To improve these capacities, we mainly seek two types of adaptations:

1. Neural Adaptations

Inter- and Intramuscular Coordination: It is vital to learn to apply force in a wide range of gestures and movement ranges. Training should focus on variability, frequently changing exercises and joint ranges.
Recruitment of High-Threshold Motor Units (HT-MU): This is the most frequent adaptation. Achieved with high or very high intensities, minimizing fatigue. In beginners, even lower intensities can stimulate it. Since it is task-independent, working basic patterns like pull-ups and rows is effective.

2. Structural Adaptations

Tendon Stiffness: At the level of the elbow flexors, excess tendon stiffness can cause discomfort. If this occurs, a protocol of long-duration isometrics (like density hangs) may be needed to readapt tissues before continuing with power training.
Hypertrophy and Associated Mechanisms: This is a controversial topic. The large muscle groups involved in pulling and pushing tend to have a predominance of fast fibers, which facilitates hypertrophy, but can also lead to unwanted body weight gain for climbing. Generally, hypertrophy is only sought if there is a marked deficit or a plateau in strength gains from neural adaptations. A combined recruitment and hypertrophy approach can be a good option. Hypertrophy also improves lateral force transmission and the development of titin filaments. The latter are crucial because they provide passive tension and leverage elastic energy in the stretch-shortening cycle, essential for breaking inertia in climbing movements.

The Importance of Fast Fibers

The muscle groups for pulling and pushing are often dominant in fast fibers. This means that, although they are more hypertrophiable and generate more force, they also fatigue more quickly and require more recovery time than slow fibers (like those of the finger flexors). This is vital when planning the frequency and distribution of training to avoid excessive fatigue.

Orienting Your Training: Maximal, Explosive, and Endurance Strength

As with grip strength, pulling and pushing strength training should differ depending on the manifestation you want to develop:

1. Developing Maximal Strength:

Key Adaptations: HT-MU recruitment and minimal hypertrophy.
Loads: High or maximal intensities (85-100% of maximal voluntary contraction), 1-4(5) maximal repetitions (RM), with a low margin to failure (25-30% velocity loss). Full rests (2-3 minutes or more). Low volume. Frequency of 2-3 times per week.
Hypertrophy: If needed, with intensities of 70-85% (7-15 RM) near or to failure, high metabolic stress and muscle damage (concentric-eccentric exercises). 12-22 sets per muscle group per week. Longer recovery time.

2. Developing Explosive Strength:

Objective: Apply force as quickly as possible, maintaining a threshold above 90% of maximal possible velocity (i.e., do not lose more than 10% velocity in the set).
Optimal Intensity: For pull-ups, maximal power is produced around 71% of 1RM. This may be your body weight or less.
Control without Encoder: Use the criterion of 50% of maximal repetitions (or even 35-40% to ensure less velocity loss). This means stopping the set well before failure.

3. Developing Endurance:

Pulling endurance manifests concentrically, isometrically, and intermittently, generally at intensities equal to or less than our body weight (medium or low for trained climbers).
Cluster Training: Very interesting. Divide the total volume into small "clusters" with minimal power loss and brief rests (15-40 seconds) between them. This allows for a high volume of mechanical tension without the metabolic stress and muscle damage associated with failure, limiting hypertrophy while enhancing endurance adaptations.
If you seek endurance without hypertrophy, combine it with explosive strength work. If you work near failure, you will stimulate both endurance and hypertrophy.

What Means and Exercises to Use?

Maximal Strength: General means like pull-up bars, free weights, or TRX are ideal due to the high intensities required.
Explosive Strength and Endurance: As the intensities are specific to climbing (body weight or less), special means (bouldering, limit bouldering, no-feet bouldering, bouldering with constraints) are essential to transfer gains. TRX can be a good exception due to its versatility.
Important: Hold size is key. Small holds reduce finger limitation, shifting the focus to pulling.

Progression by Climber Level

Training should be progressive and adapted:

Beginner:
- Objective: Develop coordination and passive structures (tendons, titin filaments), avoiding excessive hypertrophy.
- Means: General exercises to develop strength, then transfer simply by climbing. Low intensities (30-60%).
Intermediate:
- Objective: Reduce the proportion of body weight relative to maximal strength. Develop maximal strength, then explosive and endurance strength. Avoid training to failure.
- Means: Expand to exercises with greater specific transfer (spray wall, no-feet boulders for pulling; jumps for pushing). Introduce campus board with adapted holds. Intensities of 55-80%.
Advanced:
- Objective: Develop explosive strength, as maximal strength will already be high. Work on specific strength in wide and varied movement ranges.
- Means: Special means should prevail. For competition climbers, coordinative complexity work like paddle dynos to improve the stretch reflex. Maximal strength intensities 60-95%, and explosive strength specifically.

Conclusion

Understanding the particularities of training pulling and pushing strength and endurance is fundamental for any climber. From the initial development of coordination and tissue health to optimizing explosive strength at the elite level, the key is intelligent, progressive, and individualized planning. Remember, it’s not just about having strength, but knowing how to express it in the right way, at the right moment, and with the endurance needed to conquer your vertical projects.

The Key Role of Pulling and Pushing Strength in Climbing