UKC

Like everything on the planet our bodies strive to maintain equilibrium. Every thing needs to be even; in the correct balance, or things start to go wrong. All athletes who over-use one area are prone to injuries. Climbers begin to get niggling injuries due to an imbalance in their pull and push muscles.

Belinda Fuller and Nina Leonfellner discuss how just a few simple antagonistic exercises can significantly reduce your chances of becoming injured.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=7364

In reply to UKC Articles:

Is downclimbing considered to be useful as an antagonostic exercise? I recall being told a few years ago that it had some benefit in using the muscles in the opposite way to climbing up.
I usually climb up and down easier routes as my warm up/down, partly for that reason (and partly because its a good way to warm up!), but perhaps the intensity on easier routes isn't enough to be beneficial?

In reply to UKC Articles:

More of an advert than an article really. No?

In reply to pec:

Down climbing works the same muscles, but eccentrically (getting longer under load), not the antagonists. It's still useful, eccentric work is used to treat tendinitis (once you have it), whereas antagonist work is prevention and all round well being.