UKC

I was wondering if anyone could help suggest some exersizes that would help strengthen / improve my ability to do a heel hook over a lip and turn it into a rock over.

My calf keeps getting cramp when I pull hard using a heel hook and try to rock over onto it. Is that just a strength thing or are there any good stretches too? 

Any help would be really appreciated. 

The funny thing about a rockover is that you actually hardly pull on the heel at all - the motion is in fact to push your knee as deeply over the heel as you possibly can, allowing the leg to fold and your hip to open to accommodate the motion. So basically: Seat heel - push knee towards and over heel - keep pushing! 

It can take a wee bit of figuring out but one you've got it you'll laugh. 

Good question. I don't know the answer but I get the same problem occasionally. Seems like the angle you are pulling with your heel makes a difference. Maybe the more the knee is bent the more likely it is to happen?

I suffer from knee tendonitis when I've done a lot of heel stuff so there's probably a lot of crossover from the strengthening physio I do and what you're asking.

Mostly it revolves around leg extensions of various sorts either on a medicine ball or trx. I put a foot into both loops of a trx and then bridge off my shoulders and work my leg from full flexion to full extension. 3 Sets of 12.

Also do eccentric only versions of the same and also an isometric exercise where you hook your heel behind the toes of the other foot and then tense against one another in ten second bursts.

I would guess that this could equally be due to flexibility rather than strength.  It might be useful to watch people who can do this move bouldering, and see if you can get into the same position (easiest if you film yourself). I think for what you've described being able to open your hips with a frog stretch might be useful. The angle of the foot would be important too. If you have friends who can do the move, you could see how flexible they are compared with you.