Some Climbing Rope Questions and Answers

We've been getting a lot of questions recently about our climbing ropes lately so I thought I would address some of them in an email or two.

And heeeeeere we go:

Question #1: What length climbing rope should I order

Answer:

For climbing purposes, the traditional rule of thumb is to have a length of rope where at least 4 feet is still on the floor so that someone could stand on it and spot you as well as to prevent swinging.

This slack also makes it easy for you to get on an off the rope.

Obviously if you are just using your ropes to hang from a basement
ceiling.

This may not be an issue but many of our customers like to use their ropes for other purposes as well such as hooking them to sleds and doing some arm over arm pulling or maybe even some dragging.

In fact, Dr. Ken Leistner recently ordered a 75 footer that he puts on a sled and drags the length of his driveway. Matt Pack of Impack Total Fitness down in Miami ordered a 30 footer for using in a similar way.

We will be happy to do custom lengths besides those listed on our site.

Also keep in mind that the price of any rope from 15 feet on down is exactly the same so even if you dont need the extra length, might as well get it.

Question #2: How do I Train with a Climbing Rope, Reps, Sets Etc

Answer:

The same way you train with any piece of equipment - a systematic, balanced approach which incorporates progression and overload. Begin at a manageable level and build from there.

Overhead timed hangs are a good way to start. Clamp on like you're about to climb and tense every muscle in your body Begin with 5 sets of 30 seconds and progress from there.

From there, you can also try rope pull-ups or 'negative' rope climbing From a platform start a few feet off the floor and climb down.

If you can already climb your rope easily in the traditional style, you can make things a little tougher for yourself by switching to no legs - or even wear a weighted vest - yowza.

Question: Is there anything I should be aware of before I
start climbing ropes.

Answer:

Yes, among several other very important things:

1. You must make sure the rope is attached overhead safely and securely.

2. You must have padding underneath your climbing area. A good rule of thumb is 6 inches of padding for every 10 feet of vertical length.

3. Do not climb any higher than you can safely descend. Put as much effort into learning to climb down as your would in climbing up.

I like to keep these Q&A sections brief since thats actually quite a bit of information to tackle at once. I will handle more questions in upcoming posts.

Meanwhile, today would be a great day to order your own high quality manila rope and start building upper body strength like a gorilla.

Get your own manila rope Right Here:

Manila Climbing Ropes

Train hard.
John Wood