The Kettlebell Warm-Up for Climbers

What you’ll learn

This article covers kettlebell exercises for warm-up, focusing on rock climbers and ACL surgery rehab patients. You’ll learn the following exercises:

  • Halos
  • Prying goblet squat
  • Squat
  • Arm Bar
  • Get-Up

The Kettlebell Series

To give you perspective on weight and progressions in the exercises below, I’m 5’4″, 120lb.

Halos

Good for: shoulder mobility, thoracic mobility, core stability

Weight: moderate; I use 10kg/22lb. It’s usually my very first warm-up exercise.

How:

  • Feet shoulder-width apart
  • Squat down to grab the kettlebell by the horns, bell-up or bell-down
  • Brace core
  • Revolve kettlebell around your head

Reps/Sets:

  • 10 rotations in each direction, either alternate or do all one direction at once
  • 2-3 sets for warm-up

Prying Goblet Squat

Good for: hip mobility, hip flexor strength.

Weight: I use 12kg/26lb. Too heavy and your arms will tire first, causing you to round your back and haunch over. You don’t need much weight to help pry your legs apart.

How

  • Grab kettlebell by the horns, bell-up or bell-down
  • Go into a deep squat, feet shoulder-width or a little wider, toes slightly pointed out
  • Push your knees apart with your elbows
  • Pry your hips apart by rotating side to side

Reps/Sets

  • ~1 min (20sec straight, 20sec left prying, 20sec right prying)
  • 2-3 for warm-up

Squat

Good for: too many positives to list. Squatting is a fundamental human movement we should all be able to do.

Weight: I use 12kg/26lb for warm-up, then 16kg/34lb. After that, I squat with a barbell.

How

  • Grab kettlebell by horns bell-up or bell-down
  • Squat to at least 90 degrees and back up
  • Focus on form, not speed or weight
  • Equal time down and up; don’t just sink with gravity
  • Brace core throughout, especially at the transition low point
  • See more in-depth goblet squat mechanics here and here

Reps/Sets

  • 1 rep = 1 squat
  • 1 set = 6-8 reps
  • 2-3 sets for warm-up
  • I usually do prying goblet squats directly into 6 goblet squats as a single set

Arm Bar

Good for: shoulder stability, rotator cuff strength, opens tight pectoral muscles.  It’s one of my favorites for stability to engage faster-twitch muscles.  It quickly identifies imbalances between your left and right sides.

Weight: I use 10-12kg/22-26lb for warm-up. Don’t go too heavy too fast. You’re working on mobility and control.

How

  • More detailed instructions here
  • Lay on your back, raise kettlebell straight up
  • Bring your opposite arm directly overhead
  • Roll over on your side
  • Easiest: keep your peripheral vision on the bell out of the corner of your eye
  • Harder: look to the ground; let your body compensate when the bell goes off balance
  • Hardest: make small, controlled O’s or 8’s with your arm

Reps/Sets

  • 1 rep = 20-30sec on a single side
  • 1 set = 3 reps per side (6 total reps, alternating)
  • 2 sets for warm-up

Get-Up

Good for: functional movement, shoulder stability, core strength, leg strength, proprioception/balance, coordination, determining power “glitches.” Don’t underestimate it! It’s great to get your blood pumping for a warm-up.

If your muscles falter even for a fraction of a second, you’ll feel the bell sway immediately; those glitches are magnified under the kettlebell weight. Finding those moments of lost tension in bracing, and then correcting them, will help your climbing. Momentary muscle lapses and then shock loading your muscles again cause climbing injuries, especially in shoulders.

Weight: I use 14-16kg/31-36lb for warm-up. To really feel muscle imbalance and instability, increase weight. Work on smooth movement, up to 1/3 and 1/2 bodyweight with proper form.

How: There’s a lot going on with the getup in all 3 planes. See this excellent article (keep scrolling to read the whole thing), and read Simple & Sinister for the decisive explanation.

Reps/Sets

  • 1 rep = 1 up and down sequence per side
  • 1 set = 3 reps per side (6 reps total)
  • 2-3 sets for warm-up

10min Warm-Up Circuit

Do super sets: Choose 3 exercises, do 1 set of each for 3 supersets. For example: halo, prying goblet squat, arm bar [repeat 3x].

Books and Gear

Simple and Sinister

Amazon

The kettlebell book to read. It’s only 100 pages and written by Pavel Tsatsouline, father of the kettlebell. Learn it from the practical Russian master.

Kettlebell Wrist Guards

Amazon

Use if you’re prone to bruising or want the extra comfort. As your technique improves, you can set them aside, but don’t let the initial pain slow you down. Use the aid.

2′ x 3′ Rubber Mats

Amazon

Small enough to tuck away, thick enough to save your floor from wayward bells, right price. I have 2 that I push together during workouts. You can find similar at a Tractor Supply & Co store.

More in the Kettlebell Series

→ Explore more articles in Climbing, Fitness, ACL