5 Crossfit Rope Climbing WODs For A Stronger Upper Body

So you’ve been diligent about your overhead movements and have gotten stronger in your upper body. You’ve doing your wall ball shots and have an explosive upper body. You’ve even bench presses and doing some isolation biceps and triceps work and have muscular arms.

Except now your workout called for rope climbs and you just can’t perform. Any rope climbing WOD requires a tremendous amount of upper body functional strength specifically grip strength. Unless you have access to a rope to consistently train, you’re going to struggle big time.

You see this in a lot of tactical games athletes who don’t always have access to using a rope for climbing exercises. They fatigue quicker and generally lack the technique to perform a rope climb WOD.

Yes you need upper body strength and upper body endurance strength for a rope clip WOD but forearm strength endurance can not be ignored either. You should train your grip strength directly, don’t just rely on your kettlebell training or heavy barbell holds. Get some grip blocks or odd implements and start gripping.

Use these 5 Rope Club WODs to get better at climbing and become a fitter athlete!

Rope Climb WOD #1

WHITE

5 Rounds For Time
3 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
10 Toes-to-Bars
21 Overhead Walking Lunges (45/35 lb plate)
400 meter Run

Rope Climb WOD #2

31 HEROS


AMRAP (with a Partner) in 31 minutes
Partner A performs AMRAP of:
8 Thrusters (155/105 lb)
6 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
11 Box Jumps (30/24 in)
While Partner B performs:
400 meter Sandbag Run (45/25 lb)
Partners switch after each Run.

Partner A performs as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the Thrusters, Rope Climbs, and Box Jumps while Partner B performs a 400 meter Run with a Sandbag. When Partner B returns from the Run, that Partner picks up on the AMRAP where Partner A left off. Partner A starts the Run. Partners switch after each Run. Mark a round after each set of 11 Box Jumps.

Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 31-minute clock stops

Rope Climb WOD #3

GLEN

• For Time
• 30 Clean-and-Jerks (135/95 lb)
• 1 mile Run
• 10 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
• 1 mile Run
• 100 Burpees
With a running clock, as fast as possible complete the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the time on the clock when the 100 Burpees are completed.

Rope Climb WOD #4

DAE HAN



3 Rounds For Time
800 meter Weighted Run (45/35 lb barbell)
3 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
12 Thrusters (135/95 lb)

With a running clock, complete 3 rounds of the prescribed work in the order written as fast as possible (“For Time“).

Score is the time on the clock when the last round of the Thrusters is completed.

Rope Climb WOD #5

LEE



5 Rounds For Time
400 meter Run
1 Deadlift (345/225 lb)
3 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
5 Push Jerks (185/135 lb)
3 Muscle-Ups
1 Rope Climb (15 ft)



These are our five favorite crossfit rope climb WODS to make you a fitter athlete.