How easy it seemed when we were kids.  Climbing trees was so much fun back then.  I wonder why people don’t do it today like they did as children.  Maybe it is because they might think they are too old or too scared.  The latter being more plausible. because of parents yelling to get out of the tree or you might get hurt.  Well, that does happen just like anything else.

Whether it is climbing a tree, a rock or up a rope, it is one of the best ways to get fit.  That is true for upper body strength and endurance.  If you were to look at apes and monkeys, they have very powerful upper body strength.  Chimpanzees, our closest relative in the animal kingdom has been estimated to be anywhere from 5-8 times stronger than humans.  Yes, there are differences in terms of the way their muscles are packed, their bone structure and their body-fat percentage.   Their bodies, and especially their muscles had to adapt to the environment.

I’m not saying that we will become like chimps or any primate.  That is impossible.  Tarzan could never have been King of the Apes either.  He would never have been powerful or strong enough physically.  He only had his human brain that was more powerful.  Having said that, we can take from the great apes their ability to climb trees (and other things) to help build up our upper bodies.

Climbing trees is a start.  Climbing ropes and rocks will really build your upper body.  If you think pull-ups are hard, try doing rope climbing.  This former Olympic gymnastics sport works your upper body in many ways.  That is because you have to let go with one hand in order to grab higher up the rope so you can keep pulling.

Gymnasts are among the strongest humans in the world – pound for pound.  When I say strongest, they are functionally strong in the upper body.  I think they are the closest humans to the great apes.  Not because they possess the same body type (which they don’t), but because they have trained their upper bodies hard from early in life.

I remember reading about a young gal who had living in South Africa with her parents.  Her playmates at that time were monkeys.  She started mimicking them from when she was a toddler.  She learned how to climb and hang for long periods of time.  As she grew, her body adapted.  Her fingers were much longer than the average girl at her age, height and weight.  Even her arms were a bit longer.  And she could freaking climb!

Not me nor you will get to even the level of that girl.  She started young and her body transformed itself to the environment.  You can increase your level of fitness and upper body strength by climbing more.

Let me suggest that you first practice getting strong in doing pull-ups and then go for trees.  Rock-climbing will take both strength, endurance and flexibility.  Rope climbing is both strength and endurance as well.  All require really good grip strength.  If you don’t have good grip strength, no matter how strong your upper body is, you won’t succeed.  Grip strength is critical and one of the things I constantly work on.

Start stretching your body more as well.  Flexibility will help you make your climbing easier.  Do core training too.  I am not talking situps or crunches.  Those are worthless.  What I am talking about are hanging leg raises at the very minimum and even get to the point where you can do hanging levers.

Keep practicing and you will one day notice your upper body looking and feeling more powerful than ever before.

I wish you much success as you work on your upper body strength.

Cheers,

Bob Choat
America’s #1 Mind-Body Transformation Expert and author of Mind Your Own Fitness