The research base for rock climbing has expanded substantially in the past three decades as worldwide interest in the sport has grown. An important trigger for the increasing research attention has been the transition of the sport to a competitive as well as recreational activity and the potential inclusion of sport climbing in the Olympic schedule. The International Rock Climbing Research Association (IRCRA) was formed in 2011 to bring together climbers, coaches and researchers to share knowledge and promote collaboration. This position statement was developed during and after the 2nd IRCRA Congress which was held in Pontresina, in September 2014. The aim of the position statement is to bring greater uniformity to the descriptive and statistical methods used in reporting rock climbing research findings. To date there is a wide variation in the information provided by researchers regarding the climbers’ characteristics and also in the approaches employed to convert from climbing grading scales to a numeric scale suitable for statistical analysis. Our paper presents details of recommended standards of reporting that should be used for reporting climber characteristics and provides a universal scale for the conversion of climbing grades to a number system for statistical analysis.

The aims of this study were to examine training characteristics, body composition, muscular strength, and endurance in sport climbers, and to demonstrate the relationship among these components by means of structural equation modelling. Altogether, 205 sport climbers (136 males, 69 females), with a performance RP (red point) of grade 4 to 11 on the Union Internationale des Association d'Alpinisme (UIAA) scale, took part in the study. The proposed structural model, with latent variablehand–arm strength and endurance(developed from reference values for simple tests), indicated by three manifest variables (grip strength, bent‐arm hang, and finger hang) and three exogenous variables (body fat, volume of climbing, and climbing experience), explained 97% of the variance in climbing performance. The relationship between body fat and climbing experience/volume with climbing performance was not direct, but was better explained using the mediatorhand–arm strength and endurance. We conclude that these simple tests, together with percent body fat, volume of climbing, and climbing experience, can satisfactorily predict climbing performance.

Purpose: An advanced system for the assessment of climbing-specific performance was developed and used to: (a) investigate the effect of arm fixation (AF) on construct validity evidence and reliability of climbing-specific finger-strength measurement; (b) assess reliability of finger-strength and endurance measurements; and (c) evaluate the relationship between finger flexor all-out test scores and climbing ability. Methods: To determine the effect of AF, 22 male climbers performed 2 maximal strength and all-out tests with AF (shoulder and elbow flexed at 90°) and without AF (shoulder flexed at 180° and elbow fully extended). To determine reliability, 9 male climbers completed 2 maximal strength tests with and without AF and an all-out and intermittent test without AF. Results: The maximal strength test without AF more strongly determined climbing ability than the test with AF (r² = .48 and r² = .42 for sport climbing; r² = .66 and r² = .42 for bouldering, respectively). Force and time variables were highly reliable; the rate of force development and fatigue index had moderate and low reliability. The maximal strength test with AF provided slightly higher reliability than without AF (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.94, ICC = 0.88, respectively). However, smaller maximal forces were achieved during AF (484 ± 112 N) than without AF (546 ± 132 N). All-out test average force had sufficiently high reliability (ICC = 0.92) and a relationship to sport climbing (r² = .42) and bouldering ability (r² = .58). Conclusion: Finger strength and endurance measurements provided sufficient construct validity evidence and high reliability for time and force parameters. Arm fixation provides more reliable results; however, the position without AF is recommended as it is more related to climbing ability.

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the effect of hand shaking during recovery phases of intermittent testing on the time–force characteristics of performance and muscle oxygenation, and (2) assess inter‐individual variability in the time to achieve the target force during intermittent testing in rock climbers. Twenty‐two participants undertook three finger flexor endurance tests at 60% of their maximal voluntary contraction until failure. Performances of a sustained contraction and two intermittent contractions, each with different recovery strategies, were analysed by time–force parameters and near‐infrared spectroscopy. Recovery with shaking of the forearm beside the body led to a significantly greater intermittent test time (↑ 22%, P < .05), force–time integral (↑ 28%, P < .05) and faster muscle re‐oxygenation (↑ 32%, P < .05), when compared to the hand over hold condition. Further, the ratio of intermittent to continuous test time distinguished specific aerobic muscular adaptations among sport climbers (2.02), boulderers (1.74) and lower grade climbers (1.25). Lower grade climbers and boulderers produced shorter duration contractions due to the slower development of target force during the intermittent test, indicating worse kinaesthetic differentiation. Both the type of recovery and climbing discipline determined muscle re‐oxygenation and intermittent performance in rock climbers.

This study examined differences in the oxygenation kinetics and strength and endurance characteristics of boulderers and lead sport climbers. Using near infrared spectroscopy, 13‐boulderers, 10‐lead climbers, and 10‐controls completed assessments of oxidative capacity index and muscle oxygen consumption (m⩒O₂) in the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP), and extensor digitorum communis (EDC). Additionally, forearm strength (maximal volitional contraction MVC), endurance (force–time integral FTI at 40% MVC), and forearm volume (FAV and ΔFAV) was assessed. MVC was significantly greater in boulderers compared to lead climbers (mean difference = 9.6, 95% CI 5.2–14 kg). FDP and EDC oxidative capacity indexes were significantly greater (p = .041 and. 013, respectively) in lead climbers and boulderers compared to controls (mean difference = −1.166, 95% CI (−3.264 to 0.931 s) and mean difference = −1.120, 95% CI (−3.316 to 1.075 s), respectively) with no differences between climbing disciplines. Climbers had a significantly greater FTI compared to controls (mean difference = 2205, 95% CI= 1114–3296 and mean difference = 1716, 95% CI = 553–2880, respectively) but not between disciplines. There were no significant group differences in ΔFAV or m⩒O₂. The greater MVC in boulderers may be due to neural adaptation and not hypertrophy. A greater oxidative capacity index in both climbing groups suggests that irrespective of climbing discipline, trainers, coaches, and practitioners should consider forearm specific aerobic training to aid performance.

Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between submaximal and maximal physiological responses to rock climbing for climbers of differing abilities.Methods. Twenty-six male climbers performed a submaximal climbing test on a known circuit at 90° (vertical) and 105° (15° overhanging) inclination and speed 25 movements·min⁻¹. A maximal test was undertaken on a similar circuit at the same speed with inclination increasing by 10° for each successive 3 min stage.Results. Mean oxygen consumption and heart rate (HR) increased with wall inclination and climbers reached a mean (±SD) peakV˙O2of 40.3 ± 3.5 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹during the maximal test. Self-reported climbing ability was negatively correlated withV˙O2and HR during the submaximal test at 90° (V˙O2,r=−0.82; HR, andr=−0.66) and at 105° (V˙O2,r=−0.84; HR, andr=−0.78) suggesting an increased exercise economy for climbers with a higher ability level.Conclusion. Findings from this study indicate that there is a relationship between wall inclination and the physiological demand of a climb. However, the increased technical ability and fitness of higher level climbers appears to an extent to offset the increased demand through improved exercise economy which in turn leads to an increased time to exhaustion and an improvement in performance.