One thing I don't see anymore being done is one of the best upper body exercises for fighting, for grappling, for wrestling, and that's rope climbing.

First of all, it's pretty much gone from any gym that I've seen unless you go to a very specific gym. But usually, it's hard to find any gym where there's any climbing or rope being done, but it's one of the best upper body exercises.

Video Breakdown

The Benefits of Rope Climbing

It's working your grip, it's working your core, it's working your upper body, your arms, your pull. And if you make it difficult by making an L shape to where you extend your legs out and you climb, it's going to activate more of your hips and more of your core.

And really, there's no better exercise for your grip than rope climbing.

How to Make Your Own Rope Climb at Home

But since this is incredibly difficult or nearly impossible to find, you can make your own rope climbing. And all you need is a thick battling rope and a pull-up bar.

All you do is just tie up the battling rope around the pull-up bar. Just put a couple of loops in it. It has a lot of friction already, so it's not going to slip up on you.

Proper Technique for Rope Climbing

Start from sitting position and slow your movement down.

You're going to climb up to the top and controlling each movement as you climb up. When you reach the top, climb back down.

Very slow, methodical and deliberate movement, engaging each single muscle and each single grip as you go up and as you go down.

Make sure you breathe when you're climbing up and climbing down. Don't hold your breath: in your nose, out your mouth.

Ways to Program Rope Climbs

• You can do this for reps.
• You can do it for time, let say for 30 seconds.
• You can do it until failure where you climb up, climb back down until your arms give out.
• Take a break about a minute or so between sets and repeat.

Advanced Variation

Another cool thing you can introduce when climbing the rope: climb up and if you have a pull-up bar that extends beyond just the pull-up area like mine does, climb up the rope, climb across the pull-up bar, then come back to the rope, climb back down. So introducing something more by using vertical climb then horizontal climb then back down vertical.

Fight Ready Fitness Program

Introduce rope climbing as part of your regular training. Nothing else will build up the killer grip, the upper body strength, the pull, the core and the hips as climbing rope.

And make sure to get "Fight Ready Fitness" program where I give you specific workout routines for training so you can always be fight ready and you can always build up your strength, your cardio, your endurance and always be fight able.