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Back Exercise · Rope

Rope Climb exercise animation

Rope Climb

Category
Back
Equipment
Rope
Target
Upper Back

Climbing a rope is one of the more honest grip-and-pulling tests there is — no machine assistance, no way to fake the movement, just hands, forearms, and upper back hauling body weight upward. Most people gas out in the forearms and grip long before the lats or back give out.

How to Do the Rope Climb

  1. Face the rope with your feet set shoulder-width apart.
  2. Take hold of the rope with both hands, palms turned toward you.
  3. Slightly bend your knees and tighten your core.
  4. Start climbing by pulling your body upward using alternating hand-over-hand motions.
  5. Drive with your legs to help propel yourself upward.
  6. Keep ascending until you reach the top of the rope or your target height.
  7. To come back down, reverse the hand-over-hand motion while controlling your speed.
  8. Repeat for your planned rep target, maintaining clean technique and steady breathing on every repetition.

Calorie Burn & Set Tracker

Sets
3
Reps / Set
10
Active Timer
00:00
Estimated Burn
0 kcal

Muscles Worked

The Rope Climb primarily targets the Upper Back, with Forearms as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Biceps, Shoulders.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Upper Back Exercises

Back Lever Back Lever Body Weight · Upper Back Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band · Upper Back Band One Arm Twisting Seated Row Band One Arm Twisting Seated Row Band · Upper Back Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell · Upper Back Barbell Incline Row Barbell Incline Row Barbell · Upper Back Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row Barbell · Upper Back

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have rope? These target the same upper back with different equipment.

Back Lever Back Lever Body Weight · Upper Back Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band · Upper Back Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell · Upper Back Cable Decline Seated Wide-Grip Row Cable Decline Seated Wide-Grip Row Cable · Upper Back

FAQ

What muscles does the Rope Climb work?
The Rope Climb primarily targets the upper back, with the forearms and biceps, shoulders assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Rope Climb?
The Rope Climb is done with a rope.
What's a good alternative to the Rope Climb?
If you don't have access to a rope, the Back Lever targets the same upper back using body weight instead.