Warm up/Recruit muscles at home

You have probably seen that many of the top climbers bring a portable hangboard to the crag. The reason for this is that this is the fastest way to recruit your maximum finger strength at the same time you save your skin. Another dilemma by warming up at the crag is that you get pumped during or even after your warm-up route. As you climb an easy route and as you hold your arms mainly above your head the blood circulation is under control. But once you get to the top, or earlier let go, resting with your arms hanging down, there is a risk that your forearms capillary system can get flooded. The reason for this is that after you have stopped climbing, the artery could pump so much blood into your forearms that the capillary and vein system can not transport back, as they have not been fully open.

At home doing some push- and pull-ups and also using a hang board or hanging under a table, you can recruit and warm up your muscles in 10 - 15 minutes. Doing the same thing climbing routes or boulders at the crag would probably take you at least 30 but up to 60 minutes if it is cold outside. In other words, you will most likely be able to climb more and harder, with less pain and lower risk for injuries, during a cold winter session if you only spend 10 - 15 minutes warming up at home.