[1]

To determine the effects of rock climbing on muscle and

grip strength, two experiments were conducted:

• Maximum Grip Strength: Recreating crimp and pinch

grip techniques on the dynamometer to determine
maximum grip strength.
• Electromyography: Maintaining a crimp grip on the
rock wall until failure while monitoring muscle fatigue
with the EMG.
 Review
Hypothesis
Review
Literature Review
Review
Dynamometer Testing
Review
EMG Testing

Fatigue Analysis and Review

Statistical Testing

Validation Conclusions
 Pinch Crimp

Data Collection Convert Data

Set Up ANOVA
(20 seconds) to Excel
 Fatigue was measured along the
brachioradialis, a muscle commonly
employed during rock climbing.
Negative Positive Ground
Set Up
Equipment

Electrode
Placement

Data Recording
(until failure)

Power
Spectrum

Fatigue Index
Small p-values for ANOVA tests indicate that most volunteers have
different mean grip strengths for both the crimp and pinch grip.

Volunteers 1-3 are the rock climbers. Volunteers 4-6 are non-rock climbers.
 Raw EMG Data Power Spectrum

Voltage
Frequency

Fatigue is associated with a shift in

the EMG signal to lower frequencies.
 Climbers Non-climbers

Frequency spectrum of
the collected EMG data
at three different time
points.

• Beginning

• Midpoint

• End
Dynamometer data:
• Climbers had a higher pinch grip strength
• Non-climbers had a higher crimp grip strength

Rock-climbing wall and EMG data:

• Climbers are able to stay on the wall even when their
muscles are fatigued, whereas non-climbers fall off the
wall before fatigue is reached.
• People who climb regularly practice holding on to the wall
past fatigue
• Climbers are mentally capable of sustaining a grip past
the point of muscle fatigue
• Overcome a loss of central drive
Similar to other studies done, climbing performance
was more directly related to the climber’s stamina
and experience level than their grip force.[2]
• Alisa Christensen- Helped and participated in data collection, helped determine what statistical test to
use, wrote conclusion

• Mylie Christensen- Helped and participated in data collection, conducted ANOVA test, wrote
dynamometer methods, dynamometer results and EMG portion of introduction

• Emily Hanson- Helped and participated in data collection, wrote project progress summary,
introduction, project process diagram, and team member contributions

• Kristine Peterson- Helped and participated in data collection, conducted fatigue analysis on EMG data,
wrote EMG methods and results section.

Thank you to our volunteers and TA’s for their help and Dr. Zhou for his support!
1. “Types of Climbing Holds and How to Hold Them.” Gubbies. 28 May 2018.
https://www.gubbies.com/blog/climbing-holds.
2. "Forearm EMG During Rock Climbing Differs From EMG During Handgrip Dynamometry." Watts. 15
January 2008. https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=ijes
Questions?