The idea of pull-ups and rope climbs is nothing new in Crossfit circles. While it poses a challenge for para-athletes, I argue that it is an especially valuable life skill for people to have. It is not difficult to imagine real life situations that would require a physically challenged person to have to use a rope or suspended climbing device in order to have to move out of harm’s way.

To learn this skill, the easiest method is to put a thick mat underneath the rope and practice going up and down in a deliberate, controlled fashion to get used to the muscles it requires to both hang onto a rope as well as pull the entire body up from a center mass grip position.

Once you get used to the grip and climbing, well, then there’s this guy:

The lesson as always – never be afraid to scale!