Climber Sasha DiGiulian’s Favorite Move for a Rock-Solid Core
There isn’t a chick in the climbing gym who doesn’t give ultimate respect to 21-year-old climber Sasha DiGiulian. The world champion climber has her sights set on conquering the world’s current hardest rated multi pitch in Northern Spain this summer, and she’s already scaled heights in 32 countries as random and crazy as the Red Bull Arena’s soccer stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
“When you control your mind, you control your movement and ability to scale climbs that otherwise may have been seemingly impossible,” says DiGiulian, who entered her first competition at age 8. “Through climbing I have really learned the necessity to live a determined life derived from an overarching passion.” Gotta say, we’re totally inspired by her focus and passion at such a young age.
Her sport requires all-over body strength, including core, shoulders, arms and (of course!) finger strength. Instead of working her core with standard planks and crunches, DiGiulian loves doing L-Raises from a pull-up bar. Makes sense — the movement is more similar to climbing than any any of your standard core moves. Feel like getting off the ground for your abwork? Give this tough hanging move a try!
THE MOVE: L-Raises
Using a pull-up or gymnastics bar, hang in pull-up position. Keeping your legs straight, hinge at the hips so that your legs come up to make an “L” shape with your body. Do 10 L-raises. Repeat 3 times.
