How to use…
The Vertical Cargo Net, Station (#7)
The Vertical Cargo Net station is a flexible and supple grid made from rope with horizontal and vertical strands set approximately 18″ apart. Standing in front of the station, one is compelled immediately to climb up and over and down the other side. Pair of with a friend and from a seated start with feet on the rope race the other up and over and back to the seated start. Why a seated start? Quite simply, it makes the wall taller and you get to climb a greater distance.
How-to Animations:
The how-to animations below provide snippets of exercises demonstrating proper form, posture and positioning.
1. Climb up and over
Notes:
Climbing a flexible wall makes you really pay attention to your hands and feet and challenges balance and coordination. For those with sensitive hands, use leather gardening gloves.
Climbing heights, even up to 10 feet may not appeal to everyone. So, go as far as you’re comfortable and climb back down. Repeat the short climb a few times. Climbing a little or a lot works the same muscles which includes muscles and joints throughout the entire body.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids, posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Anterior mid section – abdominals, external obliques
Posterior mid section – erector spinae
Lower body – glutes, upper hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors and abductors of the hip
Difficulty:
2. Hip flexion, simple
Notes:
This version clearly ups the ante by placing all of the load on the muscles of the upper body and, in this instance, on the hip flexor muscles and core stabilizers.
Muscles used:
Upper body – shoulder and scapular stabilizers, biceps and forearms
Lower body – hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris), abdominal group as stabilizers
Difficulty:
3. Hip flexion with a twist
Notes:
As you can see from the animation, there are a lot of upper body muscles involved when hanging on to the cargo net as an anchor for isolating hip flexion. In this version, the external obliques become engaged to produce the twisting action
Muscles used:
Upper body – shoulder and scapular stabilizers, biceps and forearms
Lower body – hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris), external obliques, abdominal group as stabilizers
Difficulty:
4. Hip flexion, advanced
Notes:
This is an advanced version of isolating hip flexion with the torque load on the active movers and stabilizers of the mid-section amplified by keeping the knees extended.
Muscles used:
Upper body – shoulder and scapular stabilizers, biceps and forearms
Lower body – hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris), abdominal group as stabilizers
Difficulty:
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