Five trips up a 15-foot rope for time compresses everything the rope demands - grip, foot-lock efficiency, pulling power and controlled descents - into a repeatable benchmark. The rope climb is functional fitness in its oldest form (it predates every barbell), and in CrossFit it stars in Tommy V and countless competition finals. The difference between a 90-second and a 4-minute score is almost never strength: it's how many leg drives each ascent takes and how little the arms do between them.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | cap (scaled) | cap (scaled) |
| novice | 4:30 | 5:00 |
| intermediate | 2:45 | 3:15 |
| advanced | 1:50 | 2:10 |
| elite | sub 1:15 | sub 1:30 |
Time for 5 climbs to 15 ft.
Where does your Rope Climbs: 5 for Time land?
Log it once and the app places you on this table automatically, then tracks the trend.
Perfect one foot-lock (J-hook or Spanish wrap) until it's automatic - a good climb is 3-4 leg drives, with arms mostly holding position between stands. Reach high, stand tall on the lock, repeat. Descend hand-over-hand with the feet still braking; sliding saves two seconds and costs skin. Between climbs, 3-5 breaths with arms down: rope grip drains faster than it feels. Long socks or shin sleeves always. Legless variation: same test, half the reps, twice the respect.
Progression: rope pulls from the floor (lying to standing), foot-lock practice standing on a box, half climbs, then full climbs with generous rest.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.
Free on iOS and Android. No account needed to start.