Become a ninja with the Salmon Ladder workout

Sometimes we try to achieve the impossible and make it look cool at the same time, and the salmon ladder workout is one of those attempts.

This exercise was first seen in the show 'American Ninja Warrior'. The participants found it quite challenging, and many of them got knocked out in the round that had this workout.

It's a very creative and difficult workout and requires immense upper-body strength. This exercise is similar to a pull-up but has more to it and requires hand-eye coordination along with immense strength.

If you are looking to perform the salmon ladder workout, you will have to first learn to do a pull-up. Following which, you have to train your body so that you do not get injured or fall.

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What is the salmon ladder workout, and how do you do it?

It's an explosive and full-body workout and an obstacle exercise that challenges the core muscles, hand-eye coordination, pull-up skills and grip. The salmon ladder is also called the fish ladder and derives its name from it.

In this workout, you perform a polymetric pull-up, and as you get on top of the bar, you have to jump to the next set of rungs, which is difficult. You have to keep on doing it till you finish moving up the ladder to complete one workout set.

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What are the muscles used in this workout?

The muscles that are used are:

1. Shoulder extensors, which pull up the body

2. Hip flexors that are used for momentum

3. Core which is the most important and maintains stability

4. Wrist flexors which are used to do a perfect pull-up when holding the bar

The iliopsoas muscles and the abdominal muscles are used simultaneously.

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How to do the salmon ladder workout

Step 1

Start with the basics and then advance slowly (Image by Ryan Snaadt/Unsplash)

You have to build upper-body strength before doing this obstacle workout. Keep on doing your pull-ups.

Start with sets of 10 or 20, and try to increase the numbers with time. Once you are ready and can do 40-45 pull-ups in one set, you will have enough upper-body strength to succeed.

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Step 2

You have to do jumping and clap pull-ups to improve your polymetric ability, in which muscle fibers twitch to build explosive power and strength with good power and speed.

You should have your own salmon ladder, or you can try it in your gym, and start working out on it.

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Step 3

Keep trying, every time you fall (Image by Gordon Cowie/Unsplash)

It might look impossible in the beginning, and you can have a few falls and setbacks, but you need to overcome them and try it over and over again.

Have faith in yourself and believe that you can do this workout. Treat every failed attempt as a step closer to perfecting the salmon ladder workout.

Step 4

Try and repeat this workout motion every time you get up on the ladder. Make your muscle memory strong, and eliminate your fear of falling.

If you keep trying, you will have enough overall body strength, confidence and muscle memory to do the salmon ladder with ease.

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Do not attempt this exercise before you have good upper-body strength. Start training yourself from scratch with regular pull-ups, followed by explosive pull-up versions to be confident enough to do the salmon ladder.

Rome was not built in a day, and good things take time, so don’t rush into this workout if you are a newbie.