Climbing requires a lot of overhead shoulder and arm movement and can put quite a bit of stress on the shoulders. All of this strain can lead to injuries ranging from minor muscle tweaks to major tendon tears.
The good news is there are a few very effective exercises that strengthen the shoulder and prevent injuries.
Show of hands, who is fascinated by the shoulder joint?
You should all have your hands up because (spoiler alert) the shoulder joint is fascinating!
It is the most mobile joint in the body which allows us to move our arms in all different directions. It's truly amazing because it makes it possible to reach the handholds above us, behind us, or pretty much anywhere around us. However, this mobility comes at the expense of stability.
In fact, the shoulder is one of the least stable joint in the body. The shoulder socket is shallow and only a small portion of the arm bone articulates with the socket in any given position. This is why we need many structures around the joint to help stabilize the it.
What stabilizes the shoulder joint?
The shoulder joint is stabilized with the labrum, which is the fibrocartilaginous ring that forms a vacuum seal around the joint. It serves as the point of attachment for several ligaments and deepens the joint, providing it with extra stability.
The shoulder is also stabilized with the rotator cuff muscles and tendons. It is these rotator cuff muscles we are looking to strengthen through prehab exercises.
Climbers need a lot of arm mobility to reach those pesky handholds way above your head and this predisposes them to having lax ligaments. Additionally, dynamic movements (either a dyno or an unintentional slip) can put a lot of pressure on the shoulder and stretch these ligaments even more.
Both situations can lead to more stretching or even tearing of the shoulder capsule. Then starts the vicious cycle where there is some laxity, which leads to pain and instability, which leads to more stretching during big moves, which leads to more pain and instability.
Unfortunately, I see this in clinic all the time. The key here is to be ahead of the game and to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles as well as the scapula stabilizers before this happens.
4 shoulder exercises to keep your shoulders happy
These four exercises are a great starting point for anyone trying to prevent injury. Try adding handheld dumbbells or kettlebells to all the movements. Your arms should feel like noodles after each set! Doing these twice a week can make a huge different.
KETTLEBELL EXTERNAL ROTATIONS - SIDE LYING
Start by lying on your side holding a kettlebell with your elbow bent and rested on your side. Place a small rolled up towel between your upper arm and body. Next, move your forearm and hand from the ground towards the ceiling, hold for 1 second. Then, lower back to starting position.
Repeat 10 Times
Complete 3 Sets
Perform 2 Times a Week
PRONE ROW - Ts
Lie on your stomach with your forehead resting on a small towel roll. Raise your arms in the shape of a T and squeeze your shoulder blades toward the middle. Focus on the movement of your shoulder blades, not the movement of your arms. Hold for 1 second and then relax.
**Alternate method: Raise only one arm at a time, but continue to focus on shoulder blade movement, not arm movement.
Repeat 10 Times
Complete 3 Sets
Perform 2 Times a week
PRONE ROW - Ys
Lie on your stomach with your forehead resting on a small towel roll. Raise your arms in the shape of a Y and squeeze your shoulder blades “down and in”. Focus on the movement of your shoulder blades, not the movement of your arms. Hold for 1 second and then relax.
**Alternate method: Raise only one arm at a time, but continue to focus on shoulder blade movement, not arm movement.
Repeat 10 Times
Complete 3 Sets
Perform 2 Times a Week
PRONE W
Lying face down with your elbows bent to 90 degrees and palms facing downward, slowly raise your arms up towards the ceiling as you squeeze your shoulder blades downward and towards your spine. Hold for 1 second and then relax.
Repeat 10 Times
Complete 3 Sets
Perform 2 Times a Week
If you're interested in more shoulder strengthening exercises or other prehab exercises, you can either chat with one of our amazing personal trainers. If you are having sharp pain, please seek help from a healthcare professional.
Svetlana Dani is a board-certified sports medicine specialist working in the Bay Area who loves helping elite athlete and weekend warrior. As a lifelong athlete, she sees a lot of injuries in clinic that she herself has had. She offers interdisciplinary, patient-centered care to people with sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions.