Adductor rock-backs

Who it's for

Inner thighs, which take a beating from drop knees and wide stems and rarely get any attention. Six minutes on the floor.

It's gentle enough for a climber in their first month and still useful after ten years, because you set the range yourself. If you've strained an adductor recently, or kneeling hurts, leave it for now and get a physio to look at it.

Common mistakes

• Rounding the back. Flat back throughout. A rounded back moves the stretch away from the adductor.
• Going too far too fast. Push back until you feel a stretch and stop there. Adductors strain easily.
• The extended foot rolling. Keep it flat on the floor with the toes pointing forward.
• Rushing the reps. Slow back, slow forward. Ten reps should take a minute.
• Letting the hips twist. Keep both hips facing the floor as you rock. Turning them opens the stretch up and lets the inner thigh off the hook.

How to progress

More range, then a third set. If the goal is drop knees specifically, pair it with the wall squat and butterfly stretch and give it a few weeks before you expect to notice anything.

How to make it easier

Bend the straight leg a little, or bring the foot in closer to your knee, so the stretch starts later in the rock. Put a folded towel or mat under the kneeling knee if it's uncomfortable. You can also rest on your forearms instead of your hands, which keeps the back flat with less effort.

Where it fits in your week

It fits a Base, Strength or deload period. Use it as part of a warm-up before a session with lots of stemming, or after climbing when the hips are already warm. On a rest day it pairs well with other floor mobility work, and two or three short goes a week will do more than one long one.

Questions

What are adductor rock backs?

Adductor rock backs are a kneeling mobility drill for the inner thigh. You kneel on hands and knees with one leg straight out to the side, then push your hips back towards your heels until you feel a stretch in that leg, and come forward again. The slow rocking takes the muscle into its range without holding it there.

What are rockbacks good for in climbing?

Rockbacks are good for the hip range that wide stems, drop knees and frog-style positions ask for. Climbers load the inner thigh a lot and stretch it rarely, so it gets tight without you noticing. A few weeks of slow reps usually makes wide positions feel less forced, especially when you pair them with other hip work.

Should you do adductor rock backs before or after climbing?

You can do adductor rock backs at either end. Before climbing, a set per side works as a gentle warm-up for your hips. After climbing or on a rest day, when the muscle is warm, you can push a little further back in each rep and still keep the movement slow and controlled.