Blok SessionsLog in

Forearm self-massage

2 min per forearm after climbing: roll a ball from wrist to elbow, pausing on tender spots.

Slot
Mobility
Focus
Recovery
Time
5 min
Intensity
Low
Injury risk
Low
Intervals
2 × 1:00 on
Equipment
Massage ball

How to do it

After climbing, rest one forearm palm-up on a table or your thigh. Roll a lacrosse or golf ball (or press with your other elbow) slowly from the wrist to the elbow with light, comfortable pressure for about a minute, then do the other forearm. When you find a tender spot, hold the pressure there and slowly open and close that hand a few times so the muscle moves under the ball. Then turn the arms over and do the back of each forearm for a minute. It should feel good, never sharp. There's no climbing research behind it, so treat it as a pleasant wind-down rather than a proven recovery tool.

Who it’s for

Climbers who want a calm way to wind down after a session. There’s no evidence it speeds up recovery, but it’s easy, it feels good, and it gets you paying attention to how your forearms feel.

Common mistakes

  • Pressing too hard. Light, comfortable pressure. If it’s sharp, ease off.
  • Rolling fast. Slowly from wrist to elbow. Rushing skims past the tender spots.
  • Skipping the back of the forearm. Both sides work hard when you climb.
  • Treating an injury with it. A spot that hurts while you climb, or stays sore for days, needs a physio. Rolling it harder won’t fix it.

How to progress

There isn’t much to progress. Stay a little longer on tender spots, keep the pressure comfortable, and use it on the days it helps you wind down.

When it fits

The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.

  • Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
  • Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.
  • Power Explosive moves, momentum and coordination.
  • Power Endurance Keep your power through one hard move after another.
  • Endurance Climb longer before you pump out, by moving efficiently.
  • Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.
  • Deload Train less, let your fingers recover, keep moving.

Start with a ready-made block

A six-week strength plan with a deload, as a file for the app, and seven short emails on how to run it.