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Overhead shoulder mobility circuit

2 rounds of 10 reps: band overhead reaches, wall slides, thread the needle, thoracic extension.

Slot
Mobility
Focus
Mobility
Time
8 min
Intensity
Low
Injury risk
Low
Intervals
2 rounds
Equipment
Resistance band, Foam roller, Wall

How to do it

An active circuit for reaching overhead, best before climbing. Anchor a band above head height and stand in a split stance. Flexion: arm straight in front, let the band draw it overhead and back, 10 reps. Abduction: arm out to the side, up overhead, 10 reps. Do both arms. Wall slides: face a wall with a foam roller pinned between your forearms and the wall, palms facing each other, and slide it up and down, 10 reps, shoulders away from your ears. Thread the needle: on hands and knees, reach one arm up to the ceiling, then under the other arm toward the floor, 10 per side. Thoracic extension: lie with the roller across your upper back, hips lifted, and lower a stick or ball overhead with straight arms, 10 reps. Go round twice.

Who it’s for

Climbers who struggle to reach fully overhead without arching the lower back or shrugging, and anyone whose shoulders feel tight at the start of a session. It’s movement work for range, best done before you climb.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging. Keep the shoulders away from your ears on the wall slides and band reaches. Shrugging makes the reach look higher than it is.
  • Arching the lower back to get the arm up. The range should come from the shoulder and upper back. Brace your stomach a little.
  • Letting the band pull the arm too far. It’s there to guide the arm. Stop where you still have control.
  • Rushing thread the needle. Follow your hand with your eyes and let the upper back turn.

How to progress

Use a slightly lighter band so your own muscles take more of the reach, and aim for more range on the wall slides without the shoulders creeping up. Doing it before most climbing sessions matters more than doing more of it.

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.