Scapular maintenance
2-3 rounds of 10 scapular pull-ups, 12 band external rotations, and 8 Y/T raises.
- Slot
- Strength
- Focus
- Stability
- Time
- 10 min
- Intensity
- Low intensity
- Injury risk
- Low injury risk
- Equipment
- Pull up bar, Resistance band, Floor space
How to do it
Do 2-3 rounds of: 10 scapular pull-ups (hang with straight arms and pull your shoulder blades down and back, without bending your elbows), 12 external rotations per side with a light band, and 8 Y and T raises lying face down (lift straight arms into a Y, then a T shape). Rest 1 minute between rounds. Keep it easy and tidy.
Run it now
The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.
Scapular maintenance
0:00 / 10:05
Ready
10:05
2 rounds
2-3 rounds of 10 scapular pull-ups, 12 band external rotations, and 8 Y/T raises.
High risk: read the protocol, stop if anything feels wrong.
- 2
- rounds
- 1:00
- rest
- 10:05
- total
Done.
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Take the quizWho it's for
Shoulders that take a lot of pulling and not much else. Ten minutes of this a week is unglamorous and does more for shoulder longevity than any single exercise on the wall.
Common mistakes
- Bending the elbows on scapular pull-ups. Straight arms throughout. The movement is the shoulder blades sliding down and back, and it's small.
- Using a heavy band for external rotations. Light. If your shoulder shrugs up to help, the band is too strong.
- Rushing the Y and T raises. Slow lifts, brief pause at the top. Eight good ones beat twenty flicked.
- Doing it only when something hurts. It's maintenance. It works when it's boring and regular.
How to progress
Add a round rather than load. Once three rounds are easy, slow the tempo down instead of reaching for a heavier band, and keep it on a fixed day so it doesn't quietly disappear from your week.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
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.