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Wall angel hold

3 holds of 60 s, back flat on a wall, elbows at shoulder height pressing into the wall, 45 s rest.

Slot
Strength
Focus
Stability
Time
5 min
Intensity
Low
Injury risk
Low
Intervals
3 × 1:00 on, 45s off
Equipment
Wall, Timer

How to do it

Stand with your back against a wall, feet about 15 cm out and knees slightly bent. Tighten your stomach so your lower back flattens against the wall. Raise your arms out to the sides with the elbows at shoulder height and bent to 90 degrees, backs of the hands on the wall. Now press your arms firmly into the wall and hold for 60 seconds, breathing normally and keeping your back flat. Rest 45 seconds and repeat for 3 holds. It wakes up the muscles between the shoulder blades that climbing pulls forward; The Climbing Doctor prescribes it before climbing, up to three times a day.

Who it’s for

Climbers whose shoulders roll forward, and anyone who wants a short shoulder routine before climbing. It trains the muscles between the shoulder blades to hold their position, with nothing but a wall.

Common mistakes

  • Lower back lifting off the wall. Tighten your stomach, and bend your knees a little more if you need to.
  • Elbows sinking. Keep them at shoulder height the whole minute.
  • Resting the arms on the wall. Press them firmly into it. Just touching the wall does very little.
  • Shrugging. Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears.
  • Holding your breath. Breathe normally.

How to progress

Press harder while keeping your back flat. When a firm 60-second hold is easy, add exercises that move the shoulder blades against resistance, like Y-T raises or face pulls.

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.