Shoulder Pain during Pull Ups: Warm Up | Movement Rx

Warm Up Series: Pull Ups and Toes to Bar

Avoid Shoulder Pain During Pull Ups: Mobility


Avoid Shoulder Pain During Pull Ups: Activation


 

To avoid shoulder pain during Pull ups and Toes to Bar, use this Movement Pattern Warm Up

Key Points:

  1. Get hot and sweaty
  2. Perform mobility techniques for the positions of stress in both the strict pull up/Toes to Bar as well as for kipping.  You will need to mobilize the overhead and press shape for the shoulder and the braced spinal neutral and global flexion/extension for the spine. Perform at least 30 seconds of soft tissue or sliding surface focused mobility for 2 minutes after your workout, and 2 minutes minimum for all joint mobilizations.
  3. Perform drills that facilitate a similar movement pattern that gradually allows you to increase the stress on the movement. The majority of problems with the shoulder pain in the pull up/TTB movements are due to decreased muscular endurance in the shoulders, decreased mobility, and performing workouts beyond the capacity of your own mobility and motor control.

Mobility Drills:

    1. Barbell Lat Smash
    2. PVC Pipe Pass through- unloaded and loaded
      • Start with hands in a snatch position
      • Keep spine neutral
      • Pass PVC pipe over your head with the goal to touch your butt and bring it back around to the front of your pelvis- repeat 15 reps
      • Bring your hands closer together- 15 reps
      • Add weight (2.5/5 lb)and perform pass thoughts in the most comfortable but challenging position 15 reps
      • Perform ½ reps where you only bring the PVC pipe and weight just past your hair line then back to the front of your pelvis
    3. Monkey Bar Hang from the Pull-up Bar (see video for scaled version)
      • Hang on one arm for 3 seconds and then switch arms for 15 reps per arm.  This is to help improve your range of motion and place your joint and soft tissue at a point of restriction
      • This does take a lot of strength so try the scaled version first if this one makes you uncomfortable

Motor Control Drills- Goal: Switch it up from your usual warm up and provide gradual stress to the pulling motion and spinal postures these 2 movements require! Your athletes will thank you!!

    1. Kipping Ring Rows with feet on a box (as seen in Carl Paoli’s Free Style Book) are an excellent way to properly stress an athlete for a pull-up/T2B type workout.  Performing this kipping motion slowly helps the athlete sequence the loading of the shoulders and spine during a pulling workout.  Perform 20 reps, with the concentric and eccentric aspects of the motion should at 2 seconds. The ascent and descent of the movement total is 4 seconds
    2. Next practice proper pull-up  or TTB progression on the rig  Now that your tissues are warm, mobilized, and stressed sub maximally,  you can increase the stress on the tissues even more from the rig in a more open chain position (feet off the ground).

To learn more about this topic, click HERE

Subscribe To the Your Health is Your Business Newsletter

It's full of all our latest tips and tricks. Join our mailing list to start receiving exclusive content only our newsletter members have access to.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Keep Reading

Contact Us

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or feedback. We’re here to help!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Register for Your Account

Register for an Account

Start the Sleep Challenge!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Schedule a Well-Being Strategy Call

Submit your information below and our team will respond ASAP!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Workplace Wellbeing Inquiry Form

Government Contracting Inquiry Form

Application

  • Hidden
  • Please attach your cover letter and resume below.
    Drop files here or
    Max. file size: 1 MB.
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.