Finger and Shoulder Prep for Climbing

A warm-up before a climbing wall lesson: wrist and finger mobility, shoulder blade activation, and very easy low traverses. It prepares the finger tendons and shoulders, the areas most often injured in climbing, and reviews precise foot placement.

How to play

1. Place mats along the entire base of the wall. Minutes 0-2: in a circle, open and close fists, gently stretch the fingers, and do wrist circles, 10 of each.
2. Minutes 2-4: shoulder blade activation: shoulder squeezes, arm openers, and an active hang from the biggest hold with feet on the floor, 3 times for 5 seconds.
3. Minutes 4-7: in groups of 4 per wall section, a sideways traverse less than 3 feet off the ground using only big holds; one climbs while the others watch for toe placement.
4. Minutes 7-9: second traverse with the cue quiet feet: place each foot without making noise.
5. Minute 9-10: each student shakes out their arms and rates from 1 to 5 how their fingers feel before the lesson starts.

Rules

• During the warm-up no one climbs higher than 3 feet: feet stay below a classmate's knee height.
• Only one climber per wall section; everyone else waits off the mat.
• Climb down or hop off with bent knees, never backward.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do the finger and shoulder work and practice grips on the lowest holds from the wheelchair.
• Fear of heights or shyness: keep one foot on the floor during the traverse.
• Low fitness: shorter traverses of about 6 feet with rest in between.

Learning goals

• Activate fingers, wrists, and shoulders to prevent climbing injuries.
• Place the feet precisely during a traverse.
• Follow climbing wall safety rules.

Equipment for a class of 25

• bouldering wall: 1
• mats: 8

Teacher tip

Fingers take time to warm up, so avoid small holds in the first minutes. Check that there are no gaps between mats before starting.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for High School