Climbing and bouldering have become increasingly popular pastimes. In 2021, competitive climbing even become one of the official games at the Tokyo Olympics.

But while climbing is a great way to test the body to its extremes, it’s not risk free. It puts all sorts of stresses and strains on many parts of the body, which can lead a whole host of injuries if you’re not careful.

The main upper body muscles that are used when climbing are those which allow for pull ups and maintaining stability. Lots of these are found in the shoulders and on the back of the body.

Take latissimus dorsi, for instance. This broad sheet of muscle attaches the back to the arms, which enables us to perform a pullup when hanging from a handhold. These muscles (the “lats” as they’re often called) are particularly prized for their ability to give a broad strong back. It’s uncommon (but possible) to injure your lats since they’re large and powerful.

More vulnerable upper body muscles include the rotator cuff group and deltoids (or delts). These muscles can give you strong, defined shoulders (which some have nicknamed “boulder shoulders”) when trained.

Strength in the shoulder muscles is integral for climbing as it not only helps with reaching, but it importantly stabilises the arms – holding them in their sockets and preventing them from dislocating. When hanging from a rock face, shoulder strength is essential.

In climbing, slipping or catching a bad hold can strain these muscle groups,........

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