S4, E2: The Climbers Guide to Pull-ups – Marie-Eve Joanisse

If you would like to listen to the entire interview with Marie-Eve Joanisse, check out the podcast. If you want to watch the interview, click the YouTube link or any of the timestamps above. If you would like to read quick sample of a concise recap of key interview topics and questions, check out the excerpt from the interview below.

A Climber’s Guide to Pull-Ups: Biomechanics, Variations, and Injury Insights With Marie-Eve Joanisse, Physiotherapist and Climber

Pull-ups are one of the most widely used strength exercises in climbing—but they’re also one of the most misunderstood. While they seem simple on the surface, the way you perform them can significantly impact strength development, movement efficiency, and injury risk.

In this Q&A, physiotherapist and climber Marie-Eve Joanisse breaks down the biomechanics of pull-ups, explores key variations, and shares practical advice for training and rehabilitation.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background?

I’m a physiotherapy graduate based in Montreal, where I’ll soon be working both in a climbing gym and in a private clinic. I’ve been part of the climbing community for several years—volunteering at competitions and working at my university’s climbing facility during my studies.

Climbing has always been a big part of my life, and that naturally led me toward understanding injuries, training, and rehabilitation specific to climbers.

What led you to focus on pull-ups for your article?

Pull-ups are everywhere in climbing gyms, and they’re often treated as a foundational exercise. I wanted to incorporate them into my own training, but I had a lot of questions—how to start, which variations are best for climbing, and how to progress safely.

I also experienced shoulder pain while doing pull-ups, which pushed me to dig deeper. I wanted to understand not just how to perform them, but how to modify them to reduce pain and build strength more effectively.

Should climbers be doing pull-ups?

Pull-ups can be very useful, both for performance and injury prevention.

From a performance standpoint, research shows a relationship between shoulder and elbow strength and climbing ability. Strengthening these areas can improve both power for bouldering and endurance for longer routes.

From an injury perspective, building strength and capacity off the wall helps reduce the risk of overuse injuries. If your tissues can tolerate higher loads in training, you’re less likely to exceed those limits while climbing.

So while pull-ups aren’t a perfect simulation of climbing, they’re still a valuable tool when used correctly.

How can climbers tell if they’re doing a pull-up correctly?

The first thing to look for is symmetry.

If you’re dealing with pain—or even just trying to improve efficiency—filming yourself is incredibly helpful. It allows you to see whether one side is doing more work, whether your shoulders move evenly, or if there are compensations happening.

You can also look at general form:

• Where does the bar contact your body?
• Are your elbows flaring out excessively?
• Are your shoulders stable, or are they winging?

You might feel that something is off while performing the movement, but video makes those issues much easier to identify.

What are the key biomechanics of a pull-up?

A pull-up involves coordinated activation across the shoulder blade, shoulder joint, and elbow. The movement can be broken down into three main phases.

• Initial Phase (Start of the Pull)

At the beginning of the movement, the primary contributors are:

• • Lower trapezius (shoulder blade control)
  • Infraspinatus (rotator cuff stabilization)
  • Brachialis (elbow flexion)

This phase is about initiating the pull and stabilizing the shoulder.

• Middle Phase

As you continue upward, the main muscles involved are:

• • Latissimus dorsi (primary pulling muscle)
  • Biceps (elbow flexion)
  • Teres major (shoulder stability and movement)

This is where most of the visible pulling strength comes into play.

• Final Phase (Top Position)

To finish the movement, the body relies on:

• • Subscapularis (internal shoulder rotation)
  • Triceps (especially the long head, assisting shoulder extension)

Many people overlook the role of the triceps here, but they play an important part in completing the movement.

Why is understanding this sequence useful?

It allows you to train more intentionally.

For example:

• If you struggle with the top of the pull-up (like a deep lock-off), you can focus on the muscles involved in that phase.
• If a specific part of the movement causes pain, you can temporarily avoid or modify that range.
• You can isolate weak areas and then reintegrate them into the full movement.

This approach is especially helpful in both performance training and rehabilitation.

What types of injuries are commonly associated with pull-ups?

Several types of discomfort or injury can show up:

• Shoulder Pain

Often related to rotator cuff irritation or subacromial pain. This typically occurs during overhead or pulling movements.

• Elbow Pain

Frequently felt at the front or inner part of the elbow, often due to overloading the elbow flexors like the biceps or brachialis.

• Tendon Issues

These can affect the elbow flexors, rotator cuff, or other structures involved in the movement.

A common pattern is over-reliance on the arms instead of distributing the load through the shoulders and back.

What are the main pull-up variations climbers should know?

There are three primary grip variations:

1. Pronated (palms facing away)
2. Supinated (palms facing toward you)
3. Wide grip (pronated, but with hands farther apart)

Each has slightly different demands and applications.

What are the benefits of the pronated pull-up?

This is the most commonly used variation and closely resembles many climbing movements.

Key features:

• Greater elbow flexion involvement (brachialis)
• Larger range of motion at the shoulder
• More natural shoulder blade movement

It’s generally considered the safest option because:

• It allows better scapular movement
• It involves less extreme shoulder rotation

This makes it a good default choice for most climbers.

When should climbers avoid the pronated grip?

If you have pain in the inner elbow or brachialis tendon, this variation may aggravate symptoms due to the higher load on the elbow flexors.

In that case, modifying grip or reducing intensity can help.

What about the supinated pull-up?

In this variation, your palms face toward you.

It resembles undercling positions in climbing and tends to involve:

• Greater rotator cuff and deltoid activation
• Increased contribution from chest and shoulder stabilizers

However, it also requires more external rotation of the shoulder—especially at the bottom of the movement.

Is the supinated grip riskier?

It can be, particularly if you already have shoulder issues.

The starting position places the shoulder in a more vulnerable alignment, which may increase stress on the rotator cuff.

If you’re dealing with shoulder pain, it’s often better to:

• Avoid the deepest range initially
• Use partial range of motion
• Progress gradually as symptoms improve

When is the supinated grip useful?

It’s a good option if you want to:

• Emphasize rotator cuff and shoulder muscles
• Train movements that resemble underclings

Like any variation, it’s about matching the exercise to your goals and current condition.

What are the characteristics of wide-grip pull-ups?

This variation uses a wider hand position with a pronated grip.

It tends to:

• Increase activation of back muscles (lats, trapezius, rhomboids)
• Reduce rotator cuff demand compared to other variations

Are there downsides to the wide grip?

Yes, especially for climbers with shoulder instability.

The wider arm position can make it harder to maintain joint control, which may lead to discomfort or inefficiency.

As with other variations, comfort and control should guide your setup.

How can climbers modify pull-ups for training or rehab?

There are several ways to adjust difficulty and focus:

Change Tempo

• Pause between reps for control and strength
• Use continuous reps for endurance or power

Change Equipment

• Bar (standard)
• Hangboard (more climbing-specific)
• Rings (more instability and control required)

Modify Assistance

• Resistance bands
• Toe-assisted pull-ups
• Jumping pull-ups

What if someone can’t do a pull-up yet?

There are excellent alternatives:

• Assisted Pull-Ups

Using bands or foot support to reduce load.

• Lat Pulldowns

A strong substitute, especially when done in a kneeling position to better mimic pull-up mechanics.

• Progressive Loading

Gradually increasing difficulty is key to building capacity safely.

What are common technique mistakes?

• Overusing the Arms
  • Relying too much on elbow flexion instead of using the shoulders and back.
  • Fix: Focus on driving your elbows down rather than pulling yourself up.
• Poor Scapular Control
  • Not engaging the shoulder blades effectively.
  • Fix: Think about pulling your shoulder blades back and down.
• Excessive Shrugging
  • This can lead to neck discomfort.
  • Fix: Keep shoulders down and lead with your chest instead of your chin.
• Grip Width Issues
  • Especially in supinated pull-ups, a grip that’s too wide can increase stress on the elbows.
  • Fix: Adjust hand spacing to a more comfortable position.

How can climbers troubleshoot pain during pull-ups?

Start by identifying where the pain occurs:

• Elbow pain: Reduce reliance on elbow flexion and engage the shoulders more
• Shoulder pain: Modify grip or avoid end ranges
• Neck pain: Avoid shrugging and maintain proper posture

Filming your movement can help identify subtle issues that are hard to feel in real time.

What are your key takeaways for climbers?

The most important principle is progressive loading.

Build strength gradually to:

• Reduce injury risk
• Improve long-term performance

If you’re uninjured:

• Use a variety of pull-up variations
• Keep training well-rounded and engaging

If you’re injured:

• Choose variations that reduce stress on the affected area
• Gradually reintroduce more demanding positions

Finally, manage your training volume carefully. How much you do matters just as much as how you do it.

Final Thoughts

Pull-ups may seem simple, but small adjustments in technique, grip, and progression can make a huge difference. By understanding the biomechanics and choosing the right variations, climbers can turn a basic exercise into a powerful tool for both performance and injury prevention.

Where can we find more information?

Reach out to Marie-Eve at mejoanisse@gmail.com or on Instagram @marie-eve_joanisse if you’d like to connect about climbing, rehabilitation, or her journey as a physiotherapist working with climbers.