Do Kipping Pull Ups Cause Shoulder Problems?

by Mike Samuels, Demand Media Google
Kipping pull-ups use more muscles than traditional pull-ups.


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Watch someone perform a kipping pull-up and you'd probably think they were just cheating. Kipping pull-ups are similar in some respect to regular pull-ups, though they use a lot more momentum and a lot less control. Start the move as you would a regular pull-up, with a wide overhand grip on a pull-up bar and your body hanging straight down. Swing your legs back slightly, then jerk your hips forward and pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. While kipping pull-ups can serve a purpose, they may also cause undue stress on your shoulders.

Injury History

As with any exercise, kipping pull-ups can cause you problems if you've suffered a previous shoulder injury, or have weak joints. According to physical therapist Meghan Rovig, if you have weak rotator cuff muscles, your shoulder joint isn't adequately supported, so the kipping movement will cause your joint labrum to take over, leading to pain and discomfort.

Bursting the Beginner Bubble

You're more likely to injure your shoulder performing kipping pull-ups if you're a beginner. If you lack strength and stability around your shoulder joint -- as beginners often do -- your body will look for ways to compensate, notes strength coach Dan Pope. As the shoulder is a fairly unstable joint, any jerky movements performed with a weak joint can lead to impingement.

Training Past Failure

Using the kipping momentum is often seen as a way of cheating, or trying to do extra reps when you can't perform any more strict pull-ups. The more your form degrades and the more reps you try to do with poor form, the greater your risk of injury. Tony Gentilcore, trainer at Cressey Performance in Boston adds that when it comes down to it, the risk of kipping pull-ups outweighs any potential reward.

How to Kip Properly

While most people would be best to avoid kipping pull-ups, for advanced athletes involved in CrossFit -- where kipping pull-ups are often included in the workout routines -- it's important that you learn how to kip safely. Exercise physiologist and CrossFit coach Dan Staton recommends starting by holding yourself at the top of a pull-up, then dropping down, bouncing in the bottom, swinging your hips and pushing your chest out as you pull back up. Should you feel any shoulder pain, cease performing the exercise immediately and seek medical advice.

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