Often, a beginning rock climber’s first instinct is to grab and pull, using upper-body strength to haul himself up the wall. But a little finesse goes a lot further than brute strength. By adding a few climbing moves and techniques to your repertoire, you’ll be able to climb harder and longer, making whatever strength you do have last until you really need it.
Drop Knee
In general, the closer your hips and shoulders are to the wall, the farther up you’ll be able to reach. Sometimes just an inch or two makes the difference between grabbing the next hold or having to jump for it. Dropping your knee, or rotating one leg down and in so that the knee points down and your hip on that side is sandwiched against the wall, allows you to squeeze a few extra inches of reach out of your position.
Backstep
A backstep serves the same general purpose as a drop knee, getting your hips and shoulders closer to the wall, increasing your reach and stability. However, the backstep is easier and doesn’t require as much flexibility. Simply place the outside edge of one climbing shoe on a foothold, then turn your body so that your hip on that side is snug against the wall. You can place your other leg in front of you, against a foothold, or just lightly hold it against the wall.
Stem
Stemming refers to having one foot on one rock wall or feature, then reaching your other foot out to the side or back and resting it on another wall or feature. Sometimes, although not always, you can get enough purchase with both feet to completely let go of the wall. This hands-free stance makes stemming an excellent opportunity to take a rest or reach for a piece of gear.
Dyno
These dynamic, leaping moves are one of the most spectacular methods of climbing. To do a dyno, stretch down, straightening your arms and bending your legs, then push powerfully with your legs and pull with your arms, letting go of the wall and literally launching yourself up to the next hold. “Sticking” the landing on the next hold, with one or two hands, requires quite a bit of grip strength and core stability.
Smear
Climbing shoes have supportive edges to help you stand on dime-thin footholds, but even if there are no footholds available, you can still place the sole of your foot flat against the rock. The climbing shoe’s sticky rubber helps hold it in place, and depending on rock type, shoe condition and angles, a “smear” like this can generate enough friction to support your entire weight as you move up the wall.
Undercling
If a hold has an opening or feature near its top, you can usually cling to this and hang straight down. However if the hold opens downward you must grip it underhand, and work your feet as high as possible on the wall. Keep your arms straight and your hips close to the wall as you push up with your legs, using body tension to stay on the wall.
Member Comments