Climbing technique for beginners: footwork, straight arms, hips and reading routes

TUREFF• •0

Most beginners climb as if it were a pull-up competition, and most beginners are worn out in twenty minutes. Strength helps, but the people who climb smoothly are mostly using technique: they let their legs do the work, keep their arms relaxed and plan before they set off. These are the basics that make the biggest difference early on.

Footwork comes first

Your legs are far stronger than your arms, so every move should start from the feet.

Look at your feet as you place them. Watch the foot all the way onto the hold, then keep it there. Beginners glance down, stab at a hold and slip.
Use the inside edge of the big toe on most small holds. It gives the most precision and lets you turn your hip towards the wall.
Place feet quietly. Try to climb an easy route without any sound from your shoes. Noisy feet usually mean imprecise feet.
Stand up, do not pull up. Push through your legs to move your body upwards and use your hands mainly to stay on the wall.
Trust smears. On a slab or a blank patch, press the sole flat against the wall and keep your weight over it.

Straight arms

A bent arm holding your weight is a muscle working hard; a straight arm is a skeleton hanging. Whenever you are resting, chalking or looking for the next hold, let your arms straighten and hang from them. Bend them only to make a move, then straighten again. This alone can double how long you last on the wall.

Hips close to the wall

When your hips sag away from the wall, your weight pulls you off and your arms have to fight it. Bringing the hips in puts weight over your feet.

On vertical and slightly steep walls, turn sideways so one hip touches the wall. This lets you reach further with the arm on the same side.
A drop knee, twisting the knee down and inwards, does the same thing on steeper walls.
On slabs, stand more upright and keep weight over your feet rather than leaning in.

Reading a route before you climb

Look before you touch. From the ground:

Find the start holds and the finish, and trace a line between them.
Work out which hand goes on which hold, so you do not end up with crossed hands.
Spot the footholds, which are easier to miss than handholds.
Look for rests, where the angle eases or a big hold lets you shake out.
Mime the moves with your hands. It looks odd, and every strong climber does it.

If you fall, look at what went wrong. Usually it is a foot that was not where it needed to be.

Hold types

Jug: a big, deep hold you can wrap your hand round. Good for resting.
Crimp: a narrow edge held with the fingertips. Hard on the fingers; use an open hand where you can, and do not over-grip.
Sloper: a rounded hold with no edge. It works best with the arm straight and your body directly below it.
Pinch: a hold squeezed between thumb and fingers.
Pocket: a hole you fit one, two or three fingers into. Go easy; pockets put a lot of load on single fingers.
Undercling: a hold facing downwards, pulled upwards while you push with your feet.
Sidepull and gaston: holds pulled sideways, towards or away from your body.
Volume: a large shape bolted to the wall, often usable as a foothold even with holds on it.

Practising on purpose

Climb easy routes with one focus at a time: silent feet, straight arms, hips in.
Repeat routes you have already done, more smoothly each time.
Try climbing down; it makes you look at your feet.
Watch better climbers on the same problem and copy how they position their body, not just which holds they use.

What technique made things click for you, or which move still baffles you? Share it in the comments.