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ENARE
Feb 6, 2012, 5:59 PM
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My noob question for the week. I have been climbing for the past year and have been progressing very well in my abilities. However, I am starting to really focus more on my technique and have been pinpointing those areas that need some major improvement.
The one that I am really starting to notice right now is to drag. I will either bounce my foot off the wall to get to the hold a few times, or just dragging my foot up the wall until it reaches the hold.
For example:
http://youtu.be/nvLHOwzxHrg?t=1m56s
How can I approach my feet placement differently?
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jt512
Feb 6, 2012, 11:21 PM
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The Self-Coached Climber. "Silent feet" exercise.
Jay
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johnwesely
Feb 7, 2012, 2:03 AM
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jt512 wrote: The Self-Coached Climber. "Silent feet" exercise. Jay
The Self Coached climber does have the answer, but it isn't silent feet. Initiating movement from the lower leg is the cure to toe tapping.
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jt512
Feb 7, 2012, 7:37 AM
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johnwesely wrote: jt512 wrote: The Self-Coached Climber. "Silent feet" exercise. Jay The Self Coached climber does have the answer, but it isn't silent feet. Initiating movement from the lower leg is the cure to toe tapping.
Hmm, interesting. Initiate movement in some joint, at least.
Jay
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johnwesely
Feb 7, 2012, 12:52 PM
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jt512 wrote: johnwesely wrote: jt512 wrote: The Self-Coached Climber. "Silent feet" exercise. Jay The Self Coached climber does have the answer, but it isn't silent feet. Initiating movement from the lower leg is the cure to toe tapping. Hmm, interesting. Initiate movement in some joint, at least. Jay
I have always felt that the lower leg initiations is almost always the key for moving off of high steps smoothly. As the rock gets steeper, initiating from the hips becomes more fluid. It may just be the way I visualize it though.
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j_ung
Feb 7, 2012, 4:01 PM
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ENARE wrote: My noob question for the week. I have been climbing for the past year and have been progressing very well in my abilities. However, I am starting to really focus more on my technique and have been pinpointing those areas that need some major improvement. The one that I am really starting to notice right now is to drag. I will either bounce my foot off the wall to get to the hold a few times, or just dragging my foot up the wall until it reaches the hold. For example: http://youtu.be/nvLHOwzxHrg?t=1m56s How can I approach my feet placement differently?
That's a balance issue 100% of the time. Silent feet is definitely a good exercise for this, since it forces you to accentuate your weight shift to free your trailing foot to contact the next hold silently.
You can also try no-hands climbing—hold a soft ball in each hand and climb low-angle slabs. They should be just low enough that you can get your weight 100% on your feet. Since you won't be able to pull to compensate for balance, you'll again be forced into accentuating your weight shift. Some things you may notice are that what JW said above will begin to work really well, too, i.e., initiate the move with a little hop up into it. It also may be possible to take intermediate steps with your trailing foot—sort of a neater, more static version of the toe tap/foot drag. (What I mean by that is, instead of rising all the way up into your high step in one move... Stay balanced and squatted on your top foot. Bring your trailing foot up to an intermediate hold. Stand on two feet, instead of one. Rinse and repeat. This method makes an awkward high step incrementally less high and awkward.)
I should say, though, that such toe tapping, flagging and dragging may not always be bad things. If they've become your default technique, though, then yeah, probably a good idea to work on it.
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flesh
Feb 7, 2012, 5:50 PM
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Try climbing open handed in conjunction with paying attention to how you have to move your lower body to generate upward movement. Go to youtube and seach pro tips slopers, helped me alot. I learned I had been relying on crimping and static movement as a result of crimping for years which caused injury and made for less efficient climbing. You'll develop new patterns and muscles which are key to the highest levels.
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danhague
Feb 7, 2012, 6:06 PM
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I must agree with JT here. I watched the video and saw very imprecise footwork, foot adjustments seem to occur each time a foot is moved. By that I mean that in almost no instance did the climber take his foot off the previous hold and place it on the next without tapping, sliding or somehow replacing the foot several times. You should be able to pick a foot up and place it exactly where you want it on the next hold first try. This saves time and therefore energy especially when the climbing is difficult.
This can occur for several reasons, all of which can be cured by practicing the silent feet exercise. I have used this exercise hundreds of times with students of all abilities and it rarely fails to deliver results.
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jbro_135
Feb 8, 2012, 3:31 AM
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It seems like you are pretty nervous in the video. Sometimes you simply aren't looking at your feet when you move them, or haven't chosen where your foot will go before you move it. Practicing silent feet will definitely help with this, as will remembering to relax and think about your foot placements while leading. "Silent feet" is definitely a good thing to focus on when you are leading, it will help you climb smoother, and hopefully get rid of some of the nervousness you seem to climb with.
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rhythm164
Feb 8, 2012, 3:26 PM
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pay attention to what you're doing.
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ceebo
Feb 8, 2012, 7:12 PM
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In that viedoe it is bad cog/base support that is the problem.
The body is not over good base support when driving up so the trailing leg is engaging a continues flag to keep the body in balance.
As another said, you need to climb more slab with palms flat on wall to develop balance in lower body.
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ENARE
Feb 9, 2012, 6:59 PM
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Pro tips slopers was really helpful and commented on generating movements through the lower body and basically the power coming from the waist down.
I watched the video again last night and some of the movements did have proper foot placements, however, when i am off balance, I tend to tap my toes a lot more.
I also noticed that when I am going for a high step and push off of that, I tend to tap my other toe up the wall.
A combination of nervousness, lack of balance and I am wondering how much flexibility comes into play as well.
Thanks for all the tips. I am going to really start paying more attention to this.
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derk424
Feb 16, 2012, 2:13 AM
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Quick Question related to the OP's post.
I've noticed when going for a move on a moderately overhung problem i tend to smear with the top of the toe box, not the front edge of the toe rand, with the foot that is not on a hold. Is this due to poor technique? Or is it just incidental when climbing.
I mostly use it as a counter force to the upward movement with my other leg. It's similar to a smear but with the other side of the shoe. The end result is tear on the top of the shoe.
I don't tab my feet up the wall to place on foot chips and am aware of what toe dragging on the inside rand looks like.
Thank you!
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ceebo
Feb 16, 2012, 11:51 PM
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derk424 wrote: Quick Question related to the OP's post. I've noticed when going for a move on a moderately overhung problem i tend to smear with the top of the toe box, not the front edge of the toe rand, with the foot that is not on a hold. Is this due to poor technique? Or is it just incidental when climbing. I mostly use it as a counter force to the upward movement with my other leg. It's similar to a smear but with the other side of the shoe. The end result is tear on the top of the shoe. I don't tab my feet up the wall to place on foot chips and am aware of what toe dragging on the inside rand looks like. Thank you!
i find what you describe unavoideble in aome moves of flaging. Maybe the top of the shoe or the inside runing along the big toe.. tends to depend on the angle of the wall or if it is hip tucked in or not.
Im yet to find a solotion to it that does not take away some stability/initiation as a result. At max limit their is none of this free to sacrifice.
If the texture of the wall is smooth i would not worry so much about it. The gym i climb at has a sand paint finish on the features/wood, even toe pivoting is bad for shoes on this. But hell, its solid hard climbing and worth the cons.
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derk424
Feb 16, 2012, 11:55 PM
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Thanks brother, I noticed it a lot the other day on this big throw to a sloper.
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