Online Manual of Rock Climbing Skills and Techniques
Technical parts of climbing performance
The judgement we need to select a placements for Hexes and Tri cams is very similar to selecting a nut placement. First off is the rock secure than then you need to look at how well the device sits in the shape of crack. How they are placed is slightly different, as both Hexes and … Read moreGear Placements – Hexes and Tri Cams
Nuts, Rocks and Wires stem from the original running belay placement for cracks were simply small pebbles, rocks or stones placed by climber as chockstones and threaded with a sling; over time climbers started to drill out machine nuts and use them instead. In modern days various companies make a variety of different shaped and … Read moreGear Placements – Nuts, Rocks and Wires
Camming devices are one of the more technical pieces of climbing equipment. They are so effective that very quickly after they were invented they revolutionise rock climbing. Originally design by an aerospace engineer Ray Jardine, who was also a keen climbers. When he was testing his prototype he used to say he was going climbing … Read moreCamming Devices
Hexes were an extension of the machine nuts that climbing started using for protection. They eventually became ‘hex centric’ in that each side was of a different length. The reason behind this was that someone trying to make their own at home wasn’t very accurate as cutting and made it by accident as realised that … Read moreHexes
There is a profusion of rock shoes to choose from. At first you are better off going for comfort, rather than performance, although a reasonably tight pair will pay dividends with your footwork. Generally one model of boots will fit better than the others, so don’t go on any recommendations, try on lots of different makes … Read moreRock Shoes
Moving around roofs can be strenuous on the arms, the trick is to move past the obstacle as quickly as possible, to a rest above. Place gear as close up under the roof as possible, and even above the lip of the roof if you can reach. Going up and down a few times may … Read moreRoof’s
Cracks, corners or arêtes, many can be con- quered by a series of layback moves. Get it right and you can move quickly and ef ciently, get it wrong and you’ll have a strenuous off-balance nightmare. The basic principle is the rule of opposites, trying to use left hand against right foot and vice versa. … Read moreLaybacking and Arete’s
Bridgeable features often provide ways to rest the pulling muscles in our arms and make upward progress. Another trick for ascending corners and grooves is ‘back and footing’, see Chimney Rest. Climb a corner with as many hands off rest as possible, by bridging and back and footing. Climb aagin but your hands can … Read moreCorners and Chimneys
The use of these drills boards has help many climbers start to develop a better understanding of climbing on steep rock. Although you can develop one for the rock over it is the tricky techniques of the drop knee, inner flag and outer flag that this drill boards really helps. For most climbers the … Read moreDrill Boards: Drop Knee and Flagging
Although similar to the rock-over as it essentially involves the transfer of weight from one foot to the other. Its difference comes from pivoting during the movement phase so that you arrive at the next point of balance on your outside edge, which as we have learnt from earlier exercises is more efficient. This keeps … Read moreCorkscrew Rock Over / Rule of Opposites