Moving your hand to the same hold as your other hand
Pros: Matching gives you good control of every move and time to reposition your body between moves.
Cons: Inefficient as the move rarely allows you to combine the body position and body movement with the next move, resulting in a jerky climbing style lacking flow. The move has a defined beginning and end and smooth transitions are hard to accomplish with this move.
Variations: Matching applies to feet just as well as hands. Matching hand-foot is also possible.
Tip: A special case of hand-foot matching, combined with heel hook requires finger placement to allow for heel placement between the thumb and the index finger.
Moving your hand to the same hold as your other hand, but replacing it rather than having them both use the hold simultaneously
Cons: Inefficient as the move rarely allows you to combine the body position and body movement with the next move, resulting in a jerky climbing style lacking flow. The move has a defined beginning and end and smooth transitions are hard to accomplish with this move.
Variations: Switching applies to feet just as well as hands. A way to perform switching when balance does not permit a dynamic replacement is the Piano-move where you replace one finger at the time. Switching hand-foot is also possible.
Tip: A special case of hand-foot switching, combined with heel hook requires finger placement to allow for heel placement between the thumb and the index finger.
Moving your hand to a hold passed the hold of your other hand (your arms form a cross).
Pros: Crossing gives you progress in the direction of motion.
Cons: It may be more difficult to maintain balance, caused by shift in body position or momentum.
Variations: Crossing applies to feet just as well as hands. Crossing hand-foot is also possible. Figure of four is a special move that utilizes the crossing limbs to gain foreward motion by pressing down on the lower limb rather than pressing down on a hold.
Grab a vertical hold from the side by pulling on it perpendicularly
Variations: The opposite of the Side Pull is the Gaston. Using your feet on a vertical hold in the same way will result in a Toe Hook or a Heel Hook.
Tip: Extend your arm as as much as possible to save eneregy, pulling with a straight arm is very energy efficient. Be mindfull of the direction you are pulling on it, deviating to much from perpendicilar pulling will cause your hand to slip.
Grab a hold from above by pulling down on it
Grab a hold by pressing your thumb on the opposite side of the hold as the rest of your fingers, squize
Pros: Pinching increases the friction force enormously, the thumb is by far the strongest of your finger and applying it to add compression forces on a hold is extremly effective.
Specialization: Pinching is a Compression move where the compression is inside one hand rather than between your hands.
Tip: Direct opposition of the surfaces is not required, apply your thump as often and as much as possible.
On a (sloping) arête, put your palm on one side and wrap your fingers over on the other side of the arête and squize together across the two surfaces
Pros: The pinching pressure between palm and fingers gives surprisingly good friction.
Cons: Can cause undesired twisting and pressure in the wrist, resulting in pain or even injury.
Variations: Can be done with either hand or even both at the same time. Can be done in both directions, whith index finger at the bottom or with pinky finger at the bottom.
Tip: When using both hands a twisting pressure between them (like tying to bend the arête) will gain even more friction.
Consecutive hand moves whith both feet off the wall
Cons: Requires a lot of strengt and energy.
Fixing your arm in its current possition, preventing it from extending or bending further
Pros: Can be energy efficient.
Cons: May require a lot of strength.
Variations: Locking Off can be done in any arm possition, but will require more energy and strength the further your arm is from its extrem positions (fully extended or fully bent).
Specialization: Gaston is Locking Off while pushing away from your center, using hand-foot in Opposition.
Tip: The best and most efficient Lock Off position is with the arm in its extreme possition, with your shoulder as close as possible to your hand.
Curling your fingers while taking the load on your finger tips
Pros: Energy efficient and extremly powerfull.
Cons: Risk of injury as the forces gets concentrated on small ligaments in the hand (the pulleys). The risk of injury increases with the degree of curling of the fingers. Hyper extention of the DIP joint may cause pain, injury and even disforming of the articular capsules / collateral ligaments over time.
Variations: Half Crimp consists of curling the fingers half way when loading the finger tips. Full Crimp consists of fully curling the fingers when loading the finger tips. Locked Crimp consists of fully curling the fingers when loading the finger tips while overlapping the thumb on the index finger and overlapping the pinky finger on the ring finger.
Tip: Any surface / hold can be Crimped, even a sloped surface can be Crimped and the advantages of this move still apply. Be extremly cautious of your footwork while Crimping, as slipping may cause a sudden jerk on the already precariously loaded fingers / pulleys.
Using a pocket that only fits one finger
Cons: Risk of injury as a lot of force is concentrated on a limited set of ligaments.
Using a pocket that only fits two fingers
Cons: Risk of injury as a lot of force is concentrated on a limited set of ligaments.
Let a leg go off the wall and then cross it beyond the other leg
Pros: Flagging is effective to gain balance by equializing or locking the momentum generated by gravity.
Variations: The most natural way to flag is by crossing your leg on the back side (of the other leg), but the leg can also be crossed in front of you between the other leg and the wall. The only reason to cross in front is to press against the other leg to gain additional preassure into the wall for your upper body. Flagging does not only apply to opposite direction (left foot flagging right), by flagging left foot on the left side you can gain control of your balance and lock the momentum generated by gravity rather than equalizing it. Ninja Kick is a dymanic move where momentum is generated from the flagging foot. Swinging it back and forth and setting off at its peak will utilize the extra momentum from the foot to gain reach in the following "jump".
Tip: When flagging you can push off whith the flagging foot to propell you in the direction of motion, this especially applies when flagging without crossing (back or front). Flagging can be used for gaining momentum and progress, not just balance. By shifting your leg to the side and simply pressing it into the (blank) wall you will be able to shift your upper body/arm towards the wall (pivoting on the axis formed by your other arm/leg).
Gaining progression by leaning back diagonally with your side to the wall, rather than reaching for a hold facing the wall.
Pros: Lay Back gives you good progress and reach in the direction of movement while keeping balance.
Tip: Combining and alternating lay back in opposite direction is a good way to gain flow and transition between moves. This move promotes the shifting of body position and balance, wich counter the beginners instinct to allways face the wall and climb it like a ladder.
Shifting your body to position your hip over your ancle. This is more a shift of body position than a move in itself, no hands or feet move.
Pros: Increases your reach by a lot more than simply reaching from your starting position.
Cons: Tends to put the knee that is rocked over on into its extreme position and could cause pain and strain on that knee.
Variations: You can rock over on both toe placements and heel placements.
Tip: When rocking over you should only focus on the horizontal movement, the reach will naturally follow. If you focus on the reach while moving you may be less successful in completing the full shift of body possition and thus loosing reach.
Pulling on a hold with your foot, placing your heel on the far side of the hold
Pros: Your legs are much stronger than your arms, you will be able to pull harder and better with a heel hook than with your hands. The reach of your leg is usually better than your arm, given a hold that is not above your head.
Cons: May put strain on your knee joint, particularly sideways forces that the knee may not used to. May require some flexibility and core strength.
Variations: Heel Hook is often a good and strong combination with Rock Over. Heel Hook may be used in Cycling, but this is more common with Toe Hook.
Tip: Do not place the heel in the position you want to pull from, put it sideways on the hold and roll it into place as you do the move. This will manipulate the rubber of your shoe into place and ensure better direction of force when applying the pulling force. If a Heel Hook is hard because it is to stretched / far, switch to a Toe Hook to increase your reach.
Pulling on a hold with your foot, placing your toe on the far side of the hold
Pros: Your legs are much stronger than your arms, you will be able to pull harder and better with a Toe Hook than with your hands. The reach of your leg is usually better than your arm, given a hold that is not above your head. The reach using a Toe Hook is even better than with a Heel Hook.
Cons: May require some flexibility and core strength.
Variations: Toe Hook is used in Cycling.
Tip: If a Toe Hook is hard because it becomes to compressed / tight, switch to a Heel Hook to increase the comression force.
After placing a foot, twist your leg in towards the center of gravity dropping the knee downwards
Pros: Gives you the ability to stand comfortably on holds that seem to be to high to stand on.
Cons: May put strain on your knee joint.
Variations: Combined with Stemming forms the Egyption move. Can be done by "standing" on the top of your shoe (toe box) rather than the sole.
Placing your leg between two opposing surfaces, the top of your knee on one surface and your foot on the other, while pressing down on your foot / extending your ancle to lock your leg in place
Pros: Energy efficient. Well suited to use as a resting point.
Cons: Usually a bit painful and abrasive on the skin of your knee.
Variations: Knee Bar can be combined with other jamming techniques as Stacking.
Specialization of: Knee Bar is in fact both Opposition and Jamming, but is not generally considered as either.
Tip: Knee Bar in tight spaces can be done by inserting the leg further, pressing higher up on the thigh, this makes the leg smaller by compressing it further (like squatting).
Crossing your leg over your opposite arm, knee over elbow, and pressing down on the leg to progress upward
Pros: Extends your reach considerably and allows you to climb controlled and statically on long moves.
Cons: Puts a lot of weight on the arm / hand and requires a good hand hold to be able to do this move. The move can normally be replaced by a simpler dynamic move / Catch.
Using the edge of the sole to stand on
Pros: Easy and beginner footwork can be achieved with litle effort and consideration.
Cons: You may enter a self reenforcing cycle where weaker feet leads to stiffer shoes wich leads to more edging and less strength in your feet... Edging only woks on fairly large features / holds. As grades goes up and footholds shrink, the usefulness of Edging decreases (see Smearing)
Tip: On features big enough to use a substantial part of the sole, but not all of it, you shoud use the edge of your shoe. The inside edge of the sole is most commomly used, but the tip and the outside edge is just as useful.
Obtaining optimal rubber contact by placing the foot slightly above the desired end position and manipulating the rubber of your shoe into place by rotating it into place as you put weight on it
Pros: Smearing gives you the ability to comfortably stand on "anything". Forces you to be mindful of your footwork and the forces you apply on your feet, resulting in less slipping in general.
Cons: Requires precision and time to place your feet correctly. Hard to combine with dynamic moves, requires a style of climbing with good balance control in order to have time to achieve precission footwork.
Tip: A common misconception is that Smearing is about getting as much rubber on the rock as possible and that anything but Edging is Smearing. Surface area is not a factor in friction, Smearing is about how to manipulate rubber into place so you can press down on the most optimal part of the surface.
Pushing down or off. Usually done by pushing down with the palm of the hand.
Pros: Energy efficient. Great for gaining or maintaining balance.
Variations: The most common use of Mantling (outside of climbing) is to press down on your own knee when rising on a high step. Mantling can be done to the same side as the manteling arm, creating a diagonal axis to get your weight over. Often combined with Lock Off on the other arm, Matching the same hold from above, pulling up from one hand while pushing down on the other. Mantling inwards by bending elbow and placing the hand in front of you, pushing down. Stemming usually involves Mantling moves.
Tip: Pushing off with your hand on the wall below you enables you to take the weight off the foot in order to move it while maintaining balance.
Pushing on two opposing surfaces. Combines the force generated by two limbs pushing away from your center in order to generate friction.
Pros: Can be energy efficient.
Cons: Can be challenging for climbers of different lengths, hard to set routes that accommodate all body sizes.
Variations: Opposition applies to feet just as well as hands. Opposition between hand-foot is also common. Opposition with both hands Matching a big pocket, cracks or similar features, both pulling away from your center. Combining Opposition with momentum could allow you to jump back and forth between surfaces.
Specialization: Stemming is a classic Opposition move. Jamming is Opposition generated with your hand (or any other body part), but is generally not considered an Opposition move.
Tip: Opposition with your feet can be done with a combination Heel Hook or Toe Hook in big holes, cracks or similar features.
Pushing on two opposing surfaces where your entire body is placed in between the two surfaces.
Pros: Can be energy efficient.
Cons: Can be challenging for climbers of different lengths, hard to set routes that accommodate all body sizes.
Variations: Egyptian is a stemming move combined with a drop knee resulting an a pose resembling an ancient egyptian hieroglyph.
Specialized Opposition move.
Tip: In wide gaps, placing both hands on on surface and both feet on the other may give the required reach.
Grab a (vertical) hold on the side and shift your body into the hold in order to get your shoulder as close as possible to your hand
Variations: The opposite of the Gaston is the Side Pull.
Specialization of: The Lock Off move combined with Opposition, where you shift your body sideways into the hold / hand possition. Pushing on your foot in Opposition to pushing on the Locked Off hand, usually diagonal hand / foot combination.
Tip: It is ideal to lock your arm in a possition with the shoulder as close as possible to your hand to gain power and save energy.
Pulling on two opposing surfaces, combines the force generated by two limbs pulling towards your center
Pros: Can be energy efficient.
Cons: Can be challenging for climbers of different lengths, hard to set routes that accommodate all body sizes.
Variations: Compression applies to feet just as well as hands. Compression between hand-foot is also common.
Specialization: Compression with your feet can be done with Cycling or a combination with Heel Hook or Toe Hook. Pinching is Compression generated within on hand, but is generally not considered a Compression move.
Tip: Hand to foot Compression forms an axis on wich you can pivot, pushing off the wall with the other foot can be used to create rotation on this axis and thus create preassure into the wall on the opposed hand. This preassure can be used to improve the friction on that hand, or to move that hand while maintaining balance. Matching and Crossing on a hold result in Compression on that hold, usefull when the hold is to wide to Pinch.
Dynamic move where the body is momentarily off the wall completely
Pros: Energy efficient
Cons: Hard to maintain precision in the moves because of the short time to focus and adjust during the move, often requiring several attempts in order to work the move out (gain muscle memory). It may be hard to maintain balance or equalize the momentum after the move, to predict the amount of momentum generated and its direction.
Letting a foot go off the wall and swing the leg back and forth to build momentum and jump off the other foot at the right time to let the momentum of the swinging leg to boost the jump
Pros: Amplifies the jump from one leg when jumping from both legs are prohibited by lack of holds or balance.
Cons: Hard to maintain precision in the moves because of the short time to focus and adjust during the move, often requiring several attempts in order to work the move out (gain muscle memory). It may be hard to maintain balance or equalize the momentum after the move.
Tip: Be mindfull to align the swinging motion and thus the following release of momentum with the direction that you will be jumping. The generated momentum can be used to alter the direction of movement rather than amplifying the movement. Swinging your leg to jump towards the wall when it is slightly overhanging is usefull on sideways dynamic moves.
Expanding any body part in a crevasse in order for it to get stuck for the duration of the move
Inserting a hand into a crevasse and making a fist in order for it to get stuck there for the duration of the move
Pros: Energy efficient. In general very efficient and powerful.
Cons: Abrasive. Can be painful.
Variations: The size of the crevasse dictates the way the hand can be placed in it; thumb up, thumb down, palm facing left, right, forward or backwards. The size also dictates how much you will be able to curl it in to a fist, from only slightly bent for full fist.
Tip: Medium crevasses may allow you to fold your thumb towards your palm to expand the hand, either by folding from the wrist, bending the thumb joints or both.
Inserting your toes into a crevasse at 90 degrees angle (big toe up) and twist your foot back towards the normal position in order for it to get stuck there for the duration of the move
Pros: Energy efficient. In general very efficient and powerful.
Cons: Painful.
Jamming with more than one body part in order for it to be wide enough for the crevasse
Pros: Energy efficient. In general very efficient and powerful.
Cons: Usually painful and abrasive. More parts of your body stuck in the Jam leaves less parts to perform the next move.
Variations: Imagination is your only limitartion... and the number of bodyparts available.
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