Technique Explorations III

These sessions are not intended to be done all at once. Just work on them a little bit throughout your training block, and report anything you learn to me. I will use your feedback to select technical sessions for you to explore further. Ideally, please film some of your explorations, and send me videos to review.

Midline

  1. Consider an imaginary center line that goes up and down, perpendicular to the ground, through your center of gravity.
  2. Examine climbs and try to imagine how far away from your midline each hand and foothold will be.
  3. Repeat climbs of various terrain and styles, paying attention to how each hand and foothold feels based on how far away from your midline it is.
  • Do you try harder when handholds or footholds are closer or further from your midline?
  • Where is tension created in the body when feet/hands are closer or further away?
  • What are your areas of weakness compared to your midline?

Foot Tension: Pushing, pulling, tension, pressure, balance

1. Pushing: Imagine pushing your brake pedal in your car with the tip of your toe

Pulling: Imagine scraping gum off of the bottom of your shoe
Tension: A combination of both pushing and pulling
Pressure: Imagine your hands are full and you swing an open door closed with your foot
Free: The foot is not touching the wall, but dangles like a monkey tail

2. Repeat climbs of various terrain and styles, noting when you use each type of tension.

  • Do you have any preferred styles out of the above? Which ones do you rely on most?
  • Do you have any weak styles, or styles you rarely utilize?
  • How does the steepness of the wall, or type of terrain, impact what styles you use?

Breathing

  1. Repeat several climbs, using each of these techniques:
    • Breathe deliberately before each climb, then let your breathing happen normally
    • Try to intentionally time your breathing with your movements
    • Try to intentionally hold your breath during movements
  • Which method feels most normal or natural?
  • Do you usually hold your breath while climbing?
  • What parts of your body do you “breathe into” most easily?