DATE: Friday, July 30, 2010
TIME: 6-8 pm
Where: Vertical Relief Climbing Center
Cost: FREE w/day pass or membership
Hello All,
If you have been climbing for any amount of time at all (like once or twice ever) chances are some one has made some reference to the use of your feet while climbing. It may
have been something like "try to use your feet more", "focus on your feet" or maybe the ever popular "Just STEP UP!" Well easy enough for them to say when they are standing on the ground and are not perched on a cliff face trying to figure out what the heck to do. But as simple and counterintuitive as it sounds learning good footwork is indeed the key to climbing. If and when you develop this skill all other aspect of your climbing will fall in to place.
Good footwork will help with endurance; it will help with climbing harder grades, with climbing movement, as well as mental confidence. If you can learn to shift more weight on to your feet as you make your way up the wall, instantly your endurance will improve. You will climb longer and farther because your arms are not doing all the work. The more you learn to use your feet the more you will be introduced to and more advanced types of climbing techniques and movement that may be required on more difficult climbs. Things like bicycling, cross flagging, arête grabs all require an understanding beyond "just stepping up". The more pressure you put on your feet the less likely they are to slip-this helps to build confidence. So your mental game can improve as well though better footwork.
On Friday July 30th I will host a Women's Clinic focusing on Footwork techniques and skills. Please join me for this.
See you there,
Sam
Women's Clinic is held the last Friday of each month 6-8 p.m.
For more info on climbing footwork check out this link.
