Movement and Technique course running over 3 weeks. 2 hours coaching per session. The course only had 2 participants, but that meant they got more quality time with me. The aim of the course was to improve their movement and give them the techniques that would help them progress their climbing ability.
I used HUDL Technique (a similar app to Coach`s Eye) to film the climbers during the sessions, with their permission. This was a useful tool to show them their body position in relation to the wall and their COG whilst moving through routes.
Session one focus:
Footwork - precision, quiet (controlled), using toe box, (inside/outside edge & tip).
Body position - hips close to wall, straight arms where possible, Side on climbing opposed to face on climbing.
Movement - twisting through moves to extend reach, to improve a climbers` stable base, to reduce energy wasted.
Exercises included;
Traversing with balls under armpits and then with arms straight to highlight energy expenditure whilst climbing with `T-rex` arms.
Traversing white and green circuits without knocking corks off the foot holds - this was to get the climbers to think about how they`re using the footholds and promote precise, first time foot placements.
Traversing whilst twisting through every movement - whilst you wouldn`t necessarily twist through every movement in a climb, this is a good exercise to promote the use of twisting and also to promote good foot placement as it is difficult to twist through the move if you`re smothering a hold with a ball of your foot. Different coloured tape was used on either side of the climber`s hips. Using the HUDL app, I could show the climber`s their movement through the traversing, the tape highlighting the twists.
Traversing to retrieve magnetic laces - to work on stable body positions where a climber can remove one hand to retrieve an object without falling off. Application: lead climbing and finding rest positions.
After each exercise, we went into the bouldering room and work on the exercise on actual routes and see where they would be advantageous and where they would be detrimental. I.E. twisting the wrong way to make a move, trying to use the ball/arch/heel of your foot on small holds.
Session 2 focus:
Reinforcement of controlled movement and foot placement - Traversing with corks, the use of HUDL Technique app to compare their body position, COG and footwork.
To improve balance and learn which muscle groups required to maintain good balance whilst moving - A lot of slab work today, climbing easy routes, but whilst holding tennis balls instead of holding onto hands. This was get the climbers to think about their foot work and balance. Other exercises included, standing in a stable position between two foot holds and then slowly transferring weight on to a foot and maintain balance until you could lift the other foot off the hold. Hands were not allowed to be holding onto any holds during this exercise. A lot of focus and keeping a firm core, body close to the wall and trusting foot placement.
Hold recognition and route reading. - Going into the bouldering room and showing all the different types of holds i.e. jugs, crimps, side pulls, slopers, pinches, under cuts, rails, etc. and how to use them effectively. Also how to use them to `see` the movement through a route before attempting it.
Session 3 focus:
Advanced techniques and how and where to use them effectively. This session covered the following techniques: flagging, twist locks, toe/heel hooks, palming, smearing and dyno`s.
After explaining each technique and giving a demonstration, I would then get the climbers to repeat the demonstration back to me and then to find a route where the think the might use each technique. Most of this session was climbing challenging routes and then reflecting on the route and trying to make it easier by reinforcing good movement and technique.
Area :
Rockstar Climbing Centre
