I am new to this site but not to climbing. I was wondering the best way to achieve smoothness in my moves. I have seen myself climb and notice all my moves tend to look forced, like I am throwing to each hold and using strength not finesse to make my moves. It becomes very obvious when climbing with people who look more like they flow up the route rather than throw to each hold.

So any advice, things to practice, etc.?

How are you supposed to turn properly with your body glued to the wall? Climbing like that doesn't even seem physically possible...

Only certain parts of the body. Try it then judge it. Also, the point is to keep your hand or foot in the same spot on the hold. If you don't need that extra contact point, then don't put your hand or foot on a hold.

As for the three points, its only really useful for finding your balance. A lot of non-smooth climbing comes from a poor awareness of balance.

Only certain parts of the body. Try it then judge it. Also, the point is to keep your hand or foot in the same spot on the hold. If you don't need that extra contact point, then don't put your hand or foot on a hold.

As for the three points, its only really useful for finding your balance. A lot of non-smooth climbing comes from a poor awareness of balance.

How are you supposed to turn properly with your body glued to the wall? Climbing like that doesn't even seem physically possible...

Climb easy routes and focus on climbing smoothly until you can climb smoothly without having to focus on it.

Then keep upping the difficultly.

Its possible, just not straight forward.

Also, terrible advice.

Bring your hips into the wall while you're pushing off your feet, but otherwise, see what the situation dictates.

Sometimes, keeping your body close to the wall can really help keep your weight over your feet, or make the hand holds better. Sometimes, it interferes with your ability to see the holds, let alone get your feet onto them.

Try a high step while keeping your hips close to the wall. After the 20th or so time you fail at the move, you'll see the problem.

You'd have to be blind to have the kind of non-visual body awareness that allows you to see a microscopic foothold several feet away, then know exactly where it is without looking when it finally comes time to use it, and place your foot there in precisely the right fashion to actually use it, first try.

The only time I've been that automatic about a foothold, I'd worked the route so much that I was moving smoothly regardless.

The "suck your hips in" advice is a lot like the "straight arms" advice: something that works initially, but learning the principles that cause those specific tactics to work in certain situations will be much more useful.

I even explained how they are similar. I think you stopped reading just before the colon (:).

Watch an experienced climber move their feet. Typically, unless the holds require otherwise, they'll sag down and out, getting their hips away from the wall, then they'll place their feet, then they'll move their hips close to the wall again. Why? Because that way they know that they're putting their feet on the best holds available.

All this stay-close garbage will teach people is to put their feet on the first thing they don't immediately slip off of. Learn to put your feet where you mean to, then move your hips close to the wall to stand up on them, then get your hips away from the wall again so you can see where you need to move next.

Training technique involves more than just doing an exercise. You have to recognize what it is trying to teach you.

I have seen myself climb and notice all my moves tend to look forced, like I am throwing to each hold and using strength not finesse to make my moves.

You mean like in your avatar pic? That's some pretty sorry body control going on there.

I suspect what you may be missing is the core strength needed to stabilize your body during movement. Work on your core and see what happens.