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caseyboy7
Sep 24, 2003, 4:14 PM
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Does anyone know of any exerises or tricks for improving footwork? Right now, I just try to pay attention to my feet more and traverse at the gym. I have heard you can do exercises like traversing using only one hand, down climbing on toprope, etc. What do you do for your footwork? What works and what doesn't? My footwork is horrbile so any advice would be terrific if it teaches me to stop simply doing chin-ups and mantels to get up climbs. Thanks in advance for any info.
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rrrADAM
Sep 24, 2003, 4:20 PM
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Bouldering is one way, but another is to climb something that you can just get clean, and try to work it so you climb it with the most efficiencey of movements... Watch more experienced climbers, and start to work some of their moves into your bag of tricks. Be creative, and when you have the climb wired, and all the moves done efficiently, then move on to another climb that you can just barely get clean.
Ever notice how really good climbers make it all look easy ??? It's not easy, they just do it efficiently... Drop knees, toe/heel hooks, flags, back steps, smears, etc... All these are much more efficient at times than always being in the "X Patern".
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rocknalaska
Sep 24, 2003, 4:22 PM
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Try blowing a few tendons, or getting some tendonitis, that works for most people.
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vertical_reality
Sep 24, 2003, 4:32 PM
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Watch other people climb. If you're working a problem ask them for advice. After a while you'll just pick it up on your own.
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jman
Sep 24, 2003, 4:35 PM
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Try to work a climb without reaching your hands above eye level or try a no hands route.
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norskagent
Sep 24, 2003, 4:40 PM
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try to climb silently.
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allanange
Sep 24, 2003, 4:45 PM
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It is hard to learn good foot work in a gym. I think the best way to learn footwork is take a road trip to a slab area. From where you are think about the Daks, New Hampshire, or North Carolina. Bouldering, especially outside, is also a great way to learn footwork. Choose boulder problems that have tricky footwork. Otherwise good foot work will come with time.
Good luck
A.
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dingus
Sep 24, 2003, 4:53 PM
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Two things:
1. When placing your feet, PLACE them like a surgeon (cutting for the very first time!). Watch each foot all the way to the placement. If you can hear your feet slapping on the hold, you're doing it wrong. Do not allow yourself to move your foot once you place it (punish yourself for getting it wrong by living with the result). Think precision!
2. Wear crappy shoes when bouldering and then do problems that require good footwork. Why? The shoes will not pick up your slack for you, so any deficiencies in footwork will reveal themselves by lobbing you off the rock. I wouldn't make a habit of it, but a time or three might be illustrative.
A couple of friends and I make a fairly regular habit of bouldering in approach shoes. Two reasons: we climb a lot of mountaineering routes in our approach shoes, so practice is warranted from that stand point. And as we've all gotten older, comfort has replaced performance as the most important criteria in shoes. A byproduct is improved awareness of what our feet are doing.
Cheers,
DMT
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psirro
Sep 24, 2003, 4:54 PM
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try to climb roots which dont have good holds either indoor or outdoor automaticaly your foot will show you the way
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madriver
Sep 24, 2003, 5:03 PM
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.....downclimb...
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dredsovrn
Sep 24, 2003, 5:04 PM
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I have only been climbing for a year, but I quickly found out that I could only pull my way up short routes. I made a deal with myself that I would not move my hands until I knew where my next foot was going to go. It helped save my arms, and has really helped me to remember my footwork.
I also make sure I take at least one of my days of climbing a week to climb below my max difficulty. When I do this I can really concentrate of being efficient and smooth.
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camhead
Sep 24, 2003, 5:14 PM
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all good advice. additionally, try this little game: keep three points of contact on the wall at all times. that way, your feet will never fly off, and you will be forced to move statically.
also, buy some 5.10 shoes. those things are so flimsy that if your footwork sucks, they will blow out in a month, and you will be out $150. great motivation.
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crazygirl
Sep 24, 2003, 5:55 PM
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all good advice, but mine is better :lol:
be patient, and just climb a lot. no one can learn good footwork overnight.
watch good climbers, with similar body type to yours. if you have an opportunity, ask them about the specific move.
don't buy crappy shoes, don't wear gloves, don't tie one hand behind your back, and don't climb the same route over and over.
if anything, i would suggest climbing harder routes than you normally would. try pulling yourself up then...
remember your goal is to understand why something works and why it doesn't. at first, think about each move, until it starts to make sense and you can feel where your balance is.
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igsaisb
Sep 24, 2003, 6:12 PM
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Here's a drill I found useful. Pick a route well within your abilities. Climb it the first time with your left side turned to the wall and use only the inside edge of your right foot and outside edge of your left foot. Next climb, put your right side to the wall, use the outside edge of your right foot and inside edge of your left foot. Third climb, face the wall and use your toe tips. Throw in a down climb at the end.
Enjoy.
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rwaltermyer
Sep 24, 2003, 6:20 PM
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In reply to: Here's a drill I found useful. Pick a route well within your abilities. Climb it the first time with your left side turned to the wall and use only the inside edge of your right foot and outside edge of your left foot. Next climb, put your right side to the wall, use the outside edge of your right foot and inside edge of your left foot. Third climb, face the wall and use your toe tips. Throw in a down climb at the end. Enjoy.
thats good advice...I'm finish it up by combining what worked from both sends into a flawless climb.
Also...it has already been said, but when you place a foot, make it stay there.
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edge
Sep 24, 2003, 6:30 PM
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On the Junior team that I coach, I have had success correcting poor footwork by advocating "quiet feet". This means that if you can hear them slap the wall, you are not using them correctly. Look down at the hold, place the foot on the best part, and try not to move it. It also really helps if you take some of those little Christmas jingle bells, loop them on an elastic band, and slip it over your foot at the arch. This is a constant aural reminder every time you forget to focus on your feet. You'll be surprised how quickly this changes your habits concerning feet.
If anyone at the gym gives you grief about the bells on your feet, just whack them in the nose.
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braon
Sep 24, 2003, 7:14 PM
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Climb a lot of friction routes. You'll learn just how much pressure you can put on different size/shaped holds before your feet blow off. On something really slabby, there's no other way to get through a move than good footwork. The 15-20 feet between bolts in certain areas gives you extra incentive to not fall. :D
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madriver
Sep 24, 2003, 7:28 PM
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camhead wrote:
In reply to: also, buy some 5.10 shoes. those things are so flimsy that if your footwork sucks, they will blow out in a month, and you will be out $150. great motivation.
.......this by far the BEST advise I have ever heard....WERD!!!!!
Signed......
S. Joe Jackson 8)
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voltzwgn
Sep 24, 2003, 7:31 PM
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Practice down climbing, then you're forced to make your foot placement and then weighting it. When you're moving down it's amazing how important foot placement becomes and how much you focus on it.
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vegastradguy
Sep 24, 2003, 7:39 PM
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1) more friction routes on polished rock (if possible)
2) look down more than you look up. you know where your hands are going next, worry more about your feet.
3) precision and silence are the goals to work for....
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fixedpin
Sep 24, 2003, 8:42 PM
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Climbing in a gym (even practicing all the good ideas people have suggested) will NOT teach you how to use your feet well. You need to climb outside, a lot. Climb a variety of routes (sport, slabs, steep face, even cracks) the longer the routes the better.
Using your feet well is not intuitive and takes practice.
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jurjels
Sep 24, 2003, 8:48 PM
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In the gym, try climbing an easy route using only features for feet.
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madriver
Sep 24, 2003, 8:51 PM
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In reply to: Climbing in a gym (even practicing all the good ideas people have suggested) will NOT teach you how to use your feet well. You need to climb outside, a lot. Climb a variety of routes (sport, slabs, steep face, even cracks) the longer the routes the better. Using your feet well is not intuitive and takes practice
..thats funny..!!!
.....are you sure.....I mean....is that the definitive answer....or are you always right?
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allanorn
Sep 24, 2003, 9:06 PM
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Climb slab problems. Climb lots and lots of slab problems. Outdoor slab problems are the best if you can get out there.
Traversing in a gym is OK as long as you aren't using the big starting holds for feet all of the time. Try using smaller footholds when you're in the gym instead.
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