Training for Climbing, 2nd: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance (How To Climb Series)

Stability
     
    Flagging is the alternative technique for maintaining stability when a left-right hand-foot combination is not possible. Suppose you are attempting to use a right-hand and right-foot combination to propel upward movement. Upon releasing your left hand to make a reach upward, you will immediately begin to barndoor. This sideways rotation is hard to fight and often results in a fall. However, a simple flagging of the free leg (in this case the left) significantly improves stability and balance by shifting your center of gravity more directly over the supporting (right) foot and under the supporting (right) hand. Practice using these flagging techniques on a vertical wall and then expand their use onto overhanging terrain. You will soon discover that foot flagging is an indispensable technique for steep, thin, balancy move.

Mantling and Hand-Foot Matching
     
    The mantle move is often called upon to overcome a long reach between holds. Depending on the size of the hold to be mantled, you may be able to press your entire palm onto the hold or, possibly, just your fingertips. The left-right combination of pushing and pulling hands provides great stability, so you will be able to upgrade one or, possibly, both feet. In many cases you will match a foot (the same side as the mantling hand) on the same hold that you are mantling; it is then often possible to shift your center of gravity over that foot and stand up.
    Severe climbs frequently demand that you adroitly match your foot onto a tiny crimp or finger pocket hold. Quick, precise execution is essential to maintain forward inertia as you progress through such tenuous sequences.

     
    Unstable moves and a tendency to barndoor can often be overcome by a flagging foot—which shifts your center of gravity closer to the weight-bearing foot.
     

Twist Lock and Backstep on Steep Terrain
     
    The twist lock and backstep are the bread-and-butter moves of a steep-wall connoisseur. As a climbing wall tilts back past vertical, it becomes increasingly difficult to place a high percentage of weight on your legs. Consequently, a greater portion of body weight must be supported by your arms—which, of course, possess less absolute strength than the legs. Use of the twist lock and backstep together helps draw your body in toward the surface of the overhanging wall. This changes the force vector on the handholds, making them feel more positive and secure. More important, this drawing-in of the body places more weight onto the footholds. Proper execution of these moves, however, requires practice and a significant amount of strength through the core muscles of the torso. See chapter 6 to learn exercises for strengthening these core muscles.
    The twist lock is typically used to ease the upgrading of a hand on an overhanging section of wall. For example, consider the situation in which your left hand is on a good hold and you’d like to reach up high with your right. While you could attempt this move straight-on—chest facing toward the wall in a neutral position—it’s far less strenuous to turn your right hip to the wall before making the upward reach. Proper positioning of the feet is critical for making this move work. Since the right hip is turning to the wall, you’ll need to use the outside edge of your right foot on a hold somewhere below or in back of your body (hence the term backstep ). Usually you’ll find a complementary left foothold to help maintain the twist-lock body position. The feet then press in unison while the left arm pulls down and in toward your torso, creating the twist lock. Finding just the right body position is the key to providing a secure twist lock; when you do, you’ll notice that a surprising lack of effort is needed to reach up and acquire the next handhold. This amazingly efficient locomotion over steep terrain is the magic of the twist-lock technique. See photos on next page.

Use Creative Footwork with Heel and Toe Hooks, and Knee Locks
     
    Heel hooks, toe hooks, and knee locks are real difference makers when it comes to moving over steep terrain and surmounting overhangs. Given the strength of the leg muscles, a good heel hook is often better than a handhold in helping turn the lip of a difficult roof. Similarly, toe hooks and knee locks provide terrific support when you’re cranking a serious move on overhang rock. Let’s take a brief look at each.
    Use of Twist Lock

     
    1. Without the twist lock, the climber’s