Outdoor Rock Climbing Movement 101

Part of our intro to outdoor rock climbing series:
Cliff notes for the curriculum in this video:

Handholds:
Edge
Sidepull
Gaston
Undercling
Pinch
Sloper
Crimp

Foot placements:
Edge
Smear
Flag

Center of Gravity → a point from which the weight of a body or system may be considered to act
I.e. if we simplified all of your mass down to a single point

Important to look at your feet when placing them!
Hips out, shoulders in to create space for foot movement up, alternate option is to point your knee to the side
Position your COG so that you can use your legs to drive your mass upwards
It is often advantageous to move side to side and make smaller movements upward
In less than vertical terrain, your COG should be over your feet, not necessarily “in”

Advantages of static
Control and ability to make refined movements and real time adjustments to center of gravity
Less committing, can get best grip on hold or foot placement

Advantages of dynamic
Get to far away hold (dyno)
You earn a moment of weightlessness to move appendages
transferring weight may be less efficient statically (transfer to high foot)... more energy to start move but less energy overall

Holds have a preferred direction - gravity is always acting down

Oppositional pressure
Cantilever style movement = layback, sidepull, undercling
“Wedging” sorts of oppositional pressure are stemming and crack climbing

Rotation is necessary to disconnect our upper and lower body and allow us to change the direction we push/pull on holds