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Crack climbing technique

 

You can never have too much insight from great climbers on their technique. Steph Davis has an article on her blog, High Places, discussing her techniques for climbing cracks (via splitterchoss.com).

The key to pure crack climbing, as with every type of climbing, is the feet. I like to start from the basics, which with cracks, is the hand crack. Hand cracks are the nicest, easiest thing you can climb, so you can focus on body position and movement technique, rather than the more precise jamming. If you have never done a handjam, it will feel alien and bizarre at first, but just slide your hand straight into the crack, and flex it, especially the meaty area under your thumb. It will stick, and that’s a handjam. I always say, if I fall out of a handjam, I deserve it :), so I tend to run it out if I’m in solid handjams.

Photo by Dru!

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Written by Tom Markiewicz on Friday, December 7th, 2007 at 7:43 pm in Technique, Trad Climbing 

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Comments

2 Responses to “Crack climbing technique”

  1. Brad Killough on January 1st, 2008 11:17 am

    I have been climbing for about 12 yrs. and I like traditional climbing because it’s a more natural way of climbing for me. But, I was injured in a work related accident and I now have trumatic arthritis in my right anckle, not to forget the crushed heel I still have, so I’m unable to crank my right foot into the crack, any idea’s, it’s really stiff and I have no movement side to side!

  2. kwatery zakopane on January 24th, 2008 8:26 am

    WOW! Nice picture!

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    Kwatery Zakopane

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