Here we will re-examine each question from the Climbing Skills Assessment and give a tip for how to improve your score. Keep in mind; these tips are only a general piece of advice based on a consensus of multiple people with decades of combined climbing experience.
1) From the ground or a rest stance, I have difficulty picturing the movement (hand, feet, body positions, and/or order of operations) needed to complete the route/problem/pitch/ section.
Tip: If you have trouble picturing the movement, there is no shame and pantomiming from the ground. You may look funny to outsiders, but every climber has done it at some point. The other option is to watch someone climb it before you and make mental notes for your attempt. Practice is key when trying to piece together a sequence.
2) When climbing, I feel like most of my weight is held by my hands and/or most of my power comes from arms.
Tip: For any overhanging route or problem there will always be a certain percentage of weight on your upper body. A good exercise to reduce the pulling done by your arms to keep you elbows lightly bent and rotate only from the shoulder. This will force all upward movement to come from the legs and hips. When you return to more relaxed climbing, remember the lessons learned form the exercise.
3) I have experience (more than 5 sessions) with the following types of climbing: bouldering, top-rope, sport clean, sport lead, traditional single-pitch follow, traditional single-pitch lead, traditional multi-pitch follow, traditional multi-pitch lead, big wall, ice/mixed.
Tip: Grab every opportunity you can to take part in these varying activities. Local gyms and companies offer trips and classes to learn and travel with peers. Most major locales offer guide services and their trips are, for the most part, a mixture of education and experience to help get you out on your own. Take advantage every chance you can to join parties both with mentors and professional services to expand your experience.
4) When climbing, I have a difficult time meeting my body’s needs; including the need to rest, shake out my arms, breathe, and/or relieve tension or instability (“Elvis-leg”) in my lower body.
Tip: Once your body starts to suffer, it is hard to recover while on route. Instead, a preemptive approach is usually best to avoid alarm reactions such as flash pumps and being out of breath. Get into a rhythm early of moving, breathing, chalking up, and shaking out even if you don’t feel that you need it. It will help you stay focused and meet your body’s needs before it becomes an emergency.
5) Even when I am able to find a rest stance, I still find it difficult to regain enough strength and/or composure to complete the route/problem/pitch/section.
Tip: This is a symptom of two things, either a lack of endurance (which can be improved) or an improper body position resulting in a non-ideal rest stance that is not actually restful. Alter the stance and see if you can recover, otherwise, keep moving to find a better rest.
6) I have experience with a variety of locales and conditions in my climbing career. Examples include indoor facilities, regions/countries, weather/seasonal conditions, rock types (i.e. – sandstone, granite, gneiss, schist, limestone, etc.).
Tip: This one is easy; TRAVEL! Take every offer to travel so long as you can afford it. The best way to get better is to test yourself in as many conditions as possible. One locations’ V3 may be another’s V5 thanks to local sandbagging or intimate knowledge, but it will help anyone grow as you learn new ways to approach the rock.
7) When climbing through the crux of a route/problem, I find that I forget to breathe, over grip, and/or forget my intended sequence.
Tip: Climbers tend to get so hyper-focused on the moves in front of them, or by fall potential, or any number of distractions that we forget the basics. A simple mantra can help by reminding you to breathe after each move and keep you relaxed through the crux. Put it in you head before you even leave the ground and repeat as necessary (e.g. – hand , foot, breathe, hand, foot, breathe, etc.)
8) I am familiar with and have effectively used the following hold types and hand positions on at least five (5) routes/problems at my on-sight level: jug, edge, crimp, sloper, pocket, pinch, side pull, undercling, gaston, and presses.
Tip: Climb as much as you can and as had as you can. Travel and expand your style and experience and avoid dogging one project for too long. More importantly, if you know that you are weak on a certain type of hold, find a project that forces you to work on that weakness.
9) My average on-sight level is much lower than my average red-point level on a variety of terrains (See questions #12 and #17 for terrain list). *Hint: two (2) grades if climbing 5.9/V2 or lower, three (3) grades if climbing 5.10a/V3-5.12d/V8, four (4) grades if climbing 5.13a/V9 or higher.
Tip: The only way to enhance your on-site level is to practice on-sighting. When new routes go up in the gym, get on them as soon as possible. Suss out the sequence on your own before there is a chance for beta to travel. Practicing good rest stances while on route will also help with giving you more time to figure out the intended sequence. Also, don’t cheat and limit yourself with low end red-points to pad your scorecard.
10) When watching someone else on the route/problem I want to do, I make mental notes of key sequences and hidden holds for my future attempt.
Tip: When trying to flash or red-point a route or problem, watch as many people with as many different styles as you can to see what important holds there are and how to link them together that best suits your body type and style. Obviously, this does not work for on-sight attempts, but it will help other on-sights as you learn how to move at your project grade.
11) When climbing, I find that I can achieve a position to release and shake out my hands/arms.
Tip: This is all about body position with the weight in your feet. Not all positions are rest positions, but when you reach an obvious one, make sure to be firmly rooted with ideally three points of contact. To help make sure your weight is in your lower body, straighten the arm that is still on the wall while the other shakes out.
12) I am experienced with and have effectively climbed at least five (5) routes/problems at my on-sight level on following terrains: slab, flat, overhung, roof/inverted, crack/off-width, chimney, dihedral, arête, ledge/top-out, traverse.
Tip: Not all areas and training facilities (i.e. – gyms) have all of these features so it can be hard to practice them. Travel is still your best friend in that scenario, but if you do have access to all of these, repeat the same advice as #8, pick projects on your weak or unfavorable terrain(s) to train away weaknesses.
13) When climbing, if my intended sequence or position feels awkward, I find that I can re-position or rethink the movement to find a more comfortable and efficient progression or stance.
Tip: Being flexible when it comes to movement is important, and not just in reference to your range of motion (ROM). Being able to adjust when something feels awkward or wrong is crucial to success and the best way to do that is to practice is to do it intentionally. Cross your sequence on purpose, back down, and then re-approach with the proper sequence.
14) I am familiar with and have effectively used each of the following techniques on at least five (5) routes/problems at my on-sightlevel: cross through/over, step through/over, drop knee, twist lock, heel hook, toe hook/bat hang, bicycle, layback, stemming, smearing, edging, crack/off-width jams, deadpoint/dyno, figure 4/figure 9, and mantle/top-out.
Tip: Some of the above are extremely specific, but that does not make them any less important. Sometimes, the key to unlocking your latest project is an out of the ordinary move so keep them in your back pocket. Practice certain elements as necessary, even if the movement is not the intended sequence, just so you can have the skill rehearsed.
15) I try to challenge myself through various activities including, but not limited to competitions, road trips, games such as take away or add-on, training circuits, and/or climbing with a stronger group or partner.
Tip: Challenge is how we improve and sometimes it can be difficult when working alone. Find a group just above your current level; too high and you may run the risk of injury, too low and your improvement will be slow, and work with them. Glean everything you can as far as form and technique is concerned and the strength will follow. Road trips, competitions, and training circuits are other great ways to expand your comfort zone and improve your skill.
16) When climbing above a bolt, piece of protection, the ground, or a ledge, I find that I tend to focus on the necessary movement rather than the fall potential.
Tip: If you are not focused on the movement and pay more attention to your fall potential then a crux mantra will help you through. Whether it is simply reminding yourself that you are safe or walking yourself through the crux moves you have rehearsed, staying in the moment is the most important thing. A climber is still responsible for making sure their fall area is safe, so if it is not, make it safe or retreat. Positive self talk will only get you so far.
17) I am familiar with and have effectively climbed a similar (read: within one (1) to three (3) grades) on-site/red-pointlevel over the following terrains: slab, flat, overhung, roof/inverted, crack/off-width, chimney, dihedral, arête, ledge/top-out, traverse.
Tip: We all have our strengths, some of us with delicate balance and others with herculean strength. It is OK to have a preferred terrain but we lose our diversity when we focus on what we like and diversity is key to maintaining strengths and improving weaknesses. Climb everything you can to stay sharp on even your least favorite terrain. Even if it is uncomfortable it will accelerate your progression in all areas.
18) My average on-site rating is:
Tip: The only way to improve your your on-site rating is to train intelligently. By employing all of the above tips, any climber could improve their on-sight without doing a single pull-up. Beyond that, training the core, a cardio regimen, a campus program, and opposition will get you physically stronger.
Suggested Reading
There are so many books out there because it is simply impossible to cover every piece of the climbing puzzle in just one text. This current work aims to touch on each of those pieces, but deeper reading is always recommended.
Climbing: Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, The Mountaineers. 2003.Currently in its 8th edition, and in print for over 60 years, this is the bible of all things climbing. While a lot of the skills covered refer to tackling large peaks, this was the first book many of today’s pro athletes read. More than just a technical skills guide, there are also pieces dedicated to Leave-No-Trace (LNT) practices and what it means to simply be a climber. Read it, learn it, and love it.
Below are three books that tackle each of the sub-characteristics:
Mental: The Rock Warriors Way: Mental Training for Climbers, Arno Ilgner. 2006.
A truly fantastic book with great mental exercises and insightful commentary on a climber’s thought process. Too heavy for your taste? Try the shorter and more relatable Espresso Lessons for the Rock Warrior Way, also by Arno Ilgner. If you ever get a chance to attend a Desiderata Institute presentation, drop everything you are doing and go. Arno is a great speaker and really wants to help each person reach their mental goals. He takes the time to hear your story and struggles and roundtables effective methods for each client.
Technique: How to Rock Climb, John Long. 2010.
The fifth edition came out in 2010 with beautiful photos of every conceivable body position on every kind of terrain. Plus, John Long is a climbing legend so that makes any version of this book a must have. More into bouldering? Look into Better Bouldering by John Sherman, now in its second edition. Both of these are part of the Falcon Guide “How to Climb” Series and are a great way to started.
Expertise: The Rock Climber’s Training Manual: A Guide to Continuous Improvement, Michael L. Anderson PhD and Mark L. Anderson. 2014.I hate to admit it, but this is most likely the best book ever written (to date) on the topic of improving your climbing prowess and strength. I had already started the groundwork for my book when this hit the shelves last year and it absolutely blew me away. So much so that it made me want to perfect the Crank Training Cycle even more just to make sure it was better (*wink). Michael and Mark have the credentials and research to back this book up and I look forward to the day we meet. If you are browsing the local gym catalog, check out How to Climb 5.12 by Mid-Atlantic native Eric Hörst. Don’t let the title fool you, because the methods can be applied to any climbing goal.
-Tylor Streett, MS, NASM-CPT, PES
– Tylor Streett, MS, NASM – CPT, PES