Climbing has always been considered a difficult sport but that doesn’t mean you cannot find the pleasure in it. On the contrary, it comes with a great diversity of benefits and building up physical condition is just one of them. Being in a constant “battle” with yourself while climbing, this activity also boosts your self-confidence and the power to outdo yourself. Escalades always involve challenges that need to be surpassed with great balance, muscle strength, and awareness. Here are some of the tips that may help you archive performance in your climbing techniques and practice.
Warming up and stretching are very important. Even though these activities are recommended for the beginning of any type of sport, for climbing they are absolutely mandatory. Think about the fact that on a rigid wall you have to be flexible and with tensed muscles at the same time in order to maintain your balance.
Visualize the route in advance. Before beginning the climbing sessions, visualize the path you’re about to traverse. “Reading” the path is as important as any physical ability, helping you in improving your climbing skills. Moreover, you should anticipate the balance, the stretching and every movement you will make, every position of your hands and feet. Find the point where you will be the most challenged and try to imagine the perfect position in which you will succeed.
Getting a grip of the climbing holds. Only through relaxation, you can improve your catching technique. Your back and shoulders should remain relaxed. Otherwise, the bigger the tension in your muscles, the more affected will be the fluidity and the easiness of your climbing. Stop from time to time and appreciate the way you use your muscles, your strength and how much you keep yourself relaxed.
Improve your balance. The center of your weigh is in your abdomen. Being aware of your gravitational center will help you calculate the strength of your hands and feet before and after performing a movement. A good exercise for improving your balance and your climbing technique is to find a cliff that is inclined to 60 degrees and then tries to traverse it only using your legs. Use your hands for balance but don’t grip on anything.
Keep you body close to the wall. In order to maintain your balance properly, you should try to maintain your body as closest to the wall as possible.
The escalade static technique. One of the best climbing techniques respects the following order: the movement of he arms and legs, the movement of the entire body, repetition. You should try to avoid moving your body and your body members at the same time. Use your arms for balance and your legs to support the weight of your body.
You should try to develop a relaxed movement. In order to succeed in having a relaxed climbing session, you should be able to control all your movements and eliminate any unnecessary step in the process, as this may mean additional effort. Think ahead your next move and just do that, without any adjustments.
Develop the proper groups of muscles. The muscles need to be worked out depending on the type of escalade you usually practice. For instance, bouldering requires powerful moves, climbing with your body pushed against the wall requires resistance while indoor or outdoor escalading combines them both.
Find the proper resting places. It is recommended that you know where and when to rest when you want to improve your climbing technique. Take a break every 3 meters and identify the potential resting spots before climbing again.
Exercise falling! Even though it might seem awkward, even falling exercises can make you a better climber. Being afraid of falling is only normal, therefore this fear needs to be controlled and educated. You can try to mimic falls from time to time in order to reduce the sensation of danger. However, that doesn’t mean reducing awareness. You should always take care that your rope doesn’t get tangled or hanged by something and you should also be careful where you’re placing your feet.
