Climbing Tips!

Performance Climbing Tip: Preview and Read the Route. This is a skill to develop just like any physical technical climbing move. Advanced climbers are skilled at reading climbing routes, this is one of the most important of the mental skills for improving climbing technique. Before you climb, visualize the sequences through the entire route--or as much as you can see from the ground. Anticipate weight, balance, reach, and each move through the route.

Here is the key: find the crux and decide the position you need to be in to complete it. Work backwards down the route. Make mental notes where your left and right hands and feet are positioned. When you climb, start the sequence going into the crux so your hands and feet and body is positioned correctly when you reach the crux. This takes some practice. After you complete the route, look at it again and re-analyze it. Develop a habit of previewing routes before climbing. The more you do it the better you will become.  So many times I have seen good rock climbers fail because they don't visualize the route.  Certain holds work for certain techniques i.e. laybacks, opposition, drop knees... seeing the way to approach the holds can mean the difference between an onsight and redpoint!