Rest for success : learn to rest more often during climbing

rest for success climbing

The best way to maximize your staying power for enduro-packed routes is by resting more often and more efficiently during the climb. You may do endless training laps for stamina, but learning to cop strategic rests mid-route is more likely to win you the onsight on any terrain. Rest for success !

Rest for success : Vertical Rock

Your legs are much stronger than your arms, so look for stemming opportunities to relieve your fingers and forearms throughout a route. Corners are the obvious places, but many times you can also stem between knobs, pockets, ribs and tufas, or other rock features on a flat wall.

To rest on a face climb or arête, wrap your instep over a crystal or edge, rock onto it, and then squat onto that foot, with the other leg dangling to keep your weight close to the wall.

Stemming and thin face climbing may tire your feet and calves as much as your fingers and forearms, leading to imprecise footwork. Try standing on a good foothold with your heel—instead of your toe—to rest your lower leg. Alternate feet if possible.

A knobby wall provides plenty of opportunities to rest your fingers. Curl your thumb or crook your pinkie around a knob to give your fingers a chance to recover. When you reach an extra-large, flat edge, rest your forearm on the shelf instead of hanging on your hands.

Overhanging Rock

Stemming is even more essential for resting on overhanging rigs, where your arms and core do most of the work. Even the shallowest corner or groove may present an opportunity for a quick stem and shake.

When two planes of rock are too close together for effective stemming, you may still be able to milk them for a rest with a drop-knee. Turn your body sideways. And drop your inner knee toward the ground, smearing with both feet in opposition, as if you’re chimneying. With a good enough drop-knee, you may be able to lower one or both hands for a rest.

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