A belayer during the lead climb needs to pay full attention to what’s happening with the climber to minimize the risk of injury. You need to be aware of what the climber is doing, what the risk of a fall is and if the fall happens, whether your climber is going to hit something on the way down. Read on for 7 tips for giving a great lead belay.
An advanced top rope belay sounds like an oxymoron, but top roping is a low-risk way to work moves on a hard route. If your climber is at their limit, even on top rope, having a careful, attentive belay can help them do a better job working the moves. Here are a few tips that will help you be the best top rope belayer out there.
See how to combine climbing max hang and strength-endurance repeaters into a larger training macrocycle. We give an example for optimal route sending potential in the spring and fall.
This week, I’m going to go over max hangs again, but this time with two arms. Two-arm vs. one-arm max hangs are pretty similar, with other than the obvious difference of more pulling power when using two arms. Adding weight has one distinct advantage—you can quantify your progress exactly. Read on!
Max Hangs are a great way to gain climbing strength quickly. If you're stuck at home without the equipment for two-handed max hangs, then one-hand versions are a great alternative. This blog post goes over the details you'll need to execute this protocol.
If hangboards feel a bit too expensive to you, or if, because of a global pandemic, you can’t find one in stock, you can easily build your own hangboard at home. This post shows you how my daughter and I built one for her college apartment.
7x3 repeaters are a great way to add strength endurance into your rock climbing training regimen. If you're into route climbing and you need to gain endurance to help maximize your send potential, then this hangboard protocol is a good choice.
Density hangs prescribe hanging for 30-40 seconds on a particular grip. This length of hanging increases muscle and tendon density in your forearms, increasing muscular strength endurance and lowering your risk of tendon injury.
Toe hooks are often needed for steep routes in a bouldering cave. Read on to learn more about maintaining an active toe and core to help you toe hook better!
