Drill: Deliberate Placement

Purpose:

To add precision into our hand and foot placements by shifting our focus of attention and making conscious decisions about how we place our hands or our feet

Where: wherever you like

This drill can be done in any environment on any hold types. That means, you can select holds/wall angles that suit you to allow a little more enjoyment.

Crucially, holds should be large enough to allow for a choice in how we grasp/stand on them

When: during the Learning Window

Climbs should be easy enough to allow thought process but not so easy as the drill feels contrived.

The Drill:

Before every move, pause for a second and ask yourself:

  • which part of the hold am I going to use?
  • (for handholds) what am I going to do with my thumb?
  • (for footholds) which part of my shoe am I going to use?

The Outcome: How do you know when it’s working?

Over time, you should find that you are doing less readjusts on both your hands and feet, that you are making less unnecessary noise.