Purpose:
To learn and refine your ability to use breathing to adjust body tension and to understand it’s effects on your climbing
Note: this drill was named after John Kettle, after attending one of his Coach Education Workshops
Where: flood based
This is a floor based drill that can be done anywhere
When: during the Warm Up
This is a floor-based exercise to be conducted before you start climbing (but can also be done at any time or at home)
The Drill:
Lie on your back on the floor, looking at the ceiling
- Lift your right leg from the floor and hold it about a foot (12cm) from the floor
- Take a deep breath and hold it
- While keeping your feet in the air, slowly let the breath out
- Complete 6 breaths, noticing what happens to the distance from your leg to the floor with each breath
- Repeat on the left leg
Variation: try the same exercise with both feet at once (much harder but better for those with a strong core)
The Outcome: How do you know when it’s working?
You should immediately notice that your legs are much more stable when you have a deep breath, while they are less controlled when you breath out.
Over time, you should find that you better understand the role your breathing takes in your core body tension and how to manipulate it