Purpose:
To encourage you to firstly become aware of how much you’re already using your thumbs with a view to building up to holding difficult pinches
Where: wherever you like
This drill can be done in any environment on any hold types.
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:
For this drill, I want you to think about your thumbs. Climb any given route twice.
- First lap: you are not allowed to use your thumbs on the holds. They must point out into space
- Second lap: you can now repeat the climb but let the thumb go where it naturally wants to. Notice where it lands and what it’s doing
The Outcome: How do you know when it’s working?
This drill should make you appreicate your thumbs. No, we’re not going to start making a big thing about it, we’re simply going to realise that our thumbs already play an important part in our climbing and that we’re not as far away from employing them on pinches than we thought.