EP 158: Fundamentals — How to Improve Your Technique

Fundamentals (Part 4 of 6) — In part 4 of this series, Jesse and I discuss our top tips for how to improve your climbing technique, and share common pitfalls that can prevent progress. These are fundamental tips that you can practice at the climbing gym, the boulders, or the crag. We hope this episode helps you more closely examine your movement so you can level up your climbing!

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Jesse’s Original Episode:

EP 127: Jesse Firestone

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Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-4

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:23) – Jesse’s realization about his climbing style, and wanting to climb taller

(00:06:23) – My interest in getting better at straight-on roof climbing

(00:07:47) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Structure your technical practice

(00:10:38) – Skills are specific to the intensity of the movement

(00:12:25) – My philosophy for improving technique and how it differs from Jesse’s

(00:14:23) – Steven’s Tip #1: Become really interested in becoming a better climber

(00:15:35) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Technique starts with creativity

(00:16:53) – The lesson Jesse learned from Pangalactic Gargleblaster

(00:19:30) – Steven’s Tip #2: Watch climbing videos

(00:22:21) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Film yourself incessently

(00:26:27) – Steven’s Tip #3: Do perfect repeats

(00:29:33) – Steven’s Tip #4: Film yourself and review the video between tries

(00:30:59) – The confidence that comes from having footage of yourself climbing well

(00:33:48) – “We tend to believe the things we tell ourselves.”

(00:36:26) – Jesse’s Tip #4 (from Kim!): Speak the language

(00:38:31) – Steven’s Tip #5: Do the one and two-star climbs at your home crag

(00:40:33) – Bonus Tip: Frustration is usually a sign that there is room for improvement

(00:42:12) – Bonus Tip: Have your friends set problems for you on the spray wall

(00:42:12) – The satisfaction of climbing a scrappy or unpleasant climb really gracefully

(00:43:34) – “Take me to a moderate that I’ve never heard of.”

(00:43:56) – Jesse’s Tip #5: Treat your flexibility as a skill, and practice it on the wall

(00:48:38) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Assuming you’ve learned everything there is to learn

(00:51:33) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Assuming that if something looks good it must be good technique

(00:55:08) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Going through the motions

(00:56:38) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Becoming too robotic with your technique practice

(00:58:36) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Expecting gym technique to transfer to outdoor climbing

(01:02:25) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Not training your technique in your strong areas

(01:03:51) – Steven’s Pitfall #4: Avoiding the things that you’re bad at and turning everything into your style

(01:06:14) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Be endlessly curious about how you’re moving on the wall

(01:06:31) – Steven’s Top Tip: Become very interested in climbing better and bring that intention to your climbing