[i.munro]

So I've become aware of a significant weakness indoors but I can't work out what to do about it.
I keep finding myself struggling on a perticular sort of move which the guys I climb with ( & seem to be of similiar ability on other sorts of move) seem fine with.
Basically starting a dynamic move with one very high foot & nothing for the low foot with poor-ish hands so you can't initiate by sagging out . I can't seem to initiate any upwards motion. I've watched people do this but I can't work out where the impetus is coming from & noone seems able to decribe to me what they're doing as they don't find it hard.

Any thoughts welcome. ta

[lagerstarfish]

depending on the angle - I'm assuming not too overhanging - I tend to initiate these things by first leaning my upper body away from where I want to go (essentially bending at the waist) and then bend back in the direction I want to go, letting the leg fold passively until my weight is over the foot and then press down on it (or on steeper ground pull the foot in towards me).
Sometimes another upper body motion is need to keep the upward movement going - so bend at waist away from direction you want to go, sway body towards where you want to go and go past the point where your weight is over the foothold and then bend body back again, using the momentum of your rocking upper body to help your leg start pressing.
It sounds crap when it's badly written down like this.

[Serpico]

How are you at these:

[i.munro]

It sounds crap when it's badly written down like this.

Actually that makes sense thanks.

& Serpico ... absolutely rubbish & I don't think I can train for it. My knees have been dodgy since we  bunked  off school & cycled to the beach for the day. Trouble was the school was in Nottingham.

Having said that static rockovers seem to be ok.
In fact this whole thing was brought into focus by a problem at my wall.
both hands on slopers, very high left & trailing right foot next hold a long way up & right. Everyone else goes dynamically up & rightwards.

Only way I could do it was rockover statically then get as much height as possible by pushing down on the slopers before reaching out right.
To others this felt much harder.

[i.munro]

Sorry keybord trouble

[Jim]

How are you at these:

If I did that my leg would snap in half

[galpinos]

Having said that static rockovers seem to be ok.
In fact this whole thing was brought into focus by a problem at my wall.
both hands on slopers, very high left & trailing right foot next hold a long way up & right. Everyone else goes dynamically up & rightwards.

So you've got a high left foot but going up dynamically rightwards? Doesn't soung like a rockover to me. 

For rockovers:

I find that pushing my knee over and past my foot pulls my hips over towards my foot and makes it easier to get my weight over my foot to allow my leg to push my body upwards.

(I've been trying to get better at rockovers as despite being able to do pistols till the cows come home I've always been quite poor at rockover moves)

[i.munro]

[

So you've got a high left foot but going up dynamically rightwards? Doesn't soung like a rockover to me. 

Fair point. So what is the word for a move gaining significant height using a very high foothold but not ending up with your weight directly over the foothold? 

[nik at work]

Slap?

Sometimes people try to pull up to the next hold when it is easier to keep a straight arm and pivot around the hand hold to gain height/reach. This is works well when the foothold you're pushing off is on one side and the hold you're trying to reaching is on the other. I dunno if this fits in with the scenario you're describing but it's a suggestion....

[jakjak]

hey, i used to have the exact same problem... dynamically and static. i also have a dodgy knee (septicemia in it a few years ago) i would recomend barefoot running, or running in a pair of vibram fivefingers... i've been doing it for about 9 months now and my leg strength has gotten loads better, doesnt bother my knee like "thudthudthud" running does... also just started doing hill-sprints a few weeks ago, thats just helped explosive strength all over.

not really an easy answer, but there never is with climbing 

[DubDom]

pistols - definitely. you can break it down into progressions towards getting a full pistol. Might fix your knees. very discouraging to start with, stick with it, gives you good active range of  movement.

[i.munro]

Thanks for the input guys but I'm afraid I remain unconvinced by this focus on leg strength because

a) as I understand it strength gains are very dependent on range-of-motion & pistols don't work the range I'm talking about (ie leg waist height or higher.)


b) I find it hard to believe anybody I climb with has the requisite leg strength to launch themselves rapidly upwards with a foot that high  ( like doing a pistol with your arse in a hole but fast enough to throw you in the air??) so they must be using something else.

[slackline]

If you're doing pistols right then you're foot should be at waist height as at the nadir you're heel should touch your bum.

[i.munro]

Perhaps I'm unusual but my bum is located below my waist, at least when I'm the usual way up.

[SA Chris]

How flexi are you across the hips, ie if you "frog" with your knees apart? I find this helps with getting weight over foot to push down and not pull weight out on it. Helps with movement and reduces strain on knees. Any core strength is good for getting feet high.

[slackline]

Perhaps I'm unusual but my bum is located below my waist, at least when I'm the usual way up.

Fair-do's I should have said "at or near to at your waist".

Even if it doesn't help this exceptionally specific problem, then improving your leg strength via pistols can't be a bad thing though (unless you already do them)?

[i.munro]

Even if it doesn't help this exceptionally specific problem, then improving your leg strength via pistols can't be a bad thing though (unless you already do them)?

True (although legs are the only body part where I suspect adding strength & therefore weight might be counterproductive) but this is such a glaring weakness (it's not like I can't dyno as far as anybody else, I can't move dynamically at all!) that I suspect it's technique not strength.