[Paul B]

I unearthed yet another gaping hole in my technical ability once more on Sunday: toe hooks. I'm not sure what it is about them but even the simplest of moves with the best hooks I'm almost unable to get anything from them at all. This I'd like to rectify. I once made a concerted effort in the works and spent a session mainly landing on my head from the skips but made little progress.

So as per the Verterbrate guide I was looking to UKB to try and identify a similar list but revolving around toe hooks (preferably peak-centric).

Great timing with the season on its way out I know... I'll start with:

The Nose
T-Crack
Lowrider

[Percy B]

Season on the way out? Crazy talk.

Firstly, I can only hope that you are not a 5.10 Dragon wearer.... toe hooking in down-turned shoes is like a broken pencil. Pointless...

The Nose and T-Crack are the most obvious, and have the easiest toe-hooks on them, so if these ones are causing you problems then best start here. Having a 'heavy arse' will pay dividends. Let yourself sag in the middle - don't try and use body-tension or strength to pull your toe into the holds. I think you can be too strong to toe-hook effectively - this is why weak climbers like me use them so much and can get them to stick as we naturally sag......

[205Chris]

A few I can think of (some are these are fairly basic toe hooks, others are the crux!)

Sweet Chariot (filthy crag Q) - Gets all the wind going so can be good in warmer temps
Tetris
Zaff Skoczylas
Big Al Qaeda (think some people use a heel, I used a toe)
Captain Hook
Superbrook
My Apple
Most stuff in Tom's Roof

[Sloper]

Secret 7th Caley has to be right up there, can't think of any others.

[Paul B]

Firstly, I can only hope that you are not a 5.10 Dragon wearer.... toe hooking in down-turned shoes is like a broken pencil. Pointless...

I was not wearing dragons, if only it were that simple. I was hoping a pair of teams may be better (or do I need to paint a pair of Moccs with 5.10 goop?).

The Nose and T-Crack are the most obvious, and have the easiest toe-hooks on them, so if these ones are causing you problems then best start here.

Usually (and in the past) I just avoid them by opting for a strong sequence (or a heel) but I'd rather try and sort it out. Yes, T-crack I struggle to toehook and take my foot off, instead I had to pretend like it was in and it kinda works mid move (as the other foot leaves the block) but others were happily placing it, taking the other foot off etc. this I cannot do.

Having a 'heavy arse' will pay dividends.

I don't have one of those 

Let yourself sag in the middle - don't try and use body-tension or strength to pull your toe into the holds. I think you can be too strong to toe-hook effectively - this is why weak climbers like me use them so much and can get them to stick as we naturally sag......

Wax on wax off. I get it. Maybe...

[cofe]

River of Life.

[abarro81]

lime but local - bullet (invert method), tarantula. Both bomber hooks but it's all useful practice

River is v good so +1 on that

[Johnny Brown]

If its not working on T-crack something is badly wrong. They don't come much bigger or more positive. Sounds to me like you have the wrong boots - Teams will be equally shit. Having worn flat shoes for ever (Velcros) it came as something as a shock that I can't toehook at all in anything even slightly more aggressive (Arrowheads, Dragons). It is pretty unnatural so you do have to work at it a bit.

You are short so that will make up for not having a fat arse.

[cofe]

Don't people cheat past the toe hook on T Crack now anyway? Agreed it's massive if you use it.

[Doylo]

Teams are not a great shape for toe hooks but make up for it slightly by the rubber on top.

[abarro81]

Huffys roof too. For made in sheffield me n shrew used a toe.

[205Chris]

Glasshour at the plantation.

The most recent sequence I've seen on T-Crack avoids the toe hook completely by undercutting out to the left side of the slopey shelf then moving rightwards.

Edit: What Cofe said.

[tomtom]

Demon wall roof..

[Nigel]

The most recent sequence I've seen on T-Crack avoids the toe hook completely by undercutting out to the left side of the slopey shelf then moving rightwards.

I'm not normally fussed about these things, alternative sequences etc., but surely this this isn't T-Crack?

Anyway, on topic. I used to be OK at toe hooks but then went shit after I broke my ankle. Was because my anterior tibialis had wasted to nowt - this is the muscle that pulls your foot up i.e. the toehook muscle. Given that you've broken both your legs a hundred times (?) might be worth checking to see how strong these muscles are, or if there is an imbalance between legs.

[Doylo]

Get some body strength Bennett you lightweight

[Three Nine]

 toe hooking in down-turned shoes is like a broken pencil. Pointless...

what utter crap

[uptown]

Spin ghar at whitehouses is the best toehookery i've come across paul. As percy says its all in the arse sag. Peak I rate lowrider.

[Paul B]

If its not working on T-crack something is badly wrong.

My thoughts exactly but as I said above, it isn't the boots (unless having purple VCSs make the difference, and yes, I'm being flippant).

You are short so that will make up for not having a fat arse.

Result.

Given that you've broken both your legs a hundred times (?) might be worth checking to see how strong these muscles are, or if there is an imbalance between legs.

If it'd been my right leg then yes this would be my first thought. I don't dare write what I was just thinking but I'm sure you can guess, I'm going to go and touch some wood having just thought it. I can't really look for an imbalance between the two as I'm just as shit with both!

I have quite tight hamstrings and calf muscles, this can't help either, right?

[tommytwotone]

I used a heel-toe to toe hook to toe drag combo on Breakfast to control / kill the swing on the crux.

[Monolith]

Totally disagree with any 5.10 Team naysaying. Absolutely unreal for toe hooking for me. Irrelevant to topic of post but Under The Bridge at Pantymwyn climbed with the guppy method makes for an uber tensiony and brilliant toe hook crux move.

Your power crimp must make up for any slight deficiency in this department beast!?

[dave]

Ditto, Teams are the best toehooking boot I've ever had. Some of you guys must have been hitting the crack pipe a bit too hard.

Paul, one of the roof problems right of the terrace has a great toehoooking sequence, stretched out and involving a hanging toehook match. The short arse sequence on the Nose has a fairly technical toehook match sequence up for grabs too. Lowrider is the other obvious one.

[Stu Littlefair]

I reckon Percy speaks the truth. Shoes and shin strength are all well and good but even my gran could use the t-crack toe hooks in carpet slippers.

You're probably over thinking/pulling it. The missus is the same. Only when the toe hook is really close does it help to pull in on it, otherwise just relax your leg and drop yer bum out till the weight comes on it.

In terms of things to practise on - this grit is all well and good, but have you seen the weather? Make it Funky has some very sweet toe-hooking action.

[SA Chris]

Having a 'heavy arse' will pay dividends.

I don't have one of those 

Weightbelt?

I think shin strength is my main problem with them, as soon as i put any weight on one my foot just curls out. Or maybe it's 13.5 st of weight pulling on it?

[tomtom]

Ditto, Teams are the best toehooking boot I've ever had. Some of you guys must have been hitting the crack pipe a bit too hard.

Not used/had teams, but my sCrapa VCS Velcro (probably a couple of other V things afterwards) shoes are good for toehookshennanigans... ribbbed rubber (!) patch over a strong box (!)

[tommytwotone]

...my gran could use the t-crack toe hooks in carpet slippers.

She could climb 7a in 'er pinny!