UKC

Does anyone have any tips on how to learn to smear? I always struggle with it. My feet just seem to skid. I understand that it's just down to practicing it more but I thought perhaps someone was in similar position and figured it at some point. Can you give me some advice?

In reply to Kirill:

Indoors or outdoors? I'm assuming indoors as smearing is more distinct as a technique indoors (because your foot isn't on a hold).

Make sure you have a large contact area with the wall and that as much force as possible is directed into the wall rather than along the surface. If you are deliberately pushing your foot in the direction you think it will slip, it will slip. General guidelines: get your foot higher, your heel lower, straighten your arms and stick your bum out (or in the case of very slabby routes, stand up straight rather than learning in). The aim is to push your foot into to the wall, not along it.

In reply to Oujmik:

Both outdoors and indoors. I would sometimes see other people standing on something and able to rest whereas when I arrive to that point I can't find the footholds just a blank wall.

Regarding your other point I have tried to concentrate on pushing into the wall rather than down, but more often than not it results in me pushing myself off the wall completely and falling. Is there some missing ingredient?

In reply to Kirill:

Have you tried experimenting with your feet whilst you have really good hand holds? Maybe experiment with slabs vs overhang as well. I would also try focusing on your feet by using any hold for hands rainbow style but features only for feet.

Are your shoes well fitting and clean?

Try not to over think is the other thing.

In reply to Kirill:

Low heels, and bum directly above your toes (on slabs, not when lay backing aretes).

Also have your feet exactly square to the wall.

Practice, practice, practice

In reply to Kirill:

Out of interest and before everyone who says it doesn't matter jumps down my throat, what shoes do you use?

In reply to marsbar:

Thanks for the idea, I will definitely try "rainbow for hands features for feet" thing. Not sure what you mean by experimenting when the handholds are good. It is certainly becomes easy to just walk up the wall when you have good handholds, but is it really smearing? Regarding shoes, yes clean, reasonably well fitted, but maybe they're not. One thing I found that it's a lot easier in new shoes or just after the resole, but the effect lasts only one session.

In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I use green five tens.

In reply to Kirill:

Use the bit of your shoe sole near your big toe

In reply to deacondeacon:

Yes thanks, bum above the toes maybe the key. Come to think about it feet more likely to skid when I place them to the side and fail to shift my COG.

In reply to climbwhenready:

Yes that's what I do most of the time unless my knees get in the way and I am forced to use outside edge.

In reply to deacondeacon:

Regarding "feet square to the wall" point. I think this is thing I struggle with. I often can't do it because my knees get in the way.

In reply to Kirill:

Do some sit ups.
Most of the force going through your feet that is directed towards the wall comes from your core, get that stronger and you will miraculously have grippier shoes.

In reply to Dandan:

Thanks! I hate sit-ups, but that's probably more reason to do them.

In reply to Kirill:

The "Improve your climbing with Neil Gresham" dvd's have a load of useful tips for novice climbers including how to use smears. All the purchase links google found seem to be broken, so I was a bit cheeky and uploaded the short section on smearing to youtube. If you do manage to find a working way to purchase it I do recommend get a hold of it, it really helped me.

youtube.com/watch?v=DME9Quyb3aw&

In reply to Kirill:

I was told to stick my bottom out, and it does seem to work; it means you have to get the feet quite high up. which also helps.

In reply to Kirill:

What helps me most is seconding hard (for me) slabs and consciously stopping to experiment with body position and feel. You can really stand on FA if you are relaxed

In reply to Sink41:

Thanks for this! Really helpful!

In reply to Kirill:

As previously mentioned, keep the heels low. This can be mediated by either keeping you bum out or by maintaining good calf flexibility.
Its useful to note the shape of the hold you are smearing on as it can be milked for more purchase by changing the direction of force.

Always keep pressing the heels down when reaching up to the next hold to maintain the smear,

A note about keeping the bum out, this will reduce the hip/leg drive when you push up as your weight is not over your feet. If you need to smear in a roof then you may want to keep your hips close to the roof for the extra extension to reach things. Bum out is helpful but you may be missing a trick in the long run not keeping supple.

In reply to Kirill:

Here's a video in which John 'Vermin' Sherman shares some tips to increase shoe stickiness:

Better Bouldering Tips: Getting the Most Out of Your Sticky Rubber: youtube.com/watch?v=ObtZPW3fD-o&

In reply to Sink41:


The Neil Gresham Masterclass films are available to rent/buy as downloads on Steepedge:

http://steepedge.com/categories/instructional/masterclass-part-1-technique-...
http://steepedge.com/categories/instructional/masterclass-part-2-skills-and...

Part I is the one with the movement technique stuff; Part 2's more about strategy for trad and sport.

Needlesports has the physical DVDs:

http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Books-Maps-DVDs/DVDs/Instructional/Ne...
http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Books-Maps-DVDs/DVDs/Instructional/Ne...

I think you can find them on Amazon, too.

I agree they're fantastic, and I found them very useful.

In reply to Kirill:

Take a holiday in the Cairngorms or Mournes

jk

In reply to Kirill:

The book 'Self-Coached Climber' has some helpful advice on smearing - essentially keep your heel down as far as possible to maximise the surface area in contact and corresponding friction.

Conversely, as a sidenote, it recommends lifting the heel as far as possible on small holds, which is a nice contrast in technique.

I've certainly found both of those techniques helpful - good luck!

In reply to Kirill:

One of the things I see from people not used to trusting smears is they will test the smear with their foot by placing it lightly and dragging it over the surface. This will always result in the foot slipping because friction is proportional to the force applied perpendicular to the surface and results in a belief that the smear is too poor. However, if as much pressure as possible is applied and applied quickly, the smear may well stick. Experience teaches you what is likely/ unlikely to stick.

In reply to all:

Lots of useful advice! Thanks for all the links and suggestions! I like the idea of holidays in Cairngorms and Mournes. I have been to both and they are lovely places. Would it be also worth stopping over at Glen Etive on the way from one to the other?

In reply to Jimbo C:

Yes, I think that is the key... really weighting the foot. Dabbing the rock just doesn't work. (That is probably the key to all slab climbing, not just smearing.)

In reply to Kirill:


In the short term, if you fancy hauling a couple of mats out to somewhere like Cratcliffe or the Roaches then give us a shout...

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Yes, that sounds good too!