UKC

I think my climbing has improved quite a bit recently, but I'm still struggling with the more overhung routes. I just managed to work my first 6c+ (indoor) slab route the other night. I had led quite a few 6b+ routes on moderate overhangs but when it comes to the big overhangs I'm struggling with 6b.

Any suggestions for training or technique that might help with the overhangs?

In reply to treforsouthwell:
Climb them.

You're not going to find any better training for climbing overhanging routes than climbing overhanging routes. If you do enough, you'll naturally pick up the body positions to make it efficient, but to speed this up a bit you can think about climbing-on-opposites and using egyptians as much as possible

I think it's quite normal to find steep routes harder for the grade until you've got lots of experience. Probably because you learn to climb on vertical or slabby routes, and don't tend to attack the steep stuff 'til later, so the skills develop later.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

youtube.com/watch?v=Usee0F_Ya98&

might help...

In reply to treforsouthwell:

Flopsicle is recommending a great video I thoroughly recommend it. Jon is also right about climbing plenty of overhangs just remember to focus on the techniques the video describes. Don't underestimate the importance of feet!
Best of luck,
Greasy

In reply to flopsicle:



Gotta love that [presumably unauthorized] advice from the Gresh.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

I used to have exact same problem, at exact same grades oddly enough. Then I realised that whilst I was getting decent foot and body positions that I wasn't actually pushing with my legs and was hauling myself up with my arms and (unsurprisingly) running out of steam quite quickly. Once I started using my leg muscles more I went up a full grade overnight (literally) on longer overhanging routes.

Other things to check might be that you are keeping your hips in and not simply climbing "frog like" in the way you might climb vertical stuff. Also might be worth checking that you aren't over-gripping unnecessarily. I used to do both of these.

If you are really keen on improving this area then I'd really recommend a session with a decent coach - not as expensive than you might think and should give you some really good pointers.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

The Neil Gresham YouTube stuff linked above is from his masterclass dvds (there are 2 of them) I'd recommend buying them. Full of lots of sound advice for various aspects of climbing but especially good for steep. Helped me improve a good deal.

Also recommend you look for ways to rest and be creative. Eg can often cup 'heel' of hand round a decent hold and rest fingers. Plus... milk rests for all they're worth even if they're early in the route. It's amazing how many climbers are poor at finding or using rests. Or they look for them too late in the route when they're running on empty.

Good luck embracing the steep stuff.

In reply to Jon Stewart:



what Jon says, especially for efficiency, climbing quickly, and clipping 'on the move'. Beyond this, a core workout on rings or TRX and regular sessions on a fingerboard is worthwhile, especially getting your muscles into the 'habit' of taking your body weight on small edges. Footwork is just as important here, esp. Toe and heel hooks in body tension. Worth doing some specific training nights at a bouldering centre.
Maybe a bit obvious, and we don't put it in our profiles, but I found shedding some pounds also yields dividends ;-(

Thanks for the advice everyone. I did watch the video last night, I remember seeing it before but it's been a while and worth a refresher. I'm certainly doing hip-twists and drop-knees but maybe as you say I need to do more.

I have been training a bit on overhung circuits and a little yoga. I just turned 40 so age isn't on my side, but on the positive side I am <70kg

In reply to flopsicle:


Great video. Not sure the supportive dance moves will help much though.

In reply to treforsouthwell:



Just turned 40? Don't be daft. I'm one of those old farts you see climbing 7a at the wall and compared to me you're still a nipper. If you're lucky you've got at least another 30+ years left in you. Forget about age and ignore those types who think you should be "more sensible at your age". There's a lot of rock out there waiting for you but don't forget that you'll never have the body of a 20 year old again. Keep happy, keep going for it and good luck with the overhangs.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

Don't let your age put you off or feel it's 'not on your side'. In my twenties I thought I was a decent climber if I got up 6a or E1. Basically I just didn't try hard enough and coasted along like this for two decades. Nothing wrong with that perhaps. But I'm now 45 and I've been getting better each year for the last 3-4 years. e.g. led my first E5 in 2015, led my first 7b sport in 2015. What made me turn a corner? Losing weight (I'm 63 kilos now was more like 70 kilos in my twenties) stopping drinking, trying harder, training more especially on steep stuff and especially stamina, improving technique by bothering to watch DVDs or other better climbers, learning to rest on routes.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

Also agree with what Jon says. But I'd also add its not just technique it's a specific kind strength too. Overhanging tends to be more shouldery and just generally more burly. Building up that specific kind of strength takes time. My local wall has a large roof and that requires different kind of strength again. But if you throwing yourself at the steep stuff and avoid vertical and slab climbing most of the time you'll gradually improve. Doing pull ups might help too, especially if you can't get enough climbing sessions in each week.

The nice thing is when you finally go back to vertical it often feels easy in comparison.