UKC

I can climb fairly hard in my local gym which is new and all holds are high friction, but whenever I go to my friends local that is plastered with worn and greasy low friction holds my grade is knocked down at least 2 grades. This applies outdoors too - ie grit as to soft sandstone.

Any tips, training advice for climbing on low friction holds appreciated...

I'm pretty sure grit is about as high friction as you get!

Ye! As in I was trying to get at grit=high friction, soft sandstone=low friction

Climb more on low friction stuff, you adjust, but it's not really surprising there's a difference, because there is.

If I could that's what I'd do. I was looking for general advice I could implement at my local wall since that's where I do 80% of my climbing.

It might not be just about dirty holds. Other factors could include:

• One or both walls are grading too soft/too harshly
• You're not used to the style of routes at the less familiar wall
• One wall could be longer than the other and the balance of strength/stamina you've developed doesn't suit the less familiar venue

I don't think there are any specific techniques applicable to dirty holds, apart from maybe cleaning them.

No - it's more about specific moves I am capable of doing when the grip is good vs not.

Not sure if you can make that excuse on sandstone...

Maybe you could get hold of some ancient sh*tty rock shoes like a pair of EBs from the 70's and try and climb in them?

Any insecure holds (slopers, tiny crimps, the whole of the lleyn peninsula) requires getting low under them and spreading the weight thru feet and sort of linking it all together statically, whilst at the same time never hanging around long enough on the holds to slip off/snap them!

Dry skin can really be a problem on low friction holds, particularly when the skin is thick, cold and inelastic. A small dry bag with a damp sponge can sometimes be better than a chalk bag and chalk. Moistening the skin can help generate "sticky damp" conditions. If your hands already sweat like a rap...artist then the damp sponge won't help.

Friction is proportional to the downforce applied. So pull harder, you're too weak...

No one has mentioned brushing the key holds. Can make all the difference. Sometimes the holds get so bad it’s not even worth bothering doing the problem if it’s at the top of your grade. 

Consider filling your chalk bag with butter when you go to your local wall. You can grease up between moves and simulate low friction holds on everything. 

Not sure how to do your feet though. :-/

Butter still on the handholds when they become footholds maybe.

Yeah I know it's just a combination of getting stronger body tension and body position, as well as open hand grip strength.

Helpful - thanks. I think skin condition is definitely part of the equation as I have very dry skin which is useful in some situations but can get glassy. I don't envy people who think they need anti hydral for friction!

Make the most of the friction that there is, brush the holds to remove excess chalk, wash your hands to remove grease, don't use chalk.

Practice.

Climb in a pair of loose fitting marigolds

crocs

Start using POF at your mate's local wall, be sure to eat lots of garlic before hand too.

Are your hands slipping off or your feet popping or both?

Get yerself down to  Beacon Hill and you'll never moan about a frictionless hold indoors again.

mainly hands

Polished limestone is exactly what the holds at the wall in my OP feels like Even Southern Sandstone where I climb often has better friction.

Whenever you climb somewhere other than your usual place you'll find it harder. That applies to both rock and indoors. A different indoor wall will not only have different holds. It will have different angles, different setters and quite possibly different grades too.

If you want to get better at a different style, whether its indoors or rock, the best way is simply to do more climbing of that type.

I can't think of any specific advice relating to low friction holds other than you'll simply have to pull harder which might mean you need to get stronger. But it could be more of technique thing. That is you're not as used to that style of climbing so you can't expect to as good at it as your local wall.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to grades. Accept you have to climb lower grades at some places, pick stuff that challenges you the right amount and enjoy your climbing.

That fine grained hornstone really does buff up nicely