I hardly ever comment on videos, especially bouldering ones. But this one actually provides really good insight on climbing techniques and clarified so much for me! I can’t wait to try it out in the bouldering gym
I think this is why jugs are so easy, not just because of the reduced finger strength demands but because jugs naturally direct your applied force in the optimum directional loading. It's a part of why jugs make such great rest points on sport climbs. The anterior deltoid doesn't need to fire to help direct your force outward on a frontal position, instead the natural deep incut on a jug lets you relax into the optimal counterpressure position. "hanging from your skeleton" as some people like to say. I also think this is why finding thumb catches is so important on harder problems. If you can modify a crimp into a pinch, the opposing forces generated from the thumb against the fingers allows you to direct the force out instead of down. On incut crimps maybe you can still pull out, but on negative crimps that thumb catch becomes really critical. You've really echoed Dave Macleod's advice; that the two critical techniques to master in rock climbing are body tension and learning to pull with the feet.
this is the best video about body tension that ive ever seen, and your comment is also the perfect addition pulling it all together. its the icing on the cake.
dang bro developing some really analytical understanding of tension based climbing. ur like a tension wizard now. I love the clip with Blake and Max where they're like "wtf how did he stay on"
I've watched an awful lot of technique videos and this is by far my favourite. So easy to understand and immediately makes sense, makes me feel silly for not doing this before! I struggle immensely with cutting feet and just being aware of this concept is so useful. Amazing channel keep on posting gems!
yo boss - This is the best video on body tension I've seen on youtube! Pulling on the holds outwards like you described added a row to my max reach on the kilterboard too. I would love to see more analytical videos like this! Curious to see what kind of breakthroughs you've cooked up since
man every one of your videos has got such good info, even though am quite an experienced climber it is always good to look at things from a new perspective. they are seriously some of the best technique videos out there for v4+++++ climbers
As someone climbing around the same level I'm blown away by the level of detail here and you're ability to explain these concepts.. I feel like I'm pretty analytical with my climbing but clearly nothing like this. Very keen to start working through moonboard problems statically and try to implement/understand what you're saying on the wall... Looking forward to seeing you progression and new insights!
Hi there... I've never commented on a video before, and I've watched hundreds. This is incredible! I've watched two of yours now and learnt more than the previous 98 put together. THANK YOU!!
tried a new problem on the kilter today and cut feet on the first 2 attempts. remembered this tip from the v5-v8 video and sent it on the next go. thanks!
Awesome videos man. There’s a serious void in terms of content aimed at the intermediate - advanced level. Seems like 90% of stuff on RU-vid is either complete beginners or crazy advanced. Good to see someone giving real useful technical tips!
Just watched your one arm pull up video before this. The content in your videos is super high quality. Thanks for putting in the work so we can all benefit! Subscribed 🤙
Intriguing theories in this video. I am relatively weak (cannot perform OAPU nor FL) but have recently completed every V3 & 4 climb without cutting loose on the Moonboard 2017. I use techniques that are quite different to those mentioned in this video, or so I thought. After watching this, I began to wonder if I had been performing your techniques such as "counter pressure" and "minimising pull" unconsciously. Thanks for the great insights and video. Keep it up brother.
As more of a beginner to steep board climbing, I found this really helpful! I haven't seen good discussions of specific skills to practice for boards elsewhere. Thanks!
I think the reason most people simply say "climb more" is that with many aspects of technique it can be hard to tell what you are doing better over time because it happens intuitively. I personally often find technique difficult to explain in detail (except maybe for the first session "keep your hips close to the wall" type advice). Just think how hard it can already be to measure strength gains over longer periods of time, which simply have the advantage of being comparatively easy to track and log. If you never did that, you'd probably have no idea how much stronger you've gotten just that it happens, same as you know that you probably improved your technique without really having a handle on how or how much. As you climb more, your "movement intelligence" increases without you really understanding the details, which become only apparent once you do lots of recording and reflection as you did here.
Great tips! Interesting that you focus specifically on tension for moonboard training… by the way looking strong in this technique! As a shorter climber, I specifically focus on being explosive/dynamic for holds that are almost always beyond my span. I revisit problems I couldn’t get before and see if I can dynamically get them this time around. I feel the progress! Though, I definitely have improved in my tension a lot because of the moonboard… probably more than I even realized. Great vid Boss 🫡
👏🏼👏🏼great vid man. Climbed with you about a month ago and i think you may have hinted this vid was about to come out … shoulda got to it sooner because it’s exactly what I need. Excited to try out your tips tmrw
Amazing video as usual. Stole your TRX exercise you found from Hoopers Beta and implement it into my workout and now I am gonna steal the idea of working up my posterior chain as well even though I already warm up my lower body as well, but not the posterior chain as a total.
WOW! Great video - very analytical and meaningful. Nice insights, detailed description and noBSness. Man, have you considered coaching/teaching or scientific work??
Phenomenal video that deserves a lot more views tbh. One question I have, is do you feel/have you researched whether tension is always better? Asking in part because I'm wondering if it's the type of thing where dynamic/cutting feet can have higher risk/reward, whereas maybe maintaining tension is a more consistent but potentially lower ceiling style.
I think for the most part maintaining tension and feet on training boards are the way to go if it is possible. You get way more out of your training that way because it stimulates your fingers, posterior chain, core... full body pretty much. For the V5 and V4 benchmarks especially, youll see that doing things static is much harder than dynamic. This better control of your body helps when you apply it to almost anything and I think this was the missing puzzle piece that got me to V8! For dynamic moves, I mainly train that on regular gym and comp boulder sets!
on some routes for sure, but sometimes it won't be possible to stick the move when you cut feet. also you waste a lot of energy when cutting feet on every move. especially when you train for hard overhanging outdoor projects you want to teach your body how not to cut feet
Just take the steepness of the board to its most difficult angle; roof climbing. Cutting feet would involve front levering back onto the wall after each move. The same is happening on the 45 degree board, but the demands on the back and abdominal musculature to pull back onto the wall are so small in comparison that its easier to get away with it. I also think its easier to get away with it in bouldering; sport climbing a 40 metre route, not so easy.
Nice video! Will definitely apply those tips in my training. As a tall newbie of moonboard 19 (ticking off v3 benchmark 1 by 1), I actually find it difficult to cut feet instead of not cutting feet. My body swings outward all the time. I wonder if it is just due to my weak fingers..
Not sure what’s best since I’ve only had two aggressive shoes. Evolv Shamans and Tenaya Iatis. Both are high aggressive and high asymmetric curve, but Shamans are considered soft and Iatis high stiffness per MountainFootwearProject’s database (endorsed by Tommy Caldwell!). I like the high stiffness from the Iatis more because it helps with really pressing off of your feet for those extra far reaches. Plus the tip of the Iati is not so curved and fat, its more slim and i feel like there are some small holds on the Moonboard where you can better fit/edge more of your rubber on the hold.
I don't like stiff shoes, but am more into soft shoes. I think I can control (like Boss Le is doing in most of his videos) moves better with soft ones, cause you feel more and have to really think about putting pressure via your toes. I do my Moonboarding with Scarpa Veloce. Greetz, Tony (5.5 feet / MB on 2019 set)
I climb in the V7 range on the moonboard and I dont find that shoes make a whole lot of difference. Most of the footholds are either positive or friction based so as long as you stay with sticky rubber you are golden imho. Moonboard is the one avenue of climbing where I probably never felt like I brought the wrong pair, its always kind of the same for me.
How "strong" were you when you first started being able to tick most of the V3s without foot cuts? Like "Red Line" for me is the easiest V3, not just easiest but easy, but without foot cuts seems impossible.
I think for the V3s, my max hangs were around BodyWeight + 50lb on the 15mm holds of a Beastmaker 2000 (usually holding for 7-8 seconds) and weighted pullups with 60lb (1 set of 4-5 reps)? My body weight is 140. It's also hard to tell because this was my strength before moving to a place with a 2017 Moonboard. For the V4s, my max hangs were BW + 65lb on the 15mm holds of a Beastmaker 2000 (usually holding for 7-8 seconds) and weighted pullups with 75lb (1 set of 4-5 reps). Also, there are definitely problems where cutting is intended, so don't feel bad for cutting! I think most beta on RU-vid show Red Line with a dynamic beta, and even for some problems where I felt bad for cutting, it's just extremely hard to avoid and you might be better of putting all that effort into training other things!
