Top 3 Climbing Technique Mistakes - FIXED! 

Here's concept which will help ANYONE avoid that "lazy leg" thing: On overhanging terrain, one of your feet is your SUPPORT foot. This is the foot opposite the hand which will remain in place through the move, and it almost always requires a usable foothold. The other foot is your DRIVER. It should be placed opposite your TARGET handhold, in a straight line through your center of mass (lower abdomen.) If there's a foothold VERY near that spot, use it; if not, you're much better off planting your toe where it needs to be than using a foothold, EVEN A JUG, which is in the wrong spot! Also, place your driver high enough so that it will maintain contact all the way through the movement until you latch that next handhold - you'll be AMAZED at how much power this conserves!

Letting the hands get too far ahead of the feet and ending up really stretched out

Another beginner's sin that I am repeatedly guilty of is mispositioning relative to holds. My most mindblowing beginner moment was, when I figured out that it is 1000x easier to hold the starting holds of a sloper problem by starting with my butt on the floor compared to upright. It just did not occur to me that starting "farther down the problem" would be of any benefit. But it made all the difference. Another example is failing to move to the side when holds are at an angle. Yes, I know that you should generally position perpendicular to the edge of the hold and that straight arms are often better than lock off. But my stupidity is stronger, when putting that into practice...

My most common mistake still is: not trusting my abilitys. And when I was a beginner 6 years ago, I focused to much on reaching the top instead of trying to find the best technical and efficent moves for the boulder.

Thanks guys. I'd love a video dedicated to hips! How to use them shift the center of gravity... When to drop your butt to smear etc... I always stugle with that!

Nice video. I wanted to mention how important a strong core is for the last suggestion. In order to maintain that tension to make those flags effective your core is going to need to be engaged. If this is your weak area, you may find you still sag somewhat despite flagging, or are less able to push your weight close to the wall as you tire. Also, work on breathing with your core engaged, as newer climbers may hold their breath when holding tension. As a taller climber I struggle with these things. I am personally working on the front level progression exercises suggested by lattice, every day when I warm up.

Your point on setting the feet the first time is great and new for me. I just learned to do this with my hands: grab the hold correctly on first go instead of regripping

Golden! Simple advice that can make a world of difference... Thank you!

Great video, my mistake is I rely far too much on technique and static body position and don't train my strength or dynamic movement much. Ive done V6 on technical small hold boulders but still struggle with v3/4 strength and dynamic climbs and can't(won't) even do a v2 Dyno. Biggest breakthrough for me was being diagnosed with ADHD and starting medication, it calmed my brain down so not thinking of every way I could hurt myself and instead can focus on the climb!

I feel so attacked by this video haha. The lock off and lazy leg is totally me! Thanks for showing alternatives and ways to work on this!

Great for begginners and old timers too. Thank you.

I feel like this could've been two separate videos; there's a significant difference between a V0 climber and a V4 climber. It may be tricky to think up three suggestions for each group, but I think going V0-V4, V5-V8, V9-V12 are too wide a grouping to help the most people

Great video! I climb v5 and I’m definitely guilty of all three of these mistakes. Thanks for the insight!

wow, great video. Short and very informative. I come from a Parkour background, but switch to bouldering now and then and i see myself doing the first 2 quite often. So i like that these were really things that could bring me forward instead of other more basic tips (like: use your feet or similar). The first one i do, because my background makes me used to fast, precice movements. I land quite a lot with my feet, but it is true i never really check them and it sometimes leads to hanging to long or falling off. The second one i do, becasue i have the strength to do it and the climb-up/dyno style is very common on normal walls you use in parkour. I appreciate the tip, becasue i feel that this overconfidence in my strength holds back my technique. The last one doesnt really apply to me, but i see many others in my "league" doing it.

Thank you for the great video! I defiantly make all of these three mistakes. Next time I’ll watch out for them

The way you explained the second one really got through to me. Thanks!

Great video! When I first started climbing, I would say I made all three of those mistakes!

i've been climbing for around 3 months now and haven't done much bouldering (mainly top roping), but i'm trying to do more. I've got way better at watching my feet, but I definitely lock off and reach way too much! I think it's cos im scared of falling cos i don't feel very strong yet, so i feel like i have to pull in to the wall (but actually this makes my arms more tired so im probably more likely to fall anyway!) this video's really helpful tho, thanks! going climbing tonight so i'm gonna try some of these tips 🙌

Similar to the tappy foot - Regripping. Try to avoid constantly repositioning/fidgeting your grip while transitioning to the next move. Instead, grab the hold, readjust to the best grip if you're not already there, then STAY THERE while you reposition your feet and commit to the next move.

I'm definitely a beginner climber (I've bouldered maybe 7-8 times so far, and am maxing out on V1 routes) and have made every mistake pointed out in this video. I'm currently having a very difficult time learning the basics, because I'm 6'2" and very lanky to the point where I'm pretty much all limbs on the wall - and can't visualize beta either in advance or in mid-climb. Making moves like twisting and trying to push up with my legs only seems to get me further away from the wall, instead of further up the wall. At the same time, I don't want to give into the easy temptation to just rely on my height and arms to campus everything...because I do want to develop good technique. It's a frustrating place to be. But I really appreciate how your video attempts to explain everything, and I'll try to use these tips.

As was told to me when I first started in accordance to your second tip: Which do you think is a better climber: a T-rex or a monkey? My most common mistake? Forgetting to breathe. I have to keep reminding myself to exhale because the inhale will take care of itself.

Useful video. Thanks.

Nice topic! I'm hoping there is another one upcoming for intermediate boulders, e.g. V5 to V8

The first two were certainly issues I have as a V2/3 climber. Definitely going to consider these more next time I'm in the gym.

Big mistakes I make (I climb V4 but not quite yet a V5 indoors/up to about 5c outdoors(lead)/6a+ indoors lead/6b+ (top rope indoors)). Over-doing flagging/backsteps etc and generally being a parody of that 90s video with Neil Gresham that we all oddly love. It means I sometimes miss the more efficient frontal move, especially when bouldering. Or I get out of sequence on lead. No flow. I can do a move but I have a lot of thinking time between moves on eg lead routes. Fumble clipping all the time. Please do a video of clipping from all different positions - high, low, when your right hand is tied up and you need to cross with your left across the plane of your body, when you're squeezed against the wall and it's at your hip, all the things. Not just comfortable chest height clipping like other videos. Fear of falling like all the time, especially on the first three clips when I'm convinced I'll deck when I clip. Comparing myself to others rather than myself. Not trusting my feet enough when the footholds feel sketchy. Did I mention fear of falling? Fear of falling bouldering slab edition. Big breakthroughs: that Magnus Mitbo vid where the English dude climbs a V5 with his arms literally taped straight in splints. I went to the gym and imagined the same thing applied to me and POOF alakazam I just did that long overhang by rolling my shoulders. Guys I'm in England fix my form on video for video content please thanx 😁 Or fix somebody else's I know there are other lower intermediates like me who like seeing a real lower intermediate climber get fixed.

wait this is the first video ive seen that's been filmed in the gym I got to! this has gotten me wirdly excited for some reason xD

I love the term "Climbers Gaze"!!! For sure going to start using it.

I love sharing the straight arm tip with new climbers as it allows them to save energy and climb longer.

Not properly pausing between attempts is certainly a common thing.

Good video. In terms of weaknesses, probably fear of falling and fear of failing, to be completely honest! It would be interesting to hear something about the psychology of that and how good climbers think about their thinking - if that makes sense?

But a lock off stemming from a dubious foot placement is the best tool to show off your biceps. There is little alternative.

The mistake I still make after 25 years is being too hasty on a move 😁

Since you guys test pro climbers, I was wondering if you could check their hand shape. I have a really short pinky compared to the rest of my gingers, so it's hard to exert force through it. I wonder if people with more even fingers can pull harder.

ive been bouldering 4 times now and im at..v3-5 stuff. im finding that the advice to have straight arms and to use my feet first helped a huge amount. but im struggling with smaller holds and crimps. i think its an upper body strenght thing now rather than technique ?

Twisting the hip into the wall was a breakthrough for me. I had seen it a lot, and tried to imitate, but when it finally clicked, it started coming naturally. I think it's the idea that if you twist your hip into the wall, you can put more weight on the footholds, so you get more time to grab a new hand hold.

I think my biggest mistake is throwing technique out the window when im getting really pumped in the last few moves of a route or problem

I turn off my brain on easier climbs sometimes and it just negates value and turns it into junk mileage, instead of me actively improving my footwork (or other aspects of climbing)

Hello! Does anyone know what pants he's wearing? They look nice!

Sweet shoes Josh, what are they?

Climbing, Science!!

Sorry guys, another shoe question! Any idea on the width on the NewTro Lace? I've been looking at that same model... also curious that it uses one of the hardest rubbers available on the market today!

What climbing shoes are you wearing in this video?

slightly unrelated, but i feel a finger strength video for young climbers may be helpful, since a lot of methods used by 18+ climbers (such as the fingerboard) young climbers cant do due to undeveloped fingers (at least to my knowledge) so something about what we can do to develop fingers or if we should actively develop our fingers separate from climbing at all and things to avoid when climbing/training

Stalling or swinging more than once before going to the next hold which increases the amount of time spent on the wall.

omg I do them all

What shoes were you rocking in this video??

Do you have or could you do a video on how to read the first holds so you know how to position yourself to start. I look at some holds on the wall and can’t even figure where I need to be to start climbing.

Up to v4 is beginner? Well f me, still a beginner after 2 years I guess

What shoes are you wearing mate?

For me, the psychological aspects are just as important as the physical dimension. Dealing openly with feelings of failure, inadequacy and frustration, especially in some beginners can keep them in the sport. Like all activities, if you give up, you definitely can't progress.

My most common problems I think are: not giving myself enough rest time between attempts, not having coordination for dynamic moves and reading moves on overhung routes

I just left the depot 10 mins ago

WHERE IS TOM?

What pants is he wearing?