Have you ever wanted to learn how to fly up a 15-meter (49 ft wall)? Maybe you want to push yourself in an area of climbing you’ve never thought about exploring before? If so, this is the blog for you. In honor of the Speed World Cup coming to Denver this summer, let’s take a deep dive into speed climbing.
Back to the Basics
Before doing a headfirst dive into speed climbing, it’s important to have a good understanding about the climbing basics under your belt (or harness) as they are transferable to the speed wall.
Footwork: Proper foot placement is key to maintaining balance and minimizing energy use.
Grip and Hand Placement: Learn how to hold different types of holds, such as crimps, slopers, and jugs, without over-gripping.
Body Positioning: Use your body efficiently to minimize the load on your arms and maximize your reach and balance.
If you’re wanting a refresher, make sure to check out your local gym’s schedule for our Intro to Technique classes.
Get Familiar with the Speed Wall
Good news for you when it comes to training – the speed walls don’t change, and they’re consistent across the country! The 15-meter wall features 20 hand holds and 11 footholds and is on a slight overhang. Now that we’ve moved on from the climbing basics, there are some speed climbing techniques to focus on building.
Route Memory: Speed climbers memorize the exact sequence of movements to reduce hesitation and time lost on the wall. Practice the specific moves on a speed wall until they become second nature.
Timing: Speed climbing is about more than just physical strength; it's about timing and rhythm. Learn to move fluidly from one hold to the next, minimizing unnecessary stops, pauses, or having to rethink your path up the wall.
Footwork Precision: Good footwork is even more critical in speed climbing, where every second counts. Work on making your foot placements precise and consistent.
Explosiveness: Speed climbing often requires quick, explosive movements to transition between holds rapidly. Exercises like calisthenics, explosive pull-ups, and box jumps can help build the necessary power for fast ascents.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Like when you first started climbing, practice is key to continually improving as a speed climber. Look out at your Movement gym for speed climbing nights to learn from coaches and build up your skills with other climbers around you. Before you know it, you’ll also be racing up the walls. Check out our speed walls at Movement Plano, Design District, Grapevine, Lincoln Park, Centennial, Englewood, Gowanus, Columbia, and Rockville.