Rock Climbing Basics: Smearing

Getting into rock climbing basics involves acquiring the right equipment, proper footwork, and trusting your body to get you up the mountain. A great technique to use is smearing, which is the process of pressing your shoe sole directly into the rock to get a grip. The technique is great for climbing slabs, but also can be used for moves without footholds. It also improves your balance, which is vital for rock climbing.

One of the best rock climbing basics is to clean your climbing shoes before climbing. If you don’t, dirt and debris will build up, causing your shoes to become slippery. You can also clean your shoes after a session, using soap and water. You can also use a brush to get rid of the residue.

You should also wear the right shoes. There are several types of shoes that can help you get a grip on a rock. Generally, flat shoes are best, as they help keep your toes flat and reduce the chances of slipping. Also, you should use more rubber in your shoe to help you get a better grip. This is similar to the mountain-walking technique.

You should also use the backstepping move, which involves using the outside corner of your soles for extra security. This is a clever move, as it requires you to use your hips to move, which helps you get a better gripping angle. Another technique to use is edging, which involves stepping up or down a wall, or stepping off a wall onto a foothold. This is a great technique to use in the gym.

The smearing technique is also useful when you are trying to get up a wall that has footholds that are too far apart. You can also use it when you are trying to climb up a vertical rock slab. You need to use enough pressure on your toes to move your foot up, but you should not press the entire shoe sole into the rock face. You also need to have enough confidence and flexibility to do this properly.

Another tip to get you started is to use a square hip stance to create more surface contact. This helps you get a better gripping angle, which will reduce the chances of peeling off the wall. Using your arm strength can also help intensify the tension.

If you have never used smearing, you might not realize how useful it can be. This is because it is not as complicated as it sounds. The technique is really just about footwork and balance. You should practice it in the gym and then try it out in the real world. This will help you learn the best footholds for a specific rock, and also improve your confidence. This will make climbing much easier.

The best way to learn the smearing technique is to get your hands on a pair of good climbing shoes. They should have more rubber, which will increase the friction between your shoe and the rock surface. You should also focus on using your feet and not your arms, as they are much more powerful. If you lack the confidence to do this, you may end up limiting the amount of contact between your shoe and the rock.