Rock climbing is a movement-based sport with a high focus on motor skills. The nature of rock climbing movements requires climbers to interact with their climbing environment with their hands and feet in order to control their body positions and to create movement. Our feet play a crucial role in this respect because they are directly responsible for supporting and controlling the movements of our lower bodies.
Given that our legs and hips make up between 35-40% of our bodyweight, our abilities to mobilise and manoeuvre our lower bodies will determine if we will flow or flounder on the walls.
In this guide, we will introduce the basic elements of rock climbing footwork and how to start improving. Join us, as we embark on a learning journey - one step at a time.
Essential Parts Of Your Climbing Shoes
Your grippy rock socks have some unique features that enable them to support you as you climb. The first step to getting the most out of your climbing shoes is to know their parts and their functions.
In order of frequency of usage, here are some of the most important parts of your climbing shoes.
TOE POINT:
Anatomically, this 'point' is located somewhere between your big and second toe, and a very natural point of focus when you use your foot to point at an object on the ground.
When you place your foot on any foothold (no matter the size), this should also be your point of focus. Mastering the use of this point will enable you to feel secure and in control when you move across the walls.
INSIDE EDGE:
This refers to the side of your shoes that is often in contact with or closest to the wall when you are standing on a foothold.
Turning this part of your shoe towards the wall can provide a good amount of security and support, but this position will also limit the ability of your feet to make or support your body's turning movements.
FOREFOOT:
This part of the climbing shoes is directly below where the ball of your feet is. When you step on large footholds or climbing surfaces, the forefoot shoe rubber enables you to grip firmly onto the surfaces you contact.
Intermediate and advanced climbers often use this parts of their shoes to generate additional friction that enables them to âwalkâ across blank wall sections easily. No footholds? No problem!
OUTSIDE EDGE:
This is the side of your climbing shoes where you other toes are. This side of your climbing shoes are often used when your foot pivots on footholds to facilitate sidewards or turning movements.
Intermediate and advanced climbers use this side of their shoes to great effect when they need to lean sideways or propel themselves to reach far handholds.
HEEL:
The rubber sheet that covers the sole of a rock climbing shoe extends to cover the back of its wearer's heel. This allows climbers to utilise their heels to pull on footholds and surfaces (heel hooks!)
This technique and shoe feature is often used by advanced climbers to create additional stability where hand and footholds are limited, or when climbing terrain becomes steep.
How To Use Your Climbing Shoes
Whenever you interact with footholds on the walls during rock climbing, you would want to do your best in the following aspects.
DOs
Place your toe point on the intended foothold deliberately. This point offers the best amount control while supporting your ability to move and create movements with your foot.
Consider placing your foot on half of a foothold first, so that you can share it with your other foot or change your pivot point easily.
Place as much of the sole of your climbing shoes in contact with your foothold as possible. This allows your body weight to be effectively transformed into gripping power, enabling you to feel secure and in control.
DON'Ts
Remain mindful of your foot position as you step on each foothold. If your toe point placement is careless or movements are not precise, your feet and legs will not be able to support your movements well.
Avoid allowing your feet to become passive and slack during climbing. Typically, a drooping heel will cause your feet to feel like they are slipping and sliding off footholds.
Leaving a gap between the soles of your climbing shoes and the foothold. The less contact surface there is between the two, the less gripping power and friction you will be able to utilise.
How to Climb With Good Footwork
Many rock climbing movements originate from your feet. By placing your feet correctly on a a foothold, we enable our lower bodies to initiate powerful movements that can propel us across the walls.
In the following section, we will provide a breakdown of how your feet should be placed and the sequence of actions they should follow when making many basic climbing movements.
You should always aim to start by adopting the correct body and feet positions. Place your toe points securely on your footholds. This provides you with a stable and secure platform from which to move.
As you begin to move, your toes should be actively pushing down onto the foothold and driving you in the opposite direction of your destination.
Ensuring that your feet stay in contact with your footholds will allow you to remain stable as you move. Be careful not to lose that focus in your toes! If your feet slip off at this point, your body will not be able to complete the intended movement.
At the top of the movement, your key supporting leg should remain in contact with the foothold by pushing downward firmly through your toes. If you combine this while driving your foot into the wall, this creates a diagonal force that helps to boost your movement further.
If you are reaching across a long distance, it is not uncommon for your trailing foot (circled) to temporarily leave its foothold too. This can be done within control if your key supporting leg is already loaded correctly.
Maintaining contact with your foothold at the top of a climbing movement is important because it enables you continue staying in control and allows you to set yourself up for the next set of movements without extraordinary effort.
If you do it right, here's what the combined movements should look like.