One Arm Traversing

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one-arm-traversing-longThis is a great combined exercise which increases grip strength and contact strength whilst you practice your deadpoint technique.
Choose a vertical section of wall with a good selection of medium to large handholds at just above head height and small, but good footholds just off the floor. Climb onto the wall and then remove one hand to behind your back. Now traverse along the wall by drawing your body into the wall and making small lunges for the next hold. With the drawing in of your body and the upward lunge your weight is momentarily reduced and allows you to quickly grab the hold before it starts to pull you back again. This is called deadpointing and is a very important technique to practice as you advance your climbing. Move along the wall in this manner, remembering to move your feet along to achieve good balance. Do this for a total of 10 hand moves then step off the wall. Straight away climb back on and using the other hand traverse back to the start. Repeat 2 or 3 traverses for each arm. Mix it up a bit each traverse by using different arms to move in different directions, so right arm to traverse right on one traverse then left arm to go right next time.

Practice this exercise at a training session every couple of weeks and you will find steady improvement to your grip strength, contact strength and dead point technique.

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