Going from Bad to Ok at OVERHANGS

[@neo778]

For all who are new to climbing overhangs - start slow! I bouldered my first overhangs after 4 months of climbing twice a week. My shoulders were not used to this and hurt for several weeks. Like in your fingers, it’s not only muscles which need time to adapt, also your tendons. And they unfortunately adapt very slow. So have fun in different kind of walls every time you climb and stop before getting hurt 😉

[@JenniferLangen]

Franz73 such good tips!! i feel a little bit better about starting my overhang training so late in the game :-)

[@Sepp2009]

4:40 just called "regripping" and it actually costs a lot of energy, so it's a bad habit

[@cogitodubitoamo]

I don't think it's a bad habit. You don't always grab a hold the right way, especially when there's dyno involved. Adjusting it is better than going on from a nonideal position. You might lose energy, but you'll have more control and you'll be able to improve your catch next time.

[@YosamiW]

Where I'm from its called dapping and applies to both hands and feet. It definitely costs a considerable amount of strength and energy. My gym teaches us to climb with a 2 second rule where we hover over the hold then grab it with confidence. Practicing this has totally changed my overall stability and endurance, as well as makes me look better than I am haha.

[@lazymary2200]

Glad I found you!🥰 It is great to see a female climber /boulderer doing YT videos. I like watching the guys but as a woman I struggle with different problems on lower levels and appreciate that you share your experience and thoughts and progress. Thank you! Pls keep doing this!🙏

[@kacheekyy]

Readjusting your grip on the holds isn’t necessarily “bad” but it does use more energy than just grabbing the hold would. Bc you’re essentially doing mini pull-ups when you shift like that.

[@JenniferLangen]

Kacheekyy good point! it also seems much faster and more efficient to hit the holds well first without readjusting. but sometimes, i just don’t hit the hold as well as i’d like to :-) gotta practice that!

[@jacethekingslayer]

@@JenniferLangen A lot of advanced climbers will run drills where they focus on grabbing holds as precisely as possible and not allowing themselves to readjust. It's not so much a big deal when you're just grabbing jugs (other than it being inefficient), but once you're using pockets and slots, and any other smaller hold really, it becomes much more important to be accurate.

[@JenniferLangen]

@@jacethekingslayer this makes a lot of sense! i didn't know there were actual drills dedicated to improving this skill. i thought about this while climbing last night actually :-)

[@jacethekingslayer]

@@JenniferLangen Eric Karlsson Bouldering actually just posted a video about this! I think Louis Parkinson has mentioned related drills in videos too. It's something I could definitely work on more, although working through crimpy problems naturally forces you to be more accurate (and that's my fav type of problem haha)

[@JenniferLangen]

@@jacethekingslayer i'm gonna watch that video after work!! oooh i definitely have to work on my crimps... they're not my fave but i can see myself liking them eventually!

[@sea468]

it is SO helpful to see someone at the same level as me improve on the the same things i’m struggling with! The way you critique yourself and the tips you use for improvement is great, thanks for showing us your progress - you rock!

[@wanderinglizzy]

Thanks! This is the best video I've seen on overhangs, and I love that you compared your attempts on the same problem and looked at what you did differently. I'm pretty new to climbing, overhangs intimidate me especially roofs, but I'm working on getting better at it.

[@camerondavis6607]

just discovered this channel and its super cool i must say, really liking the vibes tbh! in terms of the adjusting hands multiple times when you go to a hold, it is only bad cus it wastes a lot of energy and when climbing overhangs it's especially important to conserve as much energy as possible!

[@JenniferLangen]

ah yay i'm glad you dig it here! and ooo that makes a lot of sense, thank you so much! :--) definitely something i'm going to practice more and more

[@Ikimasshoi]

Loved watching your video! I started this year and I feel I'm lacking technique, but also muscle. Abs are SOOO important and they are pretty soft in this area right now haha! And thanks for the many tips. Everybody talk about the legs, got strong legs, but forgot that if you have a bad core, it's not that easy!

[@courtclimbs]

Just found your channel. Instant subscribe. I used to boulder all the time but now I sport climb and bouldering is way harder than it used to be, you've inspired me to boulder more often, thanks.

[@BoulderingDabRats]

Dude, we should collab 😛😊

[@JenniferLangen]

Bouldering DabRats I’M SCREAMING, QUEENS !!!!!!!! ????!!!!

[@JenniferLangen]

Bouldering DabRats sorry that was such a non-answer. what i meant to say is COME TO THE USA ANYTIME 😭 and next chance i get to fly ur way i’m sending it 💕

[@BoulderingDabRats]

Jennifer Langen YES! It’s our long term dream to do a USA trip but FOR SURE you are so welcome here in LDN anytime gal! Xxx

[@JenniferLangen]

Bouldering DabRats gahh that’d be a dream, there are boulders aplenty in southern california and i’d host u gals in a heartbeat 💕

[@ottom333]

@@JenniferLangen this whole convo is fricken amazing

[@xuleihe3212]

This one is really helpful and I am so sad that I didn't watch this video before the re-closure of the Stronghold Climbing gym. I am just so scared of overhanging and I get the same problems as you did at the beginning. Can't wait to try these technics! Thank you!

[@noahjon-darius1509]

3:38 yeah I just did lots of flagging to get all the way to the top! *Doesn’t flag once

[@alicagrebacova9219]

Noah Robertson yeah i noticed it too

[@ejl74]

I’ve only been climbing for two months and I only try the easiest route on overhangs. Tech nique seems to be the upmost importance part of overhangs. Thanks for all these great tips.

[@andrewjarvis5865]

I love overhangs. I mainly love the challenge but also how quickly you can feel improvements by just leaning the climbs and how much stronger you can get in the core quickly. It took me about 8 months of climbing regularly to actually start enjoying it and putting a cave session in every week. Loving these vids. I am just about tackling v6 in the cave but every single climb is really fun.

[@JenniferLangen]

Andrew Jarvis V6 in the cave is no joke!! and YES i feel like i can work slab for a while before getting tired - no such luck with overhangs! but as i do them more, i can feel myself getting stronger way faster. i’m starting to like them a lot more now!! hopefully i’ll be able to send some V5 in the cave soon :-))))

[@aznnuh]

too often we see the rise & fall of someone we love but have u ever seent her fall & RISE!!!! my mirror neurons are STIMULATED

[@JenniferLangen]

SIS that's what i'm thinking ??? bc those shoes of urs might be asking for a lil toe-ing down themselves 😍😍

[@sdaiwepm]

This is so relevant to my current level - thank you! (Checked the date - you're probably flashing V11s by now ...)

[@Lorax_Tribe]

I'm working on exactly that, V3 overhangs and thanks for all that good info. I'm learning that I can re-position my feet anytime (I don't know why I thought not- like it was a rule?), position the weight more over the feet, and it's starting to feel more natural, like I do on a vertical slab, but I don't know why. As you say, stay closer to the wall.

[@cristianorlandoelpro416]

The key to overhangs is keeping core tension and good footwork. Flags, Drop knee, heel hooks, and toe hooks are must for overhangs

[@hannyv7704]

Overhangs are my jam..... while leading lol I want to boulder more but I’m terrified of falling unexpectedly. I feel like you’re videos are really helping though, so thanks!

[@nathangeary5606]

this video is pretty inspiring makes me wanna go climb rn

[@sayles7858]

LA boulders! Just went there :) your explanation and examples are great!

[@TheDutchPhysicist]

Put your right foot on footholds that are slightly left of your body and vice versa to turn in your body completely. Also use drop knees and backflagging

[@JenniferLangen]

Sebastiaan van Rijk thanks! will definitely use these tips next time!

[@MadeinChinakiki]

nice!! i thought you were wearing flat casual shoes at first cause the tops are pink xD very helpful as i start to climb more overhangs

[@neo778]

You could try to turn your body even more around the axis along your spine. So turn your knees and hips to about 90 degrees wherever it is possible. This take much power in you upper back and backside of your shoulders, but will help you much to climb longer and more stable in overhangs with straight arms.

[@JenniferLangen]

Franz73 cool, i’ll definitely try this next time!!

[@josefsbeach]

Started climbing a few months ago and I've found that flagging and weight distribution is so key on overhangs. No locking off unless needed or else you'll teleport to pump city Haha dope video!

[@HeroesWantedTT]

As a brand new climber, I have a lot of work to do. Day one, I'm topping some basic slabs and day two I'm topping a very balance heavy 5.8 (not bouldering, I know.) Now here I am at day 4 and my gym just reset the walls and all the low grade ones incorporate overhang. Overhand is my nemesis, I like climbing static, but it's forcing me to learn to climb dynamic pretty early. Thanks for the video! Now I just have to actually learn how to apply this knowledge 😂

[@natchen2380]

watching this vid just reminded me how attached to the ground i am

[@JenniferLangen]

Nat Chen diglett is shook

[@scottmason1937]

Hey cool video, I'm going to use your idea of going to the overhang at the end of my session. Thanks 👍😊

[@infamoustatic]

the stronger you get, the more accurate and steady your lockoff will be so your other hand wont have to "shimmy". I adjust a lot on harder climbs myself, even though there is less room to adjust on crimps or small pinches

[@billjensen51]

I find overhangs very hard. I no core strength and they hurt my hands. Thanks for the tips.

[@bengrap0]

Overhangs are all about core engagement. If you really wanna improve and train this I would try to do some easier overhanging routes really slowly. Try To climb them completely statically and hold your hand for two to three seconds over the next hold before grabbing on to it. It will be pretty hard at first, but it will quickly help your technique and strength. Oh, and it also helps to avoid to readjust hands.

[@JenniferLangen]

bengrap0 Such good tips!! I actually tried this drill on Wednesday and it was so hard, but I could see how it could make someone a lot stronger.

[@jamesguirguis2435]

I have been climbing now for two weeks and have only done slabs. there is a slight overhanging v2 at my gym i want to try and just haven't done it. I think ill give it a go at the end of my next session after watching this!

[@sammyallvord]

Good job!! I’m learning overhangs rn

[@ygjhk]

overhangs are the bane of my existence but they look cool so i'm going to work on them LMAO thanks for the video!!

[@JenniferLangen]

Tim To right?? RIP my forearms rn can’t even type a response also good luck on your midterm friday!!! you’re gonna crush it

[@garrettscott8886]

Really like your videos on climbing. Just go into the sport a couple weeks ago. Keep up the good work!

[@JenniferLangen]

thank you so much!! welcome to the club :-)

[@ShallowPlane]

as soon as i started bouldering/climbing i train overhangs the most

[@crackermac5410]

I find overhangs the quickest way to get stronger for climbing. The downside is it destroys my shoulders. Like you, I save them for last!

[@RamblinView]

re-gripping holds, best practice is to try not to if you can help it, but sometimes you just gotta.

[@natorious314]

I honestly love overhangs, roofs and slab equally. I have some natural strength that makes overhangs fun, but slab makes me slow down, think, and use a bit more technique. That being said I definitely need to slow down and think more on overhangs as well cause I am quite inefficient.

[@gumbynomad]

This honestly helped so much lol plus, never heard of Limes before. Just saved a BUNCH of songs on Spotify! Does pumptown have a national anthem? Probably something by Limes

[@jamief2488]

the best climbers tend not to re-grip a hold because there usually isn't a need to. It wastes energy. You can move faster and more efficiently if you don't constantly re-grip.

[@driklol]

I agree, accuracy is super important in energy conservation. Side note, It's a poor mental habit to get into. I see a ton of people regrip not because they need to but because they're used to doing so. Louis Anderson has a drill that requires you to pause over a hold for a few seconds before you actually grab it , helps practice body position and accuracy.

[@StalenStefan]

I don't know when I subscribed to this channel. I don't even remember watching this channel before this video. Nevertheless, I'm not disappointed, and I'll stay subscribed lol

[@jonashaas8143]

Seems like the difference with the last problem you filmed two weeks in a row was mainly the positioning of your left foot. It seems like in the first week you place it on the small foot hold which kind of crunches your core? And the week after you flagged your foot and left your leg long and kept your core engaged. Great improvement of technique!

[@TheDutchPhysicist]

As for warmups for overhangs: do scapular pull ups

[@christopherdavidhall]

Next up...Moon Board! 😁

[@dand3456]

Well done job on completing one of your 2019 goals! It's a great feeling. Keep up the good work :) Any other goals?

[@portentouslad5051]

04:34 yup "re-griping" I guess. It wastes energy is all, but a bad habit that's hard to shake. I say this having little to no success on it myself yet. EKB has a nice video on it from 2 month ago called "Two Climbing Exercises To Help You INSTANTLY Improve - Thor - Eric" and as the title implies it has the mighty THOR in it.

[@XXCrazyGermanx]

Try no being that parallel to the wall, it's pushing you out the wall, try side stepping and flagging more, going to make it a lot easier

[@PKAngel5]

I will go and try these tips if my body survives :)

[@JenniferLangen]

Kristjan Kaazonen heck yeah!!! but also take it easy and listen to your body if it’s telling you it’s breaking LOL because mine definitely was...

[@PKAngel5]

@@JenniferLangen i do agree with you. I trained about 2 hours and i feel like I got hit by truck 😂

[@totallyfake2852]

Careful climbing to failure every session. That's a good way to pop a tendon!

[@JenniferLangen]

Totally Fake good tip, thanks! :-) does it matter how often you go climbing? because i only really go 3x a week, but i definitely want to take every precaution not to pop a tendon.

[@jacethekingslayer]

@@JenniferLangen Just weighing in, I would say that there's multiple factors. Like, you could be going 3x a week, but that could mean 3x in a row or equally spaced out. In general, though, it's good to break up sessions by power, endurance, and project.

[@JenniferLangen]

@@jacethekingslayer you're right, good to know!! i usually always space out my on days. i'm thinking that in a future video, i'm gonna ask people what training "regimens" have worked for them (because currently, my training isn't organized at all). i wanna try out some different methods of training and see what i like. curious to see what you have to say!! :):)

[@totallyfake2852]

@@JenniferLangen 3x a week is good. I guess it depends on your schedule, but maybe go to failure on one or two of the days, and take it a bit easier on the others.

[@theloadedpun]

team no slab. im all bout pumptown 😤

[@JenniferLangen]

haha i salute you, pumptown: population 2!!

[@validbutatwhatcost8754]

As a male climber, I'm not sure if this will work for you, but doing a dyno on the hold you said was too far would've kept you climbing, on an overhang I personally find it easier than 90* walls to dyno due to the lack of obstruction and more space to swing my feet up into a toe hook with my momentum. If you're trying to go out and up on the wall it's kind to difficult to guarantee a hold that's secured where you won't fall of and from trying it out it requires a lot of explosive power in the legs.

[@MattieSaysRawr]

You inspired me do some overhangs at the gym today

[@JenniferLangen]

i'm so glad!! i did some the other day after i had a big pasta dinner -- would NOT recommend on a full stomach

[@MattieSaysRawr]

@@JenniferLangen haha will for sure keep that in mind

[@Nuttyirishman85]

Flashed v11, I think you should’ve said hey can we get a drink later.

[@tho207]

hey congrats!

[@Karlyr_]

Context : I just fell into youtube's climbing section after a year of climbing. (I'm also a lanky boy) When I heard about the first point of keeping your CoG close to the wall, I went : Nah, ah... And then realized what I've been doing on the "hard" overhangs... just a hip swing with my arm movement... ^.^'

[@RoniaHara]

I've always heard at my gyms that you call that milking, ''Stop milking the holds''

[@martinkn.5161]

hearing lofi at the end of the video and checking to see if i accidentally left my music playing

[@N.aattee]

4:57 I’ve seen extremely good boulders doing that a ton

[@funkkern8512]

very cool!

[@JenniferLangen]

Funk Kern das freut mich 🌞

[@baaiiimmmm]

thank you !!

[@garbageeater4752]

Wild Mart appeared at 1:44

[@jonkrause6714]

Making me drool about LAB. Toasty and pump town-ha ha ha. You check out “rockentry”, Oswaldo (@rockentry) is a great channel and his video style is like yours. Great dude, too and climbed with him at Cliffs of Id. I always go to overhang, cave and roof work-dynamic climbing. Working on static and control, so this is why I like climbing with my teen college daughter as she is opposite me. Great video editing-got to work on mine. 🙏🤘

[@JenniferLangen]

haha i was just climbing there today! home gym :-) i really love oswaldo's channel! it's so informative and he puts so much effort into the editing, very thoughtful. i've seen him around, and he seems super nice and down-to-earth, but i've never said hi :-) and that's awesome, i took my dad climbing once and he didn't like it that much. he'd rather stick to weightlifting! and thanks so much -- good luck with your channel! :-D

[@jonkrause6714]

Yeah, he is so chill and humble San good ambassador of climbing community. Seen quite a few of his recent climbs at LAB and maybe your paths will cross? 👍

[@wazthatme]

Sooo toe up for what?

[@andersonboy620]

nice

[@adrianmarkelov3470]

Contact Strength is the word you work looking for, I'm guessing

[@driklol]

I'd really like to recommend not finishing your sessions on things that are pushing your limits, its a recipe for getting hurt. You tend to do things very sloppy and desperate when you're tired. If you choose to end on an overhang for example, it should be decently below your max grade , focus on over climbing it (un-necessarily good technique for the grade) not trying to be extra strong when you're tired. Pushing limits etc is the only way to improve, as they say if you dont fall you're not trying hard enough, however getting hurt wont help you progress.

[@JenniferLangen]

driklol thanks for the advice !! i personally have never climbed to the point where i felt i’ve made “desperate” moves, but maybe that’s because my sessions aren’t very long or strenuous. the whole ending-on-overhang thing didn’t last very long (i do em earlier in my session). i kinda regret pushing info that might hurt others. but hey!! not gonna do that in the future. cheers x

[@driklol]

@@JenniferLangen I didn't intend for that to sound preachy , and I could have chosen words better so i apologize for that. By desperate I meant throwing for a hold vs staying tight and doing it controlled etc. I'm by no means a pro either, I just realized for me personally I like the warm up >climb hard > climb easy > go eat everything in my house type of gym day =p . Just found the channel, I think you're doing a great job, fun personality and good out look on the sport. Again, sorry if that came out negatively in the first comment it wasn't my intention.

[@NineEyedCyclops]

900 subscribers! 2/4/19

[@JenniferLangen]

TheAustinSchuler ☺️☺️ still not sure how it happened tbh

[@dylanschmidt4166]

That 11’s soft

[@JenniferLangen]

oof as someone who can't tell the difference between V9-V12 climbs in the gym (not there yet!) you may just be right!

[@TheGbarnsleyboy]

You sitting in your shoulders because you trying to keep straight arms engage your shoulder muscles on straight arms

[@mapispecapac]

🛌😍

[@calvinbernard]

Why are girls better in climbing than guys.

[@validbutatwhatcost8754]

They're generally more flexible I guess. I think they also have a more focused center of gravity but I'm not sure on that one...