How to Maximize Your Reach | Climbing Tips for Short People (Episode 2)

[@duuplo]

As a big guy, I‘ll use this to max-out my unfair advantages! Thanks!

[@spencerlist7028]

yup lol

[@JTProductionsization]

Angry reacc - A short dude

[@climbhangout]

Every short climber's worst nightmare is to hear this... haha

[@rotamrofsnart]

@@climbhangout "the beta? Just be long.."

[@climbhangout]

@@rotamrofsnart Exactly!

[@yvettehikes]

Every time I blame my height for not ascending a route, I then think of Mori Ai (5'1") and how amazingly good a climber she is!

[@xnvy]

I do the same but with Laura Rogora! She's 153 cm (5' 0")

[@movementforclimbers]

Ai is the future!

[@knoxiuz]

@@movementforclimbers yes indeed Artificial Intelligence is taking over the world

[@beardedboulderer2609]

@@xnvy ashima shiraishi is 4'10 I believe. Still a beast

[@florianneumann9441]

Jup - I hate how she took all my excuses 🤣

[@feedmatt]

Two notes: - All of the videos on this channel are unintentional ASMR - All of the videos on this channel are the most helpful videos on climbing I've seen on all of YT

[@michaelpook6651]

Evelyn was at a comp at my gym in Milwaukee. Watching her flash all of the finals problems was incredible, great video!

[@movementforclimbers]

typical Evelyn.

[@klarasinha8330]

Thank you for this good analysis! As a shorty (5.2/1,58m), it really helped me to learn how to climb dynamically as well. Would definitely recommend training that as you save a lot of power and you can cover much more space. Doesn't necessarily mean doing many dynos but using momentum for your moves (as Evelyn does for the boulder at 02:39). Feels fun as well ;)

[@Mandyxien]

Super useful tips! Very well explained and demonstrated too. I'm by no means short for my gender, at 173cm I'm slightly above average height for women (at least here in Sweden). But I still very often find that I have to reach A LOT for holds on routes or boulders, and I think the setters at my gym are basing their route setting on a 180-185cm tall person a little too often. Think it's gotten better though since I started in 2016! Climbing exploded the past couple of years, and I guess they figured they needed to make it more accessible to more people. But these are great regardless of your height! You can always use a little more reach :) I find that even if you do reach your hold, it always takes less energy to do it with ease, as you talked about.

[@Pretendkid]

I would absolutely watch a third and fourth video in this series

[@Alpine97]

Thank you so much for spending time at our gym it was a blessing to have you!

[@ginoginoh]

Welcome back! Looking forward to your videos, helped me to improve a lot!

[@GuidoSausage]

Yes! The zen climber is back. Love your videos man, keep 'em coming please. And Merry Christmas. 😊

[@cjennings1524]

I'm 5'6 and REALLY appreciate this! ❤

[@goodbae5596]

Thanks! I'm a shorty and love watching your videos. Great presentation 👏 I'll try these out today.

[@JakeYaks]

Needed to come back and say thank you for all the time and effort you have put into this channel over the years. Finally got into climbing about 6-8 months ago and this is where I first came to begin learning proper technique. Since then I’ve lost 50+ pounds and went from barley being able to do v0 in a gym to sending my first outdoor v3. Overall my entire life has changed for the better since I picked up climbing and I hope this beginner addiction/passion never goes away. Again thank you, never stop being you!

[@krymore]

Glad to see you back. Great video as always!

[@amandajchan]

Welcome back! I've missed your videos :) Loved the pro climber footage added in after each technique. Taking this tips with me to my next sesh!

[@SlipOnMud]

MW Climbing is an amazing gym. They're doing fantastic things there, representing Nebraska so well!!!

[@jamiepiper1995]

At 6’ 4” with a plus 4 ape index, I too will put these techniques to good use

[@FlarkeFiasco]

Lol

[@Everheartt]

Stoked your back! Missed yah!

[@Eowyn126]

That’s my gym!!! Thank you for visiting; I was so sad I couldn’t come on the days you were there! Great video 😊

[@movementforclimbers]

I have a feeling I'll be back at MW.

[@sissondanhhoang2000]

Great vid as always. Just a quick note. His videos tend to talk a lot about opposite hand and foot. This is indeed the more efficient way and is especially important in 1) overhang: to keep you hip close to the wall and 2) long moves: to maximize height. However, it is often more efficient to climb same hand and foot on less sleep surfaces since this will allow your hip to be square and closer to the wall (watch Jain Kim climb leads routes). It is also more risky to do opposite hand and foot and require more contact strength. So it is actually a tradeoff between efficiency and stability; pick the best method for the move and don't just default to one. Mani the Monkey made a video about this as well, comparing back flagging (same hand foot) and front flagging (opposite hand foot).

[@noemi9985]

Recently I've been frustrated on the number routes I haven't been able to complete because of my reach, I'll keep this in mind next time I climb

[@ibraelgu]

It is super nice to see you back again with such a nice episode 🤩

[@DamnDstryr]

The worst thing that can happen to a climbing gym is a routesetter (or routesetters) who doesn't care about shorter climbers. I hate this. Sometimes I think they create those problems for themselves and not for other climbers. At climbing gym where I work (lead climbing wall) we always try to create a route for everyone - so we can have a grown man/woman to send a 6c route but also to have a 11 year old kid. And guess what: we've got both type of climbers to be able to do this.

[@RHINOunderscore15]

As a climber from western Nebraska I appreciate the home state love :)

[@alvaroc6326]

As a short climber myself I'll try it static and if can't reach, I just dyno or campus through it fast and hope being able to hold while cutting loose. Short climbers gotta train the finger and contact strength to keep up, I also worked a lot on rings so my mobility, tension and compression are covered. That helped me to progress.

[@richardtan1332]

Thanks for the useful video. I think one thing that might have been missed, is extending fully through your tippy toes to maximise height

[@bios546]

Wowowowa missed you bru! You give awesome tips that kinda get overlooked. Imma reduce that situation sensei. Thx.

[@jenumba]

Are you going to do a video for tall climbers and cramped problems? I have trouble with slabs that have high feet and low hands olds, or anything where you have to pistol squat out of it.

[@FlarkeFiasco]

This would be pretty interesting. Never heard anyone focus on the problems that tall climbers have.

[@Wiskeiy]

Just got back into bouldering in the last few weeks at MW! Super friendly and helpful community here, and I'm always looking forward for the next chance to head down. I'm not super short, but watching other tall climbers climb with ease skipping challenging moves is a bit frustrating. This video was super helpful though!

[@sdaiwepm]

2:51 Are those mislabeled? Or am I misunderstanding the lesson?

[@200310184]

Very helpful video. And the little girl is very talented!

[@jaexynn]

Oh hey I live in Nebraska and just went to that gym this weekend! So cool seeing a video filmed where I've actually climbed. Where is your normal gym located?

[@theonlymegumegu]

welcome back!

[@larathompson1981]

Thank you for the clear demonstrations Evelyn! Good video!

[@Ericssonphoto]

Just got into climbing the past few months. These tips are amazing! Thank you for taking your time to share this with us.

[@tessamitan]

I'm 5'0" and these are techniques I've been really trying to focus on. Also, watching videos of Jain Kim climb has been so helpful. She is also 5 foot and her technique is so perfect it's incredible.

[@lindakatkevica2379]

I'm also inspired by Jain Kim and her climbing technique. Using the wall for my feet to go more dynamically has helped me a lot with reaching more far away holds. And that's something I learned from her. I also enjoyed this video, as it reminds on techniques to improve the reach.

[@burnsbabe87]

I mean, in freedom units that's just a +4". It's definitely more than a little, but it's not wildly unheard of a tall.

[@ItsAlwaysRainingInWa]

Hey that’s MW Climb!! I climb there, it’s a fun gym and there is indeed is a great community there!

[@DavidJohnson-hk8pt]

Any recommendations on the opposite for getting really small? My local gym route setters tend to favor cramped positions for anyone 6'+. I don't have this issue at sister gyms in the area.

[@daniellacal1976]

Hey, thought I’d leave a comment because I tried some of these tips and they really are great. I still haven’t been able to find a way to reach the hold I’m aiming for -which is obviously the last one -, but this has been helpful regardless of me sending my project and my wingspan of 150cm will now be optimized. 😁💗

[@Toadslop]

Thanks for posting!

[@bumbleboar1584]

Oh my gosh! I just visited this gym on a climbing trip with my brother! Touchstone has beautiful gyms, don't they?

[@williamwalker4494]

As always an inspiring lesson for the journey towards self improvement. So glad you're back.

[@jeremydoesbouldering]

LONG TIME NO SEE! Welcome back!!!

[@marytrabold842]

I love this series. I'm 5'4" but with a -2 wingspan 😭 so I find these tips very helpful

[@haydengolden1905]

My problems just the opposite at 6'6" Any chance your going to do a video for how to squish a tall person onto a small person route?

[@Nixthyo]

Become a contortionist xd

[@motherlove8366]

When in doubt, drop knee

[@movementforclimbers]

The next time you fall off a small person route, scream "What is this, a boulder problem for ANTS??!!" and just storm off. Everyone will blame the setter.

[@alainaorton6909]

Such a cool video!

[@MrJonasPK]

Took me 2:30min of watching to turn me from sceptical and never heard of your KZbin channel to being amazed and subbed Lol

[@MrJeffreythorsby]

awesome - thanks for the video. best climbing videos out there!!!

[@tpstrat14]

Can you analyze the difference between Dave McLeod (5’8”) and Chris Sharma (6’0”) sending witness the fitness?

[@yufengliu4206]

Can I ask what shampoo and conditioner you use for such smooth glowing hair?

[@kevinshaughnessy1762]

Could you do a video for tall people next please. We definitely have advantages in some areas like reach but disadvantages in others. A lot of times getting scrunched on starting position or not getting my center of gravity low enough.

[@rspkk0]

Anyone wear La Sportiva Finales? I wear 10.5 on the street, I got a size 10 (43) and they are painfully tight in the toe area. Wondering if they will stretch?

[@isaakvandaalen3899]

My younger sister / cousins attempting to send a route: "The hold is so far away! I'm too short!" Me: "Just grab it lol."

[@mohdsuhaimi3492]

Height is not an issue for those with average height as the boulder/high wall problems are always made by humans. It is usually when we position ourselves wrongly that makes us unable to reach the holds. IMO, we have to have strong fingers so that we can position our body properly for the next move is very important. Of course this comes with flexibility and the next would be the ability to do pull ups. Having strong fingers is not the same as having the ability to do pull ups. U can do 7 pulls up but without strong fingers, it’s difficult to properly position body for your next move. Nice to see you back again!!!

[@blizzmademegod]

Could you make a "move better, climb harder" shirt? That would be sick!

[@martinr113]

These are all good technique tips, but are they really that specific to the issues of short climbers? I feel like everyone can climb harder and more efficient when using hips and feet right and minding the center of gravity, rather than just brute forcing with the upper body (which is probably what you get when you disrespect all these tips at once). Personally as a shorter climber, I've found it useful to always think about high feet, because having shorter arms also means you don't have to get your legs up as high relative to your body, and you may be able to use footholds that are unaccessible to taller climbers. Also your biggest assets are a more compact body and less weight, which means you can easily dominate taller folk in body tension and finger strength relative to bodyweight, and I think it's a good idea to build your climbing style around these features

[@ohmygodnoddy]

Damn. This is so good.

[@aesterle7225]

is there such thing as "bad setting?" Hot question.

[@sakatu2713]

thank you. i like content and also your pants, can you share model like you did in some previous movies?

[@movementforclimbers]

They're joggers from Uniqlo.

[@faithsherrer9783]

That’s my climbing gym!!! :)

[@driesvanoosten4417]

Funny that you advertise this as a video with tips for small people. I am a tall climbing and try to exploit my reach advantage as much as possible :-)

[@Noizkyatrst]

where in Nebraska is that gym?

[@movementforclimbers]

It's in Lincoln.

[@Noizkyatrst]

@@movementforclimbers thanks, I may make it out there on a trip to the midwest this year. Excellent video, keep posting! I'm learning a lot from you

[@PGBuysNya]

videos like this just show me how bad my technique is x) guess I always barndoor cuz I use same side hand and foot

[@michaelkork6773]

Tall people like me are now even more powerful! Mwhahahahaha

[@wsun7413]

Hight is relevant only until intimidate level. These are useful and necessary techniques for everyone.

[@rockstarjazzcat]

🙏

[@SoulSpartenGaming]

Yo that's mw I was there yesterday and saw that girl climbing she's nuts

[@nogadiamant6427]

"reach is a common issue for mini climbers.." Yeah dude! Offensive!

[@motherlove8366]

A message of note to those getting frustrated at unreachable moves, keep in mind that the best climbers in the world, men and women, are seldom the tallest people in the gym. Focus on your strengths and not on blaming external factors outside your control, this will only hinder your progress and frustrate you.

[@veronikalaskova4716]

yes, but you can't compare the very average occasional climbers with the best in the world. Otherwise all of us would be elite climbers, eh? As a beginner that's short and climbing with tall people it's incredibly frustrating and this that you said is literally one of the most annoying things you can say to a shortie that's trying their best on problems/routes set by 180-185 blokes.

[@motherlove8366]

@@veronikalaskova4716 if you don’t want to compare yourself to the best in the world, compare yourself to anyone else of a similar height that managed that move you’re struggling with. There’s climbers of many different heights across all levels, the fact is that height isn’t an unfair, insurmountable advantage in climbing as it is in some other sports like basketball or boxing for example. Climbers of all heights have their challenges and moves they cannot do, now I’m not saying the challenges of taller people are necessarily comparable, but from experience 80% of the time when someone says they “can’t reach” the problem lies elsewhere. But focusing on your lack of reach is stopping you from seeing the real problem, and like I said, can only lead to frustration.

[@steppenwolf63]

Why are they wearing face masks? Crazy!!!

[@yumei6027]

Maybe I’m being very dumb but what is “opposite” about opposite hand and foot? At 2:51 she’s using left foot and left arm which is labelled opposite, but when she’s using right leg left arm it’s labelled same side? (Disclaimer, I’m not saying the video is wrong, it just seems I’m misunderstanding something about the technique)

[@Wischmopp95]

As far as I understand, "opposite" and "same" refers to the limbs that are used to stabilise yourself on the wall. On the "same" side, her weight mostly rests on the right foot and the right hand, while her left hand and left leg are free to move. On the "opposite" side, her static "anchor points" are the left leg and the right arm, while the right leg is smearing on the wall (which is great for pushing herself to the left, but not a stable point to rest her weight on), and the left arm is used to reach for the next hold. On the "same" side, she is climbing less efficiently because she wants to move to the left, but she has to use a lot of body tension and/or momentum to keep her body from swinging away from the wall. You can imagine the static limbs like the hinges on a door: if the upper and lower hinge are on the same side, the door can swing open, and you want to avoid this "barn door effect". If you had a door where one hinge is on the left side and the other hinge is on the right, you wouldn't really be able to open that door, which is bad news for a door but good news for a climber. Or imagine pinning a poster to your wall: If you start by putting two thumbtacks into the left corners, the right side of the poster will flap away from the wall (unless the paper is really stiff), and maybe this will pull the pins out of the wall and the poster might fall down. However, if you put a tack into the upper right and lower left corners, the free corners might droop a little, but it's not possible for an entire side to leave the wall, and you can finish hanging up the poster much more comfortably.

[@andrzejcieslar2158]

"Same" and "opposite" refer to the starting position, not the landing position (I also confused it). In the first picture she's using her right foot and right hand ("same side") to initiate the movement and grab the handhold with her left hand. In the second picture she's using her left foot and right hand ("opposite side") to initiate the movement and reach the handhold with her left hand.