Improve Your Sport Climbing Grade Beyond 5.12! Route Climbing

[@Buffalo93]

Shout out to this literally 2 people who managed to reach 7a level, without learning that twisting your body helps. You’re the real fighters.

[@giacomocasanova2893]

thanks

[@jbtv000]

Thanks😂

[@nugzila4170]

Thanks

[@arthurhaskind7779]

Spot on

[@dennis1802]

Thanks bro, it hurt my shoulder for years

[@jakelevi1996]

Turns out the secret to climbing 8a is to just use all the colours all at once. Damn, I should have realised this sooner

[@LatticeTraining]

Hahhahahahahah. #TheSimpleRules

[@climbhangout]

Best comment 😆

[@davidmcdonald8893]

To me it helps more to imagine that twist-lock being about the hips, rather than the shoulders. That is, bringing the left hip close to the wall when locking with the right hand and vice versa. Obviously it's both the hip and the shoulder, but to me it feels more like I do it with my legs/core than my shoulders.

[@jonnes__4657]

Exactly, without the correct leg and hip positioning, you cannot do the twisting. .

[@alpinejonny]

As someone who has progressed from 7a to 8a in the past few years, I can confirm that these 5 tips are absolutely bang on. Great video Tom!

[@vixeno]

How do you manage the objectives on focusing on the techniques vs expectations of trying a new grade? You do like sessions of "today I'll focus on doing twist locks and climbing fast" or "today I'll focus on breathing and footwork"? I'm starting to project 7B and am struggling a bit with that. Getting a little lost with anxiety while climbing because of the new grade. Get nervous, climb inefficiently, heart rate races up, sweat and of course can't RP the route. Thanks for the comment, makes me focus on it even more, since 8a is kind of my lifetime goal with sport climbing

[@IsuckYoungBlood]

@@vixeno I think if you get anxious about trying a new route, then you should do more volume on easier climbs (around your onsight grade). You are more in control and will feel more confident once you try a higher grade. Also it's a good time to try the skills that Tom is showing here!

[@davidhanley6135]

Congrats!

[@SonnyKnutson]

@@vixeno Me and my coach are focusing a lot about mental training right now. I think that could be a good way for you to get passed that issue in addition to other things. Like what @nb said. Training "scripts" at a lower difficulty climb is good to get it engrained into your bones so you don't have to think about it. Just execute it. I also think it depends a lot of how you view the problem you are about to try. What is the goal you see for the route before you get on it. Do you just want to solve it asap? If so I think you will feel nervous and you want to just climb and do everything at once to solve it fast. Which could work. Or do you want to use a new difficult route to learn on. It might take longer to finish it this way but you come out of it with more experience I think. Break it down into parts/segments. Climb each segment a few times and then try to do what you said with focusing on different individual parts. When you tried them all then try to combine them again at the end and see how different that feels to when you just tried to solve them in the start. Really try to put your mind to how every move feels. How it feels to hold each hold. How much force you put in to hold on etc. I am not a coach btw, But I am paying for a great coach who has been working with all these things together with me. So while this might be what I need. It might not be exactly what you need. But hopefully it will be useful in some way for you too :D Good luck my friend!

[@SM-wr3jr]

Would absolutely love one of these for bouldering

[@LatticeTraining]

It's coming! Don't you worry :-)

[@SuperSaiyanPhysique]

@@LatticeTraining beyond V5/6?

[@LatticeTraining]

Barbell Steve we’ll do a few, so everyone is catered for 💪

[@cillijed4291]

7a to 8a simple, get stronger fingers and core

[@SuperSaiyanPhysique]

@@LatticeTraining Awesome, you guys are the best!

[@giopilli1]

This is truly one of the best Lattice videos - more videos on techniques would be awesome- thanks for this Tom

[@guntherjauch8646]

The tip with not taking the biggest holds especially for your feets but the better holds for your movement is such a key it made me sent my hardest route

[@heisen7000]

I've watched this video yesterday and went climbing at my local crag. Thanks to you, I've managed to land an awesome heel-torque-lock, allowing me to rest way better before crux section of the route! It was only 6c+ but it made a big difference. Thanks a lot Tom!

[@krs2717]

I tried the little flick technique during my last indoor lead session. Really helps a lot, had a lot more in the tank by the time I was 3/4 the way up a route.

[@nickhenscheid369]

Re: efficiency and hold selection, "sometimes the worse hold is the better hold" is a mantra I use a lot.

[@Fenrir133]

Great videos, very useful for intermediate climbers. One thing that would be great to see is the right and the wrong technique side by side from the same vantage point, just to see the smaller variations that make a big difference. Thanks!

[@riccokane]

Between this and the Wide Boyz I can’t believe I am not a pro yet. Awesome tips!

[@BillyGrayNC]

Honestly, hoping it helps me get to 5.12, but really did enjoy those tips.

[@arthipex8512]

Your timing couldn't be more perfect! Finally started moving into 7a+ to 7b territory, and I will definitely give these tips a go!

[@noamoz3968]

I climbed 2 different 7b in the last month, I hope it will help me with my other short-term projects

[@morganmiller6043]

You are such a good coach! Some of the best climbing videos on youtube. It's very difficult to communicate technique well and you do great! Hoping to get into 12s solidly with your teaching!

[@jhy8191]

I would love to hear you or Ollie discuss the "full drop arm" phenomenon where climbers will fully drop their arm down by their side while rotating out a bit to the dropped side before reaching up to the next hold (but they are not shaking out while doing it). I'm not sure if it is a training exercise or a stylistic thing or a recovery thing. Although I've been climbing for years and noticed people doing this all the time (in the gym), I've never heard anyone discuss the benefits of doing this (if there are any.) Great video!

[@NickSinghSG]

Ooo I know exactly what you mean. I notice it too!

[@leovanessen1083]

I do this, its like shaking out lightly. Relaxing all the muscles before tensing them again. It feels like its working, could be mental, could be nonsene... But if feels good doh.

[@instinctroller]

I started doing it after watching Lonnie Kauk do it a ton. To me it feels like it sort of reminds you to relax your entire body. When you dangle off the hold you remember that you don’t have to use so much energy to stay on, and it leaves more energy in reserve. That’s my amateur theory, anyway.

[@johannessporer]

Projecting my first 8as at the moment this tips are perfect for me. Thanks!

[@aspzx]

12:30 this is a great tip. I often tell myself a bad hold in the right place is often better than a good hold in the wrong place. This really helps with working out beta on thin vertical climbs where sometimes it's better to smear on nothing than to use what looks like a better hold.

[@ItsFireFrenzy]

Hey so what even is smearing? When I try my foot always slips down the wall and I'm confused

[@aspzx]

@@ItsFireFrenzy check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqTYY6xjrMqFpK8

[@M4R5-C4V14R]

I tend to flick down below my waist before reaching for the next hold. I feel like this helps more than just the little twitches he does and only takes a fraction of a second longer to do.

[@lorenzocampos2200]

Nice tips. Twist and lock used to be called side-climbing as far as I know and I think you need it in order to be able to climb 6b (6c if you're very strong) overhang.

[@matthewdavies1415]

Some good points, the twist locks was an interesting perspective, i teach beginners to focus on getting there outside hip close to the wall. I think an added point in regards to efficiency, pacing, moving etc is watch lots of footage of very good efficient climbers like Adam ondra and Laura ragora. For resting i think the key is really getting in tune with how your body feels when your in your resting position and knowing what you can do to change your body position to improve that rest, i believe this can only be achieved by doing extremely high mileage of climbing, try repeating boulders with purposefully different beta to learn what works and what doesnt to build a mental and muscle memory library of movement and body positions.

[@mathias5618]

For more examples of microflicks watch Janja in the latest Briancon finals (she starts at around 01:02:00). It looks a lot more natural with all the chalking, clipping etc. going on

[@samstunts8313]

17:47 this is me after 3 moves of an 8 move boulder problem

[@noamoz3968]

Lol that's sad, I know people who do that

[@technomancer_066]

Nice video! I more or less do all of them so felt good to know I'm on the right track as well as support my hunch that I have the skill for high 7s and just need to get out and try more (and train endurance a lot more). Love your vids

[@vardypeeps]

Liked the micro flicks tip. I'm going to test this out as a beginner as I feel long rests break my flow

[@Donezo9]

Try spending your rests scoping out the next sequence of moves on your route while you shake out. This can help with getting your head focused back on movement once you're ready to climb on again. It is especially helpful when onsight climbing.

[@mpo87-h1c]

Really great video! Love to see the demonstrations. One suggestion: I struggled to see the differences in the Twist Lock. It'd have helped a lot if you could edit the video to have both methods side by side.

[@NWRinehart]

This was amazingly helpful!

[@smacchus]

Microflicks - as demonstrated by Janja in Briancon final last month :))

[@joeytirado-grundvig2380]

I reaaaaaally like the twist lock technique recommendation. I'm quite the square climber...

[@ianharrison8]

Super helpful! I am around the V4 level so I have a lot to learn!

[@jimcooper1053]

amazing video as usual thank you tom

[@hydra66]

fast vs slow the way you showed it is one of the ways of making a pressup harder and promotes muscle growth- 'time under tension.' Less efficient for movement but it is a way of building strength

[@EliseFreshwaterBlizzard]

Tom's outfit colour matches the bouldering wall holds haha

[@danielsigursson8512]

Awesome tips. Great video. Thank you.

[@francescodl2979]

Superbly useful. I can see an improvement alreeady

[@robeldam]

I just had to drop a comment! Such a good video. Pacing should be obvious but I really need to work on that

[@jaakkolahelma2373]

Great video and great tips, thank you!

[@jon-williammurphy9780]

Uh oh, I use all these tricks already to climb 5.12. I guess it’s time to get stronger!

[@christianau7874]

I still can't climb the pink one in the corner tho :(

[@isakberg3490]

V3?

[@spacecowboysucio]

Great lesson ,thanks

[@Isariu11]

I don’t mean to sound anyway, but I’m fairly new to climbing, and all of these movement activities including this, I just assumed to do because it made sense for the body, it seems like the big hindrance is my strength to weight ratio

[@elliottrodgers6557]

The microflicks (now I have a name for them) are a crucial element to pushing into the 13/ 8a range imo

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

12:00 That big yellow ledge is in this case what I call a "sucker hold". Don't fall for it.

[@slomo_thesloth6940]

been doing all of these things for years but I'm still stuck on the 7a plateau for about 4 years now.... but these tips could be helpful for people who are relatively new to climbing!

[@BeGravity4]

This is excellent

[@gecco4731]

Great climbing tips, now could you do one on clipping? When toproping i regularly onsight 6c but when leading the same grade I struggle to reach anchors even after several tries. Clipping just sucks all the power away!

[@goldilocks4112]

Lead climbing will get easier the more you do it. It’s just about building up your endurance and lock of strength. When top roping you can just keep going until you get to the top, but leading you have to have the endurance to hold on whilst you repeatedly clip. It could also be your body positioning whilst clipping that is pumping you out quickly. Try and get as balanced as possible by flagging your feet etc, and clip the QuickDraw when it’s between you head and waist rather than when it’s way above your head. Sometimes it can feel really scary to go up to the clip when you can do it from below, but it’s harder and will exhaust you quicker. Good luck :)

[@linguaelearning3566]

Nice video. Thanks!

[@zacharymehl1461]

Great tips. I think they could be used to get to 5.12 not just "beyond"

[@SonnyKnutson]

@Lattice Training 15:01 for example. You have very bent arms. Both are at a near perfect 90 degree angle. That expends a lot of energy in your arms afaik? Would it not be better to sink deeper into your legs being bent instead and keep your arms more straight? I might be wrong here but that is my understanding. Please correct me or agree with me, I want to learn :S

[@LatticeTraining]

Yes, generally climbing with straight arms is more efficient. However its not always possible, for example these holds are quite wide apart and to keep the ring and pinky finger on the crimp you need your wrist set more below the hold. To do this a wider more engaged shoulder position is needed. You'll often see this where a climber takes a less efficient position for the shoulders to take a better position with the grip. If Tom were to sink his hips low and full straiten his arms, his grip position would become more difficult. With the limiting factor in this circuit being grip and forearm endurance, the shoulders and arms need to "sacrifice" some energy to ultimately get further on the climb.

[@toni_Menorca]

I feel I should be taking notes while watching this

[@edcunningham5562]

Thanks these videos are so useful

[@Amatsuichi]

well, I am between 7a - 7b+ now for 7 years... cant figure out how to get higher, as soon as I start pushing or trying harder, I get an injury... my finger joints hurt constantly, knees totally wrecked.... I would like to, but for some reason my body tells me its not possible :/

[@TheQuicksilver115]

Warm up better, progressively overload slower, let your body fully and completely heal those tendons before pushing them again. It's tempting to let it heal 80 or 90% before pushing it again, but be smart and wait that extra month, then take it slowly as you get back into it

[@constantinosschinas4503]

I agree with all points. But this feels more like advice to go from 6a to 7a.

[@Oleksandr594]

What is that grid-like thing on a wall at 16:23?

[@LatticeTraining]

The Lattice Board!

[@joerichards4540]

that's actually really strange i've always just defaulted to micro flicking without even thinking about it I didn't realise that its actually impactful xD

[@noamoz3968]

I don't know what you are talking about, my instinct is to climb 17 meter wall in less than 3 minutes to avoid the pump😂

[@michaelscarborough7011]

This is perfect! I've been struggling to get into the 12+ range at the gym and have reached a plateau. Have to try these now, Thanks

[@cursed2322]

I was able to progress from 7a to 8b in my first two years of climbing. Before I got into climbing I did gymnastics for 10 years and I was on the national team, so I already knew how to move my body around as efficiently as possible so in my first year of climbing I was able to send my first 8a. But after my first year, I began training a bit harder and way more climbing-specific, I began learning tricks like climbing faster, drop knees, double heel hooking and even "micro flicks". Utilizing these tricks I was able to send my first 8b this summer in the Frankenjura. (video is on channel XD). What I am trying to say is that these tips are actually useful and can help climbers breakthrough to the 8a grade.

[@shaun8191]

What do you class as a 'move'? A new handhold, or a hand movement to a hold (including matching), or do repositions of feet or new footholds count too?

[@chrissmithdoe2100]

Is it possible that one of Megos' distinct traits in lead comps is that he constantly twist locks where others don't so much?

[@TheUntam3d]

Amazing content as usual

[@Nick-B78]

Great video!

[@timworley6735]

What Brand is the hold at 12:15

[@nitrostackr]

Tim asking the real questions here

[@joea6230]

This is more like what got me into 6c/7a. Think after that it's just get stronger. Don't see many people on 7a without understanding basic technique

[@jrblackify]

I agree that climbing faster is always more efficient... until? I think it's important to explain what "too fast" means and how it can be less efficient.

[@colehibbard2851]

Any science supporting the use of micro flicks? I noticed Drew Ruana doing it in the endurance based V16 he was working with Nathaniel, and I’ve been trying it but not sure how helpful it is. Almost contradicts the previous point of needing to climb at a faster pace

[@jamescanjuggle]

I'd be interested in what's actually happening too.

[@aspzx]

Anecdotally, for me it tells the muscles to relax. In other words, it turns off the signal from your brain to your arms that is telling your muscles to contract. It might seem weird, but when you are tensing most of your body in order to stay on the wall, it's actually difficult to tell certain muscles to switch off. Flicking for some reason does that. Once your muscles are relaxed I think they gain a new supply of oxygenated blood which helps to grip the next hold. Anyway that is my theory based on my experience - it might be completely off.

[@zukokurama]

He is using the Unparallel TN pro? Does anyone know the difference between those and the regulus?

[@nigelpearson1403]

Really useful thanks

[@vicaswarweg9976]

14:10 Is that the climbro board on the right?

[@scytaletleilax]

I don't understand how people can progress from 6a to 7a without twist lock, it's the first tip i learned when i was struggle in 6a

[@babsds0]

It depends on how strong you are as a beginner, and also climbing 1 or 2 7a's =/= consistently climbing 7a.

[@jlc9671]

slab

[@zukokurama]

Lead 2 5.12+ routes and now working on a 5.13a

[@jonnes__4657]

🐱‍👤 Beyond 7c+... OMG, I have to train harder! 💪 But as an engineer I like technical explanations a lot! 👍 I have no problem with twisting in overhang and with big holds, I have the problem more with the frontal climbing on small holds.🤔 .

[@joachimdias4394]

How come from 14.15 you’re climbing more square on than twist lock? When do we know which style to use to be more efficient overhang?

[@richardh3913]

i dont see those holds you were using for the circuit in your shop!

[@sofia7768]

How do you balance the microflick with the faster peace? I generally climb pretty fast until I reach exhaustion. People suggested to climb slower but whenever I tried it feels I just get tired earlier (which is coherent with what you said). I think the microflick would slow down a bit my climbing, so when should you start doing it? Only when you start to feel pumped or preventively every few moves?

[@s.b.e._9692]

uno question. When to build offensive or defensive items(in top)? like when u behind?

[@benedictionkupo]

when you're behind it can be useful to itemise defense and go tanky, you're no use to anyone if you just die and you wont be rich enough to build damage and tank

[@kimediamond]

@@benedictionkupo imo you should always make use of your vitality packs early on and go for the risky moves on low posture.

[@iggimoore]

Fantastic ;)

[@vSTExx]

Brilliant video and very handy for someone who has just done their first 7a outdoors and wanting to continue on. Would you recommend starting a route doing microflicks??? I have used them a little bit but only at the point in a climb where I am beginning to pump out and am not at a rest/ coming to one shortly?

[@kimediamond]

great stuff!

[@jarritoforestal1]

Thanks you for this video, so good. Do you coach online for spanish people? I mind, in Spanish language. I would be interested on that.

[@jokomerte]

Are you gonna do a similar video about FB7a to FB8a?

[@eggdromeda3467]

Could we get a study on those 'flicks' and the 'big impact' that they are supposed to have? Shaking out has been shown to not help at all with recovery when compared to just relaxing the muscle.

[@theopinson3851]

When you count moves, what “counts”? Is every hand/foot adjustment considered a “move” for the 70?

[@Ovenpunch]

Theo Pinson It’s usually just hand movements.

[@theopinson3851]

Joel Hutter cool, gotcha.

[@emmagroen]

Is twist locking also a good technique to improve your reach?

[@VDB420]

Thanks!

[@TheXeeman]

so those micro flicks actually help? could i use those in bouldering?

[@SonnyKnutson]

I think yes, but you shouldn't really need to rest on boulders. They are so short you should have the stamina to do them anyway. If you don't I suggest you try to climb more power-edurance. You can do that by climbing long routes more or by picking 4 boulderproblems that are close to each other and climb all 4 in a row without resting. Then rest for 3-4 minutes and do it again.

[@aspzx]

Yeah definitely, especially if you have to go from a bad hold to another bad hold on the same hand. That tiny shake out can totally change the feel of a move.

[@droomprinsesje1234]

Any advice for those of us who seem to be stuck around the 6a+/6b level? Personally I've plateaued there for about a year now

[@wolfgangdieus372]

find out what your weak point is and work on it. It depends from person to person why you plateau on that level, can only be finger strength, endurance or shoulder strength in my opinion. If its not really obvious one of these, try to work on your technique like faster climbing and better resting. good luck!

[@benedictionkupo]

that happened to me too, for about a year also. for me the biggest thing which helped was starting to do actual focused training to build up strength. i was doing negative pullups and campusing all the time, doing a bit more bouldering etc. i also got really into density hangs. chances are you're at that point where your body hasn't quite adapted to the stimulus, but if you change things up it will and you'll smash through 6a+/6b in no time :)

[@aspzx]

Try routes that are steeper. I find most people at this level tend to want to stick to vertical walls because they feel more comfortable there. If you train on overhangs you can quickly develop more strength and they will also force you to use some of the techniques described in this video. If you do this, you'll shoot up to 7a in no time.

[@victorfagundescarvalhomelo1797]

Really good video! thank you for sharing your knowlage! =]

[@DSClimb]

I remember a video of yours where the recommendation was to slow down the pace while doing circuits on a training board, in order to match the pace while climbing a "real route". I think your point was, that most people have certain parcours which they know well, where they tend to climb very fast compared to their "real" speed on a route or on rock, and that the training then is not very specific. Any thoughts?

[@benja_mint]

slow down your endurance training, speed up your red-pointing

[@DSClimb]

While I totally agree with this, that's not exactly the message which comes across when he shows how he has to climb fast on his training parcours in order to be able to complete it

[@SileDevil]

Im strugling to get it beyond 5.11 😂

[@amyfawkes6153]

I"m new to climbing but in our gym we are supposed to use one color. Is that not the case here?

[@LatticeTraining]

It all really depends on the rules of your gym and how the route setters do things!

[@dannihildenbrand4770]

That Intro Song ?

[@chaosengine4597]

I missed loud shouting and kneebars in this one. Or is it only for 9c+ route climbers? :)

[@benedictionkupo]

the loud shouting while making moves is more appropriate for a "progressing from 4c to 5a" video. its a fundamental.

[@Ricardo8388]

When i want to recover I tend to flick under my body instead of above. Would that help or am I just fooling myself?

[@greystonharper8872]

what song do you use. especially in the beginning the first song

[@6872elpado]

The real queston is.. How can any climber get to 7A without knowing what twist lock is??? I climb on 6B and I basically use only twist lock :D

[@lepassant478]

Oh shit that's for me

[@partykrew666]

well, i'd like to get to 5.12 first..

[@Trumpumpumpum]

nice!

[@duncanewell5020]

Always great content! Thank you guys for making all these great videos. One thing though. I was watching the ep about strength vs weight and didn't see anything about supplements ie creatine. I have done research on the subject but would love to hear what you guys think on the subject

[@TesterAnimal1]

This is assuming you’re not already using every trick in the book to climb 7a!

[@erichirst4976]

I bet you're not, though. After spending 40 years to reach 5.13/8a, I've become convinced that if I'm not climbing 5.15 there's someone out there who has better technique than I do.