TOP 4 TIPs for Beginner heel hooks - Louis Parkinson

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[@YuriPloschansky]

"Think about your legs as about your lower arms". That's brilliant! Louis, I'm 2000+ km away, and still you're like a teacher to me. Thank you for what you're doing!

[@CatalystClimbing]

Thank you!

[@davidkettle8774]

Another brill video! Love the idea of treating legs like arms and the idea of turning hips to face the hold.

[@chrisembryclimbing]

Awesome tips. Love the continual reminder of aiming the hips in the desired direction to make movements easier. Thanks Catalyst team and Louis!

[@CatalystClimbing]

Our pleasure Chris! Let us know how you go!

[@zacharymehl1461]

This is such a good series. Thank you so much for doing these.

[@CatalystClimbing]

Glad you like them!

[@daemonicxi91]

Hey Louis! Really really liked tips 3 and 4 I find that's likely where I've been going wrong and sometimes pulling off the edge I'm pulling into! Psyched to try these on my next session. I was wondering if you potentially had any plans on a video for grip types and when / how hard to grip/pull etc on holds. Maybe I'm reading way to far into it but I feel a lot of youtube content is aimed at footwork which don't get me wrong is far more important than hand work but it's hard finding good content on how to use new grips correctly, especially moving more into v4 + range where there's less to hold onto and knowing how to use my hands correctly and how to hold efficiently is becoming important to my sending capabilities (I think) . Lastly hoping to join very soon! I love your content and it always gets me excited for my next climbing session thanks for you and your teams hard work it's a big part of my excitement to climbing and I really look forward to future videos!

[@leonakadir3833]

excellent Louis! you really are the best teacher

[@CatalystClimbing]

Thank you! 😃

[@ArielRaskin]

Wow! I became a big fan of your channel :) Great lesson, thank you

[@daniellegoodspeed5800]

Excellent as always

[@CatalystClimbing]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@you_tuber]

Brilliant, thanks Louis

[@CatalystClimbing]

Thank you for watching!

[@sighcai]

Fantastic, timely video! I recently started implementing high heel hooks to some sport routes I’m projecting. Helps relieve weight from my arms, gets my hips closer to the wall, and lends me additional reach I otherwise would have needed a deep lock off to get (which I don’t have the strength for).

[@CatalystClimbing]

Glad it can be relevant for you!

[@ejl74]

Omg I was trying to set heel hooks on my homewall today. I suxk at them. This gives me a lot to ponder. Thanks!

[@CatalystClimbing]

Let us know how it goes!

[@juancosta775]

That was a really informative video!, much appreciated

[@CatalystClimbing]

Glad its of use!!

[@JonYounghusband]

Wait what? That’s genius. I’ve struggled with foot switching for ages and that technique makes so much sense. I’ll be practicing this on the wall tomorrow!

[@CatalystClimbing]

Let us know how it goes!

[@joehertz8903]

nice one Louis! especially the tip about using your leg as arms :D . any tips for building strength for maximum heel tension? projecting a v6/v7 at the moment which requires pulling super hard on a crappy heel hook to free up an arm to go for a reach-y crimp. very much stuck struggling to keep the heel solid..

[@muumarlin1731]

"Lower arms" Lol! Awesome. I always wanted more arms.

[@silentdiscretion2657]

Great video Louis! A word of caution to anyone new to heel hooks: Think of your knee and the way it bends as a single plane, and don't deviate from that plane if you can help it. What I mean is if you have to rotate your leg so that your knee points outward, kinda like if you were sitting cross legged, and you were to try to stand up on that heel hook by then rotating your leg back. Essentially using your hip to pull you up and into the wall, you could injure your knee relatively easily. I've seen people do it and I myself have done it and it's not fun. I don't want to discourage anyone from using heel hooks, just be careful.

[@matchti75019]

Another caution : while the knee injury might be what's more obvious on a heel hook another one is the Hamstring injury on the back of one's leg. Did that 2 weeks ago (i'm a beginner) and strained it quite awfully with a little "pop" alarming me. Now i have to squat and wait for another 2 weeks to be able to climb again. Mind that i didnt exercise enough before the climbing session so it might be an isolated case =)

[@alexnunez4019]

Awesome awesome awesome

[@CatalystClimbing]

Appreciate it!

[@XxNinjaLimeXX]

Love you and your videos man. I hope you do another video with Anna H at some point. Your guys' energy was awesome together.

[@daemonicxi91]

I was thinking this before! I really enjoyed both their videos. Honestly hadnt seen much of Anna before hand but i've subbed to her now to she's excellent love her energy it's so positive and daring it's very motivating!

[@CatalystClimbing]

Keep your eyes peeled on the channel!!

[@linguistacaotica]

Thank you so much! None of the people I asked in my climbing gym could really explain it to me anywhere near as well as you just did. Also, not a criticism, more of a concern (as an occupational therapist): You need to stretch the muscles on the tops of your shoulders a lot more. If the tension in those muscles is permanently too high, it can cause all sorts of shoulder issues - which would mean you'd be forced to take break from climbing :/.

[@jacktrussler20]

As an intermediate climber (v4-v5 climbed for 8 months) I found this really useful! thank you so much :)

[@AMM1998]

You don't need to preface your opinions with your max grade and climbing age

[@CatalystClimbing]

Glad you found it useful and let us know how it goes!

[@jacktrussler20]

@@AMM1998 It helps for context :)

[@HYPMAN100]

I thought this was a video about submission grappling 😂

[@Foby2]

Could you do a tips video for steep overhang/roof climbs please? I can't keep body tension to save myself :(

[@christianv-b.nielsen1505]

Heelhooks can already be a big help there in my opinion 😂

[@Lucas-gz3wy]

Anyone else here because they were looking for bjj heel hook tutorials?

[@ThePeebl]

Any tips on working out the muscles engaged with heelhooks? I've been battling cramps whenever i try to engage a heelhook

[@CatalystClimbing]

Great question!! bulgarian split squats, lunges, calf raises and horse squats are all amazing exercises to help build up strength but also be aware to make sure you are well fueled and hydrated before a session as that can also cause cramps!

[@ThePeebl]

@@CatalystClimbing Thanks for the reply, will try to mix them into my sessions! 👍

[@weijientang5961]

I find that i always got injured and wounded at the area around ankle bone by scratching off the boulder when using heelhook, is it the tension of my body isn’t good or just the positioning of my heels the problem?

[@CatalystClimbing]

If you end up always scraping against the wall it could be your positioning but obviously this is not definitive as havent seen you do it!

[@2rfg949]

Hi Louis. I tore my hamstring heel hooking on a boulder problem I’m putting up. It made an awful sound. Very crimpy steep problem with a move to a bad small sloper. I’m no expert on heel hooking. Is there a way to reduce the stress on the hamstrings through technique? Like does turning your foot do that? I really don’t want to do that to myself again. I’m scared to even try. Bit of hate to not finish the problem lol. Thanks very much.

[@2rfg949]

Sorry “but I’d hate” definitely not “bit of hate” ❤️

[@br3ttless]

I'm a beginner climber that started just before the pandemic. September last year I had a heel hook that I pressed off to reach the next hold and my hamstring broke 😅 I saw someone else do the move just before me so I know it wasn't me doing it wrong. It's recovered now, just a lot weaker and my confidence is knocked more than anything. So my question is what ways can you do a heel hook wrong? Is there a way that could be more prone to injuries such as mine

[@CatalystClimbing]

Instead of focusing on bad habits and comparisons to other people, focus on good form with the tips given and see a physio who can help build things back up!

[@matchti75019]

same here but didnt recover yet (only 2 weeks since the injury), the most common reason is about pre-exercises before your climbing session and building strength to your hamstring with squats and deadlifts.

[@gracenicholson8492]

You the climbing Hugh Grant

[@CatalystClimbing]

What a complement!!!

[@jez1548]

Turn sole down and away from wall and point toes down

[@CatalystClimbing]

Bingo!

[@Hopesfallout]

Does anyone else have the issue with heel hooks causing pain in the back/outside section of the knee?

[@CatalystClimbing]

I would say see a physio if it gives you trouble!

[@Crazyoldman84]

Heel hooks really pull my hamstrings ☹️

[@lukeytron]

Love the videos from Catalyst but the mic distortion is so bad in the first 40 seconds, that I had to stop watching. I have a bad headache right now, so maybe I am alone.

[@CatalystClimbing]

Sorry to hear that! We are working on it!

[@lukeytron]

@@CatalystClimbing I truly appreciate that and feel bad for being a bit harsh. I really do love the channel, and the content you guys produce. Sorry for being a grump, and please continue to make great content for those of us trying to improve our climbing.

[@boursitocard]

very nice. Love this guy vibes. Is he on the spectrum ?

[@formzino]

Yes, I believe he's somewhere between gamma rays and x rays

[@PheonixRise666]

Why does it even matter?