(Top) Saddle Rocks at J-Tree, home to many slabby test-pieces like Walk on the Wild Side 5.7+
Maximizing your stickability on a slabby face climb requires a bit of trust in your footwork, re-thinking how you hold onto the rock and keeping your momentum when the going gets rough. Here's a couple of tips for keeping your shit together so it doesn't hit the fan:
1. Keep your heels low and your feet under your center of gravity. This maximizes the amount of rubber on the rock and thus the friction being applied to the rock. As soon as you rise up onto your toes, your feet are probably going to blow. So keep your heels dropped below the level of your toes and take several small steps instead of one big one.
2. Think chimney on a roof. Don't lean your torso into the rock, lean out and put your weight directly over your feet. This will also provide the greatest amount of friction and allow you to see the whole picture of climbing possibilities and keep you from getting tunnel vision.
3. Use the palms of your hands. Again the more skin you have in contact with the rock, the more you're going to stick. You'll have way more skin contact using the palm of your hand than using your fingertips. Instead of reaching up and pulling down on a small scoop or edge, palm it and press it down or away to gain upward ascension. Your palms should feel raw by the end of the day if you're doing this correctly.
4. Keep it moving. It's easier to float up stuff if you keep your momentum going. Stall out and it could be hard to get the lead out. Take small steps, remember to breathe, look around for all your climbing possibilities and run for the anchors.
Linda Peery demonstrating perfect slab technique on Walk on the Wild Side
Ready to put it to work? Here's a couple of recommended J-Tree classics to put your new skills to the test:
Double Dip 5.6
Stitcher Quits 5.7Walk on the Wild Side 5.7+
