Climber begins to get their feet up
Want to learn better climbing techniques for out on the cliffs or at your local gym? Follow this 8 part series to explore helpful rock climbing movement tips and techniques, reasons for performing the climbing movement, and how to practice them for added rock climbing fun. We will even include recommended Devil’s Lake State Park climbs to try your new found skills on.
So we are getting into some dicey movement here. Gaining momentum on difficulty, but have no fear… everything I suggest can happen on easier grades for practice (and for the heck/ fun of it). Before you head out for climbing some roofs at Devil’s Lake, you might need to pick up some new things at REI, Adventure Rock, Target, whatever local retailer sells new undies (come to think of it, I don’t think Adventure Rock has those, but they have t-shirts if you sweat through yours or other sick climbing gear). What I’m getting to here is that climbing over a roof can certainly take some try hard. So pack up that much needed gear for success and try out these tips for success in climbing over a roof.
First, check out your climb before you get on the wall. This is never a bad idea… it even has a name, route reading. You want to try to figure out how you are going to make it over whatever obstacle it is, in this case… a roof. To describe a roof, it is a “thing” that juts out from the vertical wall, perpendicularly with the ground, that could sometimes protect you from rain (although unlikely at Devil’s Lake). You probably get the point, the name “Roof” sort of implies what you are probably picturing in your head.
So, you’ve got your climb, you see there is a roof, you’ve planned your attack, you have a fresh pair of undies (or maybe keep those for later), and you have your best grunts ready. Climb up to that thing and give it your all. Get your feet nice and high, almost so you seem to be parallel with the ground. Reach your hand around the roof and feel all over. Can you come up with a half-way decent hand hold? Ok, great! Grab onto that thing, walk your feet either sideways or up through holds you found in the roof (hopefully you “read” where those were at because you might not be able to see them), and then bring out your best beast mode sounds. Many a times, I have walked my feet up nice and high or have gotten a toe/ heel hook (blog to come on that movement). Hip flexibility is key here because the more you can contort and get a really high foot (Read more about The High Step) sometimes even putting it onto the same hold as your hand, the better. Finish up the climb, give a little fist pump at the top, and get lowered to get into those fresh drawers.
Suggested Rock Climbs at Devil’s Lake State Park that include a Roof: Roger’s Roof 5.8+ (Horse Rampart), Orgasm 5.8 (Bedroom Amphitheatre), Gargantua 5.10b (Old Sandstone), Double Overhang 5.4 (Rainy Wednesday Tower), Lost Face Overhangs I & II 5.8 (Lost Face)