How to Get Better at Small Crimps - The Vacuum Style Ft. Aidan Roberts

Summary

This video focuses on enhancing climbing performance on small crimps through a 'vacuum style' approach, which emphasizes maintaining the center of mass close to the wall. The video highlights specific exercises targeting hip flexibility, shoulder strength, and finger training, with a strong emphasis on mobility and strength in key areas. Techniques such as the supine frog stretch, weighted pancake, and shoulder retraction exercises are demonstrated to improve flexibility and strength, leading to greater control and precision on small holds. The goal is to refine the technique for climbing on uneven, sharp crimps, maximizing stability and efficiency in movement.

Takeaways

• 😀 Vacuum style climbing emphasizes maintaining your center of mass close to the wall to generate force and stability on small holds.
• 😀 Flexibility in the hips plays a crucial role in climbing on small holds by allowing your body to stay close to the wall, improving reach and stability.
• 😀 The Frog stretch and its variations (like the supine frog) are effective for increasing hip flexibility, crucial for small hold climbing.
• 😀 Weighted pancake exercises help strengthen the adductors and improve hamstring flexibility, which is essential for high or far heel hooks.
• 😀 The pancake exercise can be regressed by performing it standing, and progressively moved to a lower position to improve hamstring flexibility and strength.
• 😀 Focus on increasing the range of motion gradually and use incremental weights for exercises like the weighted pancake to avoid overstretching.
• 😀 Strengthening the hip flexors through leg lifts helps develop the necessary mobility for lifting legs to place footholds or heel hooks.
• 😀 Shoulder retraction exercises (like military press lying on the floor) are key for keeping the chest close to the wall when climbing.
• 😀 External rotation exercises for the shoulder, especially pronated variations, help develop the upper body strength needed for crimping on small holds.
• 😀 Finger training for small holds should focus on acute flexion positions (like high-angle crimps) and gradually build strength in those positions for better control.
• 😀 The overall approach to training for vacuum style climbing involves developing flexibility and strength through specific exercises before focusing on mobility or advanced techniques.

Q & A

What is 'vacuum style climbing' and how does it work?

Vacuum style climbing focuses on maintaining your center of mass as close to the wall as possible. This allows you to approach holds in a way that makes them feel more positive and stable. Instead of relying solely on finger strength, the method emphasizes the use of hips, shoulders, and fingers together, aiming to keep the body in a more efficient and controlled position on the wall.

Why are hips important in vacuum style climbing?

Hips play a crucial role in getting your center of mass close to the wall. Flexibility and strength in the hips are essential for maintaining a stable position and being able to effectively use small holds. Exercises that enhance hip mobility and strength can improve this aspect of climbing.

What is the 'frog stretch' and how does it help in climbing?

The frog stretch is used to improve hip flexibility, which is vital for getting your hips close to the wall. By deepening the stretch and using additional weight to increase intensity, climbers can improve their hip mobility, making it easier to stay close to the wall while climbing on small holds.

How does the 'weighted pancake' exercise help in climbing?

The weighted pancake exercise helps increase hamstring flexibility, which is necessary for accessing high or distant heel hooks. It also strengthens the adductors throughout the range of motion, improving overall flexibility and mobility in the hips, which is key for maintaining a stable climbing position.

Why is it important to develop flexibility before strength in mobility exercises?

Flexibility is the foundation of mobility. If you lack the flexibility to get into a proper position, attempting strength training exercises (like lifting a leg) will not be effective. It's important to first focus on gaining flexibility, especially in the hamstrings and adductors, before progressing to strength exercises that require lifting the leg or working in a more advanced range of motion.

What role do the shoulders play in vacuum style climbing?

The shoulders are critical for retracting and drawing the chest close to the wall, which helps maintain stability and control during climbs. Shoulder exercises, like external rotations and military presses, help strengthen the muscles involved in keeping the body aligned and stable while climbing on small holds.

How does external rotation of the shoulder benefit climbers?

External rotation of the shoulder helps strengthen the rotator cuff, which supports shoulder stability. This is important in climbing because it enables the climber to pull the chest toward the wall and maintain a strong and controlled position on small holds, especially during dynamic or static movements.

Why should finger training be specific to the type of grip used in climbing?

Finger training should match the specific types of grips used in climbing. High-angle crimps, for example, require different finger strength than open-hand grips. Training with the correct angles and positions ensures the climber develops the right strength for crimping on small edges and prevents injury.

What is the purpose of pronated external rotations in shoulder exercises?

Pronated external rotations target the upper range of shoulder motion, which is important for climbing on small holds. This exercise strengthens the shoulder muscles at the end range, allowing for more efficient use of the shoulders during climbing movements where a lot of force is needed to maintain stability.

What is the ideal approach to training for vacuum style climbing?

The best approach combines flexibility, strength, and mobility exercises targeting the hips, shoulders, and fingers. It is important to focus on gaining the right range of motion first, then progressing to strength exercises that mimic the movements required for vacuum style climbing. Tailoring exercises to specific climbing positions will ensure optimal performance on small, sharp holds.