Not a central part of my life, but compared to many other types of sport, I start as a beginner with 31 and take this as opportunity to learn and optimize learning new skills. Also it is a great sport to do with friends.

Graded in DAV

In my Boulder Gymn (DAV Kempten) there are colors, while online is the Fontainebleau-Scala. This makes comparing with online resources hard. Thus, here is a translation table (no idea if it is correct!):

Goal

I am currently at 5c. Goal of this learning project it to progress to 7a. The acceptance criteria is that I can do at least 2 white routes (the easiest I can find).

Building my Toolbox

Hypothesis: Deliberate Practice, not Exercise is key. But what should I practice? The sport has different techniques and required skills. My idea is to build and improve a toolbox in dedicated technique sessions and put them to practice outside of them.

Thus, I need a list of tools in my future toolbox:

Fundamental Movement Concepts & Styles

• Static Climbing: Controlled, slow movements where three out of four limbs (hands/feet) always maintain contact with the wall (three-point rule).
• Dynamic Climbing: Powerful, fast movements where one or more contact points are intentionally released for a brief moment.
• Blocking: Controlled but quick movements to the next hold.
• Jumps (Dynos): Complete jumps where all four limbs are briefly in the air.
• Double Dyno: A jump where both hands simultaneously leap to the target hold (or holds).
• Reading Boulders (Route Reading): The ability to visually analyze a route and plan the most probable sequence of movements (beta) before starting.

Body Position & Body Tension

• Center of Gravity (COG): Understanding and deliberately shifting it to optimally load holds.
• Flagging In / Backflagging (Eindrehen): Rotating your hip sideways towards the wall. This is one of the most fundamental techniques to gain reach and conserve energy.
• Body Tension (Körperspannung): Consciously tensing your core muscles to remain stable, especially on overhanging terrain.
• Frog Position: A frontal position with spread legs, hips close to the wall.
• Dropknee / Egyptian: One knee is sharply rotated downwards and inwards to bring the hip extremely close to the wall. Very efficient for steep moves.
• Shoulder Stability: Active use of shoulder muscles for stabilization and injury prevention.

Foot Techniques

• Precise Foot Placement (Präzises Antreten): Deliberately and quietly placing your foot on a foothold with your toe.
• Smearing: Pressing your foot directly onto the wall surface without a foothold, finding grip through friction.
• Hooking:
  • Heel-Hook: Hooking your heel onto a hold or an edge to pull yourself closer or stabilize your body.
  • Toe-Hook: Hooking the tip of your foot (the rubber over your toes) onto an edge.
• Foot Swapping (Trittwechsel): Controlled changing of both feet on the same foothold.
• Flagging: Extending one leg to the side or behind to maintain balance and prevent unwanted swinging of the body (barn door effect).

Hand & Grip Techniques

• Open Hand (hanging): Fingers lie on the hold without a strong bend. This is the most energy-efficient and least strenuous way to grip.
• Crimping (Aufgestellte Hand): Fingers are sharply angled, with the thumb often placed over the index finger to increase pressure. (Caution: high strain on tendons!)
• Pinch Grip (Zangengriff): A hold is squeezed like with pliers between the thumb and the other fingers.

Hold Types (The Hardware on the Wall)

• Ledges / Crimps (Leisten): Small, narrow edges.
• Slopers: Round, sloping holds without a clear edge, which must be held using friction.
• Jugs (Henkel): Large, easy-to-grip holds.
• Pinches (Zangen): Holds that need to be squeezed.
• Pockets (Löcher): Holds with holes for one, two, or three fingers.
• Volumes: Large, hollow structures on the wall that can themselves be equipped with holds. They change the wall’s angle.
• Dual-Texture Holds (Dual-Tex): Holds with two different surface textures (one smooth, slippery, and one rough, grippy).

Technique Training Plan

There are 3 training days for technique training (I can do fun-climbing after each session). Each consists of 3 blocks with 20 minutes each, so that it does not get boring.

Phase 1: Foundation & Body Control (Weeks 1-4)

Week 1: Basic Building Blocks

Day 1:

• A (20 min): Precise & Quiet Footwork. (Focus: Toe, no noise)
• B (20 min): Climbing with Straight Arms. (Focus: Save strength, hips do the work)
• C (20 min): Shifting Center of Gravity (COG). (Focus: Consciously shifting left/right, up/down)

Day 2:

• A (20 min): The 3-Point Rule. (Focus: Stability before the next movement)
• B (20 min): Flagging (Basic). (Focus: Bringing hips to the wall for more reach)
• C (20 min): Quiet Footwork (Deepening). (Repetition for consolidation)

Day 3:

• A (20 min): Flagging (Deepening). (Repetition for consolidation)
• B (20 min): Anflaggen (Flagging). (Focus: Maintaining balance, preventing the “barn door”)
• C (20 min): “Reading” Movements. (Focus: Analyze on the ground for 2 min, then climb)

Week 2: Increasing Efficiency

Day 1:

• A (20 min): Smearing. (Focus: Pressing foot onto the wall where there’s no foothold)
• B (20 min): Flagging on one side. (Focus: Climbing with only right hand/both feet, then switch sides)
• C (20 min): Keeping COG Low. (Focus: Always try to get hips below shoulders)

Day 2:

• A (20 min): Precise Gripping. (Focus: Look at the hold, grip exactly, no readjusting)
• B (20 min): Flagging (Deepening). (Repetition for consolidation)
• C (20 min): Flagging (Repetition). (Repetition for consolidation)

Day 3:

• A (20 min): Frog Position. (Focus: Facing the wall, hips close, knees out)
• B (20 min): Movement Flow. (Focus: Climb boulder smoothly and without stops after reading)
• C (20 min): Quiet Footwork (at the limit). (Try it on a blue boulder)

Week 3 & 4: Repetition and Combination of Basics

Repeat the blocks from Week 1 & 2. Mix them as you like or focus on the techniques you find most challenging. The goal is for flagging, quiet footwork, and conscious COG shifting to become second nature.

Phase 2: Advanced Techniques (Weeks 5-8)

Week 5: The Power of Hooks

Day 1:

• A (20 min): Heel-Hook (Basic). (Focus: Placing heel and pulling body in)
• B (20 min): Flagging (Repetition). (Can never practice enough)
• C (20 min): Static vs. Blocked Movement. (Focus: Feeling the difference between slow and controlled-fast)

Day 2:

• A (20 min): Heel-Hook (Application). (Focus: Actively looking for boulders where a heel-hook helps)
• B (20 min): Body Tension. (Focus: Hanging in a slight overhang and controlling swings only with the core)
• C (20 min): Foot Swaps. (Focus: Quietly and controllably switching feet on a foothold)

Day 3:

• A (20 min): Toe-Hook. (Focus: Pulling on edges with the top of your foot)
• B (20 min): Heel-Hook (Deepening). (Repetition for consolidation)
• C (20 min): Movement Flow (Deepening). (On blue boulders)

Week 6: Advanced Positioning

Day 1:

• A (20 min): Dropknee / Egyptian. (Focus: Turning knee down/in to press hip to the wall)
• B (20 min): Open Hand (Hanging). (Focus: Consciously holding grips with straight fingers to save strength)
• C (20 min): Heel-Hook (Repetition).

Day 2:

• A (20 min): Dropknee (Application). (Focus: Deliberately using it on steep sections)
• B (20 min): Body Tension (Deepening).
• C (20 min): Flagging (Repetition).

Day 3:

• A (20 min): Combination: Flagging + Dropknee. (Focus: Feeling the transition between techniques)
• B (20 min): Route Reading (Harder Boulders). (Focus: Analyze a red boulder for 5 min without touching it)
• C (20 min): Toe-Hook (Repetition).

Week 7 & 8: Repetition and Combination of Advanced Techniques

Mix the blocks from the last few weeks. Focus on integrating hooks and dropknees into fluid movements. Practice body tension.

Phase 3: Specialization & Dynamics (Weeks 9-12)

Week 9: Specific Grip Techniques

Day 1:

• A (20 min): Sloper Technique. (Focus: Low COG, full palm, straight arm)
• B (20 min): Dropknee (Repetition).
• C (20 min): Blocked Movement (Deepening).

Day 2:

• A (20 min): Crimps (Open Hand). (Focus: Fingers on edge, thumb over index finger. Start carefully!)
• B (20 min): Sloper Technique (Application). (On blue/red boulders)
• C (20 min): Heel-Hook (Repetition).

Day 3:

• A (20 min): Pinches. (Focus: Pressure with the thumb)
• B (20 min): Sloper Technique (Repetition).
• C (20 min): Body Tension (Repetition).

Week 10: Dynamics

Day 1:

• A (20 min): Dynos (Jumps) - Basics. (Focus: Wind-up, explosive push-off, secure catch)
• B (20 min): Body Tension for Catching. (Focus: Controlling momentum after the jump)
• C (20 min): Pinches (Deepening).

Day 2:

• A (20 min): Dynos to Smaller Targets. (Focus: Precision)
• B (20 min): Crimp Technique (Deepening).
• C (20 min): Sloper Technique (Repetition).

Day 3:

• A (20 min): Double Dynos. (Focus: Jumping with both hands simultaneously)
• B (20 min): Route Reading (Dynamics). (Focus: Recognizing where a jump is the best solution)
• C (20 min): Dropknee (Repetition).

Week 11 & 12: Bringing It All Together

In these weeks, you’ll put together your own training days. Choose 3 techniques per day that you need for the red and white boulders you’re currently working on.

Example Day (Week 11):

• A (20 min): Sloper technique on a red boulder.
• B (20 min): Precise heel-hook at a crux.
• C (20 min): Dyno training for a specific move.

Example Day (Week 12):

• A (20 min): Practicing crimp technique under fatigue.
• B (20 min): Dropknees in steep terrain.
• C (20 min): Flow climbing on a long, red boulder.

As Table

Phase 1: Foundation & Body Control (Weeks 1-4)

Phase 2: Advanced Techniques (Weeks 5-8)

Export to Sheets

Phase 3: Specialization & Dynamics (Weeks 9-12)

Plan

No idea, if I want to follow it, but here it is: