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Rock climbing - body awareness and identifying your centre of gravity

Balance is essential to allow the climber to maintain style, energy and to enhance performance.

  • Take up a position on a climbing wall no more than one metre off the ground.
  • Whilst holding the grips position, keep your hips as close to the wall as possible and push the weight through your feet.
  • Do not over-grip; try to maintain a strength that is necessary to steady your balance.
  • Your centre of gravity is usually around your belly button, so wherever your feet and hands are contacting the wall try to centre this point as best as you can between the two.
  • If you have balanced correctly you should feel that your legs are holding your weight and not your arms.
  • Your arms should now be used to support balance and for shifting weight to your next move.

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