When 'Tight to the Wall' Actually Does the Opposite － Coaching w/ Dan Pt. 4
Hooper’s Beta Ep. 164
The Problem: The Trap of Staying Too "Tight"
Common wisdom in climbing suggests you should always stay tight to the wall—keeping your hips close and locked in to weight your feet.
However, the unintended result is that when you are pinned tight against the wall, you can become blocked:
Your rotation is physically impeded by the wall.
As soon as you let go with one hand, your body naturally swings away from the wall.
Even with the intention of staying tight, you create an inescapable outward swing. This makes it difficult to move properly because you are already flying out before you reach the position you are aiming for.
The Solution: "Casting Out"
To correct this, try to drill a specific feeling: getting as far away from your bottom hand (or the moving hand) as possible.
It is almost impossible to get too far away without it being intuitively obvious (you would have to push off awkwardly or fall). Conversely, it is very easy to simply relax into the Plumb Line.
The Technique:
Instead of pulling in tight, simply relax away from the bottom hand until you find a moment of balance. If you find yourself swinging out unexpectedly—whether on a jump move or while tensioning a foot—it is a good indicator to try this approach:
Release and Cast Out: Get as far away as you can from the moving hand.
Shift Weight: Transfer the load entirely into the top hand.
Key Concept: The Plumb Line
The Plumb Line is essentially the vertical balance point. It applies both side-to-side and in-and-out.
Climbers tend to lose the in-and-out balance point most often. We have an easier time figuring out that we need to be sideways under a hold, but frequently, even when balanced laterally, people are too far into the wall.
When they start moving, they wonder, "Why is my body tension so bad?" or "Why can't I keep this foot on?" This happens because early climbing technique emphasizes staying "sucked in" to avoid being bunched up. This new technique is the correction to that initial learning curve.
Practical Application: Shifting Focus
In the simplest sense, this is a perspective shift regarding normal climbing movement.
Old Focus (Control Hand): "I need to pull over to my right hand, walk my feet up, drop my knee, and get underneath."
New Focus (Off Hand): "I need to relax my left hand."
By focusing on the off-hand (the one letting go), you naturally shift weight. Even if your feet are out of balance, by relaxing the bottom arm, you weight the top hand, making the bottom hand "floaty." This allows you to isolate the movement.
The Drill: Keep it simple. Just try to relax the arm that is going to be moving next.
Nuance: Static vs. Dynamic Movement
Question: Does this mean we are not supposed to pull with our lower hand?
Dan: It depends on the type of move:
Static Moves: Generally, you want to completely unload the bottom hand. You must find the balance point. If you don't find that balance point and try to lock off, it will be incredibly difficult and you will struggle to control the swing.
Dynamic Moves: You still cast out to find the start position, but you use the bottom hand to initiate. You cast out, then do a little "auto-in" pull to pop through the move.
Basically, "casting out" helps you find a better starting position for the subsequent move, regardless of style.
Outro & Resources
Dan: If you are interested in personalized coaching, check out our website at Hooper's Beta. Remember, if you’ve run into any new tweaks or injuries, we have the Recovery Blueprint available for anyone who needs it.
Would you like me to summarize the "Casting Out" technique into a quick bulleted checklist you can take to the gym?
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