A Rundown Of The Rock Climbing Skills

The practice of rock climbing can employ of several skills, and that’s how rock climbing evolved into one of the most pursued outdoors sports in the first place.

You see, rock climbing composes of several types of movement: friction climbing, face climbing, crack climbing and overhang climbing. Each of these rock climbing skills makes valuable components to certain physical conditions.

Obviously, muscular climbers can make efficient use of overhang climbing, while those that have smaller digits can make effective usage of friction climbing.

Friction Rock Climbing

As long as the rock climb is not overly high angled, anyone can use own weight to do friction rock climbing.

Just what its name suggests, in friction rock climbing, the climber is enabled to climb due to his weight acting on the rock surface, creating enough friction for him allow climbing. As long as the climb provides sufficient angle to work gravity on their favor,

But even then, friction rock climbing should not be taken lightly, as a sudden gust of wind or a falling object can as easily pick up displace the climber. Oftentimes, friction climbing is also used in junction with the next rock climbing skills in subject.

Rock Face Climbing

In rock face climbing, the climber climbs closely pressed on the surface, climbing by the means of holding onto the knobs, flakes and edges of a sheer wall.

Rock face climbing is an essential rock climbing skills when facing sheer and difficult rock faces, and a skilled rock face climber can proceed (but with great care) on these faces where others would find themselves looking for other routes.

Crack Rock Climbing

Though crack rock climbing is an essential skill that learned early, the usage of artificial aids sometimes overshadows the concept of crack rock climbing.

The Leave No Trace Principles urges rock climbers to free climb areas that are readily scalable because of cracks in them than using artificial aids.

This is to protect the natural formation. Crack rock climbing is the practice of ascending on a rock face using the cracks as leverage; jamming fingers, toes, hands and feet to fissures on the rock.

Rock climbing also incorporates other skills as well. The knowledge of making knots is highly essential not only to the belayer but also to the lead climber as well, especially the figure of eight knot and the Munster hitch.

The skill of using the etriers and the rope maneuvers are also areas of rock climbing skills.