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Wall climbing can be a fun activity and good exercise. It is also one of the more common elements used by practitioners of parkour. This article will teach you all you need to know if you too would like to learn to climb a wall.
Steps
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Stretch yourself and loosen up. Climbing a wall can strain some muscles that you may not have stressed much before. Perform some light exercise and stretch before attempting the wall climb.
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Find a short wall to practice on. Try to find one that is low enough that your hands can reach over the top of the wall while your feet are still on the ground, but one that is also high enough that your arms will have to be extended to reach the top. [1] X Research source Make sure you can grip the wall appropriately. A highly slick or polished surface is not ideal for practice.Advertisement
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Grab the top of the wall. Use both hands and attempt to get as much of your palm onto the top of the wall as you can. [2] X Research source
- Even though your feet remain on the ground, it should appear that you are dangling by your arms. They must remain extended as you grasp the wall.
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Place your feet on the wall. One foot should be high--nearly to the height of your waist--while the other should remain eighteen inches below that. Keep your feet underneath you, not spread out to the sides. Your toes and the front of your feet should be flexing so that they are in contact with the wall surface. [3] X Research source
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Push and pull yourself upward. This should appear as one fluid motion. First, push yourself up with your legs, and then pull yourself up with your arms.
- Push into the wall with your legs. Your body should be parallel to the wall at first, and this would seem to be pushing you away. However, your arms are holding your close, so all momentum that pushed you away from the wall will also force you up.
- Just as you are beginning to develop momentum with your leg push, begin to pull with your upper body.
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Go over the wall. As you are pulling yourself over the top edge of the wall, kick your back leg out and bring your upper body over the top of the wall. Continue this move until your center of gravity (in your lower torso) is over the edge of the wall.
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Circle your back leg forwards. Get your first leg over the wall, and then finish the climb. You can also swing one of your legs upwards right under your body followed by the other leg. If you are on a roof now, stand up. If you are instead climbing a free-standing wall, you can slide over it and pull your feet underneath you as you come down on the other side.
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Find two walls that are close together. In many cities, it is common to find two buildings separated by only a narrow alley. The ideal distance would be a little greater than the distance between your elbows when you extent both of your arms out to the side.
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Place the hand and foot of each side of your body onto one wall. Your left hand and foot will go to one wall, while your right hand and foot will go to the other. Apply pressure to both walls simultaneously in order to hold up your body's weight.
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Move one hand or foot up at a time. As you do so, you will have to increase the pressure you apply with the other hand or foot that is on that particular wall.
Common Questions: Tips to Climb up a Wall
How do you train to climb a wall?
Do push-ups, pull-ups, and tricep dips to build your upper body strength. Perform planks, Russian twists, and leg lifts for better stability and control. Boulder or climb at the gym to improve your technique and problem-solving skills. [4] X Research source
Is it possible to climb a flat wall?
In general, it’s not possible to climb a flat wall without any holds or additional equipment. However, some experienced climbers can climb a wall with very small holds.
How do you climb a wall corner?
If you’re in a narrow corner, use the chimney climbing technique—press your back into one wall while moving your feet against the other wall. If you’re in between wide walls, put both of your hands on one wall and both of your feet on the other. Then, move your body in a horizontal position across the gap. [5] X Research source
Video
Tips
- Make sure that you can lift yourself up the wall before you try.Thanks
- Never be in a hurry to do this. Even the best have to practice.Thanks
- Wear gloves because it's really painful without them at first. They will help to get up and get a stronger grip on thick or rough walls.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- Remember: You need to kick the wall at about the height of your hips or waist to start running up it. Also use your right hand to hold onto the wall while your left hand grabs the top of the wall, if your right leg kicks first. This will help keep you stable and provides good friction.
- Always make sure there is someone nearby in case you fall.
Warnings
- Don't let go too quickly when you're grabbing the wall. This can cause you burns, scratches, and other types of injuries.Thanks
- Don't try to climb a wall in public/crowded areas.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Gloves
- A safety mattress/cushion below you.
- Confidence
- A light stomach (don't start after eating).
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about climbing, check out our in-depth interview with Pete Cerqua .
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhrRKTZSY5U
- ↑ http://breakingmuscle.com/parkour/get-up-that-wall-mastering-the-parkour-climb-up
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhrRKTZSY5U
- ↑ https://prowesscoaching.co.uk/articles/for-the-climber/how-to-get-better-at-climbing-without-going-climbing/
- ↑ http://howtoclimbharder.com/advance-climbing-technique/corners-and-chimneys/
About This Article
To climb a wall, start by grabbing the top of the wall while you place your feet on it. Make sure to keep your feet under you instead of out to the sides, with 1 foot nearly waist high and the other almost extended fully. Then, push into the wall with your legs as you pull yourself upward with your arms. When you get to the top of the wall, kick your back leg out and bring your upper body over the edge. Finally, circle your back leg forwards to get your entire body over the wall. To learn how to climb along 2 walls, keep reading!
