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robinoleary

@robinoleary

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Performance Rock Climbing Coach
Co-Founder ROAP COACHING
Founder of RocUp Holidays
Founder of the Youth Climbing Symposium
GB Paraclimbing Coach

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The ROCK-OVER

One high foothold (the foot you’re rocking over), with the other foot on a lower foothold or simply smearing against the wall.

Often, the opposite hand hold is higher than the hand on the rock-over side, helping to create opposition (pushing down and across) and control the movement.

The key objective is to move your centre of mass across and over the high foot before standing up.

Rather than immediately pushing/pulling upwards, think about shifting your hips laterally towards the high foot, progressively transferring your weight onto it.

If it’s a dynamic rock-over, you can shift your weight over the higher foot and then extend the day and stand up too.

The key? Move across before moving up! Avoid trying to stand too early, as this can pull your hips away from the wall due to internal rotation of the foot - pushing the knee in and bum out. Making you lock-off more.

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Wouldn’t climbing be so much easier if you knew what technique to use — and when to use it?
We see climbers struggle with this all the time. You arrive at a move, try it one way, adjust a foot, change your hips, pull a little harder, come back down and try something else. Eventually you might find the solution, but you’ve already spent time, energy and potentially your flash attempt.

The best climbers aren’t simply better at performing techniques. They’re incredibly good at recognizing the patterns that tell them which technique is likely to work before they even pull on.

In this video, Alex and I break down four of the major movement patterns we see again and again in climbing, and the clues you can start looking for on the wall.

DROP KNEE
Two established feet, typically relatively wide apart
An opportunity to rotate one foot and drop the knee
Directional handholds or sidepulls that reward opposition
A target that becomes easier by rotating one hip closer to the wall

ROCK-OVER
One high destination foot, with the other foot much lower or becoming irrelevant
Often the opposite hand is higher than the hand on the rock-over side
The key objective is moving the centre of mass across and over the high foot before standing

STEP-THROUGH + FLAG
One dominant foothold rather than two equally useful feet
A relatively high leading hand that gives you space to rotate underneath it
The opposite foot can cross through the body
The original supporting leg becomes the flag, counterbalancing the rotation and preventing a barn door
Of course, climbing movement goes far beyond these four patterns. There are dynos, coordination moves, pogos and countless variations. But these are positions you’ll encounter constantly, whether you’re climbing V2 or V12.
The goal isn’t just to add more techniques to your toolbox. It’s to get better at looking at a sequence and understanding why one technique makes more sense than another.

Hopefully this video changes the way you look at your next climb. check out the full YouTube now!
Thanks to ⁠ for hosting us @climbing_collective
#climbing

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ELIMINATION BOULDERS!

We absolutely love elimination boulders, and for so many reasons!

1. 💪 Develop power. By eliminating certain holds, you can force yourself to make bigger, more powerful moves. You’re essentially taking an existing boulder and changing the physical demands of it, without needing a new set!

2. 🧗 Endless possibilities. Whether you’re climbing V2 or V9, there are so many variations to explore. Take away one hold, two holds, or five if you’re feeling ambitious! Eliminate handholds, footholds, or both. One boulder can suddenly become ten completely different challenges. If you are in a small gym or one that doesn’t set often, this can be a game-changer!

3. 🧠 Get thinking! This is one of our favourite benefits. You might know exactly how to climb a boulder with all the holds available, but what happens when you remove one? Does the sequence change? Do you need a different body position, a new technique, or a completely different approach? Now remove another hold. And another!

Better still, try to flash your elimination! Read the moves, visualise the sequence, anticipate the challenges and commit to your plan before pulling on. It’s a fantastic way to develop your route-reading and problem-solving skills.

4. 🙌 And finally, it’s FUN! Especially with a partner. Take turns eliminating holds, challenge each other to flash your creations and see just how difficult you can make an otherwise familiar boulder.

Next time you’re at the gym, give it a go! You might be surprised how much you can get out of a single climb.

Let us know what you think! 👇

#ClimbingTraining #Bouldering #ClimbingTechnique #RockClimbing #ROAPCoaching

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This weekend reminded me of how much I’ve enjoyed mixing things up lately. Trying new things. Exposing myself to failure with the possibility of succeeding. Because without the openness to the former, how do you achieve the latter?

This rant is all to say; if you also feel confused at times- stretched thin - and / or looking for your belonging… I would like to just say, hey 👋 same 😆 but it is also a liberating space to be. In the messiness of the unknown, but the clarity of being committed, driven by the multifaceted nature of passion(s). Showing up and giving it our best!

📸: @calebtimmermanphoto

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The animal (v9)

I was gonna give up on this one because it started raining but I wasn’t gonna leave Colorado without sending this climb. Thanks @robinoleary for waiting out in the pouring rain until I finally sent! Amazing way to conclude the trip!

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The moss woman strikes back FA

I was too short to do the original climb so I made my own! Go try it and tell me what you think of the grade!

📷: @robinoleary
@alex_puccio89

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5 tips to help you recover on the wall 👇

Being able to recover while you’re climbing can be the difference between falling completely pumped and actually having enough left to finish the route. And like anything else, recovering well is a skill you can practice.

1. Get your hips close to the wall.
Whether you’re using an outside edge, opening your hips or changing your body position, try to get your hips as close to the wall as possible. The more weight you can transfer through your feet, the less you’re asking from your hands and forearms.

2. Relax your grip.
We love a full crimp and half crimp as much as anyone, but when you’re resting, RELAX. If the hold allows it, move into a 3 or 4 finger drag and try to become as skeletal as possible. Hang rather than squeeze.

3. SHAKE OUT!
Don’t wait until you’re completely pumped before you start shaking. Shake throughout the route. Even tiny micro-shakes between moves can make a difference. If you find a proper rest, use it and alternate arms rather than just hanging there gripping the hold. Some research suggests shaking above and below your heart can be more effective. Our testing using the @moxymonitor suggests swinging your arms to encourage blood flow is best (if the hold allows).

4. Control your breathing.
Actually think about this one. Slow your breathing down, take deliberate and big breaths and give your body a chance to settle. You’re trying to bring everything down rather than continuing to climb in that frantic, high-output state.

5. Relax your gaze.
This one gets overlooked. At a rest, you don’t necessarily need to spend the entire time staring at the crux, the next clip or everything that’s still to come. Once you know where you’re going, soften your gaze. Look at the wall in front of you or out into the distance. Relax, breathe, shake and then go again.

Recovery isn’t just something you do when you’re pumped. Get good at doing these things before you’re pumped.

What are your best tips for recovering on the wall? 👇

#climb #bouldering #roapcoaching #training

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🌟🌟🌟
🎥: @robinoleary 👊🏼

#climbing #bouldering #girlswhoclimb #climber #denver

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back to cordo 🙆🏼‍♀️👊🏼🥳
🎥: @robinoleary 🫶🏼

#climbing #bouldering #girlswhoclimb #denver #powerofthemind

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I’ve been thinking about RPE in climbing and I’m interested to know how everyone else interprets it.
Obviously RPE is subjective. A V12 for me might be a 10/10 effort, whereas the exact same climb for Alex could be a 6 or 7/10.

But I think the interesting question is whether we can make the interpretation of RPE a little more consistent like it is with weight lifting - using RPE and RiR (reps in reserve).
For example, what’s the highest RPE you’d give a flash?

You did it first go, so can it really be a 10/10? We don’t think so, but feel many may give that climb a 10/10. Maybe a really hard flash, where you barely hold the last move and feel like you couldn’t have given much more, is an 8 or even a 9?

Then take the opposite situation. You’re a V10 climber trying a V11 and there’s a move you simply cannot do. You’re pulling as hard as you possibly can, recruiting everything you have, and you still can’t do the move.
To me, that’s a 10/10 effort. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t actually do it.

Then what about something that takes you most of a session? Multiple attempts, you’re getting close, and eventually you do it. Is that a 9?

Our rough thinking would be something like this:
10/10 = genuinely maximal effort. You might not even succeed.
9/10 = very close to your limit. Something that takes multiple serious attempts or potentially most of a session - maybe even multiple sessions?
8/10 = extremely hard, but there’s still a little bit left. Maybe this is where a really hard flash sits?
7/10 = hard, but you know you had more.

I don’t think there’s necessarily a right answer here, which is why I’m interested in what everyone thinks.

What’s the highest RPE you’d give a flash? And what does a 10/10 actually mean to you?
Is the hardest you’d give a limit flash an 8/10 or would it be higher?

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a big !! summer spread, Squamish & not-Squamish, climbing and friends and my birthday last month 💛 Many mems with some of my favorite people. Despite the mercurial comings and goings of ‘stoke’, looking back on these photos makes me smile so hard.

It’s been a (mostly) up and (some) down season. I felt so motivated at the beginning, had a blast seshing on some great lines with the best of crews. As the weeks went on I lost some steam. Then I got an overuse injury in my elbow (not tendinitis! nerve/joint inflammation?!) and the psych has now left me in a way I haven’t experienced in awhile. I know & trust excitement will return but I think my body is telling me something. Another year older means having to pay more attention. Thankfully I’m working on some answers through rehab (cheers @theclimbingphysio) and soaking up time in the forest before we leave 🌲

A few trips here and there in September before our trek back to Bishop. Looking forward to reuniting with @thehostelcaliforniabishop !! 💚

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Family is where life begins and love never ends.

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