A guy at the climbing gym told me my footwork looked like I was stomping spiders, so I changed everything.

He said I was making too much noise and wasting energy because I was slamming my feet onto holds instead of placing them quiet. I spent three sessions just focusing on silent foot placements, trying to make zero sound. Has anyone else gotten a random piece of feedback from a stranger that actually made you a lot better at something?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_logan21d ago

My buddy Jason got told at a bouldering comp that he "climbed like a wet noodle" and it really messed with his head for a bit. He started focusing on keeping his arms straight and using his legs more, and now he sends way harder stuff without gassing out after three moves. Funny how one sentence from a random person can flip a switch in your brain like that.

uma68521d ago

Respectfully, stomping spiders might have been a bit harsh but that feedback is gold. Quiet feet force you to engage your core and place your weight deliberately, which saves tons of energy over a long session. That one criticism probably did more for your climbing than a month of drills would have.

zarab2414d ago

Hold on @uma685, you really think one blunt comment like "stomping spiders" can totally replace a month of drills? I get that it forces you to think about footwork differently, but drills build muscle memory over time. Does that kind of harsh feedback actually stick better than practicing the same thing a hundred times in a session? I'm curious if you've seen people change their whole climbing style just from one brutal line or if most just brush it off.