Specific climbing moves;

Mantel Shelf - This is were a climber is trying to get onto a ledge at about their chest height, they will put both their hands onto the ledge and pull the ledge so that their body is moving up, then about half way up their body he will start to push down on the ledge until he can get their leg onto the ledge then with that leg they will put all their weight on it and push themself all the way up. This move is usually performed when good handholds above the ledge either do not exist or are not reachable.

To perform the layback and the mantel shelf you need to use both your hands and feet to climb but the lay back is better used when attempting to climb a corner or a crack in a rock face and the mantel shelf is better for climbing up onto ledges and over rock faces.

 

When i tried both of these techniques i found the layback difficult becuase it put alot of strain onto my body especially my arms. so this wouldnt be very good if i was planning a long climb. Were as the mantel shelf just felt natural becuase it is the same technique as getting out a swimming pool. When doing this climb you have to make sure you bring your foot up and place in on the top of the ledge rather then your knees.

 

                                                             This is me doing the mantel shelf .

Layback - This is were the climber tries to get up the rock face by pulling with their hands and pushing with his legs. In a part of the climb where there is just a crank you must put your hands in the crack or hold onto a rock then push up with your feet while pulling up with your hands. This is unlike crimping and pinching becuase you have to use your hands and feet in layback where as in crimping and pinching you just use the strengh in your hands.

Crimp -A crimp is a small handhold that a rock climber utilizes by using their fingertips on an edge, a narrow ledge of rock that ranges from the width of a dime to about an inch.  Crimp holds are not used often because they are very strenuous and it's easy to injure and stress fingers. Sometimes the thumb is wrapped around the index finger on a crimp hold to give more pulling power.

Pinch - This is a hold where you must pinch using your thumb and fingers to hold on

Hand and Foot Jam's - you must jam your feet and hands into a crack in the wall to hold you up and also to help you climb the wall.

Crimping and Piniching are a like becuase they both are using the strengh of your hands and when i did this i find it hard becuase i havent got that much strengh in my arms so i have to use my legs to give me more support.