When utilized properly, a heel hook is one of the best climbing techniques available for taking weight off your arms, keeping your hips into the wall, and engaging your core.  Many climbs and boulders would either be impossible or substantially more difficult without them.  However, for beginner climbers heal hooks can be intimidating as they feel counterintuitive and unnatural.

To help you master the heel hook, here’s an article from Climbing Magazine by Julie Ellison and Nina Williams that describes the technique and gives you some helpful tips that will let you incorporate heel hooks into your technical repertoire.

“The heel-hook position gives your leg a more direct pulling motion (instead of pushing), which holds your body in close to the wall and assists in maintaining overall body tension. Both are important for making difficult moves, particularly on overhanging terrain and bad holds, and they can help your upper body last longer. Essentially, it turns your leg into another arm.” – Julie Ellison 

The tips included in the article include advice on correctly placing, pulling on, and ultimately releasing heel hooks.  It even delves into some advanced techniques like the positioning of your toes and choosing the right climbing shoe.  If you are a climber who struggles with heel hooks, this article is full of good advice that will help.

So give it a read by clicking through below and then stop avoiding heel hooks and put your new found knowledge to the test!

Click Here: Climbing Magazine – How to Heel Hook

(photo by Reinhard Fichtinger; courtesy of climbing.com)

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