Entry by Rachel R
Who says the speed wall needs to be so daunting?
If you’ve ever been to Hub Climbing Mississauga you’ll know we have two intimidating factors: the dragon and the speed wall.
Speed climbing has been around for 12 years and its popularity is only growing since the announcement of sport climbing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Even the people who hold the world records in speed climbing had to hop on it for their first time! Reza Alipoour, who has been deemed the “Persian Cheetah” and “Usain Bolt of Speed Climbing”, didn’t start his speed climbing career with a time of 5.48 seconds, that’s for sure. Many professional rock climbers are just starting out their speed climbing careers, either with plans to compete in the Olympics or just to keep up with the fast growing sub-discipline of the sport.
The best way to start speed climbing is to practice the moves over and over again. Muscle memory is what’s going to get you up the wall! Start with a flat pair of climbing shoes, grab some rentals from us if you normally wear aggressive shoes. Start your first runs on the wall slow until you memorize those moves, then you can start to try for your best times.
The goal is to ditch all the technique you’ve ever learned in climbing and start fresh. The fastest way to get yourself up the speed route is to rely on your muscle memory for your foot placements, looking down will only slow you down. Keeping your hips square to the wall and travelling in as straight of a line as possible is what will have you setting personal records in no time!
If any Hubsters are interested in learning about speed climbing, be on the lookout for information about clinics we host at our Mississauga location for all the tips and tricks!
Looking for more technical information on speed climbing? This article shows you a bit more about the mechanics and flow of the exciting sport of speed climbing.
https://www.wired.com/story/the-best-speed-climbers-dash-up-walls-with-a-time-saving-move/