Heel hook exercises Return to the start position by sliding your heel back. Feb 13, 2024 · The hook kick strikes with the heel of the foot (or with the flat of the foot in sparring), from the side of the target . Mastering heel hook technique can be a game changer in your climbing progression. Since your hips can’t rotate, all of the torque is placed through the knee. Lower Extremity Strengthening Exercises – Sitting. Lachlan is a third-degree BJJ black belt. One spotter stands on each side of the exerciser, assuming a straddle stance. Identify your mark. It is known that highly flexible fighters (Imanari, current world champ Musemeci) can resist this pressure and are very difficult to secure this submission on. Though most heel hook injuries tend to be a concentric mechanism of injury. The heel hook exercise is part of the climbing drills performed in military training and is designed to improve a soldier’s ability to pull themselves up and hook their legs onto a ledge, rope, or rail. Climbing Drill 1. Jul 14, 2014 · Heel hooking can be a hugely advantageous tool to help take weight off your arms and hands while climbing. Exercise 7: Glute-Ham Bridges → An exercise that trains the individual to activate the bigger glute muscles before recruiting the hamstring muscles for hip extension, mimicking heel hooking mechanics with optimal muscle activation in a gravity eliminated position. Feb 16, 2023 · What is A Heel Hook? The Heel Hook is a basic climbing technique in which the heel is latched onto a hold-in for stability, support, or in some cases to rock over a higher foothold. Include both knee flexion and hip extension. You can heel hook both with the back area of the heel and with the side of the heel. Lift your heel and hook it onto your mark. Your toes should then be pointing down and away from you. Heel hook injuries occur when the force applied during a heel hook exceeds the ankle’s natural range of motion, leading to damage to the ligaments, tendons, and bones that make up the ankle joint. Jan 4, 2019 · Adding hip-mobility stretches to your warm-up routine before getting on a route that utilizes heel hooks can free up your hip motion to allow you to access difficult heel-hook positions with less strain. Rainey is also an ACTION certified personal trainer (CPT) and climbing coach. Exercise 1: Straight-Arm Pull; Exercise 2: Heel Hook; Exercise 3: Pull-Up; Exercise 4: Leg Tuck; Exercise 5: Alternating Grip Pull-Up Lachlan Giles. Climbing Drill 2 consists of exercises performed on a high bar or climbing bars. 01. Was a boulder problem set with a heel hook in mind? Oct 29, 2023 · The first heels you throw will likely be low and at normal foot height, but eventually you’ll master heel hooks above your head. The heel hook is banned in most clubs and illegal in almost all gi tournaments. 5% (n = 15) of all injuries. Cadence: SLOW. 1. Mar 9, 2024 · An excellent introductory exercise for preventing these types of heel hook injuries is the leg bridge (also known as the glute bridge). Alli Rainey, pro climber and professional Heel HookingIn the battle to keep the strain off your arms when climbing roofs, heel-hooking is perhaps the most useful technique of all. These injuries can range from mild sprains to severe fractures, dislocations, and tears, often requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation to Do unecessary heel hooks during your warm-up and do a set or two of bodyweight one leg deadlift. HHeeeell sslliiddee::Keep your heel on the ground and slowly slide your foot forward until your leg is almost straight. Combination of Climbing Techniques. But what about the technique of a correct heel hook? Get my Book The Crux here: https://thecrux. Place with care Frog pose. This places considerable demand on the hamstrings; if the hamstrings aren’t ready for this demand, it can lead to a strain or a tear. Follow this video and focus on heel hooks for 2 cli If you were to sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground then pick your heel up so your toes are on the ground, you’d engage the muscles you use in a heel hook. Mar 25, 2025 · Spotting the heel hook and leg tuck Spotters’ Position and Role:. Heels hooks can be used passively to help get a rest before making a climbing move, or used actively by pulling with your heel and leg to help you move through a climbing position. Hip Flexion – Sitting. I was thinking about bridges, hamstring curls, and Glute-hamstring raises. Dont go to heavy on the isolation exercises if you are prone to May 26, 2016 · The heel hook is one of the most devastating leglocks you can apply! Instead of attacking the big muscles of the leg (like the quads, hamstrings, or glutes) the heel hook targets the small ligaments of the knee and the ankle. Starting Positio A professional writer since 1997, Harvard graduate and pro rock climber Alli Rainey's articles have appeared in "Climbing Magazine," "Rock & Ice" and "Men's Fitness," among many others. Rock climbers and boulderers employ heel hooks to improve their efficiency of movement in two main situations. Even with raised hip bridges, do you think it's sufficient to train heel hooks? With these leg and other core exercises, it is possible to improve the strength to execute a heel hook. Never just slap your heel on something and expect it to hold or help. A secure heel hook reduces swing on dynamic moves such as big reaches or dynos and can act as an anchor. At ADCC 2019 in the Absolute division, Lachlan as one of the lightest competitors (under 77kg) submitted 3 world-class heavyweights (Kaynan Duarte, Patrick Gaudio and Mahamed Aly) all by heel hook. Choose the crimp, sloper, or overhang that you will be targeting with your heel hook. It's a non-technical, generalised look at how to train to improve heel hooking ability and reduce injury risk from them. In a squat position, take side steps to increase the resistance of the band. This means that you can really screw up someone’s leg if you apply it in anger. Learning the heel hook, and its many use cases will make you a Mar 25, 2025 · The heel hook is an exercise primarily used in climbing and bouldering but can also be part of specific fitness and military training regimens. Other than that, deadlifting will be the best best to develop the strength. Jan 14, 2025 · Heel hooking is important also because it increases climbing endurance. Oct 15, 2021 · Beginner climbers should only attempt a heel hook from a stable position where all extremities are in contact with the wall. Eye it closely and visualize your move. com/emilabrahamsson to get started on your first purchase and receive a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 travel packs. Repeat the movement with your other leg. Heel hook as a way to improve climbing balance. The drill is repeated in the order listed if a second set is performed. It’s not just as si If you're climbing mostly at a gym, focus on heel-hook heavy routes say one day a week. The exercise below is a sample hip-mobility exercise you can use to warm-up prior to heel hooking. A passive heel hook takes weight off of your hands and arms, giving them a rest before you attempt to advance your position up the rock face. Apr 4, 2022 · These injuries were predominantly caused by the high step, drop knee, and heel hook positions. Count: Pull with the arms and the body toward the bar. This heel hook video is an instructional video from my coaching video vault. A. Back then, the heel hook was used more for taking a break, simply letting the other leg dangle and shaking out one arm or the other to rest. Sit with feet flat on the floor. Feeling stumped on a move? See if there are any footholds that would help you keep your body close to the wall or get up and over a feature. Enjoy!00:00 Demo on an overhanging wall00:19 External rotation00:31 Pulling the Dec 1, 2023 · The heel hook technique utilizes more powerful leg muscles, so it’s a stronger and more stable technique overall. How-tos, videos, and a precise 6 exercise plan for success. I used to cramp up on the first heel hook of the session and would pick out a juggy problem to heel hook and warmup on. The second variety of heel hook is used to control potential swings. Mar 25, 2025 · Components: Exercises on a high bar or climbing bars; Exercises: straight-arm pull, heel hook, pull-up, leg tuck, alternating grip pull-up; Focus: Body weight manipulation off the ground. 2. Recommended Exercise: Hamstring Ball Curls A heel hook requires the climber to engage the posterior chain musculature of the leg, notably the hamstrings, in driving the trunk upwards. Heel hooking is more than just hammy strength; ankle flexibility and angle, posterior chain strength and hip flexibility all play into it. Form Nov 16, 2022 · The heel hook technique was first used in the 50s, most famously by British rock climbers like Don Whillans, Joe Brown, and Chris Bonington. Work with me to prevent them with this FREE download to ensure you have a flexible strong hip, knee and calf for a great next season. Eventually, the ACL can’t take the stress and it snaps. com/dp/B0834P85QGI go over 3 samples of how to heel hook Here is a heel hook exercise that functionally challenges the strength and stability of not only the hamstrings but the overall lower body, hip flexors, back Sep 23, 2023 · The exercises: flexed arm hang, heel hook, pull-up, leg tuck, and alternating grip pull-up are indeed part of the climbing drill 2. Sometimes people have poor heel hooking technique which unnecessarily loads the hamstring. It’s good to know where your shoe offers more friction. 5. But even Heel Hooks in Climbing is one of my favorite techniques because it increased my skill almost immediately. They’re a bit more complicated than you think. HHeeeell lliifftt aanndd sslliiddee::Repeat exercise AAwith your heel lifted 1-2 inches from the floor. Stand up straight, bend one leg up and clasp the foot with the same hand. Heel hook knee and hamstring injuries are the worst. Dec 2, 2019 · Key Exercises for Building Power Endurance. Martial arts students should also study Heel Hook Escapes in order to counter Heel Hook techniques. Vary the rep ranges, maybe one heavy day with few reps, and one lighter day with higher reps maybe with more isolation exercises. Iliotibial band sprains were present in 19. As your defensive skills improve, the opponents heel hook attempt becomes an opportunity to either counter leg lock, look to establish a good passing position, or enter the berimbolo for a back take. 4. Position 2: Side heel - Toe-to-the-side This is the classic 'compression' position, which is used when the target feature is level to your hips and out to the side (or at the mid point during a Mar 29, 2019 · To improve your balance for climbing and the heel hook, do the exercise with one leg at a time. Use wall sits to strengthen all the muscles in your legs and your core. This type of injury resulted exclusively from heel hook positions. 3. Hi everyone! I am looking for exercises that will help me get stronger for heel hooking (aside from just doing it more). Lighter exercises like single leg glute raises and One legged hamstring curls on a ball will be good and are more "specific" to the type of effort you'll do on the wall. Heel Raises – Sitting B. Lift heels off the floor, up and down. Above all, always warm up your hamstrings before trying a hard, compression heel-hook move, and a great exercise here is the Standing dynamic hamstring stretch. Pull toes up and then return to the floor. This drill improves upper body and trunk strength and mobility needed for manipulating body weight while under fighting load. This is a popular move that you’ll frequently see climbers use to maintain tension on the wall. Here are five tips to master the nuances. Heel hook can also be used along with the flagging technique, especially in extreme cases where the placement of the heel is quite high up. Explanation: Yes, you are right. Mar 25, 2025 · CLIMBING DRILL 2, EXERCISE 2: HEEL HOOK. It is now time to lift Heel hook defense is a relatively easy skill to learn, and defending in the correct manner is highly efficacious even against a skilled leg locker. The hamstring is involved in hip extension and knee flexion, so you should choose exercises based on that. May 3, 2017 · Anchor the band at the base of a weight bench or around a leg of furniture. However, a toe hook extends your reach. Conclusion Overall, if you are looking to perfect this movement then you need to follow the specific steps that will help your technique. Mar 25, 2025 · The goal is to perform 5 to 10 repetitions of all five exercises unassisted. amazon. Heel placement is just as important as being able to recognize a heel-hook opportunity. Maybe add some hip opening exercises (frog stretch, etc) so that you can get into heel hooks with your hips close to the wall and use your whole body (hammy, glute, core, etc). Learn to recognize heel-hook opportunities. Though power-endurance can be trained well on the wall through 4×4 repeaters and similar, there are a few great calisthenics movements that can give you that extra edge. Leg bridges build strength and stability in the hamstring and hip-to-knee chain, and they’re easily modifiable, making them useful for warm-ups, leg strength work-outs, and injury rehab. Here is a heel hook exercise that functionally challenges the strength and stability of not only the hamstrings but the overall lower body, hip flexors, back When used properly, a heel hook is a great technique for using your legs to take some weight off your hands. Jan 21, 2019 · Heel hooking is a very effective and efficient climbing technique, but it is also extremely hamstring intensive. AA. Apr 22, 2021 · T his article is inspired by a noticeable increase in patients with heel hook-related tales of woe and a personal desire to improve my heel hooking skills if I'm ever going to tick that bloody project. This highly effective exercise takes a single sports-medicine drill and modifies it to be entirely climbing specific—it adds all the force and load right to the outer hamstring, knee, and calf. If you need to make a move left and you’re hooking a hold to the right, a heel hook will drastically limit your motion left, whereas a toe hook gives you a little more reach in that direction. C. The following are the five Climbing Drill 1 exercises: Exercise 1: Straight-Arm Pull; Exercise 2: Heel Hook; Exercise 3: Pull-Up; Exercise 4: Leg Tuck; Exercise 5: Alternating Grip Pull-Up Mar 25, 2025 · Climbing Drill 2 (CL 2) is an advanced, performance-centric drill designed for soldiers in the sustaining phase. My warmup has me doing 2 sets of 10 1 legged bridges (each leg). These are, in general, less complex than the first variety of heel. FREE. Then curl the heel toward the glute. However, for heel hooks to work properly, you can't just place your heel on a Oct 30, 2013 · Heel hooking involves placing your heel on a climbing hold for balance or leverage. Ankle Pumps. As new climbers, using our toes can come fairly intuitively (but not withou Mar 21, 2022 · While easy to understand, heel hooks are not always easy to apply. It’s the type of move that can bump beginner climbers to intermediate, magically unlock the beta of a tricky crux, provide an incredible rest, and increase endurance on steep climbs—to name but a few. The best approach is to focus on keeping the angle of attack constant throughout the move, even as the orientation of your hips, knee, and even the heel itself, may change. The five exercises you've listed are indeed part of a climbing drill, specifically climbing Here is a heel hook exercise that functionally challenges the strength and stability of not only the hamstrings but the overall lower body, hip flexors, back Do you want to improve your heel hooks at home? Watch GB Climbing coach Rachel Carr talk you through how. BB. The rear hand supports the small of the exerciser’s back to prevent swaying. Mar 30, 2022 · Stage 3: One-Legged “Heel Hook” Hamstring Curls Once Ball Hamstring Curls feel easy, you’re ready for the one-legged version. For a knee targeted exercise, loop a resistance band around both legs so that it sits around the ankles. For a successful heel hook, you have to combine exe Apr 18, 2023 · Go to https://athleticgreens. These exercises focus on strengthening various muscle groups necessary for climbing. rockentry. Knowing how to efficiently use your energy allows you to stay on the wall longer and climb more challenging routes. Starting Position: Extended hang using the alternating grip, left or right. Heel Hook – Grappling Technique This page provides details on how to do a Heel Hook. Attach the other end to your ankle. This technique is used by grappling martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. Because it’s so hamstring intensive, it’s usually the mechanism of injury for hamstring strains in climbing. Solid heel hooks can make even the worst hand holds usable as they can take the majority of your weight. B. When observing them in action, it looks like an easy fix-all technique that Every heel hook is slightly different. Jul 4, 2022 · Want to get WEEKLY on-the-wall training from Louis Parkinson and off-the-wall training from Neil Gresham? Join our channel and become a Catalyst Online Squad Nov 21, 2022 · There are few moves in the canon of climbing techniques that are as advantageous and useful as the heel hook. . All grappling techniques are potentially dangerous and should only be practiced under the supervision of Here’s the thing with heel hooks. Purpose: This exercise develops the ability to raise the legs from a hanging position and hook the feet securely on the bar (Figure 9-30 ). If your gym doesn't happen to have any routes up that fit the description and are hard for you, make some up yourself, you don't have to stick to the gym's colours. Power endurance is a key aspect of sport and longer boulder climbing. Do repetitions of each exercise times a day. CLIMBING DRILL: HEEL HOOKThis exercise develops the ability to raise the legs from a hanging position and hook the feet securely on the bar. A few exercises and tips on how to strengthen your heel hooks while rock climbing! This is something that I've struggled with, but these exercises helped me Aug 16, 2021 · The heel hook is a nasty submission that locks your upper leg in place while twisting your lower leg. Aug 26, 2020 · The hip bridge is widely known as an exercise favourable for heel hooks. Apr 27, 2022 · A mixture of dynamic and static stretches can work well. Table of Contents show Key Elements of CL 2: Equipment: Exercises: Progression: Sequence: Assistance: Climbing Drill 2 Exercises Flexed-Arm Hang: Heel Hook: Pull-Up: Leg Tuck: Alternating Grip Pull-Up: Conclusion Key Elements of CL 2: Equipment: Exercises: Progression: Sequence: … Oct 12, 2018 · When the heel-hook is relatively high above you, place it as for a 'conventional' heel-hook using the ball of your heel, with the toe pointing upwards. Pressure is applied outwards towards the toe and inwards towards the heel to threaten a knee (ACL) injury, the same injury a climber would sustain from a climbing heel hook. com/Get The Crux on Amazon: https://www.
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