Slab

Red Rocks, NV

Slab Characteristics

- under vertical rock formation (> 90 degrees)

- few features

- typically small crystals are the largest holds

- granite, sandstone

Stance

Whenever you are climbing a slab, you want to stand vertically. If you lay into the rock, the surface area of your shoes on the rock will decrease and less weight will be placed on your feet. This can cause your feet to slip.

Keep your arms in front of your torso and use them to keep a 'vertical stance'. If small holds are available you can crimp them, but try to keep your body weight on your feet. Do not stretch your body out by trying to reach a high hold. Stretching your body out will bring your body close to the rock and cause your feet to slip.

Foot Work

Foot work is everything in the world of slab climbing. The most important skill is to know how to 'smear'. Smearing maximizes the surface area of the shoe on the rock. When standing on a slab, drop your heel so your heel bone is below your toes. This will place the entire forefoot of your shoes on the rock. If you were to stand on your toe alone and lift your heel, the surface area would be considerably smaller.

Your foot placements must be heavily weighted to create friction. Prior to moving one foot, transition all your body weight to the other foot by shifting your hips and shoulders.

In most cases use multiple small steps as opposed to aggressive high stepping. Aggressive high stepping forces your body to move farther away from the rock and requires better hand holds (to hold your body in). Advanced Foot Work

When slab climbing you are often climbing at an angle or traversing. As opposed to matching feet constantly try to 'step through'. 'Step through' is more efficient.

Planning

When climbing slabs watch for good foot placements. Foot placements are considerably more difficult to see when they are below you. Therefore, select your foot placements when they are in front of your face and remember to use them when you reach this point.

Related Pages

• Climbing Terminology
• Crack Climbing
• Ethic
• Face Climbing
• Rock On
• Smear
• Step Through
• Sub-Classes of Climbing