One Mistake Killing Your Ring Locks

Ring locks, eh? They can be frustrating. That small difference in hand position can make a jam go from bomber to completely useless in a split second.

But trust me, the frustration you feel when you're trying to get a ring lock is likely down to a simple mistake that almost everyone makes at the beginning. Once you fix it, you’ll find that ring locks can be secure, comfortable, and even feel like a rest (yes, restful! you heard me correctly).

The Mistake

The biggest mistake I see climbers make is pushing their thumb horizontally into the crack. It’s a completely natural thing to do; you’re following the rule of getting as much of the body part as possible into the jam. But for ring locks, your thumb's orientation is so, so important.

The Fix

You need to place that thumb vertically in the crack, with the tip of the thumb pointing up to the sky. This vertical orientation still keeps the whole of the thumb inside the crack, but also close to the crack's edge.

This is critical because it allows you to wrap your fingers over the top of the thumb and get that crucial locking action. Push your thumb too far inside, and your fingers will never be able to reach over the top and down the side of the thumb, making the jam useless.

So next time, stop pushing your thumb so far! Keep it vertical and be flexible in the thumb joint to get that finger-wrap dialled in. I can guarantee you’ll get a better jam.

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