Newsletter Archive
Find all our past newsletters with crack climbing knowledge, insights and stories, all in one place
10 Things I Do Every Year to Smash My Goals
Hey Cracksters,
Happy New Year! It's great to be back with the community for 2026.
With a new year, I always like to set goals for myself. People always say “set goals”, but how should you actually go about that to make sure you do it well? Below are 10 things that I do, which hopefully spark...
Feb 22, 2026
21 Crucial Crack Lessons From 2025
Part 1: Efficiency & Mindset (Climbing Smarter)
1. Motivation doesn't come back by force. If you lose the spark, take a rest and mental break, it returns with time.
2. Ego Check: Be Willing to Learn. Even the best in the world aren't scared of failing or looking bad when trying a new ...
by pete whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
The final hand jam trick you missed
Hey Cracksters,
We’ve been banging on about the basic hand jam technique for ages
1. the 'L-shape'
2. Thumb towards the little finger
3. Brace with straight fingers across the crack
But in step 2 there's a subtle movement that adds that extra 10% of ‘umph’ making your hand jam wider and more ...
by pete whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
How to climb light like a feather
Hey Cracksters,
I just got back from a trip to Meteora, Greece. The climbing there was very unique, being on conglomerate rock.
Climbing on that rock teaches you a crucial skill very quickly: respecting the holds. The key feature of conglomerate is that the holds are often just pebbles cement...
by pete whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
The 1-2% Gain You Can't Afford to Miss
Hey Cracksters,
The holiday season is closing in, and for most people, that means slowing down as things get busy. But it’s these times in that ‘slow/busy’ period where you can really get a head start for 2026.
Now is the time to keep your head down, stay focussed and build in those small consist...
by pete whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
Can I Get Tougher Skin From Crack Climbing
Hey Cracksters,
I'm tackling a question today that I get asked all the time: "Does the skin on the back of my hand eventually toughen up when I go crack climbing?"
The short answer, and the harsh truth, is: No, it doesn't. And trying to make it toughen up will only make it thinner.
There's a fund...
by pete whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
The one way to truly rest on a hand jam
Hey Cracksters,
Today I want to address a fundamental issue I've seen pop up in coaching recently: finger fatigue or pain whilst hand jamming
I’ve had a couple of people say recently that their fingers are aching or tired after crack climbing (specifically on hand sized cracks). This isn’t usuall...
by pete whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
Lessons from my recent deckout (take note)
Hey Cracksters,
Last week, I went for the flash on the crux pitch of Project Enorm in Germany, a 30-meter, 8b(?) cupped hand roof crack. It reminded me of some useful lessons, as I walked away having given a big fight and 3 painful mistakes, (including an unexpected deckout). This week, we take a...
by Pete Whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
Offwidth rest: How a ring lock can beat a hand jam
Hey Cracksters,
I’ve got a little trick for you today, which I’ve seen two advanced climbers use to good effect in the last couple of weeks. Interestingly, these climbers never talked to one another about this technique; they just intuitively did it, which tells me it’s something very useful!...
by Pete Whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
How to flash "the world’s hardest" offwidth
Hey Cracksters,
Mari and I just left Germany after making the first repeats of Autobahn, a unique 60-meter offwidth, climbed by Tom last year.
When the media first announced the line after Tom made the FA, it was given the notorious tag: "The world's hardest offwidth." Whether it is or not I ...
by Pete Whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
Pumped Thumbs When Jamming? Get the fix
Hey Cracksters,
Ever look at a hand crack and think, "I'm doing the hand position right, but my thumb is getting too tired to stay in the jam"? When the pump clock is ticking, relying on brute strength is a losing battle. But there’s a sneaky, low-energy trick that can often buy you t...
by Pete Whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
Be Smarter, Not Stronger: A Tip That Beats Training
Hey Cracksters,
Have you ever looked at a crack and thought, "I need to be stronger to get up that thing" or "I need more fight on this offwidth for success"?
If so, you're not alone. But, a big misconception in climbing is that you have to train more and do more reps to get better. While that ce...
by Pete Whittaker —
Dec 30, 2025
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