3 Techniques Crucial For Crack Success

Hello Cracksters

With Crack Fest just around at the corner, I thought it would be an ideal time to run through the 3 crack techniques (upper body only) which I believe to be some of the most important.

They are what we have taught at 100s of Crack Schools worldwide, and are the real staples of a crack climbers diet. If you master these, it’ll really lay the foundations for other jamming techniques.

1. The Hand Jam

Of course! It’s always the first thing any climber learns when they start crack climbing

1. Make your hand as thin as possible and relax it (L-shape). It’s incredible how many people start making a hand jam shape before it actually enters the crack and then wonder why it doesn’t fit!
2. Insert your hand (thumb pointing up) to about wrist depth. You don’t need to delve too deep. remember the important parts to have inside the crack are fingers, back of the hand and thumb pulp.
3. Tuck your thumb into the centre of your palm, push it towards the little finger (and down). The thumb pulp and back of the hand should be touching either crack wall.
4. Remember to push your finger tips (fingers straight) into the opposing crack wall for extra support

I know what you’re thinking, “pete you’ve told us this thousands of times”…and you’re right I have. But, that is because the hand jam is so important. It isn’t just useful for your basic ‘hand jam’ but forms a starting point for more complex jams like

• Cupped hand
• Butterfly stacks
• Hand fist stacks
• Thin/Paddle hands

Speaking of Paddle hands, let's move on to that next.

2. The Paddle Hand

This is essentially a thinner version of the thumb up hand jam above, the difference being you won’t be able to get all of that lovely thumb meat into the crack.

1. Insert your hand perpendicular into the crack (L-shape again). When you think you’ve got it in far enough, give it another little ‘push and wiggle’ to really get it in as far as possible.
2. Push your thumb into the centre of your palm (you’re unlikely to get it that far).
3. Push (paddle) with those fingers on the opposing crack wall.
4. All the actions are very similar to the basic hand jam above, but there are a few little tricks you can do to help; crimp with the index and middle finger to enable that thumb to get deeper into the palm. Push against the crack wall with the outside of your thumb.

3. The Fist Jam

It’s like marmite you either love it or hate it. Personally I love fist jamming, but I know many people that don’t.

1. Relax the hand and place your opened-out-hand either palm up or palm down into the crack
2. Create a fist, so that your fingers wrap into the centre of your palm. Aim for your index to curl around so it touches the very top of your thumb meat.
3. Place your thumb on top of your fingers (some people like to do thumb inside the fingers, I prefer on top. there is nothing wrong with either).
4. Push your fingers (pinkie and index very important) into your palm to tense both sides of the fist.
5. Remember the back of your hand and top of your forearm should be level (no flexion in the wrist).

The fist jam is another technique which forms the basis of more complex jams like:

• Hand fist stack
• Fist fist stack 

If you master these three (hand, thin, fist) jams, you’ll be well on your way to having all the basic hand positions needed to succeed on cracks from 1 inch to 6 inch.

Look forward to seeing some of you at Crack Fest.

Keep spreading the crack climbing joy

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