CWI CWI Climbing Techniques & Movement Skills 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which footwork technique involves placing the toe of the climbing shoe precisely on a small hold to maximize friction and control?
- Smearing
- Edging (Correct answer)
- Heel hooking
- Flagging
Correct answer: Edging
Edging uses the inner or outer edge of the climbing shoe toe to stand precisely on small footholds.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of 'flagging' in climbing movement?
- Gripping the wall with both hands
- Using a leg out to the side to counterbalance and prevent barn-dooring (Correct answer)
- Placing feet high above the hips
- Locking off at a specific hold
Correct answer: Using a leg out to the side to counterbalance and prevent barn-dooring
Flagging extends one leg away from the wall to shift the climber's center of gravity over the supporting foot and prevent swinging off the wall.
Question 3: When teaching a beginner to trust their feet on the climbing wall, which cue is most effective?
- Keep arms straight and push through the legs (Correct answer)
- Always pull hard with both hands
- Look only at the next handhold
- Keep knees bent and hips close to the wall
Correct answer: Keep arms straight and push through the legs
Encouraging beginners to straighten their arms and use leg drive reduces arm fatigue and builds proper technique from the start.
Question 4: What does the term 'barn-door' describe in climbing movement?
- A method of resting on a large ledge hold
- The body swinging away from the wall due to poor balance over the feet (Correct answer)
- A technique for traversing across steep terrain
- A type of dynamic move to a distant hold
Correct answer: The body swinging away from the wall due to poor balance over the feet
A barn-door occurs when the climber's body pivots away from the wall like a swinging door because their center of gravity is not over their base of support.
Question 5: Which movement skill involves transferring weight smoothly from one foothold to another without bouncing or hesitation?
- Dyno
- Silent feet (Correct answer)
- Drop knee
- Backstep
Correct answer: Silent feet
Silent feet drills train climbers to place feet quietly and precisely, developing body awareness and weight transfer control.
Question 6: A 'drop knee' technique is most useful in which climbing situation?
- Vertical slab climbing with small holds
- Overhanging routes to turn hips into the wall and extend reach (Correct answer)
- Moving quickly on easy terrain
- Descending a route by down-climbing
Correct answer: Overhanging routes to turn hips into the wall and extend reach
The drop knee rotates the hips toward the wall on overhanging terrain, lowering the center of gravity and significantly extending reach to distant holds.
CWI CWI Climbing Techniques & Movement Skills 1
Which footwork technique involves placing the toe of the climbing shoe precisely on a small hold to maximize friction and control?