Heel hook exercises 2. Place with care Frog pose. Iliotibial band sprains were present in 19. C. Work with me to prevent them with this FREE download to ensure you have a flexible strong hip, knee and calf for a great next season. Here are five tips to master the nuances. When observing them in action, it looks like an easy fix-all technique that You can heel hook both with the back area of the heel and with the side of the heel. Do unecessary heel hooks during your warm-up and do a set or two of bodyweight one leg deadlift. Because it’s so hamstring intensive, it’s usually the mechanism of injury for hamstring strains in climbing. BB. You can also use the heel hook to give your arms time to recover from the stresses of the climb. This heel hook video is an instructional video from my coaching video vault. But even If you were to sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground then pick your heel up so your toes are on the ground, you’d engage the muscles you use in a heel hook. Mar 9, 2024 · An excellent introductory exercise for preventing these types of heel hook injuries is the leg bridge (also known as the glute bridge). This video Jan 4, 2019 · Adding hip-mobility stretches to your warm-up routine before getting on a route that utilizes heel hooks can free up your hip motion to allow you to access difficult heel-hook positions with less strain. When ready, plant your heel and move up. rockentry. Heel hook climbing mobilizes all the muscles in the legs while taking the weight off the hands, arms, and shoulders. Rainey is also an ACTION certified personal trainer (CPT) and climbing coach. Hi everyone! I am looking for exercises that will help me get stronger for heel hooking (aside from just doing it more). Do repetitions of each exercise times a day. MOST climbers simply don't understand the mechanics and how to heel hook properly. These are, in general, less complex than the first variety of heel. But what about the technique of a correct heel hook? How can you practise aligning the knee in the direction of the toe? It is possible to generate the exact forces and core activation required in a heel hook? You know the answer to these Do you want to improve your heel hooks at home? Watch GB Climbing coach Rachel Carr talk you through how. Lighter exercises like single leg glute raises and One legged hamstring curls on a ball will be good and are more "specific" to the type of effort you'll do on the wall. Mar 25, 2025 · The heel hook is an exercise primarily used in climbing and bouldering but can also be part of specific fitness and military training regimens. com/Get The Crux on Amazon: https://www. Return to the start position by sliding your heel back. All grappling techniques are potentially dangerous and should only be practiced under the supervision of Jul 31, 2015 · EXERCISE 2: HEEL HOOKPurpose: This exercise develops the ability to raise the legs from a hanging position and hook the feet securelyon the bar (Figure 9-25) Nov 21, 2022 · There are few moves in the canon of climbing techniques that are as advantageous and useful as the heel hook. If you're climbing mostly at a gym, focus on heel-hook heavy routes say one day a week. Mar 25, 2025 · Components: Exercises on a high bar or climbing bars; Exercises: straight-arm pull, heel hook, pull-up, leg tuck, alternating grip pull-up; Focus: Body weight manipulation off the ground. Heel Hook – Grappling Technique This page provides details on how to do a Heel Hook. If your gym doesn't happen to have any routes up that fit the description and are hard for you, make some up yourself, you don't have to stick to the gym's colours. The best approach is to focus on keeping the angle of attack constant throughout the move, even as the orientation of your hips, knee, and even the heel itself, may change. 01. Stand up straight, bend one leg up and clasp the foot with the same hand. As new climbers, using our toes can come fairly intuitively (but not withou Mar 21, 2022 · While easy to understand, heel hooks are not always easy to apply. However, in order to properly unload your arms and upper body and pull with your leg, you need to find a good position, apply the right tension and rely on your shoes. The heel or hook kick hits the target with the hard heel bone of the foot (the calcaneus bone). Alli Rainey, pro climber and professional Heel Hooks in Climbing is one of my favorite techniques because it increased my skill almost immediately. Ensure you have a good enough grip with your heel as well. It is now time to lift Heel hook knee and hamstring injuries are the worst. Exercise 1: Straight-Arm Pull; Exercise 2: Heel Hook; Exercise 3: Pull-Up; Exercise 4: Leg Tuck; Exercise 5: Alternating Grip Pull-Up Lachlan Giles. HHeeeell lliifftt aanndd sslliiddee::Repeat exercise AAwith your heel lifted 1-2 inches from the floor. It is known that highly flexible fighters (Imanari, current world champ Musemeci) can resist this pressure and are very difficult to secure this submission on. For the spinning & more powerful version of this kick, please visit the Krav Maga Spinning Heel Kick … Continue reading "Heel Kick – Krav Maga" Exercise 7: Glute-Ham Bridges → An exercise that trains the individual to activate the bigger glute muscles before recruiting the hamstring muscles for hip extension, mimicking heel hooking mechanics with optimal muscle activation in a gravity eliminated position. Lift heels off the floor, up and down. May 3, 2017 · Anchor the band at the base of a weight bench or around a leg of furniture. Important for walking, hiking, sprinting towards the crag, slowing down after you’ve sprinted towards the crag, jumping for joy that you’ve reached the crag, and oh yeah, the mighty heel hook. Climbing Drill 1. 4. Sit with feet flat on the floor. When used properly, a heel hook is a great technique for using your legs to take some weight off your hands. The second variety of heel hook is used to control potential swings. A secure heel hook reduces swing on dynamic moves such as big reaches or dynos and can act as an anchor. Martial arts students should also study Heel Hook Escapes in order to counter Heel Hook techniques. It’s good to know where your shoe offers more friction. Apr 22, 2021 · T his article is inspired by a noticeable increase in patients with heel hook-related tales of woe and a personal desire to improve my heel hooking skills if I'm ever going to tick that bloody project. Apr 4, 2022 · These injuries were predominantly caused by the high step, drop knee, and heel hook positions. Heel hook defense is a relatively easy skill to learn, and defending in the correct manner is highly efficacious even against a skilled leg locker. Both can take precious weight off of your arms to give you a better chance of warding off the pump all the way to the chains. For a successful heel hook, you have to combine exe Here is a heel hook exercise that functionally challenges the strength and stability of not only the hamstrings but the overall lower body, hip flexors, back This page provides details for the Krav Maga “Heel Kick”. amazon. Oct 15, 2021 · Beginner climbers should only attempt a heel hook from a stable position where all extremities are in contact with the wall. Feb 16, 2023 · What is A Heel Hook? The Heel Hook is a basic climbing technique in which the heel is latched onto a hold-in for stability, support, or in some cases to rock over a higher foothold. But in reality, the hamstrings are crucial, especially for outdoor rock climbing. Heel placement is just as important as being able to recognize a heel-hook opportunity. Attach the other end to your ankle. If you need to make a move left and you’re hooking a hold to the right, a heel hook will drastically limit your motion left, whereas a toe hook gives you a little more reach in that direction. The heel hook exercise is part of the climbing drills performed in military training and is designed to improve a soldier’s ability to pull themselves up and hook their legs onto a ledge, rope, or rail. As your defensive skills improve, the opponents heel hook attempt becomes an opportunity to either counter leg lock, look to establish a good passing position, or enter the berimbolo for a back take. However, a toe hook extends your reach. Heels hooks can be used passively to help get a rest before making a climbing move, or used actively by pulling with your heel and leg to help you move through a climbing position. They’re a bit more complicated than you think. How-tos, videos, and a precise 6 exercise plan for success. Feeling stumped on a move? See if there are any footholds that would help you keep your body close to the wall or get up and over a feature. Recommended Exercise: Hamstring Ball Curls Heel hooking is more than just hammy strength; ankle flexibility and angle, posterior chain strength and hip flexibility all play into it. For a knee targeted exercise, loop a resistance band around both legs so that it sits around the ankles. Every heel hook is slightly different. Conclusion Overall, if you are looking to perfect this movement then you need to follow the specific steps that will help your technique. Learning the heel hook, and its many use cases will make you a Dec 1, 2023 · The heel hook technique utilizes more powerful leg muscles, so it’s a stronger and more stable technique overall. The heel hook is banned in most clubs and illegal in almost all gi tournaments. This drill improves upper body and trunk strength and mobility needed for manipulating body weight while under fighting load. Dec 2, 2019 · Key Exercises for Building Power Endurance. 3. Position 2: Side heel - Toe-to-the-side This is the classic 'compression' position, which is used when the target feature is level to your hips and out to the side (or at the mid point during a Mar 25, 2025 · The goal is to perform 5 to 10 repetitions of all five exercises unassisted. Mar 30, 2022 · Stage 3: One-Legged “Heel Hook” Hamstring Curls Once Ball Hamstring Curls feel easy, you’re ready for the one-legged version. Hip Flexion – Sitting. This places considerable demand on the hamstrings; if the hamstrings aren’t ready for this demand, it can lead to a strain or a tear. Heel hook as a way to improve climbing balance. Power endurance is a key aspect of sport and longer boulder climbing. Maybe add some hip opening exercises (frog stretch, etc) so that you can get into heel hooks with your hips close to the wall and use your whole body (hammy, glute, core, etc). Other than that, deadlifting will be the best best to develop the strength. Include both knee flexion and hip extension. Pressure is applied outwards towards the toe and inwards towards the heel to threaten a knee (ACL) injury, the same injury a climber would sustain from a climbing heel hook. This highly effective exercise takes a single sports-medicine drill and modifies it to be entirely climbing specific—it adds all the force and load right to the outer hamstring, knee, and calf. I used to cramp up on the first heel hook of the session and would pick out a juggy problem to heel hook and warmup on. Oct 25, 2023 · In this video, we break down the basics of a heel hook in rock climbing, what it is, the anatomy, potential injuries and exercises. Disclaimer: The informatio A few exercises and tips on how to strengthen your heel hooks while rock climbing! This is something that I've struggled with, but these exercises helped me Sep 18, 2023 · A toe-hook can prevent a barn-door swing from yanking you right off the rock. B. Learn to recognize heel-hook opportunities. Make sure the spot you choose to plant your heel is secure. Repeat the movement with your other leg. Heel hook can also be used along with the flagging technique, especially in extreme cases where the placement of the heel is quite high up. Cadence: SLOW. This is a popular move that you’ll frequently see climbers use to maintain tension on the wall. Combination of Climbing Techniques. Heel-Hook Technique. Jul 12, 2020 · The almighty hamstring muscles. The rear hand supports the small of the exerciser’s back to prevent swaying. Lower Extremity Strengthening Exercises – Sitting. Was a boulder problem set with a heel hook in mind? Oct 29, 2023 · The first heels you throw will likely be low and at normal foot height, but eventually you’ll master heel hooks above your head. Knowing how to efficiently use your energy allows you to stay on the wall longer and climb more challenging routes. 1. Solid heel hooks can make even the worst hand holds usable as they can take the majority of your weight. Follow this video and focus on heel hooks for 2 cli Feb 13, 2024 · The hook kick strikes with the heel of the foot (or with the flat of the foot in sparring), from the side of the target . Sometimes people have poor heel hooking technique which unnecessarily loads the hamstring. . Though most heel hook injuries tend to be a concentric mechanism of injury. In a squat position, take side steps to increase the resistance of the band. FREE. Lift your heel and hook it onto your mark. Dont go to heavy on the isolation exercises if you are prone to May 26, 2016 · The heel hook is one of the most devastating leglocks you can apply! Instead of attacking the big muscles of the leg (like the quads, hamstrings, or glutes) the heel hook targets the small ligaments of the knee and the ankle. HHeeeell sslliiddee::Keep your heel on the ground and slowly slide your foot forward until your leg is almost straight. Enjoy!00:00 Demo on an overhanging wall00:19 External rotation00:31 Pulling the Mastering heel hook technique can be a game changer in your climbing progression. com/dp/B0834P85QGI go over 3 samples of how to heel hook Aug 26, 2020 · With these leg and other core exercises, it is possible to improve the strength to execute a heel hook. Starting Positio A professional writer since 1997, Harvard graduate and pro rock climber Alli Rainey's articles have appeared in "Climbing Magazine," "Rock & Ice" and "Men's Fitness," among many others. This type of injury resulted exclusively from heel hook positions. Jul 4, 2022 · Want to get WEEKLY on-the-wall training from Louis Parkinson and off-the-wall training from Neil Gresham? Join our channel and become a Catalyst Online Squad A heel hook requires the climber to engage the posterior chain musculature of the leg, notably the hamstrings, in driving the trunk upwards. Your toes should then be pointing down and away from you. This technique is used by grappling martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. AA. Climbing Drill 2 consists of exercises performed on a high bar or climbing bars. Starting Position: Extended hang using the alternating grip, left or right. One of the highest requests we've had so far is on heel hooking. Mar 25, 2025 · CLIMBING DRILL 2, EXERCISE 2: HEEL HOOK. Choose the crimp, sloper, or overhang that you will be targeting with your heel hook. Count: Pull with the arms and the body toward the bar. The drill is repeated in the order listed if a second set is performed. Never just slap your heel on something and expect it to hold or help. Oct 12, 2018 · When the heel-hook is relatively high above you, place it as for a 'conventional' heel-hook using the ball of your heel, with the toe pointing upwards. However, for heel hooks to work properly, you can't just place your heel on a Apr 27, 2022 · A mixture of dynamic and static stretches can work well. I was thinking about bridges, hamstring curls, and Glute-hamstring raises. com/emilabrahamsson to get started on your first purchase and receive a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 travel packs. CLIMBING DRILL: HEEL HOOKThis exercise develops the ability to raise the legs from a hanging position and hook the feet securely on the bar. This means that you can really screw up someone’s leg if you apply it in anger. This kick is also known as a “Hook Kick”. Apr 18, 2023 · Go to https://athleticgreens. Ankle Pumps. Above all, always warm up your hamstrings before trying a hard, compression heel-hook move, and a great exercise here is the Standing dynamic hamstring stretch. Jul 14, 2014 · Heel hooking can be a hugely advantageous tool to help take weight off your arms and hands while climbing. One spotter stands on each side of the exerciser, assuming a straddle stance. Lachlan is a third-degree BJJ black belt. Eye it closely and visualize your move. Rock climbers and boulderers employ heel hooks to improve their efficiency of movement in two main situations. Leg bridges build strength and stability in the hamstring and hip-to-knee chain, and they’re easily modifiable, making them useful for warm-ups, leg strength work-outs, and injury rehab. Jan 14, 2025 · Heel hooking is important also because it increases climbing endurance. It’s the type of move that can bump beginner climbers to intermediate, magically unlock the beta of a tricky crux, provide an incredible rest, and increase endurance on steep climbs—to name but a few. Identify your mark. Then curl the heel toward the glute. These injuries can range from mild sprains to severe fractures, dislocations, and tears, often requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation to The hamstring is involved in hip extension and knee flexion, so you should choose exercises based on that. Form Nov 16, 2022 · How to Use the Heel Hook. The following are the five Climbing Drill 1 exercises: Exercise 1: Straight-Arm Pull; Exercise 2: Heel Hook; Exercise 3: Pull-Up; Exercise 4: Leg Tuck; Exercise 5: Alternating Grip Pull-Up Mar 25, 2025 · Climbing Drill 2 (CL 2) is an advanced, performance-centric drill designed for soldiers in the sustaining phase. At ADCC 2019 in the Absolute division, Lachlan as one of the lightest competitors (under 77kg) submitted 3 world-class heavyweights (Kaynan Duarte, Patrick Gaudio and Mahamed Aly) all by heel hook. Here is a heel hook exercise that functionally challenges the strength and stability of not only the hamstrings but the overall lower body, hip flexors, back Oct 30, 2013 · Heel hooking involves placing your heel on a climbing hold for balance or leverage. A passive heel hook takes weight off of your hands and arms, giving them a rest before you attempt to advance your position up the rock face. The exercise below is a sample hip-mobility exercise you can use to warm-up prior to heel hooking. It's a non-technical, generalised look at how to train to improve heel hooking ability and reduce injury risk from them. A proper heel-hook will demand more from your hamstring and calf than your actual heel. Mar 29, 2019 · Use the heel hook to give your hands and arms time to rest. My warmup has me doing 2 sets of 10 1 legged bridges (each leg). 5% (n = 15) of all injuries. Purpose: This exercise develops the ability to raise the legs from a hanging position and hook the feet securely on the bar (Figure 9-30 ). Heel Raises – Sitting B. Get my Book The Crux here: https://thecrux. Heel hook injuries occur when the force applied during a heel hook exceeds the ankle’s natural range of motion, leading to damage to the ligaments, tendons, and bones that make up the ankle joint. Pull toes up and then return to the floor. Table of Contents show Key Elements of CL 2: Equipment: Exercises: Progression: Sequence: Assistance: Climbing Drill 2 Exercises Flexed-Arm Hang: Heel Hook: Pull-Up: Leg Tuck: Alternating Grip Pull-Up: Conclusion Key Elements of CL 2: Equipment: Exercises: Progression: Sequence: … Mar 25, 2025 · Spotting the heel hook and leg tuck Spotters’ Position and Role:. Though power-endurance can be trained well on the wall through 4×4 repeaters and similar, there are a few great calisthenics movements that can give you that extra edge. Here’s the thing with heel hooks. A. Jan 21, 2019 · Heel hooking is a very effective and efficient climbing technique, but it is also extremely hamstring intensive. Vary the rep ranges, maybe one heavy day with few reps, and one lighter day with higher reps maybe with more isolation exercises. xjgvgibqgmwszoylzyhwatriwjqgxfxjabwyoizpatymoiczhq