Using your toes is one of the most fundamental climbing techniques and one of the first skills every climber should learn. It affects balance, reach, efficiency, and control, and shows up on nearly every climb, regardless of grade or style.
This technique is less about strength and more about precision and intention. Learning to use your toes correctly makes movement feel lighter, more stable, and easier to repeat.
What Does “Using Your Toes” Mean in Climbing?
Using your toes means placing only the toe portion of your climbing shoe on a foothold, rather than the middle or heel of your foot. Most of the time, this means weighting the inside edge of your big toe, though some situations call for the tip of the toe or the outside edge.
This technique allows your foot to:
- Pivot and rotate as you move
- Maintain precise contact on small footholds
- Adjust body position without slipping
Why Using Your Toes Matters
Using your toes improves balance, efficiency, and reach. When your foot is placed precisely on the toe, your leg can pivot naturally and your hips can move closer to the wall.
Climbers who don’t use their toes often:
- Feel unstable on small footholds
- Lose reach because their heel drops too low
- Waste energy pulling with their arms
Good toe usage shifts work to your legs where most of your climbing power should come from.
When This Technique Shows Up
This technique appears on nearly every climb, especially when:
- Footholds are small or far apart
- You need to adjust body position mid-move
- You’re trying to gain extra reach without jumping
Even on easy climbs, toe precision sets the foundation for more advanced footwork later.
How to Use Your Toes While Climbing
To use your toes effectively:
- Watch your feet as you place them on footholds
- Place only the toe of your shoe on the hold
- Keep your heel light so your foot can pivot
- Adjust foot angle as your hips move
Many coaches teach this by marking a line on a climber’s shoe to show where the toe zone ends. The goal is to build awareness until precise toe placement becomes automatic.
Common Mistakes With Toe Use
- Placing too much foot on the hold
- Dropping the heel unintentionally
- Not looking at footholds before stepping
- Treating foot placements as “temporary”
These mistakes often lead to slipping, over-gripping, and unnecessary fatigue.
Where This Technique Fits in Progression
Using your toes is a foundational technique. It’s essential for beginner climbers and remains critical at every level as footholds get smaller and movement becomes more precise.
Most climbers continue refining this technique long after their first year of climbing.
Related Techniques
- Smearing
- Flagging
- Hip turns
- Tripod position
These techniques work together to improve balance and foot-driven movement.
How to Train This Technique
Once you understand what using your toes looks like, the next step is practicing it intentionally.
Once you understand the technique, here’s how to train it.
