Climbing is the best training for climbing. After that, drills are the best use of your time at the gym, because they make you practise one specific thing on purpose instead of hoping it improves by accident.
Below are 20 drills, grouped by the movement limiter each one targets. Every drill says what to do, who it’s for, and how you’ll know it worked. Pick one, use it for a session or two, then move on.
These drills are one part of the Climbing Training Hub, which covers how tracking, rest, drills, and strength fit together.
Footwork Precision
Feet slipping, noisy placements, missing the small ones under pressure. Footwork is where most climbers find the fastest gains, because bad feet make every hold feel worse than it is.
Quiet Feet
Climb so your feet make no sound landing on the holds.
For when your footwork feels rushed, noisy, or sloppy.
You’ll know it’s working when going silent forces you to slow down and place with intent, and your feet grip instead of skate. Quiet feet are stuck feet.
Foot Switch
Swap or match both feet on one foothold without the scrape-and-slip. Quiet, deliberate, sticky.
For when your feet feel rushed, noisy, or skate off the small holds.
You’ll know it’s working when your feet land once and stay put, with no scrape and no second adjustment. Your hands will feel like they’re working less, because they are.
Coined Feet
Climb a route without knocking objects off the footholds. A penny or a cork on each foothold works.
For when your feet slip off small holds.
You’ll know it’s working when you’re placing carefully enough not to disturb a penny, because you’re finally landing on the exact spot.
Foothold Stare
Keep your eyes on each foothold until your foot is fully placed on it.
For when your feet land sloppy or slip, especially when you’re pumped and rushing.
You’ll know it’s working when your feet land cleaner on the first try and the skitter-and-reset disappears, because you’re not looking away.
Blink or Fail
Close your eyes just before your foot lands, so you place it from memory.
For when your feet tap, bounce, or readjust instead of landing right the first time.
You’ll know it’s working when your eyes-open placements get quieter and more accurate too, with none of that tap-tap-readjust.
Up Climb, Down Climb
Climb a route to the top, then reverse it to the bottom.
For when you over-rely on your arms.
You’ll know it’s working when your up-climbing feels more solid afterward, because downclimbing forced your feet to do their job.
Grip Efficiency & Relaxation
Overgripping, forearms pumping early, hanging on far longer than the move needs. Usually a body problem wearing a hand problem’s clothes.
Tennis Ball Hands
Climb with a tennis ball in each hand, thumb pressing it into your palm, so your fingertips do the gripping and your body carries the rest.
For when pinches feel impossible and your forearms pump out from overgripping.
You’ll know it’s working when you feel how much your feet and body can actually carry, because a ball in your palm makes a death grip impossible.
Body Positioning & Balance
Barn-dooring, hips drifting off the wall, pulling where you could be standing. This is where reaches stop feeling too far.
Hover Hands
Hover each hand over its hold for 2 to 5 seconds before you grip it. Use the pause to set your feet and body.
For when your movement feels out of control.
You’ll know it’s working when a move that felt desperate becomes calm and reachable. The move you can’t hover on is the one where your position was off.
Flag It Times Three
Climb one route three times: flag every move, then flag to skip holds, then flag only when it’s best.
For when you know flagging works but never reach for it in the moment.
You’ll know it’s working when you catch yourself flagging automatically on off-balance moves, staying glued to the wall without deciding to.
Pivot and Hip Taps
Pivot your hips and heels toward a hold before you reach for it.
For when holds feel just out of reach.
You’ll know it’s working when a hold that felt a finger-length too far lands in your hand, because turning your hip brought your shoulder to the wall.
Hand Foot Match
Match a foot to your handhold before each hand move.
For making the most of limited holds.
You’ll know it’s working when a too-far reach turns comfortable, because your high foot did the reaching for you.
One Foot Balance
Climb with only one foot on the wall at any moment.
For when balancy moves feel shaky.
You’ll know it’s working when your high steps feel more planted, because you trained your body to balance over one foot instead of grabbing for two.
Not sure which of these you need?
That’s the normal answer. The free movement assessment names the one limiter costing you the most right now, so you’re not guessing which drill to pick.
Free, 10 minutes, no card.
Core Tension & Body Control
Feet cutting on steep ground, movement going loose exactly when it needs to be tight.
Toe Taps
Before each hand move, tap your toe to a hold, engaging your core to place it with precision.
For when your feet cut loose on steep ground and you can’t bring a high foot up where you need it.
You’ll know it’s working when your feet stop cutting loose and high steps that felt impossible start landing.
Peter Pans
Cut both feet on every foot move, then re-place them.
For controlling cut-loose on overhangs.
You’ll know it’s working when the accidental swing stops being scary, because your core has learned to bring your feet back instead of dropping you.
Freeze in Isolation
Move one limb at a time, keeping the other three dead still.
For building control and core tension.
You’ll know it’s working when the moves you usually rush start to feel held and controlled, because isolating each limb exposes where you lose tension.
Movement Fluidity & Rhythm
Climbing that feels robotic, stopping between moves, losing the flow.
Slow Motion Climbing
Climb a route executing every move in slow motion.
For exposing hidden weaknesses.
You’ll know it’s working when slowing down reveals one specific spot where you’ve been getting away with poor position. Fixing it there carries over at normal speed.
Route Reading & Sequencing
Wrong beta, wasted energy, arriving at the crux already out of position.
1 Minute Review
Read and rehearse the whole route before you pull on.
For when you climb without a plan.
You’ll know it’s working when the climb feels calmer and faster, because you’re executing instead of figuring it out mid-pump.
Strength and endurance
Not movement limiters, and not a substitute for them. This is the supporting work that lets good movement last to the top of the route.
Lock-Off Moves
Lock off on a bent arm at the end of every hand move, like the top of a pull-up.
For when you lunge or snatch because you can’t hold a position long enough to grab the hold.
You’ll know it’s working when reachy moves get calmer and your reaches land where you aim, instead of you throwing for holds.
Legs Only
Climb a slab using your legs alone.
For when you lean on your arms too much.
You’ll know it’s working when you trust your legs more and your arms feel fresher everywhere else.
4×4 Drill
Four routes, four climbs each, minimal rest.
For building power endurance.
You’ll know it’s working when your technique holds up while pumped, which is exactly what carries you up real routes.
More endurance work
The endurance video also covers ARC training and Lattice board sessions, which are longer-format work rather than in-session drills. Watch the endurance video →
Twenty drills is a start. Knowing which one to do today is the hard part.
Grip & Grind picks the drill for you. It finds your movement limiter, builds each session around it at the grade you’re actually climbing, and tracks whether the thing you practised is getting better. No more scrolling a list at the gym wondering where to start.
Free for 7 days. Cancel any time before day eight and you’re charged nothing.