Pivoting on one foothold for climbing: how to do it

How to do it

Find a vertical or slab wall with big handholds. Stand on one foothold with the other foot hanging free, and hold two handholds lightly. Turn your left hip into the wall, so you're standing on the outside edge of that foot, then turn your right hip in, so you're on the inside edge. Your feet and hips should turn at the same speed, and your hands should do as little as possible. Do 10 slow turns each way, then swap to the other foot. That's one round; do 3 rounds with 45 seconds rest. Choose a bigger foothold if you can't balance, a smaller one if it's easy.

Who it's for

Anyone who climbs slab and vertical walls square-on and wonders why their hips feel stuck. Turning in on one foot is the start of flagging, backstepping and most long reaches, and this drill takes that one movement out of the move so you can practise it on its own.

Common mistakes

Pulling with the hands. Hold on lightly, just enough to stay on. If your forearms are working, the balance is coming from your arms instead of your foot.
Turning the hips and leaving the foot behind. The foot rolls onto its outside or inside edge at the same speed as the hips. If one gets there first, slow down.
Rushing the turns. Slow is the drill. Quick turns let momentum do the balancing for you.
Picking a foothold that's too small. If you keep stepping down, choose a bigger one. The turn is what you're practising.

How to progress

Smaller footholds first. After that, take the same turn into real moves: on easy boulders, pivot on your foot before each reach and see how far it takes you without pulling harder.

When it fits

The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.

Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.

Endurance Climb longer before you pump out, by moving efficiently.

Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.

Deload Train less, let your fingers recover, keep moving.