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Toe-pull tension drill

3-4 toe hook moves: pause 2 s in tension, then move one limb. 3 tries per side.

Slot
On the wall
Focus
Stability
Time
23 min
Intensity
Moderate intensity
Injury risk
Moderate injury risk
Equipment
Boulders, Steep wall

How to do it

On a steep wall, find 3-4 moves that use toe hooks (hooking the top of your shoe behind a hold and pulling). Get into position, pause for 2 seconds with your whole body tight, then move one hand or foot without letting your feet swing off. Do each move 3 times per side, resting a minute between tries.

Run it now

The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.

Toe-pull tension drill

0:00 / 23:05

Ready

23:05

18 rounds

3-4 toe hook moves: pause 2 s in tension, then move one limb. 3 tries per side.

18
rounds
1:00
rest
23:05
total

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Who it's for

Roofs and steep climbing where the feet have to stay on. Pausing in the position teaches your body what tension actually feels like, which is hard to learn while moving fast.

Common mistakes

  • Holding the position with the arms. The toe hook and the core hold you in. If your arms are burning, the hook isn't pulling.
  • Letting the feet swing when you move a limb. Moving one hand without losing the hook is the whole exercise.
  • A two-second pause that's actually half a second. Count it.
  • One side only. Both sides, three tries each.

How to progress

Worse hooks, then bigger moves out of the position, then a second move while the hook holds. Once it's solid, look for hooks on problems you're already trying rather than setting up drill moves.

When it fits

The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.

  • Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.

  • Power Explosive moves, momentum and coordination.

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