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
- Injury risk
- Moderate
- Intervals
- 18 rounds, 1:00 rest
- 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.
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.
Related blocks
Start with a ready-made block
A six-week strength plan with a deload, as a file for the app, and seven short emails on how to run it.