Tutorials
Climbing
Traversing
Lesson Level : 3
Straight Traverse
lesson
4m 48s
Video Details

The straight-arm traverse technique begins by positioning oneself in a high stance, ideally close to the top edge, and starting the movement with a bent arm position for better control. The key is to shift weight from one arm to the other gradually, allowing the body to acclimate to holding one's weight on a single hand. Utilizing large, deliberate movements instead of smaller, ineffective shifts helps in maintaining momentum and balance, which is vital for successful traversing.

As practitioners become comfortable with the initial movements, they should progress to taking wider grips and moving their feet in conjunction with their hands. A focus should be maintained on the line of sight, with an emphasis on keeping the eyeline high. As fatigue sets in, it may be necessary to transition into a hang traverse, where less reliance on leg support increases the demand on arm strength, changing the way the body feels during the exercise.

An essential aspect of maintaining balance on the wall during the traverse is ensuring that the high foot—placed below hip height—firmly grips the wall. This foot placement is critical, as it prevents slipping and keeps the individual securely positioned. Ultimately, optimal body weight distribution between the hands and that critical foot will improve performance and control while executing various traversing movements.

Key Points:

  1. Begin with a bent arm position for better control before transitioning to a straight-arm traverse, focusing on weight shifts from one arm to the other.
  2. Utilize wide grips and coordinated foot movements to enhance stability and momentum, adjusting eyeline focus as needed.
  3. Ensure the high foot is correctly placed on the wall to prevent slipping and maintain balance, allowing for better overall control during traversing.
Note: This video summary is generated by AI from the video transcript and may not always be accurate.
The Lesson

Demonstrate a straight-arm cat-leap / arm-jump hang position on the side of a wall and then traverse 3-steps (heel-to-toe) to the left and to the right. Wall can be any height that is comfortable.

Knees should be bent, one leg higher than the other. One at hip-height, and underneath you.

Arms must be straight. Full finger length over the top. No over-grip onto the back edge of the wall - must be on the front edge corner of the wall.

Repeat twice for both directions.

The distance of must be traversed by your entire body. You must pass the distance entirely before returning in the opposite direction

Challenge Details
Guidelines to successfully accomplish the challenge.
distance.
Must be more than x3 times the distance of a Foot-Step (toe-to-heel)
+ / -
You can use any distance that is more than specified.
Multiplier
x3 times the specified amount.
Details
3 Steps must be traversed by your entire body in each direction
sides.
You must complete and demonstrate on Left then Right Sides
Details
Both sides must be performed on each lap.
repetitions.
You must complete 2 repetitions
+ / -
You can repeat more than specified.
Details
Two repetitions of each left-to-right-to-left lap.
hands.
The hands must be Hands on front edge of wall
Details
Hands must be on front edge of the wall.
Transcript
																									

														
6.04

														
we've looked at the cat leap position

													

																									

														
8.48

														
both bent arm and straight arm now we're

													

																									

														
10.96

														
going to have a look at traversing in

													

																									

														
12.92

														
those positions you want to again start

													

																									

														
16.32

														
with the bent arm so you're nice and

													

																									

														
18.4

														
high you're up or close to the top Edge

													

																									

														
21.68

														
and when you move initially all you need

													

																									

														
24.16

														
to do is move that hand a tiny bit get

													

																									

														
27.96

														
used to putting your body weight on one

													

																									

														
30.599

														
arm and then Shifting the other hand

													

																									

														
33.8

														
make sure you go in both directions so

													

																									

														
36.12

														
let's get up from here I'm going to get

													

																									

														
39.32

														
up into this position and then I'm just

													

																									

														
41.559

														
going to shift and shift okay and that's

													

																									

														
44.239

														
all you need to really do um to begin

													

																									

														
47.92

														
with like getting used to holding the

													

																									

														
50.399

														
body weight for a fraction of a second

													

																									

														
51.84

														
on one one hand and then moving along to

													

																									

														
55.079

														
the

													

																									

														
55.92

														
other once you are comfortable with that

													

																									

														
58.76

														
though um small movements really is not

													

																									

														
63.8

														
the best way of moving you want to take

													

																									

														
67.96

														
large big grips large movements as wide

													

																									

														
71.52

														
as you can and your feet are going to be

													

																									

														
75.439

														
moving at the same time so it'll be out

													

																									

														
78.92

														
in out in this is generally how you'll

													

																									

														
83.119

														
Traverse

													

																									

														
84.64

														
um keeping that ey line as high as

													

																									

														
88.52

														
possible

													

																									

														
90.159

														
as you get fatigued o over time you'll

													

																									

														
93.96

														
then start R coming down and then you

													

																									

														
96.479

														
can go down into the Hang Traverse uh

													

																									

														
100.88

														
this again you can do on rail uh on bars

													

																									

														
103.72

														
on scaffolding but again you can also do

													

																									

														
106.24

														
this on the wall the idea is the same in

													

																									

														
109.119

														
fact you can do it where you're not even

													

																									

														
110.88

														
using your feet so you're literally dead

													

																									

														
113

														
hanging and you can Traverse just with

													

																									

														
115.68

														
your arms so you've got a lot of room of

													

																									

														
118.2

														
going down but initially you want to be

													

																									

														
122.439

														
nice and high so let's give that a go

													

																									

														
125.079

														
I'm going to try and do wide grip let's

													

																									

														
127.399

														
start down this way so you can see me

													

																									

														
129.08

														
coming towards you um and I'm going to

													

																									

														
131.44

														
try and do as wide as I can um yeah

													

																									

														
134.8

														
instead of the small

													

																									

														
136.36

														
grips so as I come up there there there

													

																									

														
141.879

														
there there there feet and hand feet and

													

																									

														
145.08

														
hand feet and hand feet and

													

																									

														
147.4

														
hand okay so that is the normal

													

																									

														
151.2

														
Traverse as I say as you get comfortable

													

																									

														
155.12

														
uh you can go further and further and

													

																									

														
156.879

														
then you will descend into the Hang

													

																									

														
159.56

														
Traverse so the H Traverse will be this

													

																									

														
163.08

														
so you're not really using your feet

													

																									

														
165.8

														
anymore you're just using your hands um

													

																									

														
171.08

														
this requires more strength because

													

																									

														
174.44

														
effectively you're holding your body

													

																									

														
176.319

														
weight your whole body weight on just

													

																									

														
177.959

														
your hands and they're already going to

													

																									

														
179.28

														
be tired from doing the Traverse but it

													

																									

														
182.56

														
will give you that little extra at the

													

																									

														
184.959

														
end of as you're feeling fatigued

													

																									

														
188.04

														
practice both just take your time go

													

																									

														
191.319

														
nice and slow do small increments find a

													

																									

														
193.799

														
goal and then build up make sure you go

													

																									

														
196.56

														
both directions

													

																									

														
198.08

														
too as an additional

													

																									

														
201.04

														
note one issue of staying on the wall is

													

																									

														
206.76

														
the foot that is underneath you the high

													

																									

														
209.28

														
foot

													

																									

														
211.239

														
sometimes people don't put it high

													

																									

														
212.68

														
enough and really find it difficult

													

																									

														
215.799

														
holding themselves on the wall because

													

																									

														
218.239

														
that top foot really should be gripping

													

																									

														
220.959

														
the wall so I'll show you as we come up

													

																									

														
224.08

														
if I put my foot here basically is just

													

																									

														
227.72

														
going to slide down and I'm working to

													

																									

														
230.4

														
keep that

													

																									

														
231.599

														
foot on however if I come up and get

													

																									

														
236.64

														
that

													

																									

														
237.72

														
foot nice and in it doesn't slip anymore

													

																									

														
241.519

														
it's basically stuck on the wall I've

													

																									

														
243.799

														
gripped the wall with my foot it's just

													

																									

														
246.079

														
below hip height and it's not going to

													

																									

														
250.76

														
slip well that much but that is the

													

																									

														
254.799

														
predominant thing that keeps you on the

													

																									

														
257.44

														
wall it's not the arms it's that foot I

													

																									

														
260.199

														
sometimes imagine that the brick is

													

																									

														
262.52

														
stuck out slightly and my toe is trying

													

																									

														
265.96

														
to grip on top of it try like a step

													

																									

														
268.56

														
it's I'm using it it's not obviously

													

																									

														
271.4

														
it's just the friction of my shoe but

													

																									

														
274.199

														
that's where I want to be I want to try

													

																									

														
276.16

														
to use that foot as much as I can keep

													

																									

														
278.639

														
my body weight on it to hold myself up
Subtitles (SRT) 
1
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,000
we've looked at the cat leap position

2
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,000
both bent arm and straight arm now we're

3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:15,000
going to have a look at traversing in

4
00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:17,000
those positions you want to again start

5
00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:21,000
with the bent arm so you're nice and

6
00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:23,000
high you're up or close to the top Edge

7
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:27,000
and when you move initially all you need

8
00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:30,000
to do is move that hand a tiny bit get

9
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:32,000
used to putting your body weight on one

10
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,000
arm and then Shifting the other hand

11
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:38,000
make sure you go in both directions so

12
00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:41,000
let's get up from here I'm going to get

13
00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,000
up into this position and then I'm just

14
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:47,000
going to shift and shift okay and that's

15
00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:50,000
all you need to really do um to begin

16
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,000
with like getting used to holding the

17
00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:54,000
body weight for a fraction of a second

18
00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,000
on one one hand and then moving along to

19
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,000
the

20
00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:02,000
other once you are comfortable with that

21
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:07,000
though um small movements really is not

22
00:00:63,000 --> 00:01:10,000
the best way of moving you want to take

23
00:00:67,000 --> 00:01:14,000
large big grips large movements as wide

24
00:00:71,000 --> 00:01:18,000
as you can and your feet are going to be

25
00:00:75,000 --> 00:01:22,000
moving at the same time so it'll be out

26
00:00:78,000 --> 00:01:23,000
in out in this is generally how you'll

27
00:00:83,000 --> 00:01:28,000
Traverse

28
00:00:84,000 --> 00:01:29,000
um keeping that ey line as high as

29
00:00:88,000 --> 00:01:33,000
possible

30
00:00:90,000 --> 00:01:36,000
as you get fatigued o over time you'll

31
00:00:93,000 --> 00:01:39,000
then start R coming down and then you

32
00:00:96,000 --> 00:01:43,000
can go down into the Hang Traverse uh

33
00:00:100,000 --> 00:01:45,000
this again you can do on rail uh on bars

34
00:00:103,000 --> 00:01:48,000
on scaffolding but again you can also do

35
00:00:106,000 --> 00:01:50,000
this on the wall the idea is the same in

36
00:00:109,000 --> 00:01:52,000
fact you can do it where you're not even

37
00:00:110,000 --> 00:01:54,000
using your feet so you're literally dead

38
00:00:113,000 --> 00:01:58,000
hanging and you can Traverse just with

39
00:00:115,000 --> 00:01:61,000
your arms so you've got a lot of room of

40
00:00:118,000 --> 00:01:64,000
going down but initially you want to be

41
00:00:122,000 --> 00:01:66,000
nice and high so let's give that a go

42
00:00:125,000 --> 00:01:69,000
I'm going to try and do wide grip let's

43
00:00:127,000 --> 00:01:71,000
start down this way so you can see me

44
00:00:129,000 --> 00:01:74,000
coming towards you um and I'm going to

45
00:00:131,000 --> 00:01:75,000
try and do as wide as I can um yeah

46
00:00:134,000 --> 00:01:81,000
instead of the small

47
00:00:136,000 --> 00:01:84,000
grips so as I come up there there there

48
00:00:141,000 --> 00:01:86,000
there there there feet and hand feet and

49
00:00:145,000 --> 00:01:91,000
hand feet and hand feet and

50
00:00:147,000 --> 00:01:94,000
hand okay so that is the normal

51
00:00:151,000 --> 00:01:96,000
Traverse as I say as you get comfortable

52
00:00:155,000 --> 00:01:99,000
uh you can go further and further and

53
00:00:156,000 --> 00:01:102,000
then you will descend into the Hang

54
00:00:159,000 --> 00:01:105,000
Traverse so the H Traverse will be this

55
00:00:163,000 --> 00:01:111,000
so you're not really using your feet

56
00:00:165,000 --> 00:01:113,000
anymore you're just using your hands um

57
00:00:171,000 --> 00:01:116,000
this requires more strength because

58
00:00:174,000 --> 00:01:117,000
effectively you're holding your body

59
00:00:176,000 --> 00:01:118,000
weight your whole body weight on just

60
00:00:177,000 --> 00:01:121,000
your hands and they're already going to

61
00:00:179,000 --> 00:01:124,000
be tired from doing the Traverse but it

62
00:00:182,000 --> 00:01:127,000
will give you that little extra at the

63
00:00:184,000 --> 00:01:130,000
end of as you're feeling fatigued

64
00:00:188,000 --> 00:01:133,000
practice both just take your time go

65
00:00:191,000 --> 00:01:136,000
nice and slow do small increments find a

66
00:00:193,000 --> 00:01:137,000
goal and then build up make sure you go

67
00:00:196,000 --> 00:01:140,000
both directions

68
00:00:198,000 --> 00:01:146,000
too as an additional

69
00:00:201,000 --> 00:01:149,000
note one issue of staying on the wall is

70
00:00:206,000 --> 00:01:150,000
the foot that is underneath you the high

71
00:00:209,000 --> 00:01:152,000
foot

72
00:00:211,000 --> 00:01:155,000
sometimes people don't put it high

73
00:00:212,000 --> 00:01:157,000
enough and really find it difficult

74
00:00:215,000 --> 00:01:160,000
holding themselves on the wall because

75
00:00:218,000 --> 00:01:163,000
that top foot really should be gripping

76
00:00:220,000 --> 00:01:166,000
the wall so I'll show you as we come up

77
00:00:224,000 --> 00:01:170,000
if I put my foot here basically is just

78
00:00:227,000 --> 00:01:170,000
going to slide down and I'm working to

79
00:00:230,000 --> 00:01:176,000
keep that

80
00:00:231,000 --> 00:01:177,000
foot on however if I come up and get

81
00:00:236,000 --> 00:01:180,000
that

82
00:00:237,000 --> 00:01:183,000
foot nice and in it doesn't slip anymore

83
00:00:241,000 --> 00:01:185,000
it's basically stuck on the wall I've

84
00:00:243,000 --> 00:01:189,000
gripped the wall with my foot it's just

85
00:00:246,000 --> 00:01:194,000
below hip height and it's not going to

86
00:00:250,000 --> 00:01:196,000
slip well that much but that is the

87
00:00:254,000 --> 00:01:199,000
predominant thing that keeps you on the

88
00:00:257,000 --> 00:01:202,000
wall it's not the arms it's that foot I

89
00:00:260,000 --> 00:01:205,000
sometimes imagine that the brick is

90
00:00:262,000 --> 00:01:208,000
stuck out slightly and my toe is trying

91
00:00:265,000 --> 00:01:210,000
to grip on top of it try like a step

92
00:00:268,000 --> 00:01:213,000
it's I'm using it it's not obviously

93
00:00:271,000 --> 00:01:215,000
it's just the friction of my shoe but

94
00:00:274,000 --> 00:01:218,000
that's where I want to be I want to try

95
00:00:276,000 --> 00:01:224,000
to use that foot as much as I can keep

96
00:00:278,000 --> 00:01:223,000
my body weight on it to hold myself up