Evolve Move Play sees human movement as being more or less derived from fundamental capacities that have always been important to us, at the center the most fundamental movement practices are things like Parkour, strong man, self defense based combatives, and rock climbing. The last one is one I have touched on relatively lightly here on the blog, I do a fair amount of climbing in my locomotion practice but have never dedicated myself to learning traditional rock climbing, its on the list it is just behind dance and capoeira right now.
Lately it has been on my mind allot because I have been deeply exploring movement in trees. Movement in trees spans the gap in some sense between the types of movements most commonly seen in parkour and the type of movement more commonly seen in rock climbing. In particular the way that climbers think about route sequencing and movement between different body positions has allot of similarities to what is required in tree movement and movement on broad trunks without the aid of tree limbs is essentially like a form of rock climbing or vice versa we climb rock well because we are adapted to climb tree trunks, rock just provides a bigger canvas. In climbing trees recently I have found myself using crack climbing techniques like hand and fist jams, and laybacks as well as dealing with slopey boles and crimpy pinches.
My next project when I feel my dance and capoeira reach a point to leave me room to explore another new discipline will be rock climbing.
In the mean time I will study the movement of rock climbers and see what I can apply to trees, as well as climbing rock when I get the chance.
So here is great video Adam Ondra, a top up and coming climber, moving on some beautiful rock, study it, enjoy it and go see where you can find some similar movement in your world.
