Sequencing: How to Order Movements for Maximum Control

Sequencing: How to Order Movements for Maximum Control

Climbers often talk about “moving smoothly,” “finding flow,” or “good coordination.”
Mechanically, all of these boil down to one principle:

Sequencing = performing movements in the correct order so that force, friction, and CoM remain stable throughout the change.

You don’t fall because a single move is too hard.
You fall because one movement disrupts the conditions needed for the next.

This article explains how sequencing works on the physics level — and why elite climbers move in a specific, deliberate order.

1. Movement Is Not Continuous — It Is a Chain of Discrete Events

Even the smoothest climbing is a sequence of micro-events:

  1. CoM shift
  2. weight transfer
  3. tension engagement
  4. contact adjustment
  5. force direction alignment
  6. limb movement
  7. re-stabilisation

The order matters.

When climbers “rush,” “jerk,” or “skip steps,” they collapse one or more links in this chain — and friction drops instantly.

Sequencing is the art of ordering these steps so no variable breaks during movement.

2. The Rule: CoM Moves First, Limbs Move Second

This rule has almost no exceptions.

  • If the CoM moves after the limb → you destabilise the system.
  • If the CoM moves before the limb → you stabilise the system.

Correct sequence:

  1. shift weight
  2. engage tension
  3. align vector
  4. then reach / step / pull

Incorrect sequence (beginner pattern):

  1. reach
  2. lose balance
  3. desperately shift CoM
  4. slip

This is why elite climbers appear calm:
the CoM is already in the right place before the movement happens.

3. Timing Determines Whether Sequencing Works

Sequencing is not only about order but timing — the delays between steps.

Example: stepping onto a small foothold.

Efficient movement sequence:

  1. shift CoM to the supporting foot
  2. place new foot with minimal pressure
  3. gradually weight the new foot
  4. release the old foot

Inefficient movement sequence:

  1. lift the foot without shifting CoM
  2. slam the foot onto the hold
  3. try to correct balance after contact
  4. overgrip because the system is unstable

Timing defines whether the system stays inside a stable friction envelope.

4. Good Sequencing Eliminates Force Spikes

When the order is correct:

  • load increases smoothly
  • friction stays consistent
  • joints stay in favorable angles
  • the kinetic chain doesn’t break

When the order is wrong:

  • friction oscillates
  • contact fails
  • the CoM lurches
  • the body has to catch itself
  • force spikes overload fingers
  • feet blow or hands slip

Good climbers look “quiet” because their sequencing removes spikes.

5. Efficient Sequencing Minimizes Uncertainty

Every climbing movement creates temporary instability.
The goal is to minimise:

  • time under instability
  • amplitude of instability
  • number of unstable phases

Sequencing does this by:

  • preparing the next movement in advance
  • stabilising the system before changing limb positions
  • ensuring tension transitions cleanly
  • keeping CoM on a predictable track

This is why elite climbers barely “correct” mid-move — the conditions stay stable.

6. Sequencing in Dynamic Movement

People think dynamic movement is chaotic.
Mechanically, it is more sequenced than static movement.

The sequence:

  1. Pre-load — tension and vector alignment
  2. CoM acceleration — push/pull
  3. Float phase — hands relaxed
  4. Catch phase — tension re-engages
  5. Stabilisation — friction restored
  6. Next move — only after stabilisation

Most failed dynos come from skipping step 5.

Elite climbers “land soft” → because they follow every step of the sequence.

7. Sequencing Determines How Energy Is Used

Energy waste is not about intensity — it’s about ordering.

Bad sequencing:

  • uses hands before feet
  • loads forearms before hips engage
  • engages shoulders too early
  • releases feet before tension is transferred
  • pulls before friction is established

Good sequencing:

  • loads feet before hands
  • uses legs to drive movement
  • transfers force smoothly
  • aligns everything before applying effort

The difference in energy cost is enormous.

8. The Rule: Every Movement Has a Correct Order

The goal of sequencing is not aesthetic — it’s mechanical.

If you perform the steps out of order, the physics break.
Friction drops.
Force leaks.
Balance collapses.

Correct sequencing =
doing the right tasks in the right order to preserve stability.

This is what makes technique look smooth —
not style, but physics.

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