Most climbers try to become more stable by “engaging the core,” “tightening muscles,” or “holding tension.”
Mechanically, this is the wrong solution.
Real stability comes from positioning, not muscular effort.
If your geometry is correct:
- you barely need muscular tension
- friction increases automatically
- the kinetic chain stays intact
- force transfers cleanly
- movements feel quiet and controlled
If your geometry is wrong:
- no amount of squeezing creates stability
- friction drops
- joints collapse
- the chain breaks
- you burn out quickly
This chapter explains why technique determines stability — long before strength does.
1. Stability = CoM Supported by Structure
Stability is not “not moving.”
It is:
the CoM being supported by the correct combination of limbs in mechanically efficient positions.
Geometry determines this support.
When the body is positioned correctly:
- the load passes through bones and joints, not muscles
- downward and inward forces align with holds
- friction increases because vectors match surface angles
- hips carry most of the work
- hands stabilise rather than strain
Muscles only add small adjustments —
they do not provide the primary stability.
2. Muscles Cannot Outperform Bad Geometry
If the CoM is out of position:
- core tension spikes
- shoulders overwork
- hands slip
- feet blow
- hips drift away
- the kinetic chain collapses
Muscle activation cannot fix any of these problems.
It can only delay the inevitable failure.
Correct positioning eliminates the instability at the source.
3. Positioning Determines the Effective Force Vector
Your ability to stabilise a hold depends on:
- hip orientation
- torso rotation
- elbow alignment
- wrist angle
- foot rotational vector
- CoM direction
These determine the direction of force before tension is applied.
If the force direction matches hold geometry → you feel stable.
If not → the body shakes, slips, or swings.
Stability is a vector alignment problem, not a strength problem.
4. The Body Has “Stable Zones” and “Unstable Zones”
For any given hold configuration, your body has:
Stable zones
Positions where:
- the CoM sits above the base of support
- friction is maximised
- torque on joints is minimized
- limbs can engage without collapsing
- feet can oppose hand force
Unstable zones
Positions where:
- the CoM drifts outward
- torque increases dramatically
- friction decreases
- joints reach poor leverage angles
- feet cannot generate counterforce
Good climbers migrate deliberately into stable zones before moving.
Beginners move inside unstable zones and try to fight physics.
5. Hip Position Is the Primary Stability Control
Hips determine:
- where the CoM actually sits
- how tension transfers through the chain
- how friction behaves at hands and feet
- whether torque assists or disrupts a movement
- whether a hold feels “good” or “bad”
Small hip shifts of 5–10 cm can:
- double stability
- eliminate swing
- increase sloper friction
- reduce arm load
- prevent foot slips
Hips provide more stability than core tension ever will.
6. Stability Comes From Triangulation, Not Flexing
Triangulation =
creating a stable geometric triangle between two hands and one foot, or one hand and two feet.
Triangles:
- distribute load across multiple limbs
- lock the CoM in a predictable zone
- minimize rotational torque
- reduce reliance on grip strength
Examples:
- drop-knee = hip-driven triangulation
- egyptian lock = rotational triangulation
- high step lock-off = vertical triangulation
- gaston + high foot = lateral triangulation
Muscles do not create these triangles.
Position does.
7. Stability Requires Smooth Force Transitions
Even good geometry fails if:
- limbs load too quickly
- weight transfers suddenly
- contact forces spike
- hips jerk out of alignment
- CoM shifts too fast
Stability depends on gradual transitions:
- slow de-weighting
- smooth weighting
- progressive pressure increase
- micro-adjustments in feet
- controlled breathing
Violent transitions undermine even perfect positioning.
8. The Rule: Position First, Tension Second
Correct sequence:
-
Establish geometric alignment
hips, feet, CoM, force vector -
Stabilise the chain
feet → hips → core → shoulders -
Add only the amount of muscle tension needed
to maintain the alignment — nothing more
Beginners reverse this order:
they tension first and try to find stability afterward, which is mechanically impossible.
Elite climbers stabilise through position, not through strain.