Knowing how to use your arms and how to conserve their energy is the name of the game. 

Anatomy of the hands and arms

• The hands-within the hands we have the fingers, the palms and the back of the hands. The hand articulates at the wrist. In anatomical position the thumbs are pointing up.
• The FOREARMS- The forearms are from the elbows down to the wrists. At the elbow one can rotate the wrist and the hand to be palms forward or palms back.
• THE UPPER ARMS-The upper arms are from the elbows to the shoulders. The bicep muscles flex the arm at the elbow while the triceps, in the back, extend. 

How To Use Your arms

Hanging straight-arm

Try to as much as possible hang on your arms. An easy way to do this is to NOT reach to your maximum. 

• This will allow your body to move freely underneath them.
• Allow your center of gravity to be unlocked!
• Allow you to feel where your center is located.
• Allow you to rest them.
• Allow you to see your feet better.

Crimps

Closed hand with thumb support VS Open hand without thumb

Pocket Hangs

Any time one is hanging on one or multiple digits it’s considered a pocket hang.  The thumb is used as added purchase and not so much as support for the fingers. 

Pinches

Any hold that allows the thumb to be used can be considered a pinch.

Hand Jamming

Specific to cracks wherein the hand acts as a chockstone wedged above a constriction of the rock or as a camming device exerting pressure on both sides of the crack walls. Thumbs up allows for maximum height extension while thumbs down allows for extra camming pressure.

Finger Jamming

Same as above but with just fingers. 

Pushing/pressing

An often-overlooked technique this allows one to use different muscles-the ones that push instead of pull. It gets the body out away from the wall so one can easily see the feet. It offers a tripod effect for stability. And it’s usually necessary to surmount the top of a climb, like getting over a ledge or getting out of the pool.

Handstacking

For more efficiency and leverage, try stacking one hand above the other and pulling with both. 

Pulling Out Balance

Usually the hold faces downward, like an inverted edge with a little lip. Use thumb or other fingers to pull out for balance while standing.

Types of Holds

• Horizontal edges-COG should be below hold for balance.
• Vertical edges-side pulls-COG should be off to the side of hold for best balance.
• Underclings-COG should be right next to above hold.
• Pockets-COG could be anywhere depending on the best aspect of pocket.
• Sloppers-COG should be directly below hold for best balance.
• Hand Jams-COG should be directly below hold for best balance.
• Finger Jams-COG should be directly below hold for best balance.

PULLING

If one is to pull, pull to one’s chest. This is your most powerful position.

CONCLUSION

Cannot emphasize enough about the need to hang straight-arm to find one’s balance under a handhold. It gets the upper body away from the wall allowing a straight sight down to the feet. It also frees up the COG to be shifted around. And it conserves energy while one is searching for the next move. Use one’s arms properly because they don’t have that much strength.