Is Flexibility a Good Metric for Climbers?

In this episode, Kris and Paul discuss a study that might finally reveal why there are so many former gymnasts who can crush:

Flexibility Assessment and the Role of Flexibility as a Determinant of Performance in Rock Climbing

authored by Nick Draper, Simon Brent, Gavin Blackwell, and Chris Hodgson; published in the International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport in 2009.

They’ll attempt to determine whether or not a climber’s flexibility is a good indicator of their climbing performance and, moreover, if a climber’s flexibility is even something we can accurately measure. Tune in to find out if all that twisty pretzel stuff Adam Ondra does with his knees is actually doing something, or just for show.

 

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And please tell all of your friends who keep preaching to you that unless you do those tactical frog stretches, you'll never climb harder, that you have the perfect podcast for them.

 

Breaking Beta is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and Crux Conditioning, and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective. Find full episode transcripts, citations, and more at our website.

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Our music is from legendary South Dakota band Rifflord.