Breakdown
Climber: Eddie Pandolfino 6’0”/-2
Wall Angle: Flat>Flat
Holds: Cheeta BoomRamps, Cheeta Craters
RIC: Risk 5, Intensity 4, Complexity 3
The basis of this boulder formed from the idea of linking two high-risk movements together. Risk is ranked highest and can be broken down into three categories: commitment, coordination, and confidence. The movements require commitment because they involve the climber losing all points of contact while moving off of sloping footholds. Coordination is utilized to control both movements; the climber must combine their hand and foot movements in a particular order to prevent momentum from carrying their body too far from the wall. Confidence is gained through repetition. The movements will feel insecure during initial attempts, but trust in the hands and feet will improve through subsequent effort. Intensity is present due to the physical strength needed to control momentum. Complexity comes in the order of operations to successfully perform the hand and foot movements.
Influence/Aesthetic:
Both of the movements on this boulder were modified versions of sequences I have seen elsewhere. The first foot stomp move was one that was encountered at a youth qualifying event that our gym’s team attended. Our head coach Sebi took a video of the event and asked if we could recreate something similar for the team to practice on. The second palm-down dyno was something I saw on Brooke Raboutou post on her Instagram that was set by Alvaro Rangel (@couch_owl). I have seen a few iterations of this move before but this is the first time I attempted to set it. The boulder has a few visual threads connecting it together like the pairings of Craters and BoomRamps. However, most of the climb is rooted in function.
Hold Selection:
One of the reasons I have not previously set this movement is due to not having all the necessary holds. The pockets at the start improve directionality and prevent the climber from establishing with the body in the opposite direction; while the large start feet give the climber a choice of surface area to spring into the dyno. The high profile of the stomp foot extends the angle of the wall outward and gives the climber a large target to hit and pivot around. The last cluster of BoomRamps cannot be utilized until the climber is equilateral with them. This encourages the dynamic upward movement which snowballs into sideward momentum that is stopped with a palm on the downward-sloping BoomRamp.
One Two Step
The climber begins by swinging their body slightly leftward to generate momentum for the rightward swing.
The climber crosses their left foot through while bringing their chest close to the wall to prevent the body from falling too far outward.
Catching the right hand while simultaneously stomping the right foot begins to stop the climber’s rightward momentum.
The left hand and right foot are utilized as a counterbalance to swing backward towards the wall and keep the hips inward.
Up and Away
The climber bends their knees and crouches downward to add a dynamic extension to the legs as they jump.
Pulling inward with the right hand in conjunction with straightening the legs propels the climber upward.
They grab the finish hold with their right hand but this begins to shift their body weight rightward with no opposing feet.
Placing a left-hand palm and using the legs to smear the wall and stop momentum stops the climber’s rightward momentum and allows them to stabilize and match the finish.
Final Thoughts
Since this was my first time setting this palm-down move, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Replicating movements from videos is difficult because you don’t know what the angle of the wall is. Additionally, it is uncommon to have the exact same holds, so setting a 1:1 copy is challenging. The move does “work,” albeit if you are exceptionally tall or have long arms, it is slightly easier. After setting and forerunning. I discovered that having more lateral space would encourage the climber to use the palm for generating sideways momentum. This would displace some of the advantage taller climbers get from not having to create as much upward force. I’m looking forward to giving another try at setting this move and using what I’ve learned to improve upon future iterations.