What Is a Lock-Off in Climbing? 5 Ways to Improve Your Lock-Off

“Locking off” is a climbing term that refers to the act of pulling on a hold or crimp until your arm is in a bent position. A climber then retains the tension with their legs and bent arm, allowing them to use their free arm to make the next point of contact. While it may seem like a basic move, the technique requires hand-arm strength and coordination to do it correctly.

Holding a one-arm lock is a static move (isometric), which means no jumping or explosive movement is involved. Beginners and advanced climbers alike will find that locking off is a key move that must be practiced and tested before hitting the climbing wall.

Locking off helps climbers balance and coordinate their next move by maintaining tension throughout their bodies. The lock-off is also valuable for mixed climbing (ice climbing and rock climbing) as it allows the climber to keep a hold while scratching and probing for their subsequent placement.

There are several workouts and tools that can help improve your lock-off strength. Some lock-off training strategies to perfect the maneuver include:

1. 1. One-arm pull-ups: One-arm pull-ups target the pull-through strength of the shoulder and help strengthen your lats. These exercises are similar to the off-set pull-up, in which the climber uses both arms but places one higher than the other.
   
2. 2. Frenchies: Frenchies are pull-up exercises that require climbers to hold a pull-up position at specific elbow angles. A frenchie begins with a standard pull-up, locking off at the top of the pull-up bar for five seconds, then a pull-up locking off at 90 degrees, and then one locking off at 120 degrees. This is all followed by two standard pull-ups.
3. 3. The hover: The hover is an informal core strength training climbing drill that involves a boulder problem, which is a specific route in bouldering designed specifically to challenge you. Instead of climbing the wall the way you usually would, when you reach out for the next hold, challenge yourself to let your hand hover above the crag for three or five long seconds before making contact. This will force you to maintain the one-arm lock-off position with the other hand when you make a new move.
4. 4. Hangboards: Also known as fingerboards, hangboards are small, wall-mounted climbing exercise tools that consist of different pockets and edges. They are designed so you can hang from them with varying placements of your fingers and hands.
5. 5. Campus boards: Campus boards are similar to fingerboards, but they are larger and often have an angle of twenty degrees to create an overhang. Campus boards may feature horizontal slats or rails of wood in a ladder formation. The challenge is to climb up and down these without the use of your legs.

Climbing is a high-impact activity with an elevated risk of serious injury. Practice, proper guidance, and extensive safety precautions are essential when attempting a climbing pursuit. This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional instruction or guidance.

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