Beginner
Slab Climbing 101: Techniques and Exercises for Beginners
Coach's take: The hip-out-for-smears explanation alone (and why it contradicts what you usually hear) makes this worth watching.
3.9
Slab climbing
Climbing / Popular
Balance and smear on low-angle rock where footwork is everything.
What coaches agree on
- Drop your heels on smears and volumes so more of the shoe's rubber contacts the rock — that's what creates the friction.
- Shift your weight fully onto the new foot as you step up — full commitment is what makes it stick.
Show moreShow less
- Keep your hips stacked directly over your feet, so your weight loads through your legs instead of your hands.
Common mistakes
- Standing on just the tip of the shoe or the outside edge of the foot, instead of the whole ball of the foot, is what makes a smear skid out from under you.
Intermediate
How to Master SLAB Climbing
Coach's take: Excellent — covers the mechanics AND the mental game AND gives you drills to train it.
3.8
Advanced
Slab Climbing Tips for Advanced Climbers
Coach's take: Sharp, specific tips - exactly the kind of detail that usually only comes from years of trial and error.
3.7
Beginner
How to Get Better at Slab Climbing
Coach's take: The friction-physics explanation is a great foundation — you understand why the technique works, not just what to do.
3.7
Intermediate
Slab Climbing Technique Master Class
Coach's take: The controlled-fall warm-up drill for managing slab fear is something I don't see covered elsewhere in this batch.
3.7
Beginner
Slab Climbing practice you can do at home!
Coach's take: The at-home board drill is a nice touch - real way to train slab balance without a wall.
3.6
Beginner
How to Improve Your Slab Climbing Technique
Coach's take: Explains the why behind every cue - that's what separates a real coach from a highlight reel.
3.6
Intermediate
12 Climbing Techniques Taught by a Slab Expert - ft. emilyysends
Coach's take: Sharper and more technical than part one - genuinely useful once you're past the basics.
3.5
Beginner
Climbing On Slabs: How To Use Your Legs
Coach's take: Straightforward, well-explained fundamentals - a good starting point.
3.4
Beginner
Slab Climbing Tips for Beginners/Intermediate Climbers
Coach's take: The 'push test' demo for toe placement makes the physics click immediately.
3.4
Intermediate
10 Climbing Techniques Taught by a Slab Expert - ft. emilyysends
Coach's take: A strong slab climber explaining her reasoning, not just showing off the send - worth your time.
3.3
Intermediate
Slab Climbing Tip For Short Climbers
Coach's take: The before/after demo (barn door vs. one-finger stick) sells the cue better than most longer videos manage.
3.3
Beginner
Crushing Slab Climbs: Techniques and Tips
Coach's take: Practical, honest tips - the fall-practice advice for building trust on slab is worth the watch alone.
3.1
Intermediate
How I Train for Climbing on Slabs
Coach's take: Actually programmable - durations and reps, not just vague advice.
3.0
Intermediate
I bet you didn't know this about footwork for climbing!
Coach's take: Explains the why behind smearing, not just the what - genuinely useful for slab.
2.7
Advanced
4 Lessons to Master Slab Climbing Like Anna Hazelnutt
Coach's take: Strong strength-and-mobility breakdown for high-stepping, which does carry over to slab — just don't expect smearing/edging technique here.
2.5
Beginner
Footwork for Climbing
Coach's take: Clear, well-demonstrated footwork basics - good foundation before tackling slab specifically.
1.9
Advanced
Slab Masterclass 2: Gym Session with an Olympian and Climbing Coach
Coach's take: Smart insight buried in watch-this-watch-that commentary - you need the video, not just the words.
1.9
Intermediate
5 Climbing Techniques Taught by Paul Robinson - INSANE ATTENTION TO DETAILS!
Coach's take: Excellent live coaching on the slab portion - just know that's only half the video.
1.8
Intermediate
Not CONSISTENTLY Climbing V3's? Watch This
Coach's take: Good structure and a solid smearing explanation, but most of it isn't about slab.
1.3
Intermediate
3 Drills That Will TRANSFORM Your Climbing
Coach's take: Clear drills, but there's a coaching-services pitch in the middle and it's not really slab-focused.
1.3