Kneebar knowledge


What is a kneebar?

Kneebar n, v : is a rock climbing maneuver in which a leg “hold” is created by camming your knee/lower thigh up under or against some blocky, cracky, or roofy feature in opposition to your foot. A solid kneebar might let you take off both hands and de-pump, even on overhanging stone; however, it also requires calf flexion and core tension.

 

Why is it an important move in climbing?

A kneebar can do multiple things to help improve your climbing ability.

It can allow you to increase your reach. Placing a strategic kneebar connects you to the rock, thus freeing up your hands that would have been used to hold you onto the rock; allowing you to reach much farther to holds you would have had to throw to, or could never reach at all.

A kneebar can also give you a much needed rest, a one-handed or no-hands rest.

Using a kneepad allows you to place kneebars comfortably because without one they can be quite painful and cause bruising. Our unique sticky rubber allows adhesion to rock where a bare leg could never stick thus opening up new kneebar possibilities.  Knowing how to kneebar is a valuable technique to add to your climbing repertoire!

Kneebars can be done almost anywhere you climb – you just have to know where to look for them if you know your “Shindex”…

 

Know your “Shindex”!

Your “Shindex” is the distance between your big toe and the top of your knee. It is actually a range between as short as you can make your foot to as far as you can extend your toe. Once you have an idea of this length you can start to picture your knee going in places no one else thought to put it. The more you kneebar the more you'll inevitably keep an eye out for where they might come in handy on any climb!

Not all kneebars fit everyone. Sometimes you must get creative if your shindex is too short or too long for a particular kneebar location.  Try different foot holds, positions, or knee locations till you can make it work, if it is to be.

 Now get out there, kneebar it up and SEND!

Watch the Kneebar Tour! See Different kneebars in action!