Topic: Vertical Wallrun: Technical

[sage66]

Hello All!
I've been browsing the forum for a good technical breakdown of how to optimize your wallrun. Specifically, I'm looking for a discussion of technique for people who have the basic wallrun down, but are looking for the details to get them just a bit higher. Generally, I'm interested in techniques given a wall/shoe combo that gives good grip (think climbing rubber on unfinished brick).

To start things out, this is the info I've found my experience (I use 1 step). These are just my uninformed thoughts, please correct what I get wrong:

Given general proper technique there are two main factors to think about: 1) Maximizing the force on the foot that hits the wall, and 2) maximizing the height of your body when that foot hits the wall. A wallrun pretty much translates horizontal momentum into vertical momentum by both using your foot as a pivot (imagine hitting the wall and having your leg at an angle, this will translate some of the horizontal force into vertical momentum) and by giving you enough grip to jump off the vertical surface (I think of this as the pop). Generally, I find that use my foot as a pivot until I have just enough horizontal force remaining to keep enough grip for the pop.

Holding the horizontal momentum constant, the higher you are when your foot hits the wall, the higher you will be able to get. Of course there is a tradeoff between factors 1 and 2, so finding the optimal tradeoff between the two is essential for getting as high as possible. Personally, I have found that hitting the wall just a bit before the apex of my jumpoff works best for me; forgot to mention this, but having a bit of upward momentum remaining when I hit the wall with my foot helps to get both the pivot and pop effect.

Also, I have found that if I jumpoff in a manner that uses very little of my horizontal momentum, instead of punching the ground on my jumpoff, works best for me (think jumping in stride v.s. planting both feet and jumping). I can get a bit higher if I punch the ground on my jumpoff (factor 2), but the decrease in my horizontal momentum makes it not worth it.

I know a lot of this is feel, and will vary person to person, but I am interested in what the experienced folks out there have to say about the more technical aspects of wallrunning. At what point of your jumpoff do you hit the wall? I'm also interested if the calculus of it all changes for people who use a second step (see Jereme Sanders' video at 2:35 and 3:00 to see him using this technique effectively http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBCkxKVijcE).

Thanks!
-jv

[Jereme Sanders]

Good points, are you just sharing your ideas or asking something specifically?

[ronduke]

Nicely written but my problem is that when i run towards the wall and take off from about a meter or 3 feet i do manage to kick into the wall and push in but instead of moving up i move up and out. what might be wrong? can i get a good advice ASAP.

Thanks.

[Grip]

I love 2 stepping wallruns with an overhang
like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZA8A0Igq7M

[John George "JG"]

Nicely written but my problem is that when i run towards the wall and take off from about a meter or 3 feet i do manage to kick into the wall and push in but instead of moving up i move up and out. what might be wrong? can i get a good advice ASAP.

Thanks.

You need to micro-adjust 4 things: The height of your foot on the wall upon contact, the distance of your trail leg from the wall before you contact the wall, the angle at which you bend your knee, the angle of your wall leg from the horizontal.

Please note that I say MICRO adjust. It sounds like you're doing most everything right. Practice, practice, practice and eventually you will correct yourself without even thinking.

[Grip]

with the one step wall run, push off your step like there is a 1" ledge sticking out of the wall, and you are jumping off of that ledge to grab the top of the wall