Movement analysis of the starting phase of 15-m speed climbing: a case study of thai national rock climber

Abstract

Speed climbing is the most dynamic discipline among all climbing sports that involves an optimization of the ascensional velocity. The result of competition depends on the time of climbing 15 m; therefore, all climbers try to improve their speed of climbing. The phases of climbing include the starting, second, third, and ending phases. The starting phase is the most importance phase, because the climbers should increase their speed from zero to the highest speed, which is seventy-five to one-hundred percent of the maximum climbing speed. There are two patterns for passing the starting phase, i.e., the classic start and the Tomoa skip. The classic start passes the starting phase by catching the 4th hand hold before catching the 5th hand hold, whereas the Tomoa skip does not. Thus, the Tomoa skip is an interesting starting pattern to improve maximum climbing speed, but there are few 3D analyses to show how the climber moves using that pattern. The purpose of this study was to perform a 3D analysis and compare the movement between the classic start and Tomoa skip during the starting phase of fifteen-meter speed climb. One Thai national rock climber was chosen to climb at an indoor speed climbing competition. Eight high-speed cameras were placed in front of and next to the rock wall. Fourteen retroreflective markers were placed on both sides of upper and lower extremities, spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra, and center of harness. The climber was allowed to climb as fast as he could using 2 starting patterns, i.e., the classic start and Tomoa skip. The movement of the climber during the starting phase, especially from the 3rd to the 5th hand hold, was analyzed. The obtained results showed that the Tomoa skip starting pattern had shorter distance than the classic start; therefore, this pattern required less time but higher speed than the other pattern. In the Tomoa skip pattern, the climber moved by leaping from the 3rd to the 5th hand hold using the right leg to kick the hold vertically simultaneously with the right hand catching the 5th hand hold. On the other hand, in the classic start, the climber tilted the body to catch the 4th hand hold and then tilted back to the 5th hand hold. Therefore, using the Tomoa skip, the climber moves shorter distance at higher speed than in the classic start when moving in the vertically direction. Thus, the Tomoa skip start is the better pattern of starting than the classic start because it minimizes lateral displacement and leads to shorter distance and higher speed.