Scenarios Read
Misread sequence: reverse or commit
You arrive with the wrong hand on a hold. Reverse a move, commit to an awkward cross, or hang there and work it out?
1 min read
3 sections
1 interactive
Play it
Read the situation, pick a choice, and watch the forearm gauge and the clock. Then try the other choices.
What to take away
Decide quickly. Reversing one move early is cheap; committing can work but awkward positions cost grip; hanging while you think drains both arms. Reading the route before you start makes this rarer.
Model assumptions
- The route is a 40-hold diagram; the climber's position, forearm oxygen and clock are illustrations, not measurements.
- Forearm changes follow the rules of the forearm model, with the 47 s refill half-time measured in intermediate adult climbers (Fryer et al. 2015).
- Falls and top-outs are chosen to show the typical consequence of each choice. Real outcomes depend on the climber, the route and luck.
- Each reason is labelled: measured (from a cited study), coaching practice (common advice without a study), or model (this site's simplification).