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<p>Crack climbing is very different from other kinds of climbing,
and usually more demanding! Most outdoor crack climbing involves <a
href="7.shtml#9">placing traditional pro</a>, which further
complicates it. </p>

<p>There are different uses of the hands on different width
cracks. For finger cracks, which are cracks one can only fit
their finger into, the finger jam is used. The finger jam is
performed either thumbs up, or thumbs down. Thumbs up doesn't
allow as much camming action as thumbs down does, but the
shoulder rotates farther with the thumbs up.</p>
<div align="center"><center>

<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3">
    <tr>
        <td valign="top"><div align="center"><center><table
        border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100">
            <tr>
                <td><a
                href="../../media/images/general/full/andy%20using%20a%20thumbs%20down%20finger%20jam%201.JPG"><img
                src="../../media/images/general/thumb/andy%20using%20a%20thumbs%20down%20finger%20jam%201.JPG"
                alt="Thumbs down finger jam" border="0"
                width="100" height="150"></a></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><font size="2">A thumbs down finger jam.</font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
        </center></div></td>
        <td valign="top"><div align="center"><center><table
        border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100">
            <tr>
                <td><a
                href="../../media/images/general/full/andy%20using%20a%20thumbs%20up%20and%20down%20combination%20on%20a%20finger%20crack.JPG"><img
                src="../../media/images/general/thumb/andy%20using%20a%20thumbs%20up%20and%20down%20combination%20on%20a%20finger%20crack.JPG"
                alt="Thumbs up and down finger jam" border="0"
                width="150" height="100"></a></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><font size="2">A thumbs down <em>and</em> up
                finger jam.</font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
        </center></div></td>
    </tr>
</table>
</center></div>

<p>A finger crack will only take the tips of your shoes, and can
really do some damage. There isn't much technique to small crack
footwork - just jam the tips of your shoes in and push up!</p>

<p>In wider cracks, a hand jam is used. Press the fingers against
one side of the crack, and the top of the hand against the other.
It is much like cupping the hand. The wider the crack, the more
cupped the hand should be.</p>
<div align="center"><center>

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="150">
    <tr>
        <td><a
        href="../../media/images/general/full/ben%20using%20a%20wide%20hand%20jam%20on%205.5%20crack%201.JPG"><img
        src="../../media/images/general/thumb/ben%20using%20a%20wide%20hand%20jam%20on%205.5%20crack%201.JPG"
        alt="Wide hand jam" border="0" width="150" height="100"></a></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td><font size="2">A wide hand jam.</font></td>
    </tr>
</table>
</center></div>

<p>For a hand crack, foot placement is a little easier - you can
usually get about half of your shoe in. Insert your foot
sideways, with the ankle facing up, and push up.</p>
<div align="center"><center>

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100">
    <tr>
        <td><img
        src="../../media/images/general/thumb/andy%20using%20a%20toe%20jam%201.JPG"
        width="100" height="150"></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td><font size="2">Working the foot in.</font></td>
    </tr>
</table>
</center></div>

<p>Cracks that are too wide for a hand jam need a fist jam. Since
it is hard the change the size of a clenched fist, the size range
for fist cracks is very small. The cracks that you can fit your
fists into are sure ascents - fist jams are very secure. If you
encounter a crack that is too large for one fist, you can use a
hand-fist jam. Make a fist with one hand, then wrap your other
hand on one side of the fist.</p>

<p>Cracks that are larger than a hand-fist jam are called
off-widths. Usually a climber can fit a half of their body into
an off-width. Arms and hands work together in an off-width to
performthe chicken-wing. Make what seems like a chicken wing to
you, then instead of sticking the hand in the armpit, the hand
would go on the outside edge of the crack.</p>

<p>An armbar is done by pressing the upper arm against one side
of the crack, and the hand against the other side.</p>
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