Why Do I Keep Swinging Off the Wall?

Ever start a layback and immediately feel like a revolving door? Yeah. Same. Here’s what’s happening: you grab that sidepull, maybe even match hands like a pro—thumb up, thumb down—but the second you weight it? Boom. You’re swinging out like the wall told you to get lost. It’s called “barn-dooring,” and it’s brutal. What causes it? Balance collapse. When your hands and feet are stacked in a straight vertical line on a sidepull, there’s nothing countering the rotational force. Your body pivots open. You’re not weak—you’re just missing leverage. The fix? Straighten up. Literally. Extend your arms and legs. It slows the rotation and pulls your center of gravity further from the wall, which increases friction and gives you control. Stop fighting the wall. Learn to lean with it. Let’s all retire from being automatic doors. Deal? #Sport #Climbing #ClimbingTechnique