Shake It Out: Rests Mid-Traverse

Students learn to rest without leaving the wall: straight arm, hips close and the free hand hanging and shaking. It lets them stretch out their traverses and understand pacing.

How to play

1. What a rest looks like: straight arm, solid feet, hips close to the wall and the free hand hanging and shaking (3 min).
2. Practice the rest on one section: 10 seconds on each hand, twice (4 min).
3. Long there-and-back traverse with at least two rests each student chooses (6 min).
4. Group challenge: each student adds up the sections they cover without stepping down; the group tries to beat its own total (5 min).
5. Group talk: where you rested best and which position helped (2 min).

Rules

• Feet below the marked height.
• During a rest, one hand always holds on.
• If the other hand slips, step down.
• Count your own distance; no comparing with others.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: from a wheelchair, hold a low rung with one hand, practice letting go and shaking the other, then switch.
• Hand injury: rests holding only with the healthy hand and keeps the group's count.
• Students with less strength: short traverse and as many rests as they want.

Learning goals

• Recover on the wall without stepping down.
• Find low-effort positions.
• Pace strength over a long traverse.

Equipment for a class of 25

• wall bars: 8
• mats: 12

Teacher tip

Do the demo yourself or have an experienced climber do it. Common mistake: shaking the hand above the shoulder; it has to hang down so the blood comes back.

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