Understanding movement in climbing
ClimbSnap is a tool designed to observe movement in climbing from video, drawing inspiration from biomechanics and motor control.
The goal is not to judge performance, but to make certain aspects of movement easier to observe, compare, and reflect on.
Two climbers can climb the same problem and succeed at the same grade.
Yet their movement can feel very different: one may move smoothly and continuously, while the other hesitates, stops, or constantly readjusts.
Today, we have very few ways to describe or compare these differences.
ClimbSnap attempts to bring attention to them, and to give climbers a way to observe how their movement evolves over time.
How it is used
In practice, ClimbSnap remains simple.
- You film an attempt.
- You upload the video.
- The system analyzes the movement and returns structured feedback.
Over time, this makes it possible to compare attempts and sessions, and to notice changes that are often difficult to perceive otherwise.
The problem
Grades describe difficulty, not how movement was executed.
Beyond success or failure, climbers have very few tools to observe how their movement actually evolves. Subtle changes in rhythm, hesitation, or control often go unnoticed, even though they strongly influence how a climb feels and unfolds.
Over time, this lack of feedback can lead to plateaus. Climbers continue training and repeating attempts, without clearly understanding what should change in their movement to progress.
How it works
ClimbSnap is based on a simple idea: complex movement can be observed through a small number of stable signals.
From a video, the system extracts information about body motion, filters out noise, and looks at how movement unfolds over time.
Rather than focusing on isolated positions, the analysis focuses on rhythm, continuity, and the overall structure of movement.
What is observed
The analysis looks at different aspects of movement.
Rhythm
Rhythm reflects how movement alternates between motion and pauses.
Timing across an attempt.
Fluidity
Fluidity relates to how smooth or abrupt the movement is.
Continuity of motion.
Efficiency
Efficiency describes how directly the body moves through space.
Path through space.
These dimensions are not meant to label or rank a climber.
They aim to describe tendencies that climbers already feel on the wall, but rarely have the tools to observe clearly.
Looking ahead
Now
Today- A first tool to analyze climbing movement from video.
- Emphasis on global movement quality.
Next
Next- Refining feedback.
- Clearer comparisons across sessions.
- Deeper understanding of recurring movement patterns.
Future
Later- Integrate information about hands and feet.
- Explore learning algorithms that identify difficulty or limits to progression.
These steps are approached progressively, with an emphasis on transparency and interpretability.
For whom
ClimbSnap is intended for anyone interested in understanding movement in climbing.
- Climbers - reflect on their progression.
- Route setters - observe how a problem is actually climbed.
- Coaches and practitioners - additional, objective points of reference.
More generally, it is for anyone curious about how movement works on the wall.