Mechanical Advantage

Mechanical advantage systems use a block and tackle pulley arrangement to allow for rope ascents at a fraction of body weight. The climber progresses up the rope by performing pull-ups and can stop and rest at any point due to the built-in progress capture mechanism. The nature of mechanical advantage allows the climber to ascend the rope while pulling only a fraction of their body weight. These systems can help climbers progress their strength by lowering the mechanical advantage over time from a 4:1 to a 3:1 to a 2:1 and eventually to a 1:1 system where the climber pulls 100% of their body weight. Once a person has progressed to this point they may increase the difficulty even more by climbing the wall itself.