Learn the vertical walk.
You all know how to walk on the ground. Your body balances perfectly between one step and the next, but transfer this to the vertical wall and a lot of this logic is forgotten.
Most of us can balance on one foot on the ground. However, take this to the vertical and all of a sudden we are wobbling all over the place. Why? Because we are focussing on what we are holding on to. Overgripping until our forearms explode! (Or thinking that the handhold is too small). Look to your feet! Is your weight over your toes?
By keeping your weight (i.e. hips – centre of gravity) over your point of contact with the wall (toes), it will take most of the weight off your hands. Use this point of contact as if it were the floor. When walking, would you stick your butt out 30cm behind you? No… (hopefully). So don’t do it climbing. Bring your weight in balanced over your toes. If you have two feet on the wall, balance between both of them. When you are on steep overhanging walls it is the same principal. It’s just that gravity feels like it is pulling a little harder! Bring your hips in close to the wall, use your feet to evenly distribute whatever weight you can get on them.
While this all sounds easy in theory, practise it and see how you go. If you are uncomfortably positioned, 80% of the time it is because your feet and weight are in the wrong place. So, take your focus off that exceptionally small handhold, relax your grip and stand on your feet. Walk up that wall!