How to:

Smearing is a technique used to gain friction on the wall, where there are no obvious footholds available.

To smear, place your foot against the wall, with your toes pointing forward, and your heels pointing out. Your knee should be bent directly over the toe. This way, the force is applied directly to the point of contact.

If the knee is pushed too far forward, the friction is lost, and the foot slides down. If the knee is pushed too far back, and the heel is dropped too far, then again, the friction is lost, and the foot slides down.

When smearing, people have a tendency to try and smear too high. Smearing higher means that your bum sticks out more, and your centre of gravity is no longer on your feet. Focus on getting as much rubber as you can from the front part of your boot in contact with the wall.