[Closed] Any rock climbers in the house?

I'll say this before anybody else. You'll be hearing it quite a bit:

"It's all about the feet". 🙂

Really? I'm quite close to my feet and they tend to do what I ask of them. Should I expect them to start misbehaving?

Once you are comfortable tying in and belaying, get outside.

You may find that you love indoor climbing too, but make the most of the good weather while you can and get in as much nice, sunny, dry rock as you can. That said, I climb rock routes all year round, but the good days are fewer outside of summer.

You'll love it. best tip - if someone shouts "below" when you're belaying, don't look up.

Also, I agree with DD. I read somewhere that good climbers look at their feet 70% of the time (or something like that). As a novice you'll find that you spend most the time using your hands, which is inefficient and very tiring

if someone shouts "below" when you're belaying, don't look up.

That's the equivalent of crossing a fairway and having someone shout "Fore"?

I've recently started bouldering. Really enjoying it. Initially I started indoors at my local climbing centre which was great, the first time I Ventured outdoors was a shock though. Suddenly fear was something else to deal with when I realised the great outdoors could actually hurt me unlike the safe indoor environment.

But it's great fun. Building finger strength has been the biggest help for me as has investing in a couple of crash mats. Have fun.

That's the equivalent of crossing a fairway and having someone shout "Fore"?

Aye 🙂

It's less of an issue on rock routes, but in winter, when you've been freezing your backside off for 45 mins at a belay and you're drifting off into a nice, relaxing hypothermic sleep, the call of "below" as the leader knocks of a massive deluge of ice can trigger funny reactions, like staring right at it as it smacks you in the face 😳

Yep me. Great fun give it a whirl, what you got to lose? It's taken me all over the place and has challenged me in ways I could never have imagined. Currently enduring not being on my annual chamonix trip. 🙁

the first time I Ventured outdoors was a shock though

Yep, that's what I'm thinking. Whilst I don't have a fear of heights, I can't say I'm entirely comfortable with the thought of clinging to a rock face even just 50ft up 😯 Just have to crack on with it I guess?

Even outside there is a very different feel from one type of rock to another. If you visit the Peak District, bolted limestone routes will be an easier transition from indoor climbing, whereas the gritstone edges might freak you out a bit with their lack of protection on even quite easy routes. Find someone who knows you and knows the area and enjoy it.

[b]Building finger strength has been the biggest help for me[/b] as has investing in a couple of crash mats. Have fun.

Am looking to improve core and general arm/upper body strength as a result. My mate has a hardcore martial arts background and has kept his physique ever since. Ba5tard!

I started a year ago and love it. You'll eventually find a style which compliments your strengths and weaknesses, but never stop trying things you're poor at as you'll become better all round climber.

I've never got into bouldering, altho I can see the addiction of setting and unlocking difficult little puzzles.
I much prefer a good multi pitch mountaineering day out with all the paraphernalia, usually tweeds, alpenstock, a champagne picnic and a Berliner gramophone.

Am looking to improve core and general arm/upper body strength as a result

Yeah, I'm no expert by any means but improving overall fitness/strength and stamina are all going to be beneficial. I actually invested in one of these:

http://www.tauntonleisure.com/beastmaker-2000-series-fingerboard/p8064?source=froogle&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=comparison_shopping_feeds&utm_nooverride=1&gclid=CLqjqOyQ-rgCFWOWtAodchgAaQ

expensive but better than using the loft hatch, and has unquestionably improved my finger strength. Although the key is slowly slowly with building finger strength. All you are doing is strengthening the ligaments which takes time and you can easily get it wrong if you go over board.

"Really? I'm quite close to my feet and they tend to do what I ask of them. Should I expect them to start misbehaving?"

Yes, we used to call it disco leg, you'll know when it happens. It looks funny when it happens to others but not on yourself when there a bit of a run out to the last runner.

On the "It's all about the feet" thing...

I expect you'll be starting off on indoor routes to get used to belaying, tieing double figure of eights (you should be able to do this with your eyes closed really), etc etc. You'll haul yourself up climbs by reaching up with your hands first then pulling yourself up, all Sylvester Stallone, like. Don't sweat it, this is all a natural reaction when you're first faced with climbing a wall...and the reasons you're doing it are part of the fun in the first place. If you think about how you'd climb a ladder - you always take a step up with your feet before going up with your hands - because your body knows it can push a lot more weight with its legs than it can pull up with its hands. Once you start getting the hang of this, you'll fly through the easy grades and your arms won't feel like concrete when you get lowered down.

On a safety note, whoever's showing you how to belay should tell you to double check both your knot and his/hers before you start climbing. DO NOT be embarrassed to do this - an experienced safe climber should be more than happy for you to double check all knots (and the route through the harness loops). It's easy to become blasé about this as you get more experienced (guilty your honour) - and you want to find out there's a problem before you start.

Enjoy it though. It's bloody brilliant fun. I really need to get back on a wall. 🙁

You'll also forget your left from right whilst half way up a climb - hence the common shout of "no, your other left!"

Do not worry about finger strength if you are just starting, you are more likley to injure yourself than get any benefit.

Just climb lots and watch others (especially women), you can do lots of hard stuff whilst not being especially strong. And just by climbing you will improve your contact strength, core etc anyway.

Peak limestone is somewhere I would avoid if starting out, even if it is more akin to indoor climbing, it just isn't very good at the easier end of the scale. The gritstone is far better and although different to indoor climbing imo has far greater satisfaction and better views!

Avoid climbing with a loved one if possible 🙂

On a 35m pitch on a remote route in torridon last week, I found myself about 20m away from the belay, my last bit of gear at about 10m and suddenly faced with an almost featureless run out, with the "obvious" crack which promised good gear from below actually offering nothing by panic and concern. Nothing would go in before I needed to commit to the last section.

Disco leg started, big time. My girlfriend and belayer noticed and offered some haunting words of encouragement:

"oh my god, I can't watch, you're miles above gear, oh god, I think you'll hit the deck if you fall from there"

I think my response was short and to the point, followed by me running out the last part of the route (which was, mercifully, much easier than it looked).

ahhhhh, you can't beat it 🙂

I used to love spending weekends in the Peaks at Froggat, Stanage or Millstone - lovely locations and loads of options...

On a 35m pitch on a remote route in torridon last week, I found myself about 20m away from the belay, my last bit of gear at about 10m and suddenly faced with an almost featureless run out, with the "obvious" crack which promised good gear from below actually offering nothing by panic and concern. Nothing would go in before I needed to commit to the last section.

The guidebook will have said something subtle like "a bold little route" which translates as 'there is absolutely no gear on this route what so ever and you can't reverse the second move'....

The feet thing is correct, but think about your hips as well, by moving them closer to the wall you get your weight over your feet and off your arms. Amazingly this also works when it gets steep i.e overhanging.

The guidebook will have said something subtle like "a bold little route" which translates as 'there is absolutely no gear on this route what so ever and you can't reverse the second move

hahah! yes! I think it actually said "exciting", which ought to have been a dead give away!

When belaying someone who's having a bit of a hard time, it's customary to sing 'Send In The Clowns' in a rich baritone.
If you don't know all the words, just baa like a sheep until the leader falls off.

Bit strange, I know, but it's just part of the rich tradition of British Climbing, along with driving an unroadworthy vehicle, a drug/alcohol problem or eating disorder and the inability to hold down a proper job.

Guidebooks have some excellent descriptions. 'Interesting' generally means make sure it isn't your lead!

pulling yourself up, all Sylvester Stallone, like

[cheeky] I have a pair of stickies (sz 9/10), a screwgate and a belay device for sale cheap, save you hiring them every time[/cheeky]

On a 35m pitch on a remote route in torridon last week, I found myself about 20m away from the belay, my last bit of gear at about 10m and suddenly faced with an almost featureless run out, with the "obvious" crack which promised good gear from below actually offering nothing by panic and concern. Nothing would go in before I needed to commit to the last section.

I have no idea what you're talking about 😯 Can only assume you couldn't find any holds near the top?

I have no idea what you're talking about Can only assume you couldn't find any holds near the top?

Ideally, you'd want good hand/foot holds AND good gear (protection) on a route.

If you are missing one, then you tend to hope that the other is really good.

i.e. easy climbing but poor protection if you fall, or hard climbing but really well protected if you fall.

If you're high up and find yourself in the situation where you have neither...as Rusty said...Send in the Clowns 🙂

The feet thing is correct, but think about your hips as well, by moving them closer to the wall you get your weight over your feet and off your arms. Amazingly this also works when it gets steep i.e overhanging.

+1

The hips and legs make all the difference. Also soft feet is a great piece of advice i received. Practice gently placing your feet for each move rather than stamping your way up. You shouldn't hear any noise as you're going.

Also don't think it's a competition aside from with yourself. Learn to enjoy watching some withered broken in half old man or woman absolutely boss what you were struggling to do five minutes earlier

Leading low to mid grade outdoor trad routes is very much a head game and technique game rather than having too much to do with specific strength if you're coming from a relatively active background (eg.from biking). Though flexibility might be an issue.

Aim to get in lots of mileage on relatively easy routes and get used to exposure and how your slightly tired body and mind behaves with n metres of space beneath your feet. When you find yourself in such a position, relax your grip, drop your heels and look around. You're still enjoying this, right? Good. Climbing may well be for you. Stay safe, watch your feet, check your knots and tie-ins, belay well.

don't be the 2nd on Scoop Wall at Stoney Mid or anything on Plum Buttress Cheedale till you can prusic or jumar like the devil.

Some good tips guys, even the ones I don't yet understand 😀

Hopefully having first session next week. Apparently the Peaks is now on the radar for Sep/Oct! If so, I'll be sure to bring my bike 😀

Good advice about hips, feet, fear, fingers and loved ones 🙂

Climbing subculture is such a rich territory. Try to read a bit that gives a historical, personal perspective on the places you climb but don't be a prisoner to tradition.

When training on a climbing wall/on top rope, try exaggerating certain movements. Sometimes it'll feel wrong but you'll often discover the "sweet spot" and sometimes a "wrong" movement is what it takes to unlock a problem. As "pedestrians" we're often just not aware of the range of movement our bodies are capable of. That's why dance, gymnastics and martial arts can be such good cross-training

Train lots on the wall between now and September, then get on the gritstone and forget everything you learned about reaching and pulling on nicely sculpted holds, it'll be very little use to you 🙂

great advice about feet 🙂

also don't be a climbing wall snob, they are great places. Outside is different, it's a bit like trail centre vs mountain both are good in their own way.

When training on a climbing wall/on top rope

Enjoy the weather while it lasts and prepare to use your knees when you get outside.

Climbing is ace 😀

Terrible picture of me at Llanberis Quarry on Sunday.

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Plus it takes you to some pretty ace spots 😀

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I generally find climbing walls are good for watching other climbers and seeing how they solve problems or routes.
One thing i've found is that it's better to watch the skinny dude with dirty hair, fingers stained from a thousand rollies and a thousand yard stare from too much 'herbal inspiration' rather than the muscled up dude with his shirt off trying to cliffhanger his way up the competition wall who's a little bit too pumped up to be enjoying themselves.
One should show you decent technique, the other keeps my girlfriend distracted before it's her turn to climb and just piss up the wall without thinking about it and making everyone else look shite*
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*not bitter or anything

What mikewsmith says about walls +1

Indoor and outdoor are different but both good. I always found indoors that I could try moves on eg. overhangs, difficult grades that I'd never try outdoors as despite thinking I'd be ok, I have sometimes found the exposure to limit my abilities to easier stuff and the "what if the belayer isn't paying attention" nagging doubts to have got to me. Indoor climbing is fantastic exercise and shouldn't be thought of as training alone.

I watched a little guy at the wall a little while ago trying a v5 or 6 problem with what looked like an over ambitious heel-hook-for-the-sake-of-it. He fell of it a couple of times, then got up it.

I said to him that it hadn't really looked the best way forward, but fair play to him, he made it stick. He turned round and told me in the most enthusiatic and friendly way, why the shape of the problem meant it was the best way for him. While the penny dropped that it was Johnny Dawes.

'Yeah, looked a bit over-indulgent, but well done!' 🙄 🙂

While the penny dropped that it was Johnny Dawes

😆

Climbers have their own language, (redpointing, flashing, onsighting etc) and a bewildering number of grading systems.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ is a good forum

Hah! Giving Johnny Dawes tips! Excellent

I've returned to climbing after dabbling years ago and love it. I mainly boulder at the moment, but prefer route climbing.

I'm stuck on a bit of a plateau at the moment though, which is frustrating.

Shouldn't be foremost in your mind when starting out but climbimg has a complex code of ethics that covers the type and validity of any ascent.

To use a biking parallel: It shows a higher level of ability to do a technical section first go (the onsight in climbingspeak) but getting a techy section after sessioning it can also be super satisfying (worked or redpointed).

The good news is that biking and climbing complement each other very well in terms of locations and suitable weather.

If someone says you climb like a girl, this is a compliment of the highest order!

I notice nobody has ventured to offer a précis of the UK climbing grades... and I'll not be breaking cover!

Ethics, Ooo, now yer talking 😀

Climbing walls are ace but any fule kno that the only real climbing is trad leading and soloing. Everything else is just playing at it. 😉

Ignore all the advice about feet fingers and hips, its your head that counts

Ignore all the advice about feet fingers and hips, its your head that counts

+1

I can climb 6a with a wee bit of style indoors, with a raging hangover and after an argument with my belayer.

But give me a long mountain vdiff, with a 2 hour walk in to get me anxious/excited, a bit of loose rock at the awkward start and before you know it, I'm shaking like a wee lamb, fumbling around trying to get a massive nut in so that I can fudge the next easy move, all the while trying not to think about the mess I'd make if I fell from my current position and how long it would take MRT to get to me 🙂

I'm currently teaching minivader (who is 5) to climb and he is loving it. ... gets his first taste of real rock in the peaks in a couple of weeks, really can't wait as have also got his first harness too. I've also realised just how much I've missed climbing and am learning alot again by teaching. Climb as much as you can on any surface natural and artificial.. like cycling, you may be on the road bike, pub bike or mountain bike, its all good

I used to climb regularly but much less so in the last couple of years. I got sick of the mind games and fear. Like going out biking for a few hours where you are repeatedly faced by your nemesis jump or drop.

Climbing walls are ace but any fule kno that the only real climbing is Yorkshire grit

FTFY 😉

This idea that women generally have better technique than men is cobblers. Different cllimbers find different ways of solving a problem based on their individual strengths and weaknesses and the one that works for you is the right one whether its a delicate smear or cutting loose and campussing.

Watch good climbers regardless of sex then see how (if!) what they do can be applied to your practice.

Having climbed a fair bit and done my share of new routing on Yorkshire Grit and Limestone its fair to say that no matter what style you have or sex you are when it starts heading into the 7a / 7b territory there is usually only one way to get up the route.

There will always be scope for different climbers approaching things differently.

On Dura Dura, one of the hardest sport climbs in the world, Adam Ondra got round a section one way, that didn't work for Chris Sharma, he had to go about it in a different way.

Hence the reason I put Usually, always one odd person out there 🙂

Edit oh and one noisy bstard

But give me a long mountain vdiff, with a 2 hour walk in to get me anxious/excited, a bit of loose rock at the awkward start and before you know it, I'm shaking like a wee lamb, fumbling around trying to get a massive nut in so that I can fudge the next easy move, all the while trying not to think about the mess I'd make if I fell from my current position and how long it would take MRT to get to me

I watched our village duck race with Ron Fawcett does that count?

Yes, yes it does if you are very old you must be in the village where I live but dont remember any duck races back then or Ron doing anything but climbing.

Edit:- and thats what gets you good climbing all weathers out doors.

I remember when Ron were just a lad and bathed wearing rubber gloves so 'is 'ands didn't go soft.

He was interloper from a village up the valley.

Spin - Member

This idea that women generally have better technique than men is cobblers. Different cllimbers find different ways of solving a problem based on their individual strengths and weaknesses and the one that works for you is the right one whether its a delicate smear or cutting loose and campussing.

Watch good climbers regardless of sex then see how (if!) what they do can be applied to your practice.

wouldn't disagree with the 2nd part but as women are generally shorter than men and usually have less power (but stronger cores and better flexibility) so they tend to resort to technique rather than strength to solve sequences and good women climbers are well worth watching for more than one reason - and there is a tendency for guys to work on upper body strength when hit a plateau or want to improve when working on technique would probably help more

I started climbing at the end of last year after moving to Scotland and being unable to face cycling in the cold/wet. Did my first trad lead climb this evening :). Only advice is not to be too enthusiastic and trying to do too much/too often, you'll probably injure yourself. Oh, and don't mention bolting outdoor routes, unless you want to start the climbing equivalent of the cycle helmet debate.

Nedrapier, reminds me of the time up at Stainburn that I 'advised' Josh Bryceland to warm up on the Red loop first...

Looking forward to trying Rokt in Brighouse this winter, much safer than climbing with my Bro in law, B.A.Nana, his climbing partners all end up injured!

Daftvader, Sandwich junior entered club folklore after his first day out where we shared lead duties on Stanage. He was about 12 or 13 and had been going well on mods and diffs at the popular end and I thought we'd do something a bit more challenging too finish with a flourish. I made the first couple of moves and got some good gear in. Setting off from the big ledge I hear "do i take in or let out now?"
My response was to reverse the moves and pack up for the day, all our mates stood around laughing like fiends. 🙂

much safer than climbing with my Bro in law, B.A.Nana, his climbing partners all end up injured!

Sandwich. . 😆 minivader weighs about 11st less than me so no belaying for him yet! I am going to start on yarncliff as its nice and enclosed and lots of stuff for him to look at (we like bugs in our house!!) Whilst I'm climbing. And maybe another crag on the second day....

Im off for a go at the indoor climbing walls and bouldering for the first time this evening. Should be interesting as I've never really climbed anything except a bit of scrambling up Tryfan once in the pouring rain and shinning up lamp posts when I was a kid.

In that case, don't ever try winter/ice climbing

Much too late 😆

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Final pitch of Smoking the White Owl. We were last team on, topped out in the dark and 60mph winds. Couldn't see my hands in front of my face on the way out, ended up following the World Cup downhill track just to get back to the car park. I need to wear laminated pants for winter stuff.

Chapeau Sir

More excellent posts, cheers guys. Plenty of stuff to take on-board so all I can do for now is give the indoor stuff a go and see where it takes me.

Re the Peaks, my mate said Stanage is one of the places he and another mate have done and will return to. Sounds like Castleton might be a base for later this year? If we do end up going then I'll stick up another post asking if anyone's up for some riding too.

see where it takes me

Good stuff!

I think climbing's very similar to mountain biking, in terms of the different disciplines and the different ways different types of people get their jollies from being on two wheels/pulling on rock (or plastic/wood/buildings/etriers/icetools)

For some poeple it's a bit of fun now and again, for others it's everything.

Huge opportunities for personal fulfilment on every scale in every direction, mental, physical and cultural.

Enjoy!

Also, a very sociable activity and if you venture outside the climbing wall, some of the most fantastic views and situations.
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Where abouts are you climbing spacemonkey? I've started to use reading climbing center, as it was too far to go to Guildfords craggy island every week, and as indoor ply walls go its pretty good( plus membership is for life and several other walls in the country)

I like the big mountain easy route style stuff, you don't need to be a gymnast, can wear walking boots and still get some (easy) climbing in. Plus the views are great...

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8454697032/ ]AMPHITHEATRE BUTTRESS[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Where abouts are you climbing spacemonkey? I've started to use reading climbing center, as it was too far to go to Guildfords craggy island every week

Craggy Island at both Guildford and Slutton I believe. Will be 2 weeks before I can start going though 🙁 Looking forward to it. Should be more than enough to give me a taste!

I climb at craggy. The grading tends to be a bit harder than some places, does mean you can annoy people by saying 'oh, you climb a *Reading* 6a'.

(They'll then ask you what you've done on grit 😉 )

Craggy is good. Nice top rope climbs and some good leads too. Route setting is fairly regularly done too... [i]used[/i] to lead a craggy 6c 😉 cant remember what I used to lead on grit around the hvs 4a/5a according to the froggat guide.... now I'll be lucky to top rope a 6+!!! Really need to find someone to climb with regularly again.

Sandwich Juniors first lead at 10 was Nursery Slope (M) at Froggatt at the grand age of 10. I belayed and a mate in big boots followed alongside to check gear etc. Now that was a grand day out for a dad! I had a bit of a quivery lip as I shook his hand after I had topped out.

I'm just getting back into climbing after a few years' break. Planning to do at least one evening at Craggy Guildford or Sutton (I'm in Dorking) as well as a weekend session. Used to lead HVS/E1 on grit, Pembroke, etc but mainly climbed on Southern sandstone. I'm looking for people to climb with so let me know if anyone's interested.