|
acrophobic
Jul 19, 2002, 2:14 PM
Post #1 of 5
(4094 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 8, 2002
Posts: 368
|
Anyone have tips and such for lead belay? not sure if there is a tip thread for this out there already. I've only done it about ttwice before, and looking to brush up before I have my refresher course.
Like what rules you follow with slack, hand's, communication, etc?
how about lead climbing? what kind of clipping do you do.. is there such a thing as clipping in "wrong"? I know about z-clipping and such.. but how about hand positions, like gun-clipping and such.
thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
jt512
Jul 19, 2002, 3:53 PM
Post #2 of 5
(4093 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 12, 2001
Posts: 21904
|
Both of these topics have been discussed extensively recently. Look thru the forums. Also, when you have more than one question, you should post them as separate topics; otherwise the thread becomes a mess.
-Jay
|
|
|
|
|
acrophobic
Jul 19, 2002, 4:09 PM
Post #3 of 5
(4093 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 8, 2002
Posts: 368
|
find me links board slave!
|
|
|
|
|
timpanogos
Jul 28, 2002, 5:46 AM
Post #4 of 5
(4093 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 17, 2002
Posts: 935
|
Think Muscle Memory!
For what it’s worth - the following is useful for me as I belay a lead - especially when I cannot see them.
This is a right-handed belay example:
I hold both hands on the rope on the break side of the belay device. My right hand is in a hard breaking position by my right hip, with my left hand stacked right on top of it - hold the rope tight. I leave about a 6" loop coming out of my hands arching into the belay device in a manner that the loop feeds very very easily.
If my lead falls - I have both hands on the break - held tight, in a hard break position with only the 6" loop of slack.
Watching the 6" loop, you can see the leads upward movement and feed the rope to maintain the 6" loop. You will also get the feel of the speed/timing of a pull to the teeth, then pull for full length to clip. You will also know to watch for this as upward movement pauses for a little longer time than normal (in which case - a: they are at a nasty spot, scoping for a new move - be ready for a fall - or b: they are placing gear - be ready to feed the needed clip).
To feed for the clip, I slide my right hand -over the rope - down and behind me all the way - still tight gripping the left hand at the hip position. Then I bring both hands straight up above the belay device and let the lead pull my hands to the device (letting the left hand slide up to the right hand, which remains tightly gripped. Then quickly moving to the hard locked position - both hands to right hip - and repeating this full arm length feed cycle one more time. - then taking up the slack as you see/feel the rope drop back down after the clip.
Bottom line, even for TR belay - I prefer to always maintain the break side of the rope in a hard break position - always - except to feed rope quickly for a clip.
Muscle Memory? - sounds dumb but I learned this playing guitar – repetition of body/muscle movements becomes much faster and automatic (brain processing not needed to direct muscles, body just naturally and rapidly responds). Super fast guitar solos – only happen one way – same positions, same movements over and over – no thinking, just automatic.
Sooo when that unexpected fall happens – 1: you are already in the breaking position – 2: if you were not in the breaking position (feeding rope, fidgeting with gear with one hand – or whatever) your automatic response will drive your muscle and body position to a hard break with out thinking about it.
i.e. don’t get use to the stupid top rope technique of bringing the break hand/rope up to and parallel with, the load side every time you have pulled in an armful of slack – get used to bringing the load side (slack pulling hand) down to the break hand to do the hand cross over - once again, with a hard break position always active.
|
|
|
|
|
stevematthys
Jul 31, 2002, 1:49 AM
Post #5 of 5
(4093 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 13, 2000
Posts: 1248
|
dont drop the leader
|
|
|
|
|
|
