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LovelyLouie
Apr 10, 2013, 11:11 PM
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Registered: Apr 10, 2013
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Hello, I am a little more than beginner boulder/climber and have the ideal area to learn, train and grow in. What I find to be places I want to improve are actually trusting my body to accomplish the tasks needed to effectively finish every problem or route. Right now I do fine with small boulder problems with good, but uninteresting holds and very easy routes. The plus side of me includes: very physically strong, great set of people to learn from, ideal outdoor area and love of the journey of learning this sport. The down side of me: fear of falling, starting out at 45lbs overweight according to most tables and frustration with feeling like I need to get to as good as everyone else quickly. Oh yeah, VERY large breasts and being 5'3" doesn't really help with balance. What I want to ask is how best to move past fear and distrust of my ability? And How best to lose the weight in an endurance and muscle healthy way? Thanks for the love.
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kiwiprincess
Apr 11, 2013, 12:18 AM
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Registered: Oct 26, 2007
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All body shapes can climb, the more you do it the more you'll learn your balance, and strengths. Find your own way and holds rather than follow those of a different build climbers. Falling (and the fear of it) also becomes easier with familiarity. Milage should sort you out.
For me I climb against the rock not others. I want that climb, Or To have the courage to try it. Some people are better at different styles, More althletic, More dedicated to the sport so will be better but if you are Improving, having fun, Learning, Exploring Enjoy that.
Fear- I try to think that if I commit I WILL do it (mostly it works and then if it dosn't the fall is over quick as the anticipation is the worst part)
I find climbing is good for muscle but to loose weight I have to run or do something to burn calories.I don't diet but healthy food choices are important ( sushi instead of McD's at the mall) but you need to fuel the machine too. I usually find cutting empty calories like Alcohol, Soft drinks, and Sweets will do the trick if you're active. (I live in denial and pretend Pinot Noir has no calories ;)
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rightarmbad
Apr 11, 2013, 1:34 PM
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Registered: Mar 22, 2005
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Until the climbing is overhanging, the absolute weight of a climber is far more important than the power to weight ratio, as most of your weight will be supported by your foot holds.
Being that short, you are not heavy in absolute terms, learn to trust your feet.
I don't think your boobs will really play a part, being female, your inherent flexibility through your hips will play to your advantage anyway, learn to make use of it.
I suggest some slab climbing that emphasis's your footwork to let you find out the magic of what one of the girls I climb with calls 'blutac shoes'.
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lena_chita
Moderator
Apr 11, 2013, 3:18 PM
Post #4 of 8
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Registered: Jun 27, 2006
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You are asking a lot of questions in one post!
How "not-new" are you? How long have you been climbing, and how frequently? what's your definition of "easy" routes/bouldering problems?
Amorphous terms like these make any concrete suggestions hard.
But in general, you "learn to trust your body to accomplish the tasks needed" by practicing. Over and over. I admit that the way you put it sounds a bit strange to me. I don't think of climbing in terms of "trusting my body to accomplish things" as if it were an independent entity that does things on it's own. There is a lot of thinking and analyzing that goes into climbing, too.
But ultimately, it comes back to practice. You trust that small foothold, because you have used small footholds like this before, and you know that you can stand on it. Maybe this one is just a tiny bit smaller than what you have used before, maybe the position is just a tiny bit more awkward, maybe you never had to twist in quite the same way before, but you are still building on your previous experience. And the way you get the experience -- by doing!
You don't know what your limits are, unless you push against them. So if you can do the easy route, try the one slightly harder. Identify the moves that make it harder for you. Keep track of whether the same type of moves is always the one to stop you --that would be something to work on.
Watch what other people do on these routes in spots that give you trouble, especially if you can watch someone shorter, like you. Ask more experienced people to watch you climb, they might be able to see some things that are not obvious to you.
But don't compare yourself to others. If you think you are not getting good as quickly as person A, I can guarantee that there is a person B somewhere who is getting stronger much faster than that person A, and person A. And there is also probably a person C, who might be looking at YOU and thinking, I wish I could do what she can.
Weight loss is really not climbing-specific question, but it has been asked on these forums many times before do a search to read up on it, but really, there is no magic. You need to take in less calories than you burn, you need to get adequate amount of protein so your muscles can recover and adapt to the new demands you are putting on them, you need a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats in reasonable amounts... you have heard it all before, I am sure.
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LovelyLouie
Apr 12, 2013, 9:28 PM
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Registered: Apr 10, 2013
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Thank you for the reply. I was just thinking after reading yours that I have never reached out in this way before, so I wasn't sure how to proceed. Anyways, I think all of the replies were very helpful and I do know all of these things, I just think I was looking for support from more experienced climbers. |
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LovelyLouie
Apr 12, 2013, 9:31 PM
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Registered: Apr 10, 2013
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Thank you, the hip flexibility is a plus. I have however really noticed the boobs playing a part, but am learning around them. I'll just keep going out and getting better :)
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LovelyLouie
Apr 12, 2013, 9:40 PM
Post #7 of 8
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Registered: Apr 10, 2013
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I've been climbing for about 6 months this time around. I had previously started getting into when I was about 18 (I'm 30 now) however I fell out of it quickly due to a relationship issue. But I get to go out at least 3 times a week and I don't really know ratings or anything, but I have been attempting progressively harder things. When I say "trusting my body..." I mean, trusting that I am physically capable of using it, but mentally I get that fluttery, nervous "can I really do this" feeling. I know my body can do it, but my brain second guesses my ability. I'm not really competing with others, I just want to be able to keep up with them when we are out so they don't get bored trying to find stuff I can do. I am working on weight loss through running and diet and just being active in general. I'll try to be more focused and specific in question asking in the future. Thanks for the replies :)
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lena_chita
Moderator
Apr 15, 2013, 6:50 PM
Post #8 of 8
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Registered: Jun 27, 2006
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LovelyLouie wrote: I've been climbing for about 6 months this time around. I had previously started getting into when I was about 18 (I'm 30 now) however I fell out of it quickly due to a relationship issue. But I get to go out at least 3 times a week and I don't really know ratings or anything, but I have been attempting progressively harder things. When I say "trusting my body..." I mean, trusting that I am physically capable of using it, but mentally I get that fluttery, nervous "can I really do this" feeling. I know my body can do it, but my brain second guesses my ability. I'm not really competing with others, I just want to be able to keep up with them when we are out so they don't get bored trying to find stuff I can do. I am working on weight loss through running and diet and just being active in general. I'll try to be more focused and specific in question asking in the future. Thanks for the replies :)
6 months is still very new.
Think back to the time when you had only 6 months of driving experience under your belt. just 6 months after you got your learner's permit. Remember how hard it was to look over your shoulder at the merging traffic, while accelerating to match the highway traffic speed, while keeping the car on that curving ramp? Now you probably do it without breaking up conversation with your passengers, but when you were a rookie driver it took a lot of concentration and it was kind of scary, maybe, if there was heavy traffic?
Were you thinking, back then, "I have to learn to trust my body to do this", or were you thinking "I have to focus and concentrate and pay attention"?
This is no different for climbing. After 6 months skills haven't become automatic, and since climbing requires a lot more varied movement than driving, it won't become intuitive and automatic for many many years.
If you are nervous, ask yourself what the consequences of failing are, and if it looks reasonably safe, then try it anyway.
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