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cireyelneh
Feb 8, 2002, 1:18 AM
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Well...I have seriously got the bug for climbing and wanted to start a topic here for those experienced and willing to throw in some wisdom.
What would be the top five things you would tell someone new to the climbing world that really wanted to take it to the top of the rock!?! Not just safety but technique, pointers, thoughts, advice, whatever really...just make it your top five list! Thanks!
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climberchic
Feb 8, 2002, 1:26 AM
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Vis a vi High Fidelity...I get it.
1. Don't give up. You will get better.
2. Work your way up slowly otherwise you might injure yourself
3. Be humble. Nobody likes an arrogant gumby and you'll never learn anything.
4. Be safe! Check and triple check! This is no game (as fun as it is) and people, including yourself and your partner, can get killed
5. Respect the environment and the land you tread on. Your (not actually YOU darlin' careless litter or spinouts in the mud can shut down access to climbing areas
[ This Message was edited by: climberchic on 2002-02-07 17:32 ]
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beta
Feb 8, 2002, 1:31 AM
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1. Get Instruction from someone experienced.
2. Get more instruction from someone even more experienced.
3. Practice EVERYTHING, doubling back your buckle, tying in, belaying, (CONCENTRATE, ask questions, here and elsewhere, soak up the info).
4. Stand on your feet, don't try to pull yourself up a route.
5. Rest, Analylze, but most of all, HAVE FUN.
Just my .02 Cents, There are some great people here who will give you even better advice.
beta
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miagi
Feb 8, 2002, 4:10 AM
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1. Safety and instruction...practice it over and over and make sure you double check everything. Afterall your life is the most important
2. Work your way up. Increase your degree of difficulty as you improve. Your first times out will be hard cause your hands are smooth as a baby's butt. After a few times out they will get calised (sp?) and it wont hurt as much.
3. Exercise and stretch. Climbing is very physically demanding. You have to be strong yet flexible. Work outside of the climbing aspect and have some type of fitness routine.
4. Work with others. If you have someone experienced, they will be the best learning tool you will ever have.
5. Just have a good time. Climbing is supposed to be fun. Enjoy it and dont get upset if you fail.
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zlipper
Feb 8, 2002, 2:04 PM
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finish your climb.. your friends wont let you down
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litedawg
Feb 8, 2002, 2:06 PM
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1: Don't get caught up in comparing yourself to anyone/everyone else. Climb for you.
2: Saftey, Safety Safety. Learn the basics of tying in, anchor setting, belaying, etc. from someone who knows; i.e a class taught by a professional. Just because your buddy has been climbing for a couple of years doesn't mean they do everything correctly. Its just your life, and the ground is really hard.
3: Legs, its all about the legs, climb with your legs, hands are for balance.
4: Have fun.
5: Visit Rockclimbing.com often.
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rigel
Feb 8, 2002, 3:49 PM
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everyone covered the advice i would give save one thing...if you want to get better you have to push yourself sometimes and that means "if you're not falling, your not climbing hard enough"
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mikedano
Feb 8, 2002, 4:16 PM
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I would agree with all of that above, especially the have fun part, and I would add that you should buy a book. It's always nice to have some kind of reference for knots you're trying to learn or something you're not clear on. I would suggest Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills or one of the learning to rock climb books (don't know all the titles...)
And don't be afraid to ask questions. Some people will be a-holes about it, but others will give you really good advice.
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climberchic
Feb 8, 2002, 6:42 PM
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definitely buy F.O.T.H. (it is widely known as the climber's bible).
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blessard
Feb 8, 2002, 8:02 PM
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Great Question and great replies!!!
I believe in getting instruction from qualified or accredited guides! When you're just starting out, it's hard to know that the instruction you're getting is the best approach or even really safe!! Some people learn stuff on their own and, even though they may have been climbing for years, they may have been doing it wrong for years! I've take a couple classes from Vertical Adventures in California, including one with Peter Croft. They are the best!!
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c-horse
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Feb 8, 2002, 8:54 PM
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1. Watch people. Both for beta on a particular route, and for technique. When you see something neat, ask them to explain it to you - I just learned figure-four that way.
2. Climb with your legs. The wall is just a funky ladder - and you don't pull yourself up a ladder. Even when you're doing stuff on the roof, climb with your legs. To practice, climb around on a slab with no-hands - only use your feet.
3. Downclimb everything you upclimb. It helps build core-strength and technique, and makes your feet better. You also discover better ways to make the moves by trying to unmake them.
4. Climb with fun, positive, supporting people that you like - they will push you, but not too hard. And who cares how well you climb, if you hate it while you're doing it - enjoy the people you climb with.
5. Static climbing. When you're learning - don't let dynamic moves (or dynos!) be your solution to problems. It will slow the rate at which you improve. Do dynamic stuff after you've improved. Practice hunting for the "static way" on the move that "has to be dyno" - you'll be glad you did later. Make it a challenge - "oh, that's easy dynamic - try it static". A technique to remind yourself is to tap each hold before you grab it - conciously delaying the grabbing of the hold. Also helps with balance and core strength.
hth
C
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climberchic
Feb 10, 2002, 3:05 AM
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All great advice.
C-horse- great suggestion on the downclimbs. I remember when I started sownclimbing my problems and was shocked at my lack of ability. For a while, I would climb anything harder than I could downclimb which really built up my strength.
A+ on the positive people vibe to!
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cireyelneh
Feb 10, 2002, 8:13 PM
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You Guys Are Great! Thanks for the info and all that you have said...Keep it coming...I'm just an anxious newbie with a bug to climb and I'm soaking in all the info I can get like a sponge.
They say the best way to learn something new is to find the best and imitate them and learn from them...then to make it your own and create your personal style from that... I hope to continue learning from all of you as a collective and appreciate your wisdom and passion for climbing...
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galt
Feb 10, 2002, 9:19 PM
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1) Safty Safty SAFTY! You can have all the talent in the world, but if you blow through learning how to climb safe then one day you will fall... hard. Get an experienced climber to show you the ropes (oh come on that was funny).
2) Trust your equipment. Don't start second guessing your equipment when you are climbing. Trust it and climb on.
3) Look good at what you do. Climb for yourself. Let's face it, you will never climb a 5.14. No matter how hard you climb there will always be one person on top. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT! Climb for yourself. So you didn't make a 5.11, well 2 months ago you couldn't make a 5.10. Climb against yourself. That’s why I leave my ego in the car.
4) Climb often. The more you climb the better you get, simple as that.
5) HAVE FUN! (If you need my advice here then get off the rock.)
GLUCK, and HAVE FUN!
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rrrADAM
Feb 10, 2002, 10:42 PM
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1. Safety (double check)
2. Use your feet (90% feet / 10% hands)
3. Keep your hips close to the wall (more feet)
4. Hang straight armed (conserves energy)
5. Watch experienced climbers who make it look easy (you'll learn the tricks of efficient climbing)
rrrADAM
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cireyelneh
Feb 14, 2002, 5:26 AM
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So...Feet....Safety....Watch the experienced and do what they do...practice, practice, practice...anything else?
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catga86
Feb 14, 2002, 5:55 PM
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Don't give up. I am still learning that lesson.
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cireyelneh
Feb 15, 2002, 4:11 AM
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Triumph is just "umph" added to try!
I don't give up...The last wall I climbed I must have fallen 8-10 times in the same spot and felt as if all my strength was gone but some how someway I made it past that point...to the top...Never give up!...
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leadingedge
Feb 16, 2002, 3:16 PM
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1. Be safe
2. Commitment
3. Attitude
4. Skill
5. Knowledge
6. Most of all have fun.
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gekolimit
Feb 17, 2002, 6:18 AM
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Check Check Check.....IT freaks me out when newbies are careless...aaaah
Check your nots, check your harness buckles, Check your anchor....
Check eachothers...If someone dies when i'm looking, oh my God, i'll feel guilty for the rest of my life.
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cireyelneh
Feb 18, 2002, 5:08 AM
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Good call on that Geckolimit....We shouldn't let pride get in the way of our safety or lives for that matter...
[ This Message was edited by: cireyelneh on 2002-02-17 21:08 ]
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upfreak
Feb 24, 2002, 9:52 PM
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1. Climb safely (You can never be TOO safe)
2. Climb with fun (It helps)
3. Climb with friends (They help)
4. Climb witha positve and humble attitude (Helps with gaining respect even if you can't pull off a seriously f**k move... or at least I THINK that is.)
5. Climb to the top (Such a great feeling)
***6. JUST CLIMB
(Ghee should have just gone straight to the point huh?)
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caveclimber
Mar 4, 2002, 2:28 PM
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1. Size up you route.
2. Check your straps and buckles SAFTEY.
3. Find a partner just a little better than you so you can push each other.
4. Respect the enviroment and the rock you climb on. You are not superman.
5. Have Funnnnnnn!!!!!!
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radistrad
Mar 4, 2002, 3:08 PM
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I've been climbing for over 9 years. When I first started to climb I could do one one arm pullup. I could dyno to any hold, but all of that did not get me where I wanted to go. Now I can do only three pullups (well maybe 5) but I onsighted Short Circuit (a 5.11d top rope crack in yosemite) the other day.
I feel that my little home wall helped me the most, what I learned from the 10 foot wall was to use my feet.
Top 5 things.
1. Work on using your feet, concentrate on each foot placement watch the hold until your foot is on it and keep the foot there w/o moving it (when pratical). Taking several "baby" steps is far better than one high step. Stand up on the foot hold, straighten the legs.
2. When you get a hand hold try and keep it as long as possible, hold it from above the head until its at chest or waist level, this will help build important muscles and skills.
3. Do the same routes over and over, you will be able to develop the foot work on familiar ground far easier than on new stuff. also working routes will give you the needed vertical footage to build skills and muscles.
4. Dont let any one be-little you, you are on your own pace, I always hated those guys who have the "gumby" comments. They suck and forget that they were gumbys once.
5. In the end its all about having a good time. I've seen people get pissed off because that could not make that 5.10, they hit the rock (the rock always wins), swear, rant and rave. I feel that is a poor attitude. Like most things in life if you approach it with a good attitude you will do well.
6. Like the others I will mention safety! Question anything that you are not sure of, ask lots of questions, read all you can and post on the forums.
7. Once again I will stress the foot work! Use your feet, watch every foot hold until your foot is on it and straighten the legs on each foot hold. A baby step will get you into that hand hold that is just out of reach.
Climb on.
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arrowhead
Mar 5, 2002, 8:08 AM
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1.) learn to balance on your toes. as you progress up the grades, footholds get smaller and balance is of utmost importance.
2.) use your legs. a lot of beginners pull and balance themselves with their arms, rather than using the legs to support their movements.
3.) if ure stuck on a particular route, keep working at it. dont give up. and if it reaches a point where the route presents more of a mental block than anything else, attempt it with a friend who can complete the route. that way, you wont feel that it's an impossible route; just that you arent trying hard enough.
4.) when taking rest breaks along a climb, either support yourself on your legs, or if that is not possible, straighten your arms so that you are using your bones to support your weight.
5.) check out the forums at rockclimbing.com
rock on.
-a-
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