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nikilee93
Feb 29, 2012, 3:37 AM
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I have been interested in rock climbing for a while now but have been really nervous to because I am overweight. I am 5'7 and weigh 217 pounds. I have been wanting to lose weight and I figured this might just be a good time to start climbing.
would there be any troubles with me climbing? Would the gear be able to hold me(I am afraid of ropes breaking and such)? Is it common for people overweight to climb? Any tips for a person who wants to begin climbing in washington state?
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TarHeelEMT
Feb 29, 2012, 4:58 AM
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There would be no particular safety concerns. I weigh 210.
You don't see tons of overweight folks out climbing, but I do see heavier folks out at the crag every now and then. Get out there and start climbing.
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FriscoWilderness
Feb 29, 2012, 5:20 AM
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nikilee,
I agree with the get out and climb, however
I started climbing at 250+, now 180 and stronger climber for not waiting, like any other new endeavor, get familar with the equipment and gear used in climbing so that you can eliminate the un needed fears of equipment breaking and such, you dont need that running through your head when you do start climbing. Take it slow in the beginning to prevent injury and find where your particular center of balance is.
6' 210 is not exactly the same as 5'7 217, but it is like Nike says, Just Do It.
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Idako
Feb 29, 2012, 2:06 PM
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6'1", currently 230 started @ around 250. It can be hard, you'll see people crush routes that are challenging to you in the beginning simply from being at a disadvantage to start. In time though as long as you are also dropping some of the weight on the way you'l start to notice major improvements.
One suggestion is to, at least in the beginning, steer away from overhangs (30/45 degree). Until all your tendons / ligaments etc catch up you can put a lot of strain on them if you're supporting all your weight on a tenuous grip. My 2c.
Also pick up Self Coached Climber and try to do some of the suggested exercises, improving your technique early in the game will help overcome or at least mitigate some of the issues weight brings to the table.
Just take it slow, expect to repeat a lot of lower grade routes as you build up the strength / endurance.
Also in most cases you'll want your belayer anchored :)
my 2c
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blueeyedclimber
Feb 29, 2012, 2:24 PM
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I will echo the statements of getting out and doing it, but would suggest you add in cardio to your exercise (if you are not already). Both for Health reasons and for weight loss which will help your climbing.
Good Luck.
Josh
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FriscoWilderness
Feb 29, 2012, 2:25 PM
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Idako,
Good advice, put you should reply to the OP so that they can get the message.
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healyje
Feb 29, 2012, 2:41 PM
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Definitely check it out, but realistically at 5'7, you want to be down around 170 or under for the long run so as not to be tearing up all your joints. I'd second the cardio suggestion and say walking / running, biking, swimming would all be good calls for a mainstay exercise for now.
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jolery
Feb 29, 2012, 4:16 PM
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nikilee93 wrote: I have been interested in rock climbing for a while now but have been really nervous to because I am overweight. I am 5'7 and weigh 217 pounds. I have been wanting to lose weight and I figured this might just be a good time to start climbing. would there be any troubles with me climbing? Would the gear be able to hold me(I am afraid of ropes breaking and such)? Is it common for people overweight to climb? Any tips for a person who wants to begin climbing in washington state?
Go for it. Gear will be fine. Take precautions for having belayer and climber of significantly different weights - anchor the belayer etc. Also if you are using a standard ATC or equivalent some skinny ropes can be a bitch to lower heavier folk on.
One of my climbing partners from years past was about your size. He worked hard and was leading routes at a respectable level.
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dindolino32
Feb 29, 2012, 4:45 PM
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I couldn't find any info on where you live, but gear is fine. The problem that I usually see at gyms is that everything is so overhung that all the weight is on your arms. If you can get outside you will get a better full body workout. Also you can do longer durations of climbing instead of 30-40 of overhung climbing. Some of my best climbing days and workouts have been on climbs where I hike in a few miles, climb a easier multipitch route, and hike back. If you had the knowledge base then you would be in high heaven. The problem is that as a newbie, going back country is not such a good idea. But this can be a goal to give you motivation while making it past the initial aggravation at the gym. Lastly, ASK people at the gym for advice on how to train, or at least read a book like "training for climbing" so you can actually get better instead of showing up at the gym and getting pumped on 2 routes, then leaving. That way takes a LONG time to get any improvement.
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adelphos
Feb 29, 2012, 6:02 PM
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The gear will be fine and as others have mentioned, you'll be okay too.
Start by taking a class or two at local gyms. Edgeworks in Tacoma is a nice spot as it is a little smaller, the staff is great and there is a good variety in the pitch of the walls.
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jorgegonzalez
Feb 29, 2012, 10:05 PM
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I'm old and heavy, but I have good footwork. My favorite climbs are slabs and cracks, not so much faces and overhangs. Having good technique makes all the difference in the world. Keep at it and you'll lose weight, if not from climbing, at least from hiking to the base of the climbs.
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sungam
Mar 1, 2012, 9:08 AM
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Tubby pale climbers of the world, UNITE!
The gear will be perfectly fine for people of your weight and people much, much heavier.
If you are climbing in Washingtno I reccomend checking out Leavenworth. The climbing up iceicle canyon road is rad. Mostly bouldering, but really good features and moves on pleasant and solid granite.
Edit to add: Lose weight, though. Your climbing will benefit greatly. Both in performance and in the lower chance of finger injury.
(This post was edited by sungam on Mar 1, 2012, 9:14 AM)
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overlord
Mar 1, 2012, 9:24 AM
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just go out and do it. the thing about climbing is, there is something for everyone. you probably wont be able to climb the hardest routes, but that doesnt mean you cannot enjoy yourself. and dont worry about the gear. it is designed to hold a car hihihi 
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Rmsyll2
Mar 2, 2012, 3:04 AM
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http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107136725
One photo of a sort of climbing that is particularly suited to heavier people, whose greater weight increases friction on their feet.
But at 217 at 5'7" you have a BMI of 34 and are obese, with at least a decade devoted to burying yourself in blubber. Somewhere inside of what you have learned to believe is you, is a skeleton that is the beginning of what you really are. You've already distorted it and damaged all the supportive joints and stressed all the organs. Until you stop outright lying to yourself, as you have the same years invested in, you will still not know what the real you could do.
Climbing itself is just exercise, and cannot itself cause you to lose that much useless and harmful bulk. Climbing could be a measure and a cause for losing weight, which will take years and more self-control than you have ever exercised in that way. Bicycling would imo be better for losing weight, or swimming laps. I think you are still lying to yourself, the same way you got so fat, to imagine pulling all that flab up a cliff. Yes, there are people who are climbing despite some excess, but not climbing as they could if they were only what they truly are instead of all that blob.
There, sir, is a gauntlet. If you can bend enough to pick it up, and still stand up, maybe, just maybe....
.
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Greggle
Mar 2, 2012, 8:29 AM
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Rmsyll2 wrote: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107136725 One photo of a sort of climbing that is particularly suited to heavier people, whose greater weight increases friction on their feet. But at 217 at 5'7" you have a BMI of 34 and are obese, with at least a decade devoted to burying yourself in blubber. Somewhere inside of what you have learned to believe is you, is a skeleton that is the beginning of what you really are. You've already distorted it and damaged all the supportive joints and stressed all the organs. Until you stop outright lying to yourself, as you have the same years invested in, you will still not know what the real you could do. Climbing itself is just exercise, and cannot itself cause you to lose that much useless and harmful bulk. Climbing could be a measure and a cause for losing weight, which will take years and more self-control than you have ever exercised in that way. Bicycling would imo be better for losing weight, or swimming laps. I think you are still lying to yourself, the same way you got so fat, to imagine pulling all that flab up a cliff. Yes, there are people who are climbing despite some excess, but not climbing as they could if they were only what they truly are instead of all that blob. There, sir, is a gauntlet. If you can bend enough to pick it up, and still stand up, maybe, just maybe.... .
You're such a fucking twat. Kindly shut the fuck up...
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saint_john
Mar 2, 2012, 1:04 PM
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sungam wrote: Tubby pale climbers of the world, UNITE! [image]http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/2808_10100128212602731_2041672_56313578_5638429_n.jpg[/image] The gear will be perfectly fine for people of your weight and people much, much heavier. If you are climbing in Washingtno I reccomend checking out Leavenworth. The climbing up iceicle canyon road is rad. Mostly bouldering, but really good features and moves on pleasant and solid granite. Edit to add: Lose weight, though. Your climbing will benefit greatly. Both in performance and in the lower chance of finger injury.
Only in the world of climbing would those dudes be considered "tubby".
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donwanadi
Mar 2, 2012, 3:20 PM
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Rmsyll2 wrote: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107136725 One photo of a sort of climbing that is particularly suited to heavier people, whose greater weight increases friction on their feet. But at 217 at 5'7" you have a BMI of 34 and are obese, with at least a decade devoted to burying yourself in blubber. Somewhere inside of what you have learned to believe is you, is a skeleton that is the beginning of what you really are. You've already distorted it and damaged all the supportive joints and stressed all the organs. Until you stop outright lying to yourself, as you have the same years invested in, you will still not know what the real you could do. Climbing itself is just exercise, and cannot itself cause you to lose that much useless and harmful bulk. Climbing could be a measure and a cause for losing weight, which will take years and more self-control than you have ever exercised in that way. Bicycling would imo be better for losing weight, or swimming laps. I think you are still lying to yourself, the same way you got so fat, to imagine pulling all that flab up a cliff. Yes, there are people who are climbing despite some excess, but not climbing as they could if they were only what they truly are instead of all that blob. There, sir, is a gauntlet. If you can bend enough to pick it up, and still stand up, maybe, just maybe.... .
It takes at least a decade to acquire your level of douchbaggery.
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bearbreeder
Mar 2, 2012, 3:42 PM
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aha !!! the top rope expert strikes again 
as to the OP ... just start climbing ... try to avoid overhangs, focus on yr feet
any exercise is better than none ... i know plenty of people who have lost weight climbing ... just dont expect instant gains like most americans ... even when i was overweight and doing intense MMA 5 days a week with a diet ... it took 6 months before i saw real weight loss
it takes months-years to make up for a lifetime of neglect ...
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gblauer
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Mar 2, 2012, 5:00 PM
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Be aware of not over stressing your fingers/tendons/ligaments. You can do some serious damage. Work on big juggy climbs until you lose some weight and develop some technique.
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sungam
Mar 2, 2012, 5:37 PM
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saint_john wrote: sungam wrote: Tubby pale climbers of the world, UNITE! [image]http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/2808_10100128212602731_2041672_56313578_5638429_n.jpg[/image] The gear will be perfectly fine for people of your weight and people much, much heavier. If you are climbing in Washingtno I reccomend checking out Leavenworth. The climbing up iceicle canyon road is rad. Mostly bouldering, but really good features and moves on pleasant and solid granite. Edit to add: Lose weight, though. Your climbing will benefit greatly. Both in performance and in the lower chance of finger injury. Only in the world of climbing would those dudes be considered "tubby".
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saint_john
Mar 2, 2012, 5:40 PM
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sungam wrote: saint_john wrote: sungam wrote: Tubby pale climbers of the world, UNITE! [image]http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/2808_10100128212602731_2041672_56313578_5638429_n.jpg[/image] The gear will be perfectly fine for people of your weight and people much, much heavier. If you are climbing in Washingtno I reccomend checking out Leavenworth. The climbing up iceicle canyon road is rad. Mostly bouldering, but really good features and moves on pleasant and solid granite. Edit to add: Lose weight, though. Your climbing will benefit greatly. Both in performance and in the lower chance of finger injury. Only in the world of climbing would those dudes be considered "tubby". ? [image]http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/4168_1152425963580_1015563931_30449305_6002822_n.jpg[/image]
Yes! It does.
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chadnsc
Mar 2, 2012, 8:25 PM
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Rmsyll2 wrote: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107136725 One photo of a sort of climbing that is particularly suited to heavier people, whose greater weight increases friction on their feet. But at 217 at 5'7" you have a BMI of 34 and are obese, with at least a decade devoted to burying yourself in blubber. Somewhere inside of what you have learned to believe is you, is a skeleton that is the beginning of what you really are. You've already distorted it and damaged all the supportive joints and stressed all the organs. Until you stop outright lying to yourself, as you have the same years invested in, you will still not know what the real you could do. Climbing itself is just exercise, and cannot itself cause you to lose that much useless and harmful bulk. Climbing could be a measure and a cause for losing weight, which will take years and more self-control than you have ever exercised in that way. Bicycling would imo be better for losing weight, or swimming laps. I think you are still lying to yourself, the same way you got so fat, to imagine pulling all that flab up a cliff. Yes, there are people who are climbing despite some excess, but not climbing as they could if they were only what they truly are instead of all that blob. There, sir, is a gauntlet. If you can bend enough to pick it up, and still stand up, maybe, just maybe.... .
You are an idiot. Not to mention a a self hating fatty.
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csproul
Mar 2, 2012, 9:31 PM
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Rmsyll2 wrote: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107136725 One photo of a sort of climbing that is particularly suited to heavier people, whose greater weight increases friction on their feet. But at 217 at 5'7" you have a BMI of 34 and are obese, with at least a decade devoted to burying yourself in blubber. Somewhere inside of what you have learned to believe is you, is a skeleton that is the beginning of what you really are. You've already distorted it and damaged all the supportive joints and stressed all the organs. Until you stop outright lying to yourself, as you have the same years invested in, you will still not know what the real you could do. Climbing itself is just exercise, and cannot itself cause you to lose that much useless and harmful bulk. Climbing could be a measure and a cause for losing weight, which will take years and more self-control than you have ever exercised in that way. Bicycling would imo be better for losing weight, or swimming laps. I think you are still lying to yourself, the same way you got so fat, to imagine pulling all that flab up a cliff. Yes, there are people who are climbing despite some excess, but not climbing as they could if they were only what they truly are instead of all that blob. There, sir, is a gauntlet. If you can bend enough to pick it up, and still stand up, maybe, just maybe.... .
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cracklover
Mar 2, 2012, 9:46 PM
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chadnsc wrote: Rmsyll2 wrote: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107136725 One photo of a sort of climbing that is particularly suited to heavier people, whose greater weight increases friction on their feet. But at 217 at 5'7" you have a BMI of 34 and are obese, with at least a decade devoted to burying yourself in blubber. Somewhere inside of what you have learned to believe is you, is a skeleton that is the beginning of what you really are. You've already distorted it and damaged all the supportive joints and stressed all the organs. Until you stop outright lying to yourself, as you have the same years invested in, you will still not know what the real you could do. Climbing itself is just exercise, and cannot itself cause you to lose that much useless and harmful bulk. Climbing could be a measure and a cause for losing weight, which will take years and more self-control than you have ever exercised in that way. Bicycling would imo be better for losing weight, or swimming laps. I think you are still lying to yourself, the same way you got so fat, to imagine pulling all that flab up a cliff. Yes, there are people who are climbing despite some excess, but not climbing as they could if they were only what they truly are instead of all that blob. There, sir, is a gauntlet. If you can bend enough to pick it up, and still stand up, maybe, just maybe.... . You are an idiot. Not to mention a a self hating fatty.
Out of curiosity - Rmsyll2 - is this you?
GO
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nikilee93
Mar 2, 2012, 11:14 PM
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Okay, for one. how am i lying to myself? I know I am bigger or as you say "buried in blubber" and I am working out to lose the weight and eating healthier. Two why would you say anything or reply to this post if you were just going to be an ass...
Its people like you that make me want to climb just so i can prove that i can do it...
so why don't you go crawl back in the cave you came from and stay there...
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