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calfcramp
Jun 12, 2003, 6:33 PM
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What's the deal with sloped holds? I'm talking gym here....
They're such a bitch to latch onto. I watched RAMPAGE and they look like thye're holding onto vitrually nothing.
there are some routes at my gym wherer I can do the moves above and below the damn slopers, but I'm f'd if I can use the sloped ones effectively.
How to cope?
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rob
Jun 12, 2003, 7:08 PM
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short answer? You're not strong enough.
Longer Answer: It takes more time to build contact strength than grip strength, keep working the slopers and eventually you'll be able to stick them.
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czarcastic
Jun 12, 2003, 7:13 PM
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I used to hate slopers, but then I had to re-hab from a bad tendon injury, so I couldn't crimp for a long time. Now I love slopers and don't love the crimps as much. :)
Climb every route or problem and no matter what the hold, use only an open-handed grip. If you get frustrated with the route because you know you could just crimp down and send it, then do the route in that style, get it out of your system, then work on it with the open-hand grip. Before long you will have much improved open hand strength.
What also helps on climbing slopers is to imagine a plumb line extending straight down from the middle of the sloper. If your body is aligned that way, you will have maximum pull on the given sloper. Of course its harder to hold on as you move up on the hold, because then the force is pulling out as well as down, but this technique may help you get through some moves.
Too bad Climbxmedia isn't still around because Steven Jeffries gave some wonderful tips and demonstrations in the Pro Tips area on the site.
Hope that helps, I won't go into Contact Strength at this point as I'm sure many others will have helpful advice.
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rodeomountain
Jun 12, 2003, 7:27 PM
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The hardest thing for me is to remember not to try to latch on to them or try to hold them. It's more like you need to rest on them.
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vertical_reality
Jun 12, 2003, 7:31 PM
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The guys on Rampage have been doing it since before they became teenagers, when you've climbed that long you'll be able to do it too.
Just practice and it'll happen.
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stewbabby
Jun 12, 2003, 8:12 PM
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Come to HP40 and boulder. You will have to stick the slopers to climb there.
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mwbtle
Jun 12, 2003, 8:20 PM
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One thing to think about...if you slip, kind of try to jump your hand back on top of the sloper. sometimes that gives you just enough time to make another move. Thats the only way I have been able to use really slopey holds, just by jumping my hand back up every time it starts to slip...well, that and moving FAST past the sloper.
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overlord
Jun 12, 2003, 9:09 PM
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two words: body tension.
youll find that sometimes just hanging from slopers isnt enough, you have to position your body as much under the hold as possible to make it more positice. so you have to be rigid as a plank.
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keinangst
Jun 13, 2003, 1:47 AM
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It goes a little bit like this:
1. Slap on it really hard. That helps to establish a solid contact. Don't tickle the slopers like a high-school girlfriend, slap 'em like a cheating wife!
2. Tighten your fingertips down and focus on getting all of your contact into your tips.
3. Peel off the hold, then look down at the bloody, disgusting, chalk and dirt-encrusted flapper on your hand.
4. Suck it up, tape it up, and repeat hundreds of times over several months...
You get the idea :D
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ajkclay
Jun 13, 2003, 2:45 AM
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Try to think about your body position, and which way gravity is pulling you with regards to the hold.
Then try to change that pull by getting under the hold more, thereby changing the direction of gravity's pull so that it is going more through the hold, and away from the edge.
You can make really blank looking holds seem very positive that way.
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calfcramp
Jun 13, 2003, 4:20 PM
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In reply to: It goes a little bit like this: 1. Slap on it really hard. That helps to establish a solid contact. Don't tickle the slopers like a high-school girlfriend, slap 'em like a cheating wife! 2. Tighten your fingertips down and focus on getting all of your contact into your tips. 3. Peel off the hold, then look down at the bloody, disgusting, chalk and dirt-encrusted flapper on your hand. 4. Suck it up, tape it up, and repeat hundreds of times over several months... You get the idea :D
Heh heh... cheating wife...
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psych
Jun 13, 2003, 5:23 PM
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Be subtle...no fast jerky movements once you've got some skin on a sloper, smooth and good body tension and it'll come.
I've grown to think that sloper training is better than crimper training, when it comes to outside climbs. At least around here, the harder routes (ok, subjectively speaking...above 5.10a) are going to have some crimpers, sure, but the rest of the holds are sloped, or simply slippery from chalk and calcium buildup (or birdpoo, whatever that white stuff is, I don't ask...). If you can develope all the tiny muscles needed to use these holds properly you're better setup for harder lines.
Viva la sloper!
Mike...
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marks
Jun 14, 2003, 8:03 AM
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i love slopers.feel the hold gentley theres always a ripple or something to concentrate on.
most importantly get as much skin as poss on the hold.
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thinksinpictures
Sep 10, 2003, 2:30 AM
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Con-tact strength:
n.
1. a term used by climbers to describe a combination of friction and magic.
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gravitysucks
Sep 10, 2003, 3:41 AM
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In reply to: Con-tact strength: n. 1. a term used by climbers to describe a combination of friction and magic.
thanks...that was the laugh i'd been waiting all day for :lol:
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phugganut
Sep 10, 2003, 5:18 AM
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In reply to: ...Don't tickle the slopers like a high-school girlfriend, slap 'em like a cheating wife!...
He he he. Classic!
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norushnomore
Sep 20, 2003, 12:02 PM
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My favorite sloper at a gym has been one that looks like a pair of tits :oops:
Easy if placed upside down but just super hard with the tits pointing down.
You would think one should have enough practice from day to day life to handle this hold no problem but nah, my wife did way better then me :?:
So much for the real life practice.
Slapping it twice a week now, should be good in a couple more weeks
G
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herm
Sep 20, 2003, 5:11 PM
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Slopers won't tweak your tendons the way other holds will, but you have to learn to hang low on them. It is easier to hang low under a sloper than it is to pull up on it. Think straight arms and body tension.
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overlord
Sep 21, 2003, 10:27 AM
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i love slopers.
you have to move fluidly, be confident and have LOTS of strenght. and they dont wreck your tendons... if you fall off maybe you peel a little skin, but theres no "pop" sound.
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