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Snowbat
Sep 23, 2013, 1:22 PM
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Registered: Oct 5, 2012
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Hey Guys,
I started climbing about a year ago and it went well. But now, I've been stuck at 5b-5c for months (that's 5.9-5.10 for our American fellow climbers). It feels like I'm on a "plateau" when it comes to climbing skills.
I have to say, I used to climb only once a week. It's only recently that we bumped it to twice.
is it normal to reach a plateau at some point? And do I simply have to continue climbing to get over it?
I think I still fail to use proper technique. Lastly, I saw a 10 year old climb a 6c and you could clearly see how he went through fluently.
My climbing friend, who is more experienced than me, jokingly said the kid climbs like a monkey (fluently, twisting his body like he should) while I climb too much like a leopard (using primarily arms and legs and too "rigidly").
I guess the only way to improve this, is to climb MOAR right?
(This post was edited by Snowbat on Sep 23, 2013, 1:24 PM)
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granite_grrl
Sep 23, 2013, 2:19 PM
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Registered: Oct 25, 2002
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I think a lot of people get stuck in the 5.10 range for a while. I remember sitting there and how long it took me to get out of it.
Yes, you need to climb more, but you need to concentrait on the right things with your miliage. One thing that helps a termendious amounts is to get out with different people, especially if they climb a lot harder than you. That will help push you out of your rut, help you on getting on more difficult routes and hopefully they are smart enough climbers to help you with your technique.
Also, get on a lot of varied terrain. Not just different stone, but a lot of different styles. Steep climbing in particular seems to be an issue for people in at your climbing range. There's a techniques required that you need to spend time learning.
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Syd
Sep 24, 2013, 12:00 AM
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Registered: Oct 25, 2012
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Snowbat,
Do you have any physical limitations, ie oveweight, weak etc ?
Do you have any psychological limitations ie fear ?
Have you been taught technique, or do you just go for it ?
Have you trained on a hangboard at home ?
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madam
Sep 24, 2013, 7:20 AM
Post #4 of 8
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Registered: Apr 14, 2004
Posts: 95
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Hi Snowbat,
I would second what granite_grrl said and add another tip how to improve your technique:
Try to climb one route or long long boulder several times repeatedly. Once your body starts to know the route and its movements it will slowly start to accommodate to it and change the movements to be more efficient. Obviously you can try to help it and try different solutions to particular movements and check out which is the most efficient.
Generally saying bouldering is also a good "technique helper", since you focus on small amount of movements you try to solve as efficiently as possible...
adam
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Snowbat
Sep 24, 2013, 7:59 AM
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Syd wrote: Snowbat, Do you have any physical limitations, ie oveweight, weak etc ? Do you have any psychological limitations ie fear ? Have you been taught technique, or do you just go for it ? Have you trained on a hangboard at home ?
I'm about 180lbs, 15% bodyfat and 6'3" tall so I think I'm more or less average. Being tall even gives the advantage that I can grab holds that are out of reach for others.
I'm not scared. I was at the beginning but once you get used to falling a couple of times, it's not a problem any more.
I was never taught technique though. I just went climbing, got properly educated on how to belay someone and for the rest, except for some tips here and there, I didn't get any specific training.
And I lack physical suppleness. I'm as supple as a radiator :-)
I've never trained on a hangboard. I do pull ups, dips and some other compound movements 2x per week, but that's probably not the same. I heard training on a hangboard wasn't really needed for someone who climbs casually. Is this true?
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Syd
Sep 24, 2013, 8:45 AM
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Registered: Oct 25, 2012
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Snowbat,
The first thing that will make a HUGE difference to your climbing, is to learn some technique. It will then take some months or years to start to feel relaxed and natural about what moves to do when. Many climbers climb for years without ever learning the basics of technique.
Without technique, strength gains from the hangboard won't help dramatically. Once you do know what you are doing, a few months on the hangboard should give further big gains. Pulls up won't help much as long as you can do a couple of them.
As you improve, flexibility will also help. It takes by far the longest to develop flexibility, so start now ;-) In a few years, you'll be doing really nice looking moves.
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brinosaur
Sep 24, 2013, 4:51 PM
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Registered: Oct 25, 2010
Posts: 46
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In reply to: I'm about 180lbs, 15% bodyfat and 6'3" tall so I think I'm more or less average. Being tall even gives the advantage that I can grab holds that are out of reach for others.
Well, there's a problem for starters -- over reliance on reach and strength. Assuming you're climbing in the gym, your height and fitness have allowed you to climb up to your current level without a need for technique. IF your gym sets well, following the route as it was intended in its entirety will help force you into the various body positioning and foot technique you are missing.
Much of climbing technique is analogous to technique in martial arts. Reaching with your left hand? Torque your hips so you are facing right, extending your reach. Pulling with your left? Torque your the opposite side of your body so you are facing left. This allows the force to be shared between your arm and movements in the shoulder and hip, conserving energy while increasing the strength of your pull.
Watch high-end climbers in your gym, especially on moderate climbs. Watch how they coordinate their hips and arms, and note their body positioning relative to the hands they reach with. It will rarely look as if they are climbing a ladder, directly facing the wall, arms bent, etc.
In reply to: I've never trained on a hangboard. I heard training on a hangboard wasn't really needed for someone who climbs casually. Is this true?
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Snowbat
Sep 26, 2013, 9:27 AM
Post #8 of 8
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Registered: Oct 5, 2012
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brinosaur wrote: In reply to: I'm about 180lbs, 15% bodyfat and 6'3" tall so I think I'm more or less average. Being tall even gives the advantage that I can grab holds that are out of reach for others. Well, there's a problem for starters -- over reliance on reach and strength. Assuming you're climbing in the gym, your height and fitness have allowed you to climb up to your current level without a need for technique. IF your gym sets well, following the route as it was intended in its entirety will help force you into the various body positioning and foot technique you are missing. Much of climbing technique is analogous to technique in martial arts. Reaching with your left hand? Torque your hips so you are facing right, extending your reach. Pulling with your left? Torque your the opposite side of your body so you are facing left. This allows the force to be shared between your arm and movements in the shoulder and hip, conserving energy while increasing the strength of your pull. Watch high-end climbers in your gym, especially on moderate climbs. Watch how they coordinate their hips and arms, and note their body positioning relative to the hands they reach with. It will rarely look as if they are climbing a ladder, directly facing the wall, arms bent, etc. In reply to: I've never trained on a hangboard. I heard training on a hangboard wasn't really needed for someone who climbs casually. Is this true? True. While you can certainly improve finger and hand strength/endurance with a hangboard routine, neither of those factors are what hold climbers back until you get into much harder climbing. Focus on improving footwork and body positioning.
Yes. It just gets frustrating at times because there have been people who improved much faster after 1 year of climbing and I'm still stuck at 5.9-5.10. I can do a 5B (5.9) with ease. I've done several of them and I barely even struggle, yet 5C's (5.10), I struggle like hell.
So anyway, I suppose that the best way to learn to use proper technique, is to climb more I guess? I seem to have a hard time to stop relying on strength and height and relying more on technique
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