Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
tortilla_chip
Jun 13, 2007

k-partite
What's the RMA number? I can check in with the QA folks and find out what's up.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

armorer
Aug 6, 2012

I like metal.

MiamiKid posted:

Again, not sure if it totally applies, but I could see if he was leaving a lot of slack while belaying (even with a tube), the Gridlock could get snagged and then load on the hook when you fell.

He was using an ATC Guide.

tortilla_chip posted:

What's the RMA number? I can check in with the QA folks and find out what's up.

He says he hasn't shipped it yet, but plans to get it in the mail today.

canis minor
May 4, 2011

Yay, did my first 6A today!

(good riddance, because there're plenty of ~6 problems I was afraid to try and this at least gave me a bit of confidence to move forward).

petrol blue
Feb 9, 2013

sugar and spice
and
ethanol slammers
My shoes arrived today, Sportiva Tarantulas, just in time for having an afternoon free to go climbing. So nice not to be in skanky hire shoes!

:neckbeard:

remote control carnivore
May 7, 2009
Does anyone know if Trango offers a cam rewire service?

www.amazon.com
Nov 5, 2012

Falkaugaa posted:

This could be the beginning of climber's elbow (or medial epicondylitis? I think that's its name). Dave MacLeod recommends eccentric wrist curls as pre/rehab for this condition, but I find incorporating a daily wrist sequence of wrist pushups and first knuckle pushups works well to keep it at bay. Start working them on the wall before you move to a kneeling position. I work up to 5x5 before I increase load by leaning further forward. Antagonist training is also a good idea, especially working band pull-aparts, band reverse flies and other external rotations of the shoulder, this helps for avoiding shoulder impingement.

(Hey climbing thread!)

So, as the outdoors season is coming up (at least here in Norway), it's time to set some goals for the season. What are you guys aiming for this year? I'm looking to start bouldering Font 7A and beyond, as I finished a weak season last year at Font 6C.

Am I right in that you seem to say just doing various types of pushups should be a good thing to try out. I don't really have any free weights on hand at home, but i guess the climbing gym does. it would be more convenient if I could just work on it at home.

French Canadian
Feb 23, 2004

Fluffy cat sensory experience
Yes, I used to do a handful of pushups before climbing and that would often stave off most of my elbow pain.

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Alright.

Training pow-wow time:

Imagine you had this wall, only with the near vertical (3-degree) wall fully paneled in so it meets flush with the 45-degree wall.

I have three hangars and plenty of draws, as well as some old rope. I also have a weight vest (20#) and some loose chain that I can easily lash into a figure8 on a bight.

I need to start training hard this summer for multi pitch 11a/b and trying to crush my first V8/9. The catch: I have rather limited resources.

Here's the good:
I have a shitload of holds incoming (Kilter/Teknik) with the majority being fat pinches/slopers and medium/small edges/crimps; and I have the aforementioned wall and aforementioned training supplies.

The bad:
I have extremely limited time. I can affect any training at night (I have three hours before I sleep after I get done with work), and I have plenty of opportunity on the weekends, but I use that time to get out to climb or train on the bike by logging miles up the local hill, so I'm going to be selfish and ask for help designing an evening workout.

What do I do?

For now, I have been placing two of the hangars (one is a super tight Metolius that needs a bolt that doesn't have a flare below the hex head but that should be remedied in a week) at 1/3 and 2/3 the way up the overhang, and then using the best holds I have to practice clipping anywhere between hip and chest height. I vary direction of the gate and try to vary hand, but I currently don't have a lot in the way of jugs for just hanging comfortably on. I added about 5# on the rope using the aforementioned technique of tying off a figure8 on a bight and shoving the chain through it so that I am forced to pull the extra poundage on clipping - always on the second, though depending on clipping position, I can cheat on the first and pull just rope and no weight. In the week and a half since starting this (every other evening so I have time to rest my forearms) I have been noticing a lot smoother clipping and a lot less overgrip. I'm getting more efficient and that's always a plus, but I don't know if I'm improving my endurance. :iiam:

I have also been having a good friend that is a far superior climber (V12/13) set problems for me to train on, with his own grading of the problem. I ask for one V2/3, one V3/4, and one V5/6. I usually warm up best I can (don't have those jugs in yet), and then try to nail each one solidly. If I can't, I move to system-board type work on the 45-degree. Again, every other night for roughly 30 minutes to an hour. This has been going on for roughly three weeks, and I'm seeing much more power, but a sharp decline in endurance (ergo the new combination of lead training as well).

So here's the current line of thought:

-For my lead climbing training
1) add time into the equation. Forced stops of three seconds before/after every clip.
2) add weight by using the weight vest.

-For bouldering
1) Keep doing what I'm doing, with successively harder problems once the V5/6 becomes reasonably surmountable (three to four tries to solve).
2) Repeat (1) until I'm ready to stab myself in the nuts.

My main concern is making sure I'm getting enough rest time and not overdoing the training. I have self-imposed deadlines, and I'm the type that needs to see tangible progress in some form to satisfy my craving for self-improvement; but I know I've done this before and traumatically injured myself (SLAP tear) just as I was hitting my stride at peak form (just at V7). I'm back at V7 form and I do not want to gently caress this up. I could probably hire a trainer (there are a shitload of climbing trainers here, including Justin Song, but his rates are loving terrible per hour) but I figure the goon hive mind can figure it out just as well; and I'll be frank, I blew the wad on all of the supplies to build the wall, and some additional home repairs so I'm not about to drop that kind of cash for the next six months to a year.

tldr; help a fat goon that is lovely at climbing get better at climbing without injuring himself. :btroll:

Nifty
Aug 31, 2004

Only input I can have is on the bouldering.. sounds like you are bouldering every weeknight, and go outside on the weekends. Often with system board stuff. That might be over training. Your actual routine sounds varied enough, with a buddy setting different problems, but I'd may be cautious on the amount. Don't forget stretching and some sort of opposition training as well.

Side note, gamera spwrozek or any other Colorado goons.. I'll once again be in Denver weekend of April 18th and 19th. Anyone up to boulder or if not, let me borrow crash pads?

spwrozek
Sep 4, 2006

Sail when it's windy

G, I have no idea on the training side of thing. I feel like I climbed crappy today but did get up young and and rackless, led the hardest pitch. Also got out to clear creek as well. Got 7 pitches in today. I am really tired.

Nifty posted:

Side note, gamera spwrozek or any other Colorado goons.. I'll once again be in Denver weekend of April 18th and 19th. Anyone up to boulder or if not, let me borrow crash pads?

I should be around. I would be down for something. That wall is in Gamera's garage btw, will be sweet once finished.

Personal preference is bring a harness and let's rope up. Although I do want to to try to send OG. So there is that too.

Back it up Terry
Nov 20, 2006

Decided to get into climbing and got a membership at local gym. Managed to get through about half the V0's, and got stuck on the second to last hold a few times on a V1. Everyone was super cool. Did some top rope routes with people I met there and got through a 5.9 with some rest in the middle and helpful coaching. Anyways, if you're just lurking or on he fence and considering going, just do it.

Post climbing, I have 2 blisters that opened on my fingers, I have band aids on them now, but I assume I should be taping these while climbing? Does sports tape work, or is there something better for climbing?

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Nifty posted:

Only input I can have is on the bouldering.. sounds like you are bouldering every weeknight, and go outside on the weekends. Often with system board stuff. That might be over training. Your actual routine sounds varied enough, with a buddy setting different problems, but I'd may be cautious on the amount. Don't forget stretching and some sort of opposition training as well.

Side note, gamera spwrozek or any other Colorado goons.. I'll once again be in Denver weekend of April 18th and 19th. Anyone up to boulder or if not, let me borrow crash pads?

I'll be around, so I'm game to go boulder. Either in my garage if the weather is lovely, or outdoors. Preferably outdoors.

You ready to do OG yet? I'm aiming at Turning Point. Maybe.

Falkaugaa
Feb 13, 2010

www.amazon.com posted:

Am I right in that you seem to say just doing various types of pushups should be a good thing to try out. I don't really have any free weights on hand at home, but i guess the climbing gym does. it would be more convenient if I could just work on it at home.

Wrist pushups and first knuckle pushups dont really resemble pushups much unless your wrists are super strong, but yeah, that in addition to a decent amount of supplemental pushing seem to help my elbows healthy. I'd advise you to start out on the wall like in the second video and really ease into it as slowly as you can.

remote control carnivore
May 7, 2009

compton rear end terry posted:


Post climbing, I have 2 blisters that opened on my fingers, I have band aids on them now, but I assume I should be taping these while climbing? Does sports tape work, or is there something better for climbing?

I just use regular medical tape and maybe a patch of non-stick first aid pad to cover the actual wound. Also, hydrocolloid bandages are loving amazing, but more expensive. I've been sporting a hydrocolloid on a nasty belay blister (rope drag on Montezuma's Tower is, well, kind of a drag) and the bandage makes it through all my climbs. Worth it.

Also, started climbing in Evolv Cruzers and rarely whipping out my Miuras. So far I'm not comfortable enough trad leading in them, but I'm not really comfortable with trad leading, anyways. But totes did a 5.10 sport climb tonight in them. Best $24 I ever spent on shoes.

Sharks Eat Bear
Dec 25, 2004

gamera009 posted:

Training stuff

So I know the answer you're looking for isn't "go read a book" but I would strongly recommend picking up the Anderson brothers' Rock Climber's Training Manual (RCTM). It gives you a ready-made training plan with a variety of specific exercises and workouts, which makes it really easy to apply without too much extra work on your part. But maybe even more importantly, it provides the context and rationale for the exercises, which if you actually read and think about, makes it pretty clear how to modify their generic training plan to fit your individual goals/limitations/weaknesses. It gives you the ingredient list and the recipe, but also suggestions on how to tweak the recipe to suit your own tastes.

The thing that I personally love most about it, is that, like you, I don't have a lot of extra time to climb. I wish it was because I was getting outdoors as frequently as it sounds like you are, but for me it's mostly the other non-climbing life priorities that seem to get in the way. I like the RCTM plan because it's efficient, highly controllable (i.e., injury prophylactic) and measurable -- I never feel like I'm just wasting time doing random climbing with no real purpose, and I have a number of metrics I can track progress against other than just 'did I send a higher grade'. So save any money you were going to spend on a personal trainer and go buy yourself a hangboard (if you don't have one already), some weight plates, and a couple of pulleys.

I also think it's worth checking out the RCTM forums and even posing your question there if/once you familiarize yourself with the RCTM plan a bit more. Real good community of folks psyched on training, and everyone has their own secret sauce to add to the generic RCTM plan. And one of the Anderson bros actually posts there quite frequently. rockprodigytraining.proboards.com

Note: this is like 3rd or 4th post in this thread I've made on this book and training plan, and I feel like such a shill every time. FWIW I have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The book just struck me as the most comprehensive but also accessible climbing training resource I've ever seen, and I've seen pretty noticeable progress myself after 2 training cycles so far. I think part of it is probably that I relate with the Anderson bros. scientific/analytic approach to training, but also their acknowledgment that the best training plan is one that you experiment with and change over time as you learn what works/doesn't for you.

And like all my posts on training, I have reached the point where I ask myself why can't I get paid to write poo poo like this because I could talk about climbing training all day :)

Sharks Eat Bear fucked around with this message at 07:55 on Mar 30, 2015

Fatkraken
Jun 23, 2005

Fun-time is over.
I booked my intro course at the Foundry in Sheffield. I'm excited!

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Spontaneous trip up the first flatiron.

People were on the East Face route, so we connected Silk Road to the North Ridge and had a blast. Long-rear end hike there from the house, and a long-rear end hike back, but overall an awesome trip.

Chris!
Dec 2, 2004

E

Fatkraken posted:

I booked my intro course at the Foundry in Sheffield. I'm excited!

That looks like a really nice gym, have fun!

gamera009 posted:

Spontaneous trip up the first flatiron.

People were on the East Face route, so we connected Silk Road to the North Ridge and had a blast. Long-rear end hike there from the house, and a long-rear end hike back, but overall an awesome trip.



I wish I had that view within hiking distance of my house! Looks awesome.

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Chris! posted:

I wish I had that view within hiking distance of my house! Looks awesome.

To be fair, that picture was taken at pitch 6 of 8 on the first flatiron. So it was a bit of the way up. The view was less spectacular at the belay station.

petrol blue
Feb 9, 2013

sugar and spice
and
ethanol slammers
I spent the morning making climbing shorts. Tried them out this afternoon - they didn't disintegrate or constrict! :toot: I sent a climb that I'd struggled to make three moves on before, so I take that as 'shorts are good. good shorts.'

I'd post pics, but they're black lightweight-fleece baggy long-shorts, not much to see.

RabidWeasel
Aug 4, 2007

Cultures thrive on their myths and legends...and snuggles!
I know that this is one of those topics where everyone has their own opinions but I'm going on a week long climbing trip later this year and I want to take a good hand repair / recovery solution with me for when my skin inevitably explodes into tiny shreds, any suggestions? I've had very few problems with skin damage through my climbing history but this will be my first time seriously climbing outside for an extended period and everyone says that it can be a lot more damaging so I want to be well prepared especially as I'm going to be abroad.

On a slightly related note, I've been trying to seriously improve on my climbing since the start of the year, I've been spending more and more time solo bouldering at my local climbing wall (I figure I can get in more training if I don't have to keep belaying, and doing multiple shorter sessions per week seems to suit me better anyway in terms of conditioning and avoiding injuries) but the bouldering facilities are extremely limited and I usually end up working the same few problems that I've been on for the last 2 months mixed in with the harder-but-doable problems which I just repeat over and over until I want to kill myself. I've had some luck mixing it up with 'games' like 1 armed traversing but I'd be interested to know if anyone has good suggestions for useful exercises that you can do with a limited selection of routes / holds. On the plus side very few people go there for bouldering so it's nice and quiet and I can gently caress around like an idiot failing on the same thing repeatedly without feeling too dumb :v:

Good Dog
Oct 16, 2008

Who threw this cat at me?
Clapping Larry
Just had my first day of a one week trial pass at Sender One in Santa Ana, man what a beautiful place. The walls are so much taller than I'm used to at school, but that's okay. Was able to do a few 5.9s, haven't tried anything above them.


Fingers are forearms are fried now, can't wait to go again though.

Happiness Commando
Feb 1, 2002
$$ joy at gunpoint $$

RabidWeasel posted:

I want to take a good hand repair / recovery solution with me for when my skin inevitably explodes into tiny shreds, any suggestions?

Bag balm

Sharks Eat Bear
Dec 25, 2004

RabidWeasel posted:

I'd be interested to know if anyone has good suggestions for useful exercises that you can do with a limited selection of routes / holds.

Is it a commercial gym or university/co-op? If it's the latter, find out if you can set your own problems! If it's the former, 'set' your own problems using the existing holds on the wall. Once you get a climb dialed, try it with your eyes closed.

RabidWeasel
Aug 4, 2007

Cultures thrive on their myths and legends...and snuggles!

Sharks Eat Bear posted:

If it's the former, 'set' your own problems using the existing holds on the wall. Once you get a climb dialed, try it with your eyes closed.

This is also something I've been experimenting with but I don't think I'm bold enough to try it with my eyes closed! Thanks for the suggestion though :)

Part of the issue is that they have a bunch of really easy V0s and V1s set and then very little variation in terms of difficulty until some fairly nasty V4-6s so I'll try and see if I can add just 1 or 2 holds to some of the badass problems to dial them down a bit.

burns_2k
Oct 17, 2012

RabidWeasel posted:

This is also something I've been experimenting with but I don't think I'm bold enough to try it with my eyes closed! Thanks for the suggestion though :)

Part of the issue is that they have a bunch of really easy V0s and V1s set and then very little variation in terms of difficulty until some fairly nasty V4-6s so I'll try and see if I can add just 1 or 2 holds to some of the badass problems to dial them down a bit.

The book Climbing Games by Paul Smith has some ways to add variety to a limited set of routes. Most are designed to make you concentrate on certain aspects of you technique, things like reaching for a hold then pausing for 3 seconds before holding it, doing a route with corks balance don the holds and knocking them off. The games are probably aimed at kids but it adds some variety to a small bouldering wall!

petrol blue
Feb 9, 2013

sugar and spice
and
ethanol slammers
Big toes sore as hell the day after climbing - hurts to bend them. Is that just because I'm new to this and not used to putting so much weight on them, or a sign of a 'real' problem?

RabidWeasel
Aug 4, 2007

Cultures thrive on their myths and legends...and snuggles!
Pretty sure that's fairly normal, it stops after a while. If it's really painful then there might be a problem but if it's just sore + tender then I'm sure it's ok. Just keep an eye on your toes for blisters or infections under the nail, I had that happen once when I was new and it wasn't fun, I probably should have gone to see a doctor about it but a friend convinced me that it would heal up properly by itself p.s. it didn't and now I have one weird tiny but extra thick toenail.

burns_2k posted:

The book Climbing Games by Paul Smith has some ways to add variety to a limited set of routes. Most are designed to make you concentrate on certain aspects of you technique, things like reaching for a hold then pausing for 3 seconds before holding it, doing a route with corks balance don the holds and knocking them off. The games are probably aimed at kids but it adds some variety to a small bouldering wall!

I like the sound of the reach and hold thing - I'll definitely try that out.

I had a good session today, I remembered that there's a part of the wall which just has a ton of old / miscellaneous holds laid out all over which was perfect for making up my own problems and it let me try out stuff which I don't get to do very often. On a probably related note now my rear end feels like it's going to fall off from all of the extra leg work I threw in there, but I had a lot more fun than I have for the last couple of weeks so it was definitely worth it.

tynam
May 14, 2007

Good Dog posted:

Just had my first day of a one week trial pass at Sender One in Santa Ana, man what a beautiful place. The walls are so much taller than I'm used to at school, but that's okay. Was able to do a few 5.9s, haven't tried anything above them.

Sup Sender One buddy. If you ever need a belay partner or someone to spray beta at you let me know.

petrol blue posted:

Big toes sore as hell the day after climbing - hurts to bend them. Is that just because I'm new to this and not used to putting so much weight on them, or a sign of a 'real' problem?

Big toes hurting may be a sign that your shoes are a little too tight? Sore feet is typical in general for new climbers. If you feel like you're putting too much weight on your toes, practice focusing on other techniques like the outside edge and flag a lot more.

Tots
Sep 3, 2007

:frogout:
Any (beginner) climbers in Northern VA? Just got my first taste @ SportRock in Sterling and I'm itching for more.

big scary monsters
Sep 2, 2011

-~Skullwave~-

Seconding this stuff, I've tried a lot of different hand stuff, from Climb On to simple moisturisers and this is by far the best, its one downside is it's pretty greasy. Only other product that's worth considering if you can get it is Antihydral. You have to be careful with it because if you use too much it will turn your skin glassy and leave it prone to cracking, but for trips where you're climbing many days in a row applying it sparingly can allow you to keep climbing when normally your skin would be a wreck.

petrol blue
Feb 9, 2013

sugar and spice
and
ethanol slammers
Cheers for advice, all, it's definitely in range of 'sore' rather than 'oh poo poo something broke' today. Tight shoes might well be part of it, I bought a little tight assuming there'd be some stretching, and it's worse in my foot-that's-half-size-bigger, so that'd make sense. Figure I'll give it some time to either get worse or for shoes/feet to break in before really worrying.

Uncle Jam
Aug 20, 2005

Perfect

tynam posted:

Sup Sender One buddy. If you ever need a belay partner or someone to spray beta at you let me know.


Big toes hurting may be a sign that your shoes are a little too tight? Sore feet is typical in general for new climbers. If you feel like you're putting too much weight on your toes, practice focusing on other techniques like the outside edge and flag a lot more.

I'm getting dried blood at the base of my big toe nail, can this be due to too tight? When I rent 13s they feel pretty tight, but the rental 13.5s are laces and I can't feel the wall nearly as well.

benwards
Apr 9, 2007

Another youthful indiscretion

Uncle Jam posted:

I'm getting dried blood at the base of my big toe nail, can this be due to too tight? When I rent 13s they feel pretty tight, but the rental 13.5s are laces and I can't feel the wall nearly as well.

Trim your big toe toenails, they're probably too long and the shoe is forcing them back into the cuticle. Finger- and toenails should both be short short short.

Good Dog
Oct 16, 2008

Who threw this cat at me?
Clapping Larry

tynam posted:

Sup Sender One buddy. If you ever need a belay partner or someone to spray beta at you let me know.


Big toes hurting may be a sign that your shoes are a little too tight? Sore feet is typical in general for new climbers. If you feel like you're putting too much weight on your toes, practice focusing on other techniques like the outside edge and flag a lot more.

I'm at sender one tonight and will probably go again Thurs and Friday before my week pass is up.

gently caress I suck at bouldering, I fail some v1s.

Back it up Terry
Nov 20, 2006

Second time climbing today. Definite improvement on problems I did on Saturday. Made a consious effort to go slow and use as much leg as possible. I did really well then gassed out on a 60ish degree wall.

Any good climbing technique 101 videos?

French Canadian
Feb 23, 2004

Fluffy cat sensory experience

compton rear end terry posted:

Any good climbing technique 101 videos?

I know I'm not directly addressing your request, but you might find just watching other really good climbers at the gym as being pretty helpful. Ask someone to even climb the route you're working on but make sure they don't dick around and cheat. Make them climb it like they weren't taking any shortcuts.

tortilla_chip
Jun 13, 2007

k-partite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usee0F_Ya98
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Owz-XX4Kk8

Excerpts from Neil Graham's technique video. Kind of cheesy, but worth a watch.

Frequent Handies
Nov 26, 2006

      :yum:

edit: nm, posted right before me.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Fatkraken
Jun 23, 2005

Fun-time is over.
Did my first taster session at the Foundry yesterday, LOVED it! definitely gonna finish the course and join the regular climbing club. I know I'm not particularly good yet but I was still amazed how well I was able to support my own weight and how well I could cling onto some surprisingly slight grips, but then I'm 65 lbs lighter than I have been pretty much my entire adult life so that's hardly surprising. We had a go on the bouldering wall at the end and I was really bad at it, the more dynamic movement was really tough but I know with practice I'll get better and stronger.

Any tips for avoiding neckache from belaying?

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply