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Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


I just started climbing about a month ago when some friends invited me up to Montreal and try it out. Now I'm addicted, bought the recommended Self-Taught Climber book (so excited for it to come), got a grip-strengthener, and about to invest in a harness so I can do something other than just bouldering. I'm slowly working my way through this thread absorbing tons of good info that'll help me learn some actual technique, instead of just using More Power.

Anyone living in / around Burlington, VT looking for a climb-pal?

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Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


runchild posted:

I used to regularly attend two separate gyms and the grading difference was pretty wild. I liked the easy gym’a grades not just because they made me look better, but because I could do enough to get a good sense of progression. I could tell I was getting better because I actually improved a few grades while I was there. Meanwhile that sense of progression gets lost in the huge gaps between grades at the other gym.

I can do V1s, and make good headway on V2s at one local gym, but there are some V0s I cannot do at another. It's wild how different they are.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Any good resources out there for exercises and stretches (or supplements?) I can do during my off days to promote muscle & tendon recovery? I'm worried that simply "not doing anything" isn't enough, and I frequently have to go climbing for work during what is supposed to be my recovery time. I'm mostly concerned about my forearms and wrists.

Also, why is tower climbing / ladder climbing so much harder on the wrists for me than bouldering? poo poo leaves me wrecked.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


So Tuesday I went to a beginners climber class at PetraCliffs (Burlington, VT). Cost about $100, but includes three days of teaching, three free day passes, and free equipment rentals for both. Not a bad deal at all. Finally got to top-rope and start learning how to belay; been ignoring that aspect of climbing cause I'm too cheap for a harness and don't have anyone to climb with.

Class members were pretty much all first time climbers, or people who had climbed only once before. Kinda felt out of place there having climbed since September. Starting to think maybe I'm not a Capital B Beginner, but I wanted the formal education of technique and stuff anyways. Even though it was their first time a lot of the climbers were attempting V1s, 2s, and a 2+ that I thiiiiink I know how to finish for when I head back.

But, man, yo, it's so much more fun climbing with a crew than by myself. We made a messenger groupchat and arranged for a climbing day Saturday, I'm so stoked for that and to try the top-roping problems that I couldn't do before.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Syncopated posted:

If you took a (indoors?) top rope class 2 days ago you might want to keep the capital B a while longer climbing friend. Embrace it even!

Oh for sure I'm still a beginner, not trying to get ahead of myself or (too) cocky. I'm constantly asking people for advice in the boulder cave on how they do something or another, and I've started really trying to focus on technique to get into good habits. Even got a copy of The Self-Coached Climber!

Last Friday I took my sister out to Brooklyn Boulders to try and show her what I've been screaming about for the past few months. She managed to finish a V0 and was pretty proud of herself but didn't really take to climbing. The nerves in her right arm are pretty dead so she says its hard to tell how firm of a grip she has and her brain won't let her let go with the left arm. I told her I'd make her a pressure sensitive glove with pager-motor vibrators up the arm to over-come that, which she appreciated, but looks like climbing isn't for her :(

Also, thank god it was BOGO day passes there, cost like $32 for the pass alone! The place is big and really nice but mannnnn is that pricey. What are the prices at everyone's local gyms? Bouldering only runs me about $14 per day pass at Petra. Am I spoiled?

Wrr fucked around with this message at 18:18 on Dec 1, 2017

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


COOL CORN posted:

I think day passes at my gym are $25 or so? But monthly membership is around $80 so that’s a no brained since I go 2-3 times a week.

I'm hoping to get to the point where I go more than once a week, but I've somehow managed to get a surprisingly full schedule and I'm not super sure if my muscles and tendons can handle it? Starting to think that bouldering once a week, but to the point of being incapable of climbing each time, isn't the best idea.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Spent 3.5 hours at the climbing gym this Saturday with some of the crew. I got to try out top-roping stuff for the first time and it really is just crazy different from bouldering (obviously, but still). There's just so many, like, options! I could feel myself knowing that I should be focusing on technique but getting overwhelmed at all the possible places I could move or use as holds. Gonna be great building up the beta planning skills.

Only did a 5.4 & 5.5, which are baby easy mode for sure, but even then just a world of difference from pure bouldering.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Once I started top-roping and improved my footwork my flappers have totally stopped happening. I just barndoor way less and rip all the skin off my pinkies. Feels great but I was sorta into having some taped up fingers all the time. It was a total power look, I swear.

Anyone got recommendations for climbing harnesses? I'm about to get my own. Got one for Christmas but the gift buyer didn't know any better and got me an industrial climbing rig. They didn't know any better and did their best. I guess I should start with a simple sports harness, right? Price range of about $60-$120~ but I'll take any recommendations.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Moved from Vermont out to San Jose, really looking forward to getting nasty with all these parks out here. I drove across the country and climbed in Toronto, Boulder CO, and LA along the way. Totally jealous of Boulder tho, all those rocks everywhere look delicious.

I know grades are all kind of arbitrary at a certain point but MAN was Petra (VT) rated funky compared to everywhere else. There was I projecting V2s and 5.8s. Now I can send most V3s with minor projecting and have been sending in the 5.9/10 range. This last week I even sent a V5 somehow! Lost my loving mind when I finished it, felt so good.

Now I just need to build a new climbing crew to goof around with!

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Had to train myself to not fear the auto belay by climbing the baby-wall nonstop and jumping off progressively higher and higher. For whatever reason placing a hand on the auto-belay cord helps mentally, but I guess maybe thats not a great idea? Works for me.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


So I got something vaguely appearing to be approval to drill into the concrete walls of my workplace and install a hangboard for funsies and training. Anyone have any major opinions on a must-have hangboard?

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Climbing terminology is the best thing about the sport.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


So I got a metolius contact hangboard and got it mounted at work which has me pleased as punch, but it feels so slippery. Even on the limited jug it has it doesn't feel like the limiting factor is my grip strength its the part where my hands slide off. Is there something I should be doing to increase the grippiness of it, like hit it with a little chalk or something?

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


I see. I was thinking it might help with some sort of humidity / moisture on the hold or something. So then maybe I'll try chalking my hands just a touch and brushing the board.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Being covered in chalk is a good and sexy look.

Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Had a great moment at the gym Sunday where I watched several a-little-better-than-me climbers struggle with the start of a V4 only for me to get on it and glide through it effortlessly. Don't know why they had a tough time, but I took to the time to silently be self-satisfied for a few minutes before loving up my fingers on a pocket V5 problem.

Time to bust out the gripsaver! I don't think there's any actual major tendon damage but I think the knuckles popped a lil. Gonna take some days off climbing I guess!

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Wrr
Aug 8, 2010


Niyqor posted:

This might feel awkward but you might try asking a climber that is climbing harder for some beta even if they aren't climbing that problem. I personally don't mind when someone asks for tips or even asks if I'd climb something in front of them.

As others have said, watch the better climbers climb. Even if they are doing harder problems you can still pick up a lot of movement ideas you might not have thought about.

I started off at the gym by myself approching rando climbers and asking for tips or help on unrelated beta to whatever they were doing. Helps to be an extreme extrovert I guess.

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