Rock climbing

[Bill]

Bored, waiting for a compile...

Any of you guys rock climb? I just started a few months ago and totally love it. So far I've only climbed indoors because of the cold weather but the blast of sun this weekend makes me think that it can't be too much longer 'til I venture out onto actual rock.

Mainly I've been bouldering--only climbed routes a few times. Bouldering I've been doing V2's fairly well and have started to screw around on some V3's. On routes I think my hardest climb has been a 5.9.

[Wholly Schmidt]

Our campus fitness center was renovated this summer and now includes a rock climbing wall that I can take advantage of any time I want, free rental of equipment and everything. It seems such a great deal, I feel stupid for not taking advantage of it, but I don't know where to begin, so I need some advice. What do you do when you're first starting out? I've been twice, tried bouldering, and both times, after about 15 minutes, I'm done. I can keep trying, but my arms go all to jello and I just get worse after that point, not better. Do I just suck it up and only climb for 15 minutes a day until I get better? Should I be doing other exercises to build me up? What's the best approach?

[Alan Au]

Rock climbing is fun. It helps that I'm the right build for it, but my upper-body strength is lacking, so I really tend not to climb much (lately, not at all). I hear the trick is to avoid using your arms at half-extension (which tires you out really quickly). Flexibility also helps a lot, since you can then get your legs into better supporting positions. My impression is that more climbing will improve your technique, but it's probably insufficient for strength training purposes.

- Alan

[tromik]

MAn, I went up these stairs the other day at school. Wow, I was dying. Does that count?

[Kool Moe Dee]

Yeah, definitely avoid "dino-arm". (Arms half extended.) If you need to take a breather to plan your ascent, just lean back -- it's much less effort. (Or, if you can wedge yourself so you don't need to use your arms at all, even better.)

It also helps if you warm up, and take a breather between climbs. If you're there with friends, get into a three or four person rotation, or watch them for a little bit.

[bee cubed]

Our campus fitness center was renovated this summer and now includes a rock climbing wall that I can take advantage of any time I want, free rental of equipment and everything. It seems such a great deal, I feel stupid for not taking advantage of it, but I don't know where to begin, so I need some advice. What do you do when you're first starting out? I've been twice, tried bouldering, and both times, after about 15 minutes, I'm done. I can keep trying, but my arms go all to jello and I just get worse after that point, not better. Do I just suck it up and only climb for 15 minutes a day until I get better? Should I be doing other exercises to build me up? What's the best approach?

as i understand it, you should mostly be using your legs for lifting. arms are mostly for balance. if you try to hand-over-hand it up the wall, ya, you are gonna' be tired.

as an aside, have any of you seen a really, really good climber go up a wall? it is incredible. it is like spiderman or something.

[BaconTastesGood]

This may be a record for thread resurrection, I dunno (if Koontz was around I'm sure he'd know).

Anyway, I started rock climbing (indoor) as an adjunct to my martial arts for exercise, and so far I love it. I'm not quite the tubby puddle of goo I was a year ago, but I definitely don't have the 3% body fat lizard-like physique of many of the climbers I see (they seem to have a uniform body type consisting of no body fat and lots of ropy muscles).

I've gone a few times now, and I'm hooked, but I don't think it'll supplant martial arts for me. I've dropped my MA training down considerably (to only 4-5 times a week vs. the previous 8-10), and I'll probably climb every other week, and I also do 'cardio kickboxing' 3-4x a week now in an effort not to overemphasize specific muscle groups.

What I like about climbing is that you have this immense feeling of accomplishment and body mastery once you solve a problem.

It's hell on your hands and feet though (since the shoes are supposed to be fairly snug/tight compared to walking shoes).

If anyone is in the Atlanta area and wants to get together for a group rock climbing session for QT3's amusement, let me know! I go to Escalade in Kennesaw, but there's also an Atlanta Rocks near the Perimeter Mall area I think.

[Coca Cola Zero]

I used to go indoor climbing at Vertical Hold in San Diego (off of Miramar Rd) very often. Earlier this year I had a shoulder injury from snowboarding that still isn't 100% so I haven't been climbing in a long time, but I hope to be able to start up again in 2008.

Yeah, it is hell on your hands and feet and especially hell on your forearms the first couple of times you go, but it is a lot of fun.

[BaconTastesGood]

I'm going to be in San Diego next week, and I'm going to try to go climb at either Solid Rock or Vertical Hold while I'm out there at least once. Solid Rock is in Poway, which is only 15 minutes from my hotel, whereas VH is like 25-30 minutes away.

[Glenn]

Vertical Hold is better than Solid Rock, although both are second-tier rock gyms.

For the record, I've been climbing around 5.12a/b lately.

[BaconTastesGood]

Vertical Hold is better than Solid Rock, although both are second-tier rock gyms.

I'm a tenth tier climber doing beginner level bouldering -- I think SR should be fine. That said, what is a "first-tier" rock gym in San Diego?

For the record, I've been climbing around 5.12a/b lately.

Well aren't you a stud?

[Glenn]

That said, what is a "first-tier" rock gym in San Diego?There aren't any. I don't know what the gyms are like Atlanta, but the Bay Area has some places like Planet Granite which are basically a full gym with a big climbing area in addition, training equipment, an outdoor area, and instead of chalk, you powder your hands with freshly ground pixie dust. Vertical Hold's definitely worth visiting, I have a membership and go 2-3x a week, but it won't blow your mind or anything.

Well aren't you a stud?Three and five-eighths inches of carbon steel, baby. There are still a dozen people in there that can make me look like the Sicilian to their Dread Pirate Roberts.

[SolomonGrundy]

After my neck injury last year I've been looking for something that didn't require me being kicked in the head, thanks guys. Found 3 places inside of 10 miles of my house. Sounds like fun.

[fire]

I used to climb Vertical Hold (http://verticalhold.com/) when I lived in San Diego. Then I climbed Planet Granite (http://planetgranite.com/) in Belmont when I lived in the bay area. Now I've been considering trying Pacific Edge (http://www.pacificedgeclimbinggym.com/) but I'm a student which makes me poor.

Climbing's a great sport, pretty much guaranteed to get you in shape if you really do it regularly. The trick is getting a couple people to go with you, or being friendly at the gym and making friends there. Working out bouldering puzzles with a couple dudes >>>> doing them yourself until frustration comes out your eyes.

Also there's nothing gay about smacking each other on the ass with chalk. It's a dude thing.

[Mike O'Malley]

You're encouraging this why? Fun to watch?

[fire]

Oh yes. That's me, giggling with glee, over there, after he decks you in a plume of chalk.

[Alan Dunkin]

A teenage girl got killed on an indoor rock climbing wall in Texas a few weeks back.

Just thought I'd throw that out. No bearing on anything really.

--- Alan

[barstein]

I rock climbed in Bishop once on my 30th birthday. I froze at the fifteen foot mark and it took about ten (or so it felt) minutes to coax me back down. Later, I reflected on the fact that this closely resembled my experience of attempting Pacific Bell pole climbing school as a prerequisite for DSL Installer training many years ago, at which time I also froze at about the ten foot mark and subsequently dropped out altogether (no pun intended), tail between legs etc.

I'd still give it another go if I had the chance, though. Obviously it'd be smart to do it in a recreational rather than professional setting and perhaps with fewer people SHOUTING AT ME FROM BELOW.

My ex-brother-in-law (29) climbs nearly every week and nearly always with his wife. He's very, very good at it, is 29 years old, has Cystic Fibrosis and CF related Type 1 Diabetes. He runs marathons too. Pretty inspiring stuff.

Edit: Oh and I had a co-worker whose son fell forty feet from a climbing wall and crushed his heels. This happened a few months ago. He's pretty much fine now, but will (according to his mother) never be able to climb again.

[Lunch of Kong]

Were you harnessed up and secured by rope? If so, yeah, maybe you should live in ground floor apartments. :-)

Fire stood us up at Planet Granite last time I was in the neighborhood, so I had to put my life into the hands of a stranger. A cute brunette stranger who was easy on the eyes and who obviously worked out a lot. There were lots of easy on the eyes people there... wait, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, climbing...

My forearms were the weakest link, but I did get a good sense for the puzzle-solving aspect of the climbs.

[BaconTastesGood]

I'm going to be at Solid Rock in San Marcos on Wednesday evening at like 7PM with a friend, if anyone wants to show up, show up. I'm the dude with a mohawk.

[Scrax]

I started climbing indoors (Peak Experiences) about 5 months ago. Really is an amazing sport. Your back muscles/forearms explode after a few weeks. It takes a little while to build the strength and the dexterity for the sport, but you will definately notice yourself going up the ranks. I climb 5.10's fairly solidly now and just started bouldaring.

I've developed alot of strength through this, but I think being 6'4 and 190 pounds is a slight detriment. There is definately a certain "body type" that does better than others. However, I have also seen 250 pound men absolutely destroy certain routes. It is really incredible.

The first few weeks will be awful for certain areas of your arms as they develop muscle. I started with a couple of friends and each one of us hurt in a different area of our arms. The areas around my elbows hurt so bad I had trouble opening my car door for awhile.

[Dirt]

Who's bee cubed?

[beecubed]

Who's bee cubed?

me.

...

[BaconTastesGood]

Went to Solid Rock in San Marcos, pretty small facility. Practically no bouldering (one 'boulder' that was being redone), quite a good chunk of top rope and sport routes. Single, crappy campus board.

That said, I and a couple friends had a blast top roping. I hadn't learned to belay until then, we got a quick lesson in belaying, and then proceeded to hit all the easy routes for 90 minutes and got a great work out.