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ericbeyeler
Oct 10, 2006, 4:14 PM
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Hello, I just wanted to share some of the things that have helped me improve... I'm not pulling super hard stuff, upper 5.10 would be my limit right now.
In no particular order, here are things I have been doing recently that have noticably improved my climbing:
1. Practicing traverses near the ground. This has helped my footwork immensely.
2. Climbing with others that are better than me. Watching what they do helps me to see ways to improve my technique.
3. Trying to think like a "short" climber. I'm 6'5" and I find myself going for the long reaches or high steps. Trying to envision how someone shorter than me would do the same climb has helped me to use smaller steps and be more deliberate with the smaller holds that are available.
4. Bicycling. Not only does it improve leg strengh (helping with footwork), the cardio workout helps my endurance on the rock. I am able to recover faster while on the rock.
Eric
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jmeizis
Oct 10, 2006, 4:41 PM
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I'd say the one thing that helped improve my climbing the most was trying something I thought I couldn't do....on lead. Helped the lead head, made me realize I wasn't trying as hard as I thought I was. Improved my climbing a whole grade, maybe more.
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boredwolf
Oct 10, 2006, 4:48 PM
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Cardio, definitely. I've gone up 2 grades since I started distance swimming a few months back. Some climbing-targeted weight lifting might have also helped. Really, anything that increases your muscle tone; Helps keep you from getting pumped as fast. I also think that completing harder climbs helps people the most. It gives them the confidence to try even more difficult climbs.
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krusher4
Oct 10, 2006, 5:52 PM
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16 week training cycles and I wear whatever Chris Shama does...no just kidding. There is a really good book "How to Climb 5.12." Learn how to train then just work hard and keep working hard. Giving up non-climbing friends helps to.
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andrurok
Oct 10, 2006, 5:57 PM
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Focus on placing BOTH feet, instead of just the opposing foot - this is probably a bad habit I got into because of 'tracking' problems when bouldering in the gym, where the 2nd foot is usually smearing.....
Don't push the grades too hard too fast - do LOTS of routes around your best onsight level and then some a little harder.
Don't make it such a big deal - have fun, do what you are motivated to do.
Do EVERY climb. Is that 5.9 too easy for you, or maybe you are worried that you won't do it 'easily'....stop thinking like that - just doing all the climbs at a crag that are within my ability has allowed me to make gains in confidence, ENDURANCE (seems KEY for routes) and technique... Do as many routes as you can, especially if you are a weekend warrior.
Follow your instict, search out those routes you haven't tried yet, climb new stuff as often as possible. Try not to get too hung up on projects all the time.
In a month, I will have a completely different set of priorities and beliefs, so feel free to think all I have written is garbage - cause I probably would if I read it. I guess you just have to believe in something at the moment of climbing...
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rome2282
Oct 11, 2006, 2:07 PM
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As obvious as it sounds, “Took a real lesson”. The coach of my gyms climbing team offers private lessons which I finally decided to ask about. After the first hour I was amazed at how many bad habits I’d picked up in the short time I’d been climbing. It’s been a few weeks and I’m still mentally adjusting to the change of style but I’m really starting to feel the difference during high endurance/overhanging routes. Climbing with more experienced people helped a lot but nothing seems to beat working with a great teacher.
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schveety
Oct 11, 2006, 3:25 PM
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I think the biggest thing that has improved my climbing is:
Climbing in different places on different types of rock...
I used to hate face climbing but loved crack, then I went to California and Red Rock in Vegas and was forced to do a lot of funky face climbing, and it's helped my crack climbing too
I also agree that pushing my grades some outdoors has helped to improve my trad leading, always on climbs with good gear of course
And cardio is a big help, when I'm approaching outside, I always get a cardio workout so I never noticed the benefits, but now I make sure to do some cardio in the gym before climbing
And one more, I know this sounds crazy, but bouldering in the gym (I only do long stuff outside, not really into bouldering) has helped my climbing immensely - I'll do crossovers with hands and feet and flagging that I might never have learned on regular routes
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konaboy
Oct 11, 2006, 6:58 PM
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In reply to: Giving up non-climbing friends helps to.
Muah, if that isn't the truth! :twisted:
Taking the time to warm up properly before a gym session has improved my climbing ability noticably. Whereas before I would stretch and then boulder a few V1/V2 before roping up or bouldering harder, I now spend a minimum of 20 minutes traversing back and forth as well as up and down, trying to avoid a solid pump the entire time. I've found that I feel much stronger and don't pump as easily or rapidly as I used to.)
As far as climbing outside, this may sound lame, but watching some climbing movies really helped me get my headgame in order. I recall many climbs where I would find myself stopped on a route searching for the best hold possible, or the best grip on the least-worst hold. More often than not, I would pump out in this process and/or waste time and energy searching for what felt 'secure'. Seeing the demi-gods on screen pulling down on downright terrible holds convinced me to start moving off of holds that don't always feel secure, and sometimes feel unusable given my abilities; what I've found in doing this is that more often than not when I decide to make a move off a poor hold in these situations it has worked and I've continued the climb, stoked about the move. For me, there's nothing like surprising myself with ability I didn't think I had to keep me psyched and motivated to climb harder.
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lobster
Oct 11, 2006, 7:09 PM
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blind climbing. with closed eyes. in-door of course.
top roping in far too difficult routes
climbing with people who do it a lot better
climbing holidays with a week of non-stop climbing.
having breaks (months) with no climbing at all. it is amazing. strength decreases, but technique improves.
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devkrev
Oct 11, 2006, 7:26 PM
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In reply to: ... 3. Trying to think like a "short" climber. I'm 6'5" and I find myself going for the long reaches or high steps. Trying to envision how someone shorter than me would do the same climb has helped me to use smaller steps and be more deliberate with the smaller holds that are available...
Also being a tall climber 6' 4'' I find it important not to over-reach all the time. Be careful though, sometimes smaller folks are able to keep closer to the rock when getting schrunched up, and they may be able to get longer use out of slopers than you, so sometimes you HAVE to reach, and don't forget that. Just don't make it a common occurence, unless you just want to piss off your short partners :twisted:
dev
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devils_advocate
Oct 11, 2006, 7:46 PM
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I shot up 2 grades after I made my 400th post. Can't wait to get to 1000.
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hairyapeman
Oct 11, 2006, 9:04 PM
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climbing!
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watchme
Oct 11, 2006, 9:21 PM
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Making sure to use my non-dominant hand every once and awhile :wink: .
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ninja_climber
Oct 11, 2006, 9:36 PM
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Losing weight and traversing. Also TRing routes that 1 grade above mine. I feel that I can't progress to the next grade unless I try that grade and pump out at that grade. This is of course after climbng routes of my current grade.
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iamthewallress
Oct 11, 2006, 10:58 PM
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7 or so years of climbing as much as I can is the main thing that's helped.
Learning how to do pull-ups helped me have an early break through with the steeper climbing in the gym.
Getting a stronger core has helped me a lot recently as I've been getting into more powerful climbs. It also helps with all-day stamina.
The Warrior's Way, although I don't adhere to much of the advice w/in it, was very helpful to me when I was suffering from a period of frequent panic attacks.
Wearing the right shoes for the job is key...especially b/c I have foot problems. But I try to never forget that someone has probably sent my latest testpeice is slick EB's.
I try to not avoid learning something new to stick with something familiar and fun.
I try not to save climbs if it means that I'll end up doing less climbing as a result.
Learning to chimney well has helped me learn to use my whole body on climbs that aren't nominally chimneys. For example, I love creative knee-barring on overhangs, although this is something that I learned to do in the chimneys.
When bomber climbing felt better than bomber pro I felt like a lot of doors opened up for me with my climbing, and it became much more fun.
Edit: Forgot a couple biggies...
Loosing weight, whether off of my ass or my rack (yuk-yuk), helps a lot.
When I'm cragging, I try to do everything w/in my ability level that's near the climb of choice...I get more climbing in that way and experience a better variety that I do when I'm just "cherry picking" what I think will be the best routes.
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rockmx
Oct 11, 2006, 11:07 PM
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Beer!
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diophantus
Oct 12, 2006, 1:16 AM
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Climbing has helped me most of all.
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ericbeyeler
Oct 12, 2006, 12:48 PM
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In reply to: Taking the time to warm up properly before a gym session has improved my climbing ability noticably. Whereas before I would stretch and then boulder a few V1/V2 before roping up or bouldering harder, I now spend a minimum of 20 minutes traversing back and forth as well as up and down, trying to avoid a solid pump the entire time. I've found that I feel much stronger and don't pump as easily or rapidly as I used to.)
Yes, proper warm up is another thing that greatly improves my climbing. I try to spend 15+ minutes on easy stuff to get the blood flowing in the arms. I'm always amazed at the difference it makes.
Eric
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heiko
Oct 12, 2006, 12:55 PM
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Starting to climb alpine limestone trad on scary and loose rock with limited protectability helped me a GREAT deal. For me climbing is a headgame, so getting my head used to scarier stuff than bolted sport was really really a leap forward. I'm physically not any stronger than before, but I gained at least a grade.
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djlachelt
Oct 12, 2006, 2:52 PM
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I've really enjoyed reading "The Self-Coached Climber" by Hague and Hunter. It talks about the mechanics of all of the climbing moves, exercises for practicing them, as well as the physiology of movement and conditioning.
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karma
Oct 12, 2006, 3:42 PM
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I've been working on a lot of things recently:
Core strength - Helps greatly in all areas
Upper body endurance - I tend to get myself stuck on really overhanging routes/problems because I run out of strength
Footwork - I have also been building reasonable technique by climbing and down climbing routes (in the gym) and spending more time bouldering
Mental - I tend to talk myself out of making a move, basically it is a lack of confidence in my ability to either stick it with fingers or feet. This also applies to overhanging routes and keeps me from completing quite a few routes
Not living near natural rock is a huge problem, primairly because every time I go outside I get confused and start looking for colored tape.
I'd say that my worst trait is taking myself too seriously, which is why I am trying to learn to have a lot more fun and stop worrying about what I can or cannot climb, or what grade anything is that I'm climbing. That helps me the most. Ignore the grades and just try things.
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clausti
Oct 12, 2006, 3:57 PM
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Climb anything you have a chance to, esp TRing stuff thats "too hard" when you're out with better climbers.
Cardio. lose as much weight as you healthfully can. eat well. sleep enough.
for me, personally, i dont drink the night before i climb. just feel too unresponsive. feel crappy.
Dont eat trash. (french fries, ice cream, ect.)
core workout. especially lower abs. that helped me a lot when it comes to overhanging climbing. because if my lower abs are strong enough... i can finally keep my feet on and make good use of them.
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devils_advocate
Oct 12, 2006, 4:17 PM
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In reply to: Cardio. lose as much weight as you healthfully can. eat well. sleep enough.
Add in "climb - often with devotion and vigor" and I think you have the basic recipe for sucess. (yes, I know that's essentially what you said in your first sentence).
Although I'm not advocating Cardio so much for weight loss, unless you're overweight or going for some professional climbing level I wouldn't worry. But cardio does increase your indurance, anerobic threshold and seems to make you more energetic all around.
btw, Clausti, love your location.
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