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oldrnotboldr
Nov 29, 2005, 5:38 PM
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Has anyone used the rww with kids?
I have applied a couple of things with mu daughter (age 7) and it has noticably improved her skill level and technique. But she only top ropes and I'm not ready to let her lead and she really has no desire to do so right now. She climbs about 5.7 level right now
So, is it beneficial in the long run for her?
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chossmonkey
Nov 29, 2005, 6:13 PM
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While not everything in the RWW may pertain to kids there are lots of things anyone who climbs can use. Most importantly for kids may be the whole love vs. ego basis for climbing.
As when doing anything with kids, don't try to force it down their throat.
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oldrnotboldr
Nov 29, 2005, 6:35 PM
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As when doing anything with kids, don't try to force it down their throat.
Oh yes! She quite bluntly told me once to shut up about doing a "big climb" (about 1 hour class 4). She said maybe someday, just don't push it. Now I just let her do her thing.
It's fun to watch her climb as she is seldom concerned with making it to the top. Recently we were at a climbing wall open house and she did not make the top while otehr kids did. She was more concerned with making the hardest moves on the wall and a couple of small overhangs. Then she came down. It was funny, yet reassuring, when her belayer said to go, she looked back and double checked to make sure the belayer was indeed hooked in and ready and doubles checked her own tie in.
What I notice the most is if she doubts her moves she will back off early and not even try it, even with a bomber top rope. I find it okay that she does that. I know at some point she will. I think some of the points in RWW will help her develop the skills and not self doubt as much. And, not intimidate or push her too much.
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oldrnotboldr
Nov 29, 2005, 6:42 PM
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In reply to: As when doing anything with kids, don't try to force it down their throat.
Oh yes! Mikayla has basically told the same thing.
She is really quite fun to watch. At a climbing wall recently she was more concerned with making the tough moves and a couple of small overhangs/ledges while the other kids were trying to top out.
What I notice the most is when she doubts a move she will hesitate then back off, even with a bomber top rope. There are some factors in the RWW that I think would help her get past that self doubting and start pushing past her limit. Yet, not pushing or intimidating her.
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crazywacky
Dec 8, 2005, 8:13 PM
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I am getting this book for my son for Christmas.
He's been around climbing since he was 3, and actually climbing with me since he was about 8.
The biggest issues we have had is that he can Boulder pretty much anything, he doesn't seem to have any fear there. But when we rope up that is when he gets nervous.
After a night at the gym or outside on the rock we'll go over the routes we did, what he thought about them, and how the scarey moves made him feel. then we'll talk about how he can push through the fear, move it to the back of his head, and let the climb be in the front so he can focus on what he's doing instead of his fear and anxiety overshadowing what he is doing.
When he's on the kid can knock out hard 10s in the Gym, when he's not it's hard to get him to commit to a 5.8.
So I'm hoping that when he gets into the book, it can explain some of the anxiety he feels, and help him to diagnose any issues he has.
I'll be reading it as well, so we can discuss the informaiton and hopefully both grow a little from it.
Thanks,
Scott
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arnoilgner
Dec 9, 2005, 9:50 PM
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Any training can be tricky with kids. Depending on their maturity or "problems" you'll get a variety of responses when going into the WW material. I've had young students (about 12 years old) who had little patience to ponder the material or do exercises and just wanted to climb. I've had others who were more receptive.
One thing, however, that seems to develop for teenagers is the ego. This seems to be the time when they define themselves as "such and such a climber". A big comparative game begins. You can climb 5.10; I can climb 5.11. Therefore, I'm better. That sort of thing. So, if you can explain that this ego development is happening, why it is an attention leak, and help them separate their worth from their effort, then you're putting them on a more solid foundation.
arno
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oldrnotboldr
Dec 12, 2005, 5:20 PM
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As I had indicated my daughter's main issue is pushing through her doubt and self questioning. She has not developed the ego factor yet, and hopefully we can inhibit the negative attributes of it. She will spend time studying the route, where the holds are where she is going, etc. But as happens many times, she gets going and sometimes finds a spot that doesn't quite work as it was envisioned to, then she doubts and self questions. That is spot I want to help her work through. I don't think she would read the book and would have some problems with some of the concepts. She learns best by observation and oral instruction. She's the doer, but will will hesitate when then route looks different "from up there".
My son, who is turning 12 next month does has the ego factor beginning to inhibit his climbing. He is concerned that his sister out climbs him (she really does, she has a nice natural flow), when he can't climb equal to a peer, etc. I keep stressing to him to top out is not important, what others do is not important, etc, only making the "move". What I see him doing is hesitating too much. He will plan out his moves, the route, etc, but will hesitate and rethink his route then get pumped and miss it. I want to help him get past his hesitation and nip that ego before it gets out of control. He could understand the concepts but thinks the book might be too boring (hey, he's a typical preteen). He's the thinker..... I think he thinks too much about the route at times which leads him to hesitate and re-plan his moves to the point of getting pumped then falling. Then he gets pissed at himself because others have climbed past him, even though he is more capable and may even have made past the crux.
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