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wonderwoman
Apr 6, 2006, 5:22 PM
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I feel like in the past year I have really improved my climbing and have been enjoying it a lot more. I think that, among other things like goal setting, being aware of breathing through hard moves has really helped me improve and eased the frustration that I was having.
I just discovered a new thing that I have to work on! A few days ago after getting pumped and falling off a long climb, my husbands asks me 'Why don't you ever take any rests to shake out or chalk up or anything?'.
It then occurred to me that I never do take any rests to shake out. I have been taking an 'all or nothing' approach for each climb, just focusing on move after move, sequence after sequence, breathing through the hard parts and falling or hanging when I'm pumped.
This has resulted in me always getting a redpoint on the climbs that I am doing. I think that if I identify places on the climb where I can take a minute to shake out and rest, then I will be on my way to getting more onsights.
I just wanted to share my personal revelation with the rest of you to see what you all thought about it. It's funny when you suddenly realize things like this!
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vector
Apr 6, 2006, 5:49 PM
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Glad to hear you are improving and _enjoying_ your climbing. The 'mental training' concept can really make climbing a lot more fun!
Being able to find rest stances is pretty key. I took a seminar with Arno at the beginning of the year--we spent a lot of time working through the process of looking at a climb and picking a rest spot as a goal, climbing to that point (or falling), then resting while you evaluate the next section. It is a very effective technique.
But spotting those rest spots is not always easy before you get there. I frequently get to a "rest spot" and find no there there. Sometimes they are subtle. When I watch really talented climbers climb, I notice they find all kind of rest stances on routes that look like non-stop overhanging pump fests. I recommend you watch good climbers, notice where they are resting, then try to emulate them.
Right now I am learning that how to use the feet, legs, abs, elbows, forehead, anything but the hands to hold myself onto the rock for rest stances. Using your feet to pull _into_ the rock and not just standing on them is frequently helpful and works hand in hand (errr foot in foot?) with core strength to get your weight into the rock and off your arms.
HTH
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olderic
Apr 6, 2006, 6:12 PM
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It's easy Tiff - just make it a goal to climb as slow as me. Your problem is that you climb with all those young hotshots who climb hard and fast. take a tip from the old farts and climb slow and easy (cause that's all we can do).
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caughtinside
Apr 6, 2006, 6:19 PM
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The real trick is to take rests before you actually need them. You don't think about resting if you're not tired or pumped, but if you find a good stance low on the route, even 10 feet off the ground, hanging out for a few breaths and a shake will keep you fresh higher on the route. You won't always get a rest stance when you need one, and you recover quicker before you're totally pumped.
Oh, and don't listen to eric about not returning stuff to REI. :P
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wonderwoman
Apr 6, 2006, 7:39 PM
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This is all very good advice! I spend the time to plan where I will clip from so it make sense to read the climb for rests, too. I have also been trying to heel hook more to take the weight off my arms and other techniques.
And Eric, believe it or not, I feel like I'm already slowing down! I'm going to drive Josh crazy in my old age with all my aches and pains!
Isn't it funny how your life style can sometimes match your climbing style? My daily work mostly involves long, drawn out, difficult projects with no rests! :lol:
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blueeyedclimber
Apr 6, 2006, 8:56 PM
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In reply to: It's easy Tiff - just make it a goal to climb as slow as me. Your problem is that you climb with all those young hotshots who climb hard and fast. take a tip from the old farts and climb slow and easy (cause that's all we can do).
It's been a long time since someone's called me a young hotshot. Being an elementary teacher, I am usually referred to as being OLD :lol:
And Tiff, I noticed all those heel hooks you were doing last night. Good Job. Sometimes, to find a rest, you need to get creative, as well.
Josh
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arnoilgner
Apr 11, 2006, 5:41 PM
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Hi Tiff,
Rest when you rest; climb when you climb!
arno
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_fiend_
Apr 19, 2006, 9:56 PM
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I have exactly the opposite problem to overcome (I think)!
I usually manage to find and use every rest no matter how awkward or unfeasible (a good example being getting completely pumped on The Strand (pictured in RWW) and spending 10 minutes with the bony bit of my bent elbow wedged painfully in a slot to recover) - a healthy paranoia about getting pumped means I try to recover as much as possible, and I think in general that is a valuable tactic. The only thing I find is to be patient enough to really get de-pumped, and, on the other hand, to avoid breaking up the flow of the climbing too much.
However, although I don't think I shallow breathe too much, and tend to take "big" if not "deep" breaths when I'm physically challenged, I don't think I have a steady, smooth breathing pattern, I don't conciously use breathing to go along with the flow of climbing. It's possible I have got it working subconsciously but I think the conscious awareness of it can be really good as it is a sort of "stabiliser", this kind of slow metronome. There are a few times, usually on bolder but technically easy routes where I consciously breathe steadily....but it's something I should work on as a regular habit I think...
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rhythm164
Apr 19, 2006, 10:17 PM
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I think it definitly helps me to more fluid than fast. sure you want to move through a crux quickly, but not spastically. Find your rests, because they are there, and if it's not a rest stance, don't hang out. Keep your eyes open too. There may be something great to rest on if you just look around. You don't drive looking straight ahead, it's best not to climb that way either. I know people who will become fixated on one particular hold or pocket when there's a jug just up and to the left, they just don't see it. Another helpful hit is this: when you do come across a good rest, hang off you skeleton, i.e. straight arm it if possible. If you hang off your muscles, then you're not really resting, you're just getting pumped not moving.
Slow down, find your rests, and find your *ahem* rhythm.
And for christsake, BREATHE!
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arnoilgner
Apr 21, 2006, 8:46 PM
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You always balance resting and climbing. If you rest too much you lose momentum; if you climbing too much you won't recover needed energy. Find the balance.
arno
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healyje
Apr 21, 2006, 9:23 PM
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Forgetting to breathe and remembering to think combine to be my biggest weakness when climbing. No air and unnecessary babbling do not make for a great combination for dealing with a hard crux...
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