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nikegirl
Nov 7, 2001, 6:07 PM
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I know what it's like, to be new at this. There is a huge amount of information,and it can be very overwhelming.
Read thru the Beginners forum, a wealth of information.
I think my first investment of a harness,shoes, atc and chalk/bag all ran around a total of $150. REI outlet.com
I went to the local mountaineering shop, tried on harnesses. They may sell them at the Gym you go to.
Does your Gym have classes. It's a great way to meet people...or put up a posting on their bulletin board.
There is also a forum on climbing ettequette, here. Put it in Search...at the top of the page here...It's a great tool, for answers.
Good luck.
Welcome to RC.com!!!
T
[ This Message was edited by: nikegirl on 2001-11-07 10:08 ]
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andy_lemon
Nov 7, 2001, 7:14 PM
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Registered: Sep 7, 2001
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http://www.tradgirl.com
NO JOKE, they have the beeessst beginer info I think. When I have a question I try and review their site. Also, it helps to read up on your climbing mags. Brouse the climbing glossary on here to learn new words like "Bongo" and impress your friends at the gym. lol When you move further along http://www.rockandice.com has excellent tech info.
Andy
p.s. Try and take an outdoor class at your gym.
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jaydoc
Nov 7, 2001, 7:22 PM
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Registered: Oct 31, 2001
Posts: 172
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Wolf, here are some links to some sites with low-cost startup packages:
http://www.sportextreme.com/Se_Shop/Kitliste.page.SubKategoriID.508_index.html
http://www.acmeclimbing.com/
http://www.reioutlet.com
http://www.barrabes.com (select English instead of spanish)
There are lots of others out there as well. Just surf for awhile.
Jim
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darkside
Nov 7, 2001, 7:43 PM
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Registered: Sep 15, 2001
Posts: 1687
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If you can hook up with an experienced climber, watch them when they climb. Try what they do and ask them how they do things. It helps if they are about the same height/build so you both have similar reaches etc.
When you climb watch your feet. Feet are 60-80% of the game. Take the time to look at your foot placements.
When you select shoes, talk to a reputable retailer who should be asking about your level of climbing (beginner) and type of climbing (crack/face/gym/etc). The main thing is fit. Worry less about rubber etc as all the main types of rubber out there are very similar. Fit is a bigger factor in performance.
FEET....FEET....FEET. Did I mention feet.
Learn good technique first then work on strength. Take a break from climbing and you will return with the same technique but you will always have to rebuild strength.
Feet. Work on your feet, this is advise I have given to many people I have instructed.
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rck_climber
Nov 8, 2001, 12:04 AM
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Registered: Aug 28, 2001
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First off, welcome to the RC.com family, we're glad to have you .
Now, with a twist on what someone said above...
As Nikegirl mentioned, there is a wealth of knowledge on this site that we have all contributed, it's best to tap into what's already on here. To do that, you can read the entire beginner's forum if you have a lot of time to do so, but if you're like me and are always pressed for time, you can use the Search link in the upper right-hand corner of this page and search the site for a specific question. To do so, you can simply enter a keyword to the information you're looking for and you should get a number of good returns on that.
Hope this helps.
Mick
P.S. For learning and understanding climbing moves, I suggest http://www.climbxmedia.com, they've got a number of videos that demonstrate the moves.
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talons05
Nov 8, 2001, 1:59 AM
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Registered: Aug 23, 2001
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Hey, you've found a great resource already in this site! Hang around and never hesitate to ask questions. When you're at the gym, try and find someone willing to teach you. Learning from books and reading and pictures is just not the same as being shown in person.
AW
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jds100
Nov 8, 2001, 3:15 AM
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Registered: Aug 5, 2001
Posts: 1008
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For working out other than climbing, go to the Training and Technique sections on this site, and check the forums on weight training and "opposing muscles". You can do a forum search with relevent keywords (the bracketed 'Search' at the top of the forums list, not the main menu Search at the top of the page).
I probably wouldn't assign 80% of climbing to the feet, but footwork and good foot technique are more and more important as you move up in the grades, so concentrate on it now (go through the Beginner topics).
Probably the first body part that you'll 'notice' from climbing a lot is going to be your forearms and your fingers (tendons). The soreness will disipate after a short while of climbing regularly, and you'll gain strength quickly in these muscles that you haven't used so much until now.
Read the How to Rock Climb series of books; it'll get you excited and motivated about climbing and get you acquainted with specific terminology, as well as give you lots of great instruction.
Jeeez, have a great time!
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jds100
Nov 8, 2001, 3:15 AM
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Registered: Aug 5, 2001
Posts: 1008
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For working out other than climbing, go to the Training and Technique sections on this site, and check the forums on weight training and "opposing muscles". You can do a forum search with relevent keywords (the bracketed 'Search' at the top of the forums list, not the main menu Search at the top of the page).
I probably wouldn't assign 80% of climbing to the feet, but footwork and good foot technique are more and more important as you move up in the grades, so concentrate on it now (go through the Beginner topics).
Probably the first body part that you'll 'notice' from climbing a lot is going to be your forearms and your fingers (tendons). The soreness will disipate after a short while of climbing regularly, and you'll gain strength quickly in these muscles that you haven't used so much until now.
Read the How to Rock Climb series of books; it'll get you excited and motivated about climbing and get you acquainted with specific terminology, as well as give you lots of great instruction.
Jeeez, have a great time!
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darkside
Nov 8, 2001, 7:16 AM
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Registered: Sep 15, 2001
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jds100: In estimating 60-80% I meant to emphasize the importance of feet over hands. Have you never noticed how beginners pay very little attention to their feet? I stand by my estimation of feet being the biggest part of the game and yes, up to say 80%; have you never climbed slab? Even on overhanging routes they account for the larger part of climbing ability.
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