|
phrozen_clmberchic
Apr 25, 2002, 5:58 PM
Post #1 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 7, 2002
Posts: 9
|
I'm a beginner, even tho I've been sorta climbing for 3 years...I climb usually at a summer camp. This whole time I've been trying to get this ONE climb and it BARELY slopes, but everytime I try to get it I fall off. The rock is sloped \ thanx:)
|
|
|
|
|
overlord
Apr 25, 2002, 6:11 PM
Post #2 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 14120
|
Try somethin "ridicolous". Climb wit your feet ONLY, using hand only to PUSH agains the rock, so that you stand upright. That way the footholds will be better and you dont even need to use your fingers. I unesrstand that the rock slopes, as if oposite of overhanging, right?? it should look like this; the rock=> \-|
|
|
|
|
|
phrozen_clmberchic
Apr 25, 2002, 6:20 PM
Post #3 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 7, 2002
Posts: 9
|
Lol, sorry I wasn't clear....I meant an overhang slope thingy (yeah, I got the terminology down, don't I? ) like:
this is me >>| \ <<< and that's the rock...oops, I gotta go to dinner.
|
|
|
|
|
vaness
Apr 25, 2002, 6:37 PM
Post #4 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 17, 2001
Posts: 1351
|
maybe your not getting your feet high enough. i had the problem at one time too. i found that if i got my feet higher...sometimes so i was almost sitting on my foot it makes a big difference.
|
|
|
|
|
maculated
Apr 25, 2002, 7:11 PM
Post #5 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 23, 2001
Posts: 6179
|
Vaness is right, and get your body in as close to the rock as possible. Keep arms straight.
|
|
|
|
|
deblaunk
Apr 25, 2002, 7:13 PM
Post #6 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 2, 2002
Posts: 18
|
Might help conserve energy if you try to plan out your route before you climb. So that way you are not wasting energy trying to figure out where your next hand hold/foot hold is when you are climbing.
Luke
|
|
|
|
|
qacwac
Apr 25, 2002, 7:16 PM
Post #7 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 25, 2002
Posts: 292
|
I've found that on overhangs if you are reaching to a certain side, say with your right hand to the right, then put your feet out to the left. It's easier to do a twist reach from this position rather than have to fight your legs pushing you off the wall.
This is of course only a general principle and the available holds could certainly change this.
|
|
|
|
|
phrozen_clmberchic
Apr 25, 2002, 7:17 PM
Post #8 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 7, 2002
Posts: 9
|
Thanx, I'll try those....another question tho...when I have my foot up so high that I'm practically sitting on it, and there's no hand-holds, how do I get up?...also, what's a twist reach?
[ This Message was edited by: phrozen_clmberchic on 2002-04-25 12:30 ]
|
|
|
|
|
ilookfunnyinrolleduppants
Apr 25, 2002, 10:17 PM
Post #9 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 9
|
Few more things to be a bit more specific --
Make sure you keep your hips and butt as close to the rock as possible. It's got something to do with all of that center of balance stuff.
Also, if you have to stop to check for the next hold or to chalk up: Be quick, and try not to wear out your arms by pulling in close to the rock and hanging there forever.
If there's no handhold... Your best bet is to find one. Make sure you're looking everywhere and not just straight up.
Hope I've been of some help.
|
|
|
|
|
miagi
Apr 26, 2002, 4:39 AM
Post #10 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 1, 2002
Posts: 1087
|
Well, from your makeshift drawing im guessing your talking about an overhang or roof? Anyways, since the rock is sloping away from you, you can't really drag your toes up the face of the wall to mantle up. Some things that might work are to raise your feet as high as you can to the nearest hold, palm your hands down, and try to mantle out. If there are holds on the top of the climb, use them to pull yourself up. If you can't reach any hold with your feet, try a heel hook. This is all I can really suggest because your situation is somewhat confusing.
|
|
|
|
|
jgorris
Apr 26, 2002, 5:41 AM
Post #11 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 30, 2002
Posts: 124
|
I know this is gonna sound overly simple but this will help you.
The "trick" to climbing is being able to successively unweight one foot (so you can step up), step up, transfer your weight to that higher foot (so you can unweight the lower foot), raise the lower foot and repeat until you get to the top. Really, it is that simple.
The problem many people have is that they try and use arm and forearm strength to pull themselves up rather than using their hips to transfer weight to first one foot then the other in order to use their feet and legs to propel themselves up. The steeper it gets, and the smaller the holds are, the more difficult it becomes to do pullups.
Of course, in order to be able to shift ones weight back and forth over the feet, it also requires use of the arms, and steep, micro-featured rock makes this harder also.
Neverthless, to make breakthroughs in your climbing, you must master the simple idea of
weight transfer
by more completely engaging your hips (your body).
While you must look up to get a general idea of the way a route goes, try not to focus so much on where your hands are going to go first, but rather where your feet are going to go. Start thinking about how to use the handholds to allow you to engage your hips rather than trying to use the handholds as pullup bars.
Try to get a flowing sequence of body movement in this order: foot, hip, hand; foot, hip, hand, etc. Note that the hand moves last, not first. This is just the opposite of what many people do-- most grab the next handhold above and pull rather than try to first unweight a foot by moving hips over the weighted foot while maintaining hand position.
The technique I'm talking about is valid for steepness ranging from low angle slabs to severe overhangs. The only thing that changes is how near or how far away you hold your hips (your body) to the rock. For low angle slabs, if your knees are touching close to the slab in front of you, your hips and body position is way too close. Stand on the balls of your feet, lower your heels and keep your hips away.
For Overhangs, keep hips as close as possible. When moving a foot up, use the outside edge of your shoe (backstep)and as you shift your hip over to that foot, actually touch the rock with your hip-- then finally reach with the same side hand.
OK. That is a lot to digest. But trust me, start thinking feet, weight transfer using exagerated hip movement, and finally reaching and you will see a world of difference.
Go For It.
Note: before I start getting majorly flamed, I'm not saying that it is possible to climb without pulling down, I'm only saying that you can climb much more efficiently using better body movement through the smarter use of feet and hips.
[ This Message was edited by: jgorris on 2002-04-26 07:12 ]
|
|
|
|
|
pelliott
Apr 26, 2002, 5:55 AM
Post #12 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 10, 2002
Posts: 317
|
Here is a cool web site that might help.
http://chvc2.netfirms.com/climb.htm
|
|
|
|
|
kaptk
Apr 27, 2002, 8:33 AM
Post #13 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 5, 2001
Posts: 423
|
All of the stuff that has been said is good. If you are thinking that it is a problem with strength, then I would stongly suggest that you try to get through the easier parts as quickly as possible, so that you have energy left when you get to the hard part. Also, you probably need to learn how to keep your weight on your feet better. Your legs are stronger than your arms.
|
|
|
|
|
clam
Apr 27, 2002, 2:05 PM
Post #14 of 14
(4416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 8, 2002
Posts: 182
|
jgorris, excellent post. Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
