Recently I have taken up bouldering (Indoor Climbing).Only at VB-V1 difficulty at the moment.I'm curious if we have any other climbers here.Personally,I'm thoroughly enjoying it.The wall I attend is very hands off(well on the wall at the very least),so after a brief introduction your left to your own devices,unless you wish to do a course.As someone who prefers to learn at his own pace through trial and error,this suits me perfectly.
The pleasure I find in climbing,is its similar to a puzzle(Albeit unlike Sudoku,the potential exists to break a bone,as opposed to erasing the wrong number when the pretty girl opposite you on the tube is not looking)as you ascend you need to figure out the next grip or toehold.
Things I have learned so far....
1.Don't drink coffee before climbing,getting the caffeine shakes near the top of a 20 foot wall is not pleasant,not at all.
2.Treat every wall regardless of how easy as a potential for broken bones, or in layman's terms don't get cocky.
3.Baggy jeans are not the optimal clothing choice whilst climbing,note baggy does not mean stretchy.A rather embarrassing moment in front of some Japanese students as i made my way down.
4.Wear clean underwear(see above).
5.Notice how all those professional looking climbers have bags of chalk,notice how your hands are blistering after each session,might be something to inquire at the desk about.
I highly recommend trying it.
Climbing
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I am very tempted to try it. I probably will next year. There is a climbing wall near where I live.
For me it would be extremely difficult, as I'm disabled, but, well, so what? It does indeed look like fun, and last I checked no-one was keeping score on how well you did, and I don't get embarrassed.
I get frustrated, but that usually makes me do too much, it doesn't stop me doing things.
I've been working on increasing my mobility, so I think by next year I'll be able to manage it.
Chances are I'll only get a few feet off the ground, but I don't mind that so much, and I might get further.
For me it would be extremely difficult, as I'm disabled, but, well, so what? It does indeed look like fun, and last I checked no-one was keeping score on how well you did, and I don't get embarrassed.
I get frustrated, but that usually makes me do too much, it doesn't stop me doing things.
I've been working on increasing my mobility, so I think by next year I'll be able to manage it.
Chances are I'll only get a few feet off the ground, but I don't mind that so much, and I might get further.
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. ... Niccolò Machiavelli
@ Gosnell: To add to your list...
6. Use your feet properly.
7. No, really... Better than that !
8. Ok, go watch a few people. See how precise their footwork is, and how good their climbing overall. Spot the correlation
Try the silent feet exercise. Place your feet so gently and precisely that they don't make the wall ring like a drum. Try climbing one handed (Edit: on slabs. It's much harder on overhanging stuff
). Puts more emphasis on balance and footwork.
Did I mention to work on your footwork ????
@ Mr Badger: Give it a go. Speak to the wall staff and explain your situation and I'm sure they'll be happy to help. (I saw an advert only this week for a wall looking for a dedicated member of staff to work solely with people (kids and adults) with a full range of learning or physical difficulties, just as an example).
Ask your students if any of them climb, and would be prepared to take you along ?
@ Both : Enjoy your climbing (Edit: And try to find a partner (spouses and kids will do nicely if you have them available). Look at the UKC website. They have forums where people advertise for climbing partners too.)
Rug
6. Use your feet properly.
7. No, really... Better than that !
8. Ok, go watch a few people. See how precise their footwork is, and how good their climbing overall. Spot the correlation
Try the silent feet exercise. Place your feet so gently and precisely that they don't make the wall ring like a drum. Try climbing one handed (Edit: on slabs. It's much harder on overhanging stuff
). Puts more emphasis on balance and footwork.Did I mention to work on your footwork ????
@ Mr Badger: Give it a go. Speak to the wall staff and explain your situation and I'm sure they'll be happy to help. (I saw an advert only this week for a wall looking for a dedicated member of staff to work solely with people (kids and adults) with a full range of learning or physical difficulties, just as an example).
Ask your students if any of them climb, and would be prepared to take you along ?
@ Both : Enjoy your climbing
(Edit: And try to find a partner (spouses and kids will do nicely if you have them available). Look at the UKC website. They have forums where people advertise for climbing partners too.)Rug
I like to think everyone just wants to feel human.
(Antilogic)
(Antilogic)
I started bouldering about two years ago, but only got serious about it since the beginning of summer. Yeah, it's fun!
To complement/answer some of your point:
1- The shakes don't come from coffee. It's simply your muscles' way of crying.
3,4- Just wear shorts and accept the occasional knee scratch.
5- The chalk is actually used to dry your hand, so that sweat don't make them slip. It's not really important on easier runs, but at some point the hand holds will get pretty unfriendly, and having dryer hands will help you to keep your hold on.
6,7,8- Exactly what Rug said.
To complement/answer some of your point:
1- The shakes don't come from coffee. It's simply your muscles' way of crying.
3,4- Just wear shorts and accept the occasional knee scratch.
5- The chalk is actually used to dry your hand, so that sweat don't make them slip. It's not really important on easier runs, but at some point the hand holds will get pretty unfriendly, and having dryer hands will help you to keep your hold on.
6,7,8- Exactly what Rug said.
Humans are deuterostomes, which means that when they develop in the womb the first opening they develop is the anus.
This means that at one point you were nothing but an asshole.
Some people never develop beyond this stage.
This means that at one point you were nothing but an asshole.
Some people never develop beyond this stage.
I to all the "climbing" out of my system when I was a kid. Unless I'm trying to escape ravenous space monsters or reach a beautiful Rapunzel, my climbing days are done.
Rappelling... That's more my style. The only problem there is that rappelling usually involves climbing something beforehand. @%@$ that, there's probably a good book somewhere that needs reading.
Give me a rope and a solid spot to tie it to and I'm fearless. But, stand me by myself on the edge of even a small cliff and I'll poop myself. I have no fear of falling, it's the sudden stop that worries me...
Rappelling... That's more my style. The only problem there is that rappelling usually involves climbing something beforehand. @%@$ that, there's probably a good book somewhere that needs reading.
Give me a rope and a solid spot to tie it to and I'm fearless. But, stand me by myself on the edge of even a small cliff and I'll poop myself. I have no fear of falling, it's the sudden stop that worries me...
When I was a kid I was into freeclimbing cliffs, and not small cliffs either.
Yup, when I was a teenager I was an idiot. But I never fell, which a good thing, because from the heights I used to climb, survival would not have been a thing.
Well, I was a fit, well prepared idiot with all the right equipment.
It was fun, forced some real discipline into me.
After all, you can't afford to be immature and do dumb things when you're a few hundred feet up a vertical cliff face.
I stopped because my job changed and I didn't have the time to go farting around at the weekend any more. That was thirty odd years ago now mind.
Yup, when I was a teenager I was an idiot. But I never fell, which a good thing, because from the heights I used to climb, survival would not have been a thing.
Well, I was a fit, well prepared idiot with all the right equipment.
It was fun, forced some real discipline into me.
After all, you can't afford to be immature and do dumb things when you're a few hundred feet up a vertical cliff face.
I stopped because my job changed and I didn't have the time to go farting around at the weekend any more. That was thirty odd years ago now mind.
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. ... Niccolò Machiavelli
I used to walking (hiking) into the woods and such all the time when I was a kid. I'd spend all day hiking along a stream or ride my bike to a fairly "wildernessy" area and hike around there. Lots of rivers and streams where I grew up, so getting lost was never a problem. And, yeah, as a kid I climbed places I shouldn't have been climbing, alone.
Then, one day I learned my lesson. See, you should really know where you're going, what's there and who's there.... A friend and I ended up getting shot at and chased through the woods by "bad guys" when we stumbled across their marijuana field deep in the woods. And, when we finally made it back to where our bikes were, someone had stolen them.
I'm still not sure if they were trying to kill us or not. If they were, they sucked at it... Then again, we were pretty fast kids and potheads aren't known for their athletic skills.
These days, my knees are really in no shape for serious climbing or, sadly, rappelling. I don't think there are many activities like that I could do without fear of painful injury. Thought about skydiving, but there's no darn way I could take landing - I'd blow my knees clean apart. A good friend of mine and his wife kayaks all over the place, maybe I'll try it. Or, maybe I'll just save those calories for something betterer...
Then, one day I learned my lesson. See, you should really know where you're going, what's there and who's there.... A friend and I ended up getting shot at and chased through the woods by "bad guys" when we stumbled across their marijuana field deep in the woods.
And, when we finally made it back to where our bikes were, someone had stolen them.I'm still not sure if they were trying to kill us or not. If they were, they sucked at it...
Then again, we were pretty fast kids and potheads aren't known for their athletic skills.These days, my knees are really in no shape for serious climbing or, sadly, rappelling. I don't think there are many activities like that I could do without fear of painful injury. Thought about skydiving, but there's no darn way I could take landing - I'd blow my knees clean apart. A good friend of mine and his wife kayaks all over the place, maybe I'll try it. Or, maybe I'll just save those calories for something betterer...
I did a lot of rock climbing with my friends back in the days, as you say, it is a puzzle and sometimes you can solve it by brute force, other times you need more finesse and skill. Either way it is an exhilarating experience when you make it to the top, very rewarding on a personal level too as it has a bit of everything, risk, psychical effort and it is very demanding mentally too.
The beauty of indoor climbing is that requires almost no equipment, get some lycra or cotton compression pants, shorts over that and a T shirt and you are good to go.
The beauty of indoor climbing is that requires almost no equipment, get some lycra or cotton compression pants, shorts over that and a T shirt and you are good to go.
A por ellos que son pocos y cobardes
I thought you were supposed to leap in a manly sort of way to get back down, what with all that rope and pulley stuff.
That's going to be how I do it, because I'm a real man.
(or maybe because I'll most likely fall off lots and never actually make it to the top....)
That's going to be how I do it, because I'm a real man.
(or maybe because I'll most likely fall off lots and never actually make it to the top....)
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. ... Niccolò Machiavelli
Well, I did it again. I went hugging the walls for a few hours yesterday evening, and I woke up totally broken this morning. (Nothing new, though... XD)
I see some progress, though. My hands and forearms are not the part of me that gave up first, this time. Muscles are building up!
I see some progress, though. My hands and forearms are not the part of me that gave up first, this time. Muscles are building up!
Humans are deuterostomes, which means that when they develop in the womb the first opening they develop is the anus.
This means that at one point you were nothing but an asshole.
Some people never develop beyond this stage.
This means that at one point you were nothing but an asshole.
Some people never develop beyond this stage.
pjknibbs wrote:No, pain is a warning that you're damaging something and should stop immediately.mrbadger wrote:Pain is weakness leaving the body
Pfft, if I listened to advice like that I wouldn't be due to have shoulder surgery soon.
Oh wait....
Trouble is, some of us are always in pain, so the question is what level of pain do you stop at?
For me the answer recently might well have been when my shoulder made a rather alarming cracking noise and left me in agony for weeks, but I still didn't go to the doctor till I was forced to.
Having a Doctorate does not mean I'm smart, as my wife often tells me.
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. ... Niccolò Machiavelli
Just completed another session at the climbing wall,slowly getting more confident in my footwork.
@Mr Badger,depending on the type of disability you have,I say go for it.I broke my A.C.L in my knee a while back,so I'm careful to always climb down,rather than drop off after reaching the top.If your disability is in your arms or shoulder though be very careful as V2 upwards requires some swinging(and not the good kind).Personally I avoid problems which require that I drop off at the top,so overhangs ect are a no go.
To the best of my knowledge,rope free walls are limited to 4.5 meters ,with crash mats underneath.
@PJKnibbs ,for me I judge pain as a mark of progression,in the past post surgery/injury I always push against the pain barrier,I rarely take medication.Each day push through the pain a little more till the pain is barely a niggle,and I'm back to nearly perfect health.Everyone is different,I believe that given I'm a stubborn bastard it works for me.
@Mr Badger,depending on the type of disability you have,I say go for it.I broke my A.C.L in my knee a while back,so I'm careful to always climb down,rather than drop off after reaching the top.If your disability is in your arms or shoulder though be very careful as V2 upwards requires some swinging(and not the good kind).Personally I avoid problems which require that I drop off at the top,so overhangs ect are a no go.
To the best of my knowledge,rope free walls are limited to 4.5 meters ,with crash mats underneath.
@PJKnibbs ,for me I judge pain as a mark of progression,in the past post surgery/injury I always push against the pain barrier,I rarely take medication.Each day push through the pain a little more till the pain is barely a niggle,and I'm back to nearly perfect health.Everyone is different,I believe that given I'm a stubborn bastard it works for me.
A... a "season?" How are their "seasons" for indoor climbing on fake rocks?Gosnell wrote:Just completed another session at the climbing wall,slowly getting more confident in my footwork.
Pain sucks. I don't like it and I'd be quite happy if we just voted to get rid of it, altogether. I'd rather get email alerts when something was injured than "pain." Pain is a really stupid idea.
I hate "pain killers." I've never taken them past the point where whatever pain I was experiencing was bearable enough to let me move.
What? Painkillers are great!
Especially the really strong ones.
I mean, not only do the mask the pain and mean you risk further injuring yourself, you also get to feel really nauseous constantly and become badly constipated.
Plus if you're really lucky you can lose your sex drive totally and your prostate can swell up so you can't pee.
So with all that going for them, who wouldn't want painkillers?
(Trying to explain to my GP why I don't want Tramadol, I want a solution, and why I do, involved many of the above arguments. It worked eventually.)
Especially the really strong ones.
I mean, not only do the mask the pain and mean you risk further injuring yourself, you also get to feel really nauseous constantly and become badly constipated.
Plus if you're really lucky you can lose your sex drive totally and your prostate can swell up so you can't pee.
So with all that going for them, who wouldn't want painkillers?
(Trying to explain to my GP why I don't want Tramadol, I want a solution, and why I do, involved many of the above arguments. It worked eventually.)
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. ... Niccolò Machiavelli
Old age, failing eyesight, encroaching senility... These are what I blame for my mistake.pjknibbs wrote:He said "session", not "season"?Morkonan wrote: A... a "season?" How are their "seasons" for indoor climbing on fake rocks?
I got prescribed Tramadol, once. I hated it. Took a couple (not at the same time) and then just wouldn't take them anymore.mrbadger wrote:...
So with all that going for them, who wouldn't want painkillers?
(Trying to explain to my GP why I don't want Tramadol, I want a solution, and why I do, involved many of the above arguments. It worked eventually.)
For you climbing fools, now you don't have to leave home!
https://imgur.com/gallery/Nd8sh
Pretty cool, actually.
https://imgur.com/gallery/Nd8sh
Pretty cool, actually.