Rock climbing

Nokie173 · Post by **Nokie173** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:38 am

I went rock climbing (indoors) the past weekend for the first time and I totally underestimated myself. I actually got to the top many times and its so addicting. Man, I had such a workout climbing to the top. I would like to make it a habit of climbing.

friend, who is about 100 lbs or even lighter couldnâ€™t even get to the top. I was surprised she is so skinny and small I would have thought it would be easy for her. Guess not!

Iâ€™ve been doing pull ups and push ups in regular workout routine and that totally helped me with upper body. How can I improve on this skill to go to the next level? I need to work on grip and more upper body strength. Should I increase pull ups and push ups in to regular workout? Work on balance? Please advise.

THANK YOU!!!

Packard · Post by **Packard** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:28 pm

I did a bit of rock climbing over the years (I was a solid 5.8 - 5.9 climber).

The best thing for climbing is climbing. Women have an edge over men in that they tend to have better flexibility and since they tend to dance more they have more "foot awareness".

On a long day's climb leg conditioning is paramount. On indoor climbing it is not an issue.

Pullups, especially finger tip pullups are very good. They sell rock climbing holds that screw onto the wall (you were probably climbing on those). Get a few and do your pullups on them.

Also finger tip pushups will strengthen the fingers. The worry is injury to the fingers, but it is better to break a finger doing exercises and know your limitations than to break a finger on a treacherous climb.

Also be aware that it is very different climbing 200 or 300 feet off the ground than it is doing the same 20 feet off the ground. Make sure you are mentally equipped for this too.

I've never climbed indoors--the gyms had not appeared back then and it seems quite civilized. I always considered rock climbing (outdoors) to be quite civilized as I got to go back to the hotel and get a shower at night and I got to go out to dinner. Which is more civilized than reconsituting dried beef and sleeping in a sleeping bag.

There are many places to climb in your area: http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/Nort ... cisco_Bay/

Eastern Mountain Sports has guides that will take you up for a 1/2 day or a full day at a moderate cost. There are others too. Google "climbing guides, San Francisco"

The next thing you need to try is ice climbing. That is a huge, huge rush.

Nokie173 · Post by **Nokie173** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:24 am

Thanks Packard

I took a look at the outside rock climbingâ€¦ WOWâ€¦ Looks a bit scary!

Soâ€¦ Ice climbing will be out of the picture for nowâ€¦.
Iâ€™ll stick to indoors at the momentâ€¦ at least I know I can fall down to something a bit safer

Here is a video outside climbing that amazed me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpm0m6bVfrM

Packard · Post by **Packard** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:32 pm

If you have (or want) 10 perfect nails, skip the rock climbing.

Rock climbing is (you should be aware) a "risk" sport. And you should be aware of the risks beforehand. The risks are much less in a controlled environment like the climbing gym, but anyone who has done much rock, ice or mountain climbing knows someone who has fallen, been injured or had died.

This is not to scare you off; but you should be aware of what you are getting yourself into.

I climbed the three major volcanos in Mexico in the 1980s (when they were still extinct--you cannot climb them now as they are active), and when I came back to the States there was nothing I could imagine that I could not conquer. You get an attitude from climbing that carries over to the rest of your world. And it puts a "can-do" on everything you tackle. For that reason alone I would stick with it.

Just a note: The tallest of the volcanos is 19,300 feet and it took from 2:30 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon to make the summit on the last day (we started at about 16,000 feet on the last day). We got back to base camp at about 6:00 p.m. and down to a waiting pick up truck at 11,000 feet at about 8:00 pm. The truck took us down to sea level and we got drunk on the rich oxygenated air at sea level and partied all night. (It was a full days work, however--harder than running a marathon.)