Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Climbing, But Were Afraid To Ask

[rydra_wong]

This is a post where you can ask all the questions you're always wanted to ask about climbing, whether you've already started or are just beginning to think about maybe possibly kind of giving this a try.

Or maybe you've been climbing for decades, and have always wondered about that one thing, and by now it would be OMG TOO EMBARASSING to admit you don't know.

No topics are off-limit, no questions too clueless, so let rip and get answers from demi-n00bs experienced climbers.

Comments

[cofax7]

Oh, interesting. I guess the question is: is weight-lifting contra-indicated by taking prednisone? Because climbing is a form of weightlifting, and should help improve bone-density, but I dunno if your doctors think that engaging in it would put you at risk of injury. If that's not a problem, I do suspect you might want to concentrate on top-roping rather than bouldering, to limit the risk of falling.

I have occasionally broken the skin while climbing, but mostly outdoors. Except for when I've used my elbows or knees to stem against something: for a while I always had scabs on my elbows from stemming.

[rydra_wong]

I have occasionally broken the skin while climbing, but mostly outdoors

I always have scrapes and grazes; currently they're on the backs of my knuckles and one elbow. Before that, I did on one occasion resort to taping my knee as a particular move was shredding it even through my climbing trousers.

However, I suspect this may be partly due to my clumsiness and partly to the route-setters' remarkable sadism and fondness for knee-bars.