disobey_gravity | First taste of climbing!

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First taste of climbing!

Following rydra_wong's great post at her journal about how you probably can climb even if you don't think you can (http://rydra-wong.dreamwidth.org/234949.html) I decided to give it a go. I booked an introductory session - just a 30 minute taster. I really wasn't sure what to expect, so I've described it below (in some excruciating detail) in case that's helpful to any of you deciding whether to try it out.

I was lucky to find what is apparently quite a good climbing centre very near to me (well they say it is heh). I rang them and the staff member who booked me in was very friendly and helpful. I said "I'm pretty heavy, will that be a problem?" and she straight away said "oh no, the harnesses fit everybody and the staff member running the session will make sure you are safe". Which was a pretty good response considering some I have got from other sports when I asked the same question*.

This is a community place so it's run mainly by members I think - it isn't all shiny and clinical like the one at my university is. That made it a little bit daunting going in the door because it has that casual vibe where the members all know what they are doing and you don't. However the guy was friendly enough and gave me shoes hat and harness. He said the shoes should be tight but not agonising so I should come back and change them if I was in pain.

The building itself is an old church which has been covered in concrete on the inside and then it looks as though someone has spitballed the entire interior with bits of coloured paper. I looked at the height of it and trembled a bit I must say. Then I saw there was a very small room with walls about 12 foot high and a crash mat, and I thought "Ah, thank goodness, the beginner’s area.” Of course it wasn’t – in fact I think it may be their bouldering room – and we started on the high walls. But it was all OK as I shall relate.

First we put on our harnesses. I had no trouble fitting into mine at all, and nor did the tiny 6 year old who was also in the group. The harnesses fit snugly round thighs, bum, waist and stomach. The instructor offered to help me pull my harness good and tight, an offer I gratefully accepted. Especially once he said it was because “incredibly rarely someone manages to turn themselves upside down and it’s important you don’t fall out of the harness at that point”. Yeah, I’d say so. Cinch me up till I can’t breathe please. But he was punctilious about not laying a hand anywhere near me until he was 100% sure that I was in agreement and expecting it.

I was instructed in the pre-entry material to wear loose clothing, but actually my loose t-shirt and trousers just got in the way and had to be bunched up inside the harness – I’d probably wear more slim fitting top and trousers next time. I think what they meant to say was comfortable, flexible clothing. I am sure I looked a terrible sight especially once I added the ridiculous helmet but there were no mirrors and absolutely no-one was taking an interest in us – I forgot all about it as soon as we got started.

Before the session started, the instructor asked if anyone was scared of heights and made sure we knew we only needed to go as high as we were comfortable going. He instructed us about basic safety – we didn’t learn how to tie knots or anything, just to screw the carabiner (those metal loop things climbers attach to everything) closed and check it. Also they told us to look up before we walked anywhere in case there was someone up on the wall.

We went to the base of a wall which had 3 different coloured pathways of grips and two different heights you could climb to. There was a very long rope running through a pulley up at the top of the wall. One end gets clipped to the climber and is drawn in as she ascends so the rope is always more or less taut. The other end is clipped to the harness of the partner down below who provides the counter weight and also takes up the slack in the rope. The rope has a seat belt style fixing on it so that while you climb it pays out rope but if you fall and the rope starts going fast, it closes, stops the rope paying out and stops you moving.

When I saw that system, I said to the instructor that I was worried if I fell off the wall I would launch my partner into space. He said I shouldn’t worry, that wouldn’t happen, but he also showed me how he could clip my partner onto another wall for extra reassurance. My first climb he did that, the second he didn’t - I didn’t see what went on below when I was coming down but it was perfectly fine anyway, from my point of view. My science knowledge isn’t great, but I think the pulley takes some of the weight? It doesn’t feel as though you are holding a full-grown adult anyway, when it’s time for your partner to come down.

Both my partners went very nearly to the top first time. I must admit I was a bit worried I would get on the first foothold and just hang there and not be able to go any higher. But, really it was like climbing a high set of steps in terms of pushing upwards with my legs – not too hard. The wall was completely vertical and I had no fear of falling backwards initially. I almost immediately discovered that I am one of those people whose instinct is to pull themselves up with their arms. This was the thing which made me nervous – I started panicking that my arms would give way and I’d fall.

So anyway I got half way up and decided that was enough. So the instructor had me lean back away from the wall and dangle on the rope while keeping my feet flat on the wall. From the ground it looked easy when the others did it. But when I had to do it, that felt like an immense leap of faith. I hung onto the rope as I leaned back and that made it easier. Then the instructor started paying out rope and I just walked my way down the wall. The harness was very comfortable throughout and I really forgot I had it on.

After that I felt that I had ‘tested the system’ and had a lot more confidence in the whole thing. So my next go I climbed all the way up to the roof on the easiest holds. Then we moved to a wall with smaller holds which was tilted slightly outwards at the top. I got halfway up there and my arms were just screaming and I needed to stop. I didn’t actually fall, but I leaned out before the instructor was expecting me to, so it amounted to the same thing – and again they caught me on the rope and it was all fine.

The other people in the session were pretty friendly – we cheered for each other when we hit the top, and the instructor shouted helpful tips if the people who chose the harder routes got a bit stuck. It was a mixed session of adults, children, men and women – I think that is the only kind they do. The other climbers in the room, to the extent that I noticed them, seemed to be a pretty equal mix of men and women. The noise level I'd describe as a low hum - the loudest thing was probably me going "Whoo!" and "Whee!" as I leaned off the wall. The instructor was calling up to us but the acoustics of the building seemed to muffle sounds over all.

That’s it I think, other than to say the next day the only part of me that was sore was my arms (which were very sore – I woke up several times in the night with cramped muscles) – I obviously need to learn some technique quick! And that what maybe didn’t come across here is that I had a really good time, the amount of time I spent feeling nervous was really tiny, and I would encourage you to summon up the amount of trust you need to try it. I have some further thoughts but I’ll put those in my own journal. If there's anything I didn't mention, please ask!

ETA: I forgot to say, they asked us to take off all our jewellery. However the couple of us who had rings we can't remove were allowed to continue. Also we had to leave shoes, valuables etc. in closed but unlocked lockers.

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* The one that still makes me laugh when I think about it now was the equestrienne who basically went "OMG think of the tiny ponies you horse-crushing bitch!" down the phone at me.

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\o/

Welcome! It sounds like your first time went really well. :)

Thanks for taking the time to write up your experiences. I've added some tags to your entry in the hopes that other people contemplating climbing for the first time will be able to find it.

Thanks! Yes it did.

And I was wondering what to do about the tags, so, cool.

Oh, yay! Thank you for writing this up! And I'm delighted that you had such a good time.

I almost immediately discovered that I am one of those people whose instinct is to pull themselves up with their arms.

You and almost everybody else *g*. It's a natural tendency, if you feel you're about to fall off. The key thing is to learn to hang off straight arms whenever possible.

It's one of the many climbing things that feels completely counter-intuitive at first; then it clicks and you can feel that your arms are working much less that way.

Edited (Because I can spell, really.) 2010-06-13 16:36 (UTC)

"The key thing is to learn to hang off straight arms whenever possible."

I noticed you said something like this before as well but I can't quite picture what you mean. Could you go into this a bit more? I tend to do a lot of physical learning through thinking and it's really helpful if I can internalise ideas like this before I try them out.

Do you mean that bending my arms is a warning sign for pulling whereas if I keep them straight then I must be using my legs? But then, I will still need to take up the slack in my arms as I rise - are you saying I should lean away from the wall with straight arms to achieve that?

You bend your arms as you are straightening your legs but the weight is on your feet when you do that. Then you reach out with straight arms for your next hand hold and keep your arms straight while moving your feet up by bending your legs. I'm not sure if that makes sense but let me see if I can find some good videos.

One of the best things you can do is watch other climbers climb. If you can find some climbers to watch who move gracefully and with ease and lack of effort, those are the ones you want to emulate.

Thanks that is actually a really clear description, I think I have got it.

The good climbers go so fast! Or alternatively, use such impossibly tiny holds. It is hard to see and understand the detail of what they are doing. But inspirational!

I feel as though this is something I knew as a child, climbing about on the rocks at the beach, and am having to relearn. But I expect it will come. I trust that it is still in there somewhere.

Thank you for the tips :)

The good climbers go so fast! Or alternatively, use such impossibly tiny holds. It is hard to see and understand the detail of what they are doing.

It's like learning a new language. If you listen to native speakers and you only know 3 words, it sounds fast and blurs together. However, once you understand the basic structure and have some more knowledge of vocabulary, you start to understand more and more.

Here is an elite climber, Lynn Hill, moving fairly slowly. It's a pro-tip video but I think what she has to say is good for anyone at any level of climbing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CrXu67X0EY

Here is a good instruction video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnWuh2md-zU

That IS really helpful. I do see. I think one of the key things again is that I need the discipline of not rushing so that I can be mindful of what I am doing - I'll have to work on that. Thank you.

What

jumpuphigh said. There are times when your arms will naturally bend to "take up slack", as you say, and there will also be plenty of times when you need to pull with your arms.

But especially on overhangs, it's much easier to hang off straight arms as much as possible, and use body position to enable yourself to move up -- things like twisting side-on to the wall and counter-balancing yourself with a foot, which puts one shoulder next to the wall and means you can suddenly reach much higher with that arm.

(This is really hard to explain without a visual aid ...)

When you're on a vertical wall, you don't have to cling on like a bushbaby: it'll feel like you want to flatten yourself as close to the wall as possible, but you mostly don't need to. If your hips are over your feet, you can lean your upper body back quite a bit -- you'll often see climbers hold on with one hand and do this to shake the other arm out.

On a slab (where it's less than vertical), trying to press yourself against the wall will actually make your feet skid back off the holds; you need to hold yourself away from the wall so your centre of gravity stays over your feet.

I keep failing at writing up reviews, but my great technique bibles are The Self-Coached Climber by Dan Hague and Douglas Hunter, and the Neil Gresham Masterclass DVD.

There are also lots of short free technique videos at Mountainzone, which I remember finding useful.

Ahahahaha the bush baby. Or a limpet, that would have described me quite well too. The instructor kept telling us "it's OK to look at your feet!" So that's a handy thing to know, about the hips and the feet, thank you.

I can't believe I'll ever need to know anything which isn't at Mountainzone - that is a lot of information :)

And hurrah for recommended technique guides.

\o/

YAY! I'm so glad you went and had a good time. And yes, coming down is often the most scary, because you have to trust the harness, the rope, and the belayer. Yikes!

As for weight and belayers, I used to climb with a guy who had 100lbs on me, and the most that would happen if he fell when I wasn't expecting it was that I would bounce a bit in the air, but you are correct that the friction in the system (where the rope wraps around the bit at the top) alleviates a lot of that. Outdoor climbing can be more of a problem that way, because of differences in the layout.

ETA: I once saw a guy being belayed by his 7-year-old son. The kid was anchored to the ground, though, so it was okay. And some gyms have anchors on the ground--webbing you can clip to the back of your harness so you won't' get pulled up. But at least indoors it doesn't happen very often unless there's a huge discrepancy in weight between the climber & belayer.

Edited 2010-06-13 16:27 (UTC)

One of my climbing partners back in the day was a 13 year old. At that time, I was about 100 lbs. overweight. I never once pulled him off the ground.

Thank you! I really did have fun. And it was the initial leaning back that was scary - as soon as that was done, the rest was fun!

Actually I have quite a few questions so if you don't mind I'll shoot one at you too? The couple of things I found slightly less fun were; the responsibility of being the belayer, and the slightly rushed feeling of climbing with someone on the ground waiting for me to finish so it would be their turn.

I am thinking of asking a workmate to join me but I don't know if she'll want to. If not, that makes me think I might be better off with bouldering because I can do it by myself in my own time? But I'd welcome your thoughts about that.

You weren't shooting these at me but if you don't mind, I'll jump in.

Once you have a good relationship with your belayer(s), that rushed feeling starts to go away. There is no hurrying in climbing. Experienced climbers don't care how long you take or how hard the problem is that you are working on. Plus, when they are belaying, they aren't climbing which means their body is getting a well-deserved rest. You'll eventually notice groups of three people climbing together. One climbing, one belaying, one lying on the ground occasionally shouting encouragement to the climber. If climbers were really that focused on getting back up on the wall, 3-person groups wouldn't be that common. Hang out in the bouldering section for a while and watch time-wise how much is spent on the wall and how much is actually spent lying around resting, talking about problems, thinking about problems, spotting climbers, and stretching.

Responsibility of being the belayer:
Very important responsibility! However, the more you know about belaying and how it works, the less it feels like a heavy responsibility. Go get a few books about climbing and read up on belaying. I have a few books by John Long that I really like. I actually really started to love belaying once I began lead climbing. I understood the physics of belaying more and it's more fun (like you are dancing with the climber).

There is responsibility when bouldering as well. It's not a solo sport either. Again, check out the bouldering area. Those who aren't climbing are spotting climbers. There is technique that needs to be learned for spotting as well.

There is responsibility when bouldering as well. It's not a solo sport either.

FWIW, I've been fine with bouldering solo indoors.

I wouldn't want to do it outside (where you really need someone to make sure you land on the mat), but I haven't felt the need for a spotter inside.

And I see a lot of people bouldering solo at the wall where I climb (though "solo" tends to end up involving a lot of trading notes, swapping turns on problems, and commiserating about the unspeakable evil of the route-setters *g*).

So it's an option if you want to play on your own -- especially if you want to explore movement without necessarily doing a particular route or problem. And remember it's not an either/or choice: the majority of people seem to do some bouldering and some route-climbing, and the things you learn in one will transfer to the other.

This could also just be a climbing culture thing as well. While I know people who boulder solo, the climbing culture here is one of awareness of people needing a spot.

Personally, I don't boulder but I was trained by my instructor fairly early on how to spot properly.

I think the heartening thing if I can do it on my own is that for me that may be the same as being able to do it *at all*, especially at the beginning. I don't know anyone at the club and I am quite shy so unless I can persuade someone to join with me I'll be starting out alone.

Me, too! So shy! However, people will approach you to partner with them. I don't think I've ever gone during a busy time and not been able to find a climbing partner. Of course, once I knew people, I just gravitated to them but in the beginning, or at a gym where I don't know anyone, I've always been approached. "Need a partner? Need a belay? Do you want to join us?" Climbing is such a friendly and welcoming sport. Also, I recommend taking more classes. You can never have too much knowledge and classes are a great way to get that knowledge.

*nods* For me, it was definitely important to feel that I could go and climb completely on my own, with no-one watching me and no pressure and no self-consciousness.

For indoor bouldering on your own, the absolutely essential thing is knowing how to fall, and being comfortable with that; if you're taking more classes, it could be worth asking to spend a bit of time practicing how to fall (and jump) off the bouldering wall, if they don't specifically teach that. Getting stuck at the top of the bouldering wall and feeling you can't get down is not fun!

The aim is to land with your weight on both feet evenly and let your legs "crumple" to absorb the impact; injuries tend to come from landing unevenly and twisting something.

But I would second what

jumpuphigh said and say that I've found climbers to be very friendly and socially accepting: I've ended up spending far more time interacting and chatting with people than I would ever have expected would be possible for me in any context.

If you're doing more classes, you'll also get to know other people at the wall that way. And it's worth asking the staff if there's a bulletin board or if they know people who are looking for climbing partners. I think you'd find it a lot easier to find a partner than you expect, if that's what you want to do.

Thank you both, that's really encouraging.

Also, I have come to find that this centre runs a new climbers group once a week and a ton of classes.

ALSO, my friend from work, when I broached it with her, unveiled her secret climbing ambitions and was full of squee about the whole idea! She can't start right away but she is really keen for later in the summer.

So - and while I don't want to get ahead of myself - you have potentially recruited TWO new climbers!

\o/ The new climbers group and the classes sound wonderful; they'll be a great way to meet people who are climbing at the same sort of level as you, and should also be fun and a good way to improve your skills.

Thank you, that does really put things in perspective and make me feel a lot better. I like your way of looking at things :)

I had another thought about 3 person climbing groups that may be helpful as well. I prefer to climb in 3 person groups when one of those people is a beginner because when they are belaying, the person who isn't climbing can be a back-up to them (safer) and can give them belaying tips/catch them when they do something wrong.

This is brilliant, and encouraging!

That's great, I'm really glad yay!

I think you were asking about knees before? I don't have bad knees but they do creak a bit if they are feeling the strain. I didn't feel any discomfort at all. On the easier trails it is really like climbing stairs. I do imagine that changes as you get onto the harder sections, but perhaps you are in a better position to judge what is suitable for you by then. The only thing is that your legs are sideways instead of forwards, if you see what I mean? In case that's an uncomfortable position for you.

Coming down on the rope was incredibly gentle - I landed like a fairy. Pantomime fun!

Yay for your first time. Next time you go, ask someone to show you some stretches for your forearms. That will help.

When I started climbing, I was about 100 lbs. overweight. The only person I've ever pulled off the ground was someone who wasn't paying attention while lead belaying me. Top roping is much safer. You were top roping. Leading (called other things in other countries - someone help me out here) is where you are bringing the rope with you when you climb and clip it to the wall as you go. If you ever begin lead climbing, make sure that you are climbing with people who really know what they are doing. Being pulled off the ground as a lead belayer happens all the time even when there isn't much weight discrepancy due to physics and the amount of force that someone who falls exerts. (For my scientific brain, climbing and the physics of climbing is really fascinating.)

I'm glad your first experience went well. I found climbing to be very empowering.

That does sound like a good idea. Although they were bad in the night but almost recovered the next day, but then I discovered my fingers were quite red and a bit sore. I could definitely see what the old finger tape would be for. I wondered - I have a pair of leather fingerless weightlifting gloves, would they be good or bad for climbing?

I don't think they'd work out. They won't protect your fingers which is the part that usually gets torn up and the leather won't give you good traction. There are a number of creams and goos that climbers use to help the skin. Your hands will get used to it pretty quickly. I do recommend learning to tape knuckles to help protect your tendons. Since you are carrying more weight than most climbers, your tendons will need some extra TLC.

Ooh OK I will make sure to look into that. Thank you!

Gloves would actually be counter-productive for rock climbing, I think, as then your hands would blister from the slippage between the skin and the gloves.

Basically they're only a good idea if you're on a mountain and getting frostbite *g*.

You'll find that your skin does get sore and blistered initially, but it will start to toughen up very quickly. There's a climbing hand care post here.

Is it okay to link this from my journal? I'd like to point people over here in case they're thinking of trying a beginner's class and want to know what to expect.

I'm not sure if you are asking me or the comm owner but if me, then of course! You were the one who started all this! And thanks again!

You :). Thanks!

Congratulations on your first trip and so glad it was a good experience! And, yeah, that first time letting go of the wall is always terrifying (I boulder, or, um, used to boulder and need to get back into it - I only do rope climbing rarely and every time that first time I have to let go of the wall I cling to a hold and think "you have GOT to be kidding me!") until you learn to trust the ropes and harness and belayer.

I also find, when I'm at a point where I haven't climbed in a while and getting back into it, my arms/hands are a little less sore each time I go. Usually if I haven't gone in a while my forearms want to kill me the next day. Stretch and stretch and it fades and gets better as you climb more.

Anyway, so very glad you had a good experience! And here's hoping you go again.

Thank you! I will bear in mind that I might need to go through the nervousness again next time and not be disheartened.

I have booked a beginner's class in order not to lose my momentum. I have to say all the support I have received here has helped very much in that regard as well :)

It's funny that you say that about letting go on a rope vs. feeling more comfortable bouldering, because I feel rather the opposite. I mean, when I first started, yes, letting go of the wall was a big deal--I think it pretty much always is, those first few times. But now I've been climbing for years, have taken big falls on lead, and I generally don't have problems trusting the rope or my climbing partners when I'm leading or toproping, especially indoors.

But I STILL get nervous about jumping/falling from the bouldering wall. Even when I know there's a mat, that it's not that high, I try under all circumstances to downclimb at least a few moves, and I'm hesitant to make risky moves near the top of a problem because I don't want to fall. There's still this psychological thing about hitting the ground--even when I've only fallen a few feet. I know I just need to practice it more (I don't boulder all that often, really, so it's more unfamiliar). As with anything, practicing the nervewracking things is the best way to get over the mental block.

Oh, I never got used to it with Bouldering. I was always downclimbing and taking fewer risks as I got higher (getting on a rope after spending several months bouldering I found I was better than I thought I was because I was less nervous about taking risks).

I actually got really proud when I started falling off the bouldering wall - both because it was teaching me that it would be okay to do so, and because it means I was getting brave enough to take more risks (I'm very torn between rope-climbing and bouldering, honestly, as there's aspects of both I like, but I have difficulty finding people to climb with, so I tend toward bouldering when I don't need to find someone and arrange around their schedule)

Yay! I'm glad you had a good first time out, and it's great that you've written up the experience!

As with so many things, practice makes perfect with climbing: not only will you get more comfortable with things like letting go of the wall (ALWAYS kind of terrifying the first few times!), but as you watch other climbers and also pay attention to the way your own body is moving, you'll develop both muscles and technique. You sound like you're off to a fabulous start, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Thankyou! All the encouragement here has been incredibly welcome.

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First taste of climbing!

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