Rock climbing // Lead, Boulder, Alpine

Vidyoyo said:
General question - do climbing centres tend to do beginner sessions? I just had a gander at my local one and I can't see anything but as a total beginner I think I'd need some trainining...

It's a Depot Centre which I think is a chain so maybe somebody here has done one?
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You don’t need training. Even as a beginner. Just rock up to the centre. They will make you do an induction (explaining some safety rules) and away you go. The easiest stuff is basically like climbing a ladder. As you progress you’ll be able to find loads of hints and tips online.

If you want to climb with ropes there’s more to it. Especially belaying other climbers. But the beauty of bouldering is it’s simplicity. All you need is shoes and a bag of chalk (which you can rent at the centre)
 
Pogue Mahone said:
You don’t need training. Even as a beginner. Just rock up to the centre. They will make you do an induction (explaining some safety rules) and away you go. The easiest stuff is basically like climbing a ladder. As you progress you’ll be able to find loads of hints and tips online.

If you want to climb with ropes there’s more to it. Especially belaying other climbers. But the beauty of bouldering is it’s simplicity. All you need is shoes and a bag of chalk (which you can rent at the centre)
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Thanks Pogue. Think I might give it a go on Sunday.
 
Rasendori said:
Started bouldering just before the Covid outbreak. My incentive for bouldering was to train for a Spartan Death Race. This is something I hope to attempt within 10 years. In the meantime, I hope to experience obstacle courses of different terrains whether that's mud, or this one which caught my attention during my lunch break. Just need to improve my strength
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Jaysus. That looks rough. What sport are you going to take up to help with eating a bag of raw onions?!
 
Pogue Mahone said:
You don’t need training. Even as a beginner. Just rock up to the centre. They will make you do an induction (explaining some safety rules) and away you go. The easiest stuff is basically like climbing a ladder. As you progress you’ll be able to find loads of hints and tips online.

If you want to climb with ropes there’s more to it. Especially belaying other climbers. But the beauty of bouldering is it’s simplicity. All you need is shoes and a bag of chalk (which you can rent at the centre)
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I've found it depends, Climbing Works made you either pay for an induction (about an hour I think), or you signed something to say you were experienced. It was generally safety stuff as you said, but also explanations on grades, how to start, how to finish etc.
 
mitChley said:
I've found it depends, Climbing Works made you either pay for an induction (about an hour I think), or you signed something to say you were experienced. It was generally safety stuff as you said, but also explanations on grades, how to start, how to finish etc.
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An hour’s induction for bouldering sounds excessive. It’s usually about 15-20 minutes. Although I guess it depends how busy they are. In lots of gyms you can save time by completing disclaimers/watching videos online before you turn up.

@Vidyoyo Forgot to mention this. Check their website before you go.
 
Pogue Mahone said:


This looks ace.

@Kasper
@Ainu
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That seems pretty cool, I love watching climbing documentaries/movies, there's never enough of them. I prefer ones focused on outdoor, if only for the scenery, but anything with Janja Garnbret in competitive mode is worth watching.

This thread is also a painful reminder of the fact I still haven't visited a climbing gym since March 2020. Lockdowns really messed me up and now I just can't seem to find the same rhythm in my daily life again. I don't know how I ever found the time to go climbing regularly on working days. On top of that, I had a fracture in my left elbow six ago weeks ago due to a cycling accident. It feels fine now but I have no idea how it'll react on a climbing wall. Feels like it could be a long way back to my previous level. :(
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Jaysus. That looks rough. What sport are you going to take up to help with eating a bag of raw onions?!
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No need. Can't be more difficult that stomaching the lasagne I had in Primary School. Now that was grim.

With bouldering, do you predominantly have a dynamic or static style? And why
 
Rasendori said:
No need. Can't be more difficult that stomaching the lasagne I had in Primary School. Now that was grim.

With bouldering, do you predominantly have a dynamic or static style? And why
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Static, definitely. I’m tall and have a very positive ape index so reachy problems are right up my alley, the burlier the better. Not a fan of crimps and I rarely need to be very dynamic, which suits me fine. Plus I like slabs. Roof problems and steep overhangs are my kryptonite (and I know this means I should train them more).
 


Magnus Midtbo celebrated a million subscribers by going climbing with Adam Ondra. Very cool vid. Interesting to see two very strong, completely differently shaped, climbers trying the same problems.

Keep an eye out for a naaaaasty looking mono undercling from Ondra.
 
Pogue Mahone said:


And this video is even better. Ondra is so impressive. Ends up doing reps on an 8b. Outdoors.

@Kasper
@Ainu
@Rasendori

@Vidyoyo How’d you get on at that gym?
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Already watched it yesterday, forgot to post here. This Magnus/Adam series is soo good, I usually don't watch Magnus channel because I'm not really interested in all the "doing the military xy test" stuff but this collab has simply been awesome. I think I've never seen Ondra as comfortable around the camera as in these videos, really good atmosphere. Great insights, especially Ondra is really incredibly detailed in his analysis of thinsg - what felt really sad was when he said if not for the Olympics he'd have retired from competition, especially bouldering, already two years ago because it's so unhealthy demanding on his body and that he can already feel it. Quite a brutal honest take.
 
Kasper said:
Already watched it yesterday, forgot to post here. This Magnus/Adam series is soo good, I usually don't watch Magnus channel because I'm not really interested in all the "doing the military xy test" stuff but this collab has simply been awesome. I think I've never seen Ondra as comfortable around the camera as in these videos, really good atmosphere. Great insights, especially Ondra is really incredibly detailed in his analysis of thinsg - what felt really sad was when he said if not for the Olympics he'd have retired from competition, especially bouldering, already two years ago because it's so unhealthy demanding on his body and that he can already feel it. Quite a brutal honest take.
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The power vs weight and height/ape index chat is super interesting. Plus I love the way he sums up the issue with the bouldering problems at the olympics without sounding bitter at all. “Unfortunately the slab was too easy and the strength problem was too hard”. Spot on.

Have you seen the Instagram account of the insanely strong Japanese guy he mentioned? Absolutely ridiculous.



40 pull ups on a 6mm edge. I reckon even @JPRouve would struggle with this one!
 
Slow paced campus (no leg) climbing is something I need to explore


Same route done 3 different ways. I resonate with the third one. Just glides gracefully. I think the woman's method looks a bit untidy
 
I went bouldering for the first time yesterday, at the Depot. I have a couple of friends who do a bit of climbing and I can see why they enjoy it - I'll definitely be back!
 
All this bouldering talk has inspired me to get off my lazy ass and go back to the climbing wall for the first time in years. Hope I'm able to type tomorrow.
 
So I went to the climbing wall for the first time today and it's pretty fun. My hands hurt now. Also didn't realise you need special shoes to do it.

Can anybody recommend a pair of relatively inexpensive climbing shoes for a beginner?
 
Vidyoyo said:
So I went to the climbing wall for the first time today and it's pretty fun. My hands hurt now. Also didn't realise you need special shoes to do it.

Can anybody recommend a pair of relatively inexpensive climbing shoes for a beginner?
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Scarpa Vapor V are decent for beginners.

I’m posting this from Fontainebleau. Incredible few days here. Would thoroughly recommend. No skin left on fingertips.
 
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Pogue Mahone said:
Here’s a vid of me bumbling my way up a 6a. The grades are so humbling. Didn’t send anything harder than 6a+ and fell off loads of 5s and 4s. In the gym I had myself down as a 6c/6c+ climber. How wrong I was!
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Climbing outdoors is bloody humbling you're right. I considered myself semi-competent indoors then went outdoors and was like "What do I hold onto?". Got to trust your feet so much more.
 
mitChley said:
Climbing outdoors is bloody humbling you're right. I considered myself semi-competent indoors then went outdoors and was like "What do I hold onto?". Got to trust your feet so much more.
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Yeah, exactly. All about the feet. Especially in font, where you’re usually topping out on dodgy slopers. Just being able to identify what is and isn’t a good foothold is an art in itself. The lads I was travelling with had a lot more experience outdoors than me and kept finding somewhere to plant a foot where I just saw blank rock.

And don’t get me started on the head game. The boulder in the video I’m climbing above wasn’t high at all but I was still absolutely shitting myself during the last couple of moves.

Some of the boulders there were insanely tall. Worked the first few moves on this one but noped out of the whole top section. Feck that.

 
Pogue Mahone said:
Scarpa Vapor V are decent for beginners.

I’m posting this from Fontainebleau. Incredible few days here. Would thoroughly recommend. No skin left on fingertips.
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Vidyoyo said:
Cheers. Maybe a bit expensive as I've only just started but I'll keep an eye on ebay.

You got any pics?
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Yeah, I definitely wouldn't pay above 90€ for beginners climbing shoes because you'll wear them out so quickly due to bad technique. Check if you can get something like Sportiva Tarantula for 60-70€, that should be enough. Either way, best is to go to your local store and see what fits, for a start I'd look for something soft but with strong support at the front. Also I wouldn't go with the "as tight as possible" approach as it doesn't make a big difference on lower levels and only ruins the experience at the start.
 
Kasper said:
Yeah, I definitely wouldn't pay above 90€ for beginners climbing shoes because you'll wear them out so quickly due to bad technique. Check if you can get something like Sportiva Tarantula for 60-70€, that should be enough. Either way, best is to go to your local store and see what fits, for a start I'd look for something soft but with strong support at the front. Also I wouldn't go with the "as tight as possible" approach as it doesn't make a big difference on lower levels and only ruins the experience at the start.
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Cheers for the advice. I think I'll pop over to my local store (Blacks) at the weekend and see what they've got/how they fit.

Shoe hire in my nearest climbing centre is £3.50 and I'm worried it'll really add up eventually.
 
Ticked a dream climb this weekend - the NW Buttress of Tenaya Peak in Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. The 1,500 foot route was by far the longest route I’ve climbed. It’s fairly easy - the hardest pitch we did was 5.6/5.7 and we soloed the first half of the route (which is technically low 5th class but felt more like 3rd/4th).

Unfortunately the wildfire smoke from the new fire in the southern part of the park rolled in a few pitches before top and the views were nonexistent, but very rewarding nonetheless.


Here’s my partner on the next to last (?) pitch.
 
forevrared said:
Ticked a dream climb this weekend - the NW Buttress of Tenaya Peak in Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. The 1,500 foot route was by far the longest route I’ve climbed. It’s fairly easy - the hardest pitch we did was 5.6/5.7 and we soloed the first half of the route (which is technically low 5th class but felt more like 3rd/4th).

Unfortunately the wildfire smoke from the new fire in the southern part of the park rolled in a few pitches before top and the views were nonexistent, but very rewarding nonetheless.


Here’s my partner on the next to last (?) pitch.
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That’s awesome. Great achievement. Must be so satisfying. I find the whole concept of multi-pitch climbing absolutely terrifying! Presume the route was bolted? Or were you climbing trad?!
 
Pogue Mahone said:
That’s awesome. Great achievement. Must be so satisfying. I find the whole concept of multi-pitch climbing absolutely terrifying! Presume the route was bolted? Or were you climbing trad?!
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This is a trad route. Apparently there are some old pitons still kicking around from the 50’s & 60’s but I didn’t see them. It was actually my first multi-pitch trad climb, but a decent one to learn as all but one belay station had a ledge big enough to stand, as opposed to a hanging belay, though since there are no bolted anchors, the belay station is ultimately wherever you decide it is!
 
forevrared said:
This is a trad route. Apparently there are some old pitons still kicking around from the 50’s & 60’s but I didn’t see them. It was actually my first multi-pitch trad climb, but a decent one to learn as all but one belay station had a ledge big enough to stand, as opposed to a hanging belay, though since there are no bolted anchors, the belay station is ultimately wherever you decide it is!
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Fecking hell. Multi-pitch and trad. My two greatest climbing fears combined. So impressed.
 
So after doing it once a few years ago I’ve been bouldering twice un the last 3 days. Super super fun and did a V3 today which is pathetic to any real climber but I was happy

my arms back and shoulders are fried though
 
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