Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
edited February 2017
Yeah, for the sake of discussion: that photo shows the climber hanging away from the wall, hips out, with his arm bent. That's all stuff to avoid. Those fat pinchers usually have two flat sides, which are the main working surface. Try to lay as flat against the wall as you can, with your arm perpendicular to that flat surface on the hold.
In the case of the photo, the climber should put his right hip against the wall and straighten his left arm, or he'll quickly get exhausted. He'd probably want to also sick his right foot where his left foot is right now, assuming the next move is straight up or to the right.
That move really looks like you gotta layback into it. I can't tell what your feet options are, but you should probably have your hip closer into the wall, generally speaking. Possibly not true in this instance. But if you're laying back, hip against the wall, with good feet on, you're not having to use those arms as much to hold in place.
Yeah, it's all positioning. Sometimes though, they're straight grip-gate problems where you just don't have the hand strength - that's usually just a bad set though, as you shouldn't see that on globes until V5+. A picture of the route would be good, as it's hard to think on.
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
Yeah, I'll get a proper pic for sure. It's a fairly low start, with the starting holds adjacent to one another and angled down and out at 45*. Next two holds are similarly-angled, and there are two chips to move your feet up ~6" before a big, reachy left. The whole thing is pretty vertical, but I'm holding off on saying it's just a 'grip-gate' as I'm not at all confident that I'm not missing something in terms of technique.
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Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
edited February 2017
Grades don't mean much from one gym to the next, but what are those setters calling it?
I ask because knowing the grade will help us understand what types of movements the setters expect climbers to accomplish, and whether it's a strength gate or a technique gate.
Tynnan on
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
V3-4
For reference, I'm sending all the V1-2s and 3/9 of the V3-4s currently on the wall.
Sounds like maybe a compression/angled body play? Any lips or flats on them at all? Usually there's a subtle flat on one side that feels like a pocket from the right angle.
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
edited February 2017
Ok, so here's the aforementioned pinchy problem (the purple holds and tape). Apologies for the photo quality; higher res by clicking the images.
Also, I did the first of two lead climbing classes last night, and it was great. Just me and one other guy in the class, and I feel pretty confident that I'm not going to die, nor will I kill my climber when belaying. Clipping definitely gives you a lot to think about - usually I'm comfortable climbing 5.10 in the gym, and the 5.8 practice route was pretty challenging until I started to get used to clipping even on their permadraws.
Yeah, as we get to the 3 pinches it's about shifting your body all the way left and down while having your left arm on the middle of the 3 pinches opposed so you can pop dyno up with your right to the 4th big one up before the finish, which I assume has a decent top?
Alternately it's a compression problem using the foot out right to stabilize while opposing with your other foot and carefully moving your hands until you can pop to the finish. Hard to tell.
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Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
How overhung is the first half? And it looks like it's on a bit of an arete?
Looks almost like you'd be better off treating those first few holds like slopers, rather than pinchers. Try to maximize your "normal force" on each hold with your hip placement, leaning hard away from each hold as you reach it.
Dang. I was positive that was going to be a spot where you should be backstepped and flagging, using one of the pinches as a sloper instead, but I'm just not seeing a way to do that.
I also thought maybe you could use the left lower pincher to gaston with your right hand, but the fact that you have matched hands the whole way up doesn't really jive with that.
I kind of want to start taking video of project attempts, but the gym is always packed and I feel like I'd be that guy to a degree.
I'm that guy. Don't even worry about it. When you can see what you're doing wrong you'll improve faster
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
edited February 2017
So, the journey toward lead climbing. I don't own any quickdraws, but I did tie a biner to my pullup bar and am practicing doing a clip every time I walk into my bedroom.
Part 2 of the class is Tuesday, where we'll start practicing falls, then I can schedule my test. Greybeard Climber Sempai said he'd be surprised if I wouldn't have passed the test as of 3/4 of the way through the first class, so that takes the pressure off and I feel better able to focus on practicing.
The gym doesn't allow taking the test in their rental harness (not wanting whippers on their belay loops?). I could borrow a harness, but I think I may just buy one.
So, the journey toward lead climbing. I don't own any quickdraws, but I did tie a biner to my pullup bar and am practicing doing a clip every time I walk into my bedroom.
Part 2 of the class is Tuesday, where we'll start practicing falls, then I can schedule my test. Greybeard Climber Sempai said he'd be surprised if I wouldn't have passed the test as of 3/4 of the way through the first class, so that takes the pressure off and I feel better able to focus on practicing.
The gym doesn't allow taking the test in their rental harness (not wanting whippers on their belay loops?). I could borrow a harness, but I think I may just buy one.
A nice comfy harness is so great, and decent ones are only like 40 bucks. I like the Black Diamond momentums for cheap harnesses, but Petzl makes some good stuff too from my understanding.
So, the journey toward lead climbing. I don't own any quickdraws, but I did tie a biner to my pullup bar and am practicing doing a clip every time I walk into my bedroom.
Part 2 of the class is Tuesday, where we'll start practicing falls, then I can schedule my test. Greybeard Climber Sempai said he'd be surprised if I wouldn't have passed the test as of 3/4 of the way through the first class, so that takes the pressure off and I feel better able to focus on practicing.
The gym doesn't allow taking the test in their rental harness (not wanting whippers on their belay loops?). I could borrow a harness, but I think I may just buy one.
A nice comfy harness is so great, and decent ones are only like 40 bucks. I like the Black Diamond momentums for cheap harnesses, but Petzl makes some good stuff too from my understanding.
I went with the momentum and it seems great, if a little sweaty.
Also, sent my traversy project and got to within one move of finishing that cursed pinch problem.
What does 180lbs falling from a full layback from the 12ft tall section of the bouldering roof do to a 3 year old child running underneath you?
We were about 6 inches from finding out today!
God damn I love my gym...
That shit is the worst. Whenever they had kids parties I'd stay away from hard problems in the bouldering room for that very reason.
One of my female climbing partners got hurt pretty bad because just as she had finished topping a bouldering problems in one of our high overhang (20ish Ft I would guess) some dude decided to "catch her".
Like literally get under her and try to break her fall. It messed up her foot pretty bad cause she waved him off at the last second and didn't fully land on him,
Margo Hayes, 17 years old, is the first woman to ever send 5.15. She crushed La Rambla yesterday, not only pushing the boundary of women climbers, but all human physical achievement.
Meanwhile, I'm getting back to my 5.10 proj as soon as my shoulder heals and it's warm enough outside. :X
I will never get over how high pro climbers will go with only a few crash pads to save them.
"Nina Williams FFA of Ambrosia (V11)"
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
Took the second of two lead classes last night. I feel pretty prepared for the test, and the instructor took some time to teach us how to clean routes and lower down as well, which is good to know.
Lead falls aren't as scary as I thought they might be, though I didn't climb far above the previous draw.
Took the second of two lead classes last night. I feel pretty prepared for the test, and the instructor took some time to teach us how to clean routes and lower down as well, which is good to know.
Lead falls aren't as scary as I thought they might be, though I didn't climb far above the previous draw.
Heh. For the class I took, almost the first thing you had to do was climb up to the next draw, not clip, and take a whipper.
What is this I don't even.
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
Took the second of two lead classes last night. I feel pretty prepared for the test, and the instructor took some time to teach us how to clean routes and lower down as well, which is good to know.
Lead falls aren't as scary as I thought they might be, though I didn't climb far above the previous draw.
Heh. For the class I took, almost the first thing you had to do was climb up to the next draw, not clip, and take a whipper.
Took the second of two lead classes last night. I feel pretty prepared for the test, and the instructor took some time to teach us how to clean routes and lower down as well, which is good to know.
Lead falls aren't as scary as I thought they might be, though I didn't climb far above the previous draw.
Heh. For the class I took, almost the first thing you had to do was climb up to the next draw, not clip, and take a whipper.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's on the test.
Do you not know the test format? Ours was send any climb, 5.9 minimum (our ratings are fairly stiff), clip three draws, climb to the fourth draw, take the whip, finish the climb. Backsteps, backclips, z-clips or too much resting all result in a fail.
The tough part was not getting pumped as a result of reclimbing after the adrenaline rush of the fall. Our 5.9s always get really cruddy on an overhang toward the end, so it was make or break at the final clip.
Darkewolfe on
What is this I don't even.
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
I don't know it, but what you described seems pretty plausible. I'd be surprised if "send a stiff climb of X grade" would be part of it, if only because all the practice clipping, etc was on a 5.8.
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Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
edited March 2017
Definitely be able to describe backclipping and z-clipping, what causes them, and how they cause problems for you. Not just avoid them on the physical test.
Tynnan on
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
Back clipping is clipping the rope such that it exits the wall-side of the draw, which creates the possibility of the rope pulling out during a fall.
Z clipping is clipping with the rope from below the last clip, which drastically increases rope drag.
Getting the rope behind the leg could cause you to flip upside down during a fall.
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Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
edited March 2017
Z-clipping can also mean that the last draw you've clipped is lower than you expect, putting you at risk of decking:
(this is more likely when draws are closely spaced or you're under a roof)
And rope behind the leg means, yeah, you can get flipped. But if you avoid head injury or other trauma you'll still have the mother of all rope burns to remind you of the experience.
Also I wouldn't expect a gym lead class to ask about quickdraw spine orientation, since that's not something you need to know for indoor lead.
Took the second of two lead classes last night. I feel pretty prepared for the test, and the instructor took some time to teach us how to clean routes and lower down as well, which is good to know.
Lead falls aren't as scary as I thought they might be, though I didn't climb far above the previous draw.
Heh. For the class I took, almost the first thing you had to do was climb up to the next draw, not clip, and take a whipper.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's on the test.
Do you not know the test format? Ours was send any climb, 5.9 minimum (our ratings are fairly stiff), clip three draws, climb to the fourth draw, take the whip, finish the climb. Backsteps, backclips, z-clips or too much resting all result in a fail.
The tough part was not getting pumped as a result of reclimbing after the adrenaline rush of the fall. Our 5.9s always get really cruddy on an overhang toward the end, so it was make or break at the final clip.
Man, that's a rough test.
Mine was pretty much the same except for having to finish the climb. Three clips, climb to the fourth drop.
Also we had to belay someone else and have them take an unexpected fall.
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In the case of the photo, the climber should put his right hip against the wall and straighten his left arm, or he'll quickly get exhausted. He'd probably want to also sick his right foot where his left foot is right now, assuming the next move is straight up or to the right.
Yeah, it's all positioning. Sometimes though, they're straight grip-gate problems where you just don't have the hand strength - that's usually just a bad set though, as you shouldn't see that on globes until V5+. A picture of the route would be good, as it's hard to think on.
I ask because knowing the grade will help us understand what types of movements the setters expect climbers to accomplish, and whether it's a strength gate or a technique gate.
For reference, I'm sending all the V1-2s and 3/9 of the V3-4s currently on the wall.
I need to start climbing more than once a week. Going once a week for years has me at one hell of a plateau.
Also, I did the first of two lead climbing classes last night, and it was great. Just me and one other guy in the class, and I feel pretty confident that I'm not going to die, nor will I kill my climber when belaying. Clipping definitely gives you a lot to think about - usually I'm comfortable climbing 5.10 in the gym, and the 5.8 practice route was pretty challenging until I started to get used to clipping even on their permadraws.
So right hand on the slightly bigger start hold, left hand on the other. Move your left hand towards the next move?
Oh, well.
I kind of want to start taking video of project attempts, but the gym is always packed and I feel like I'd be that guy to a degree.
Alternately it's a compression problem using the foot out right to stabilize while opposing with your other foot and carefully moving your hands until you can pop to the finish. Hard to tell.
Looks almost like you'd be better off treating those first few holds like slopers, rather than pinchers. Try to maximize your "normal force" on each hold with your hip placement, leaning hard away from each hold as you reach it.
I also thought maybe you could use the left lower pincher to gaston with your right hand, but the fact that you have matched hands the whole way up doesn't really jive with that.
That may just be a brute force problem.
I'm that guy. Don't even worry about it. When you can see what you're doing wrong you'll improve faster
Part 2 of the class is Tuesday, where we'll start practicing falls, then I can schedule my test. Greybeard Climber Sempai said he'd be surprised if I wouldn't have passed the test as of 3/4 of the way through the first class, so that takes the pressure off and I feel better able to focus on practicing.
The gym doesn't allow taking the test in their rental harness (not wanting whippers on their belay loops?). I could borrow a harness, but I think I may just buy one.
A nice comfy harness is so great, and decent ones are only like 40 bucks. I like the Black Diamond momentums for cheap harnesses, but Petzl makes some good stuff too from my understanding.
It has a great starting position.
I went with the momentum and it seems great, if a little sweaty.
Also, sent my traversy project and got to within one move of finishing that cursed pinch problem.
I just want to climb all the time now.
We were about 6 inches from finding out today!
God damn I love my gym...
That shit is the worst. Whenever they had kids parties I'd stay away from hard problems in the bouldering room for that very reason.
One of my female climbing partners got hurt pretty bad because just as she had finished topping a bouldering problems in one of our high overhang (20ish Ft I would guess) some dude decided to "catch her".
Like literally get under her and try to break her fall. It messed up her foot pretty bad cause she waved him off at the last second and didn't fully land on him,
Margo Hayes, 17 years old, is the first woman to ever send 5.15. She crushed La Rambla yesterday, not only pushing the boundary of women climbers, but all human physical achievement.
Meanwhile, I'm getting back to my 5.10 proj as soon as my shoulder heals and it's warm enough outside. :X
The picture that was everywhere yesterday was also phenomenal in the emotion it conveyed.
"Nina Williams FFA of Ambrosia (V11)"
Lead falls aren't as scary as I thought they might be, though I didn't climb far above the previous draw.
Heh. For the class I took, almost the first thing you had to do was climb up to the next draw, not clip, and take a whipper.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's on the test.
Love heading down there to hike, and definitely looking forward to my first climb there.
Do you not know the test format? Ours was send any climb, 5.9 minimum (our ratings are fairly stiff), clip three draws, climb to the fourth draw, take the whip, finish the climb. Backsteps, backclips, z-clips or too much resting all result in a fail.
The tough part was not getting pumped as a result of reclimbing after the adrenaline rush of the fall. Our 5.9s always get really cruddy on an overhang toward the end, so it was make or break at the final clip.
Z clipping is clipping with the rope from below the last clip, which drastically increases rope drag.
Getting the rope behind the leg could cause you to flip upside down during a fall.
(this is more likely when draws are closely spaced or you're under a roof)
And rope behind the leg means, yeah, you can get flipped. But if you avoid head injury or other trauma you'll still have the mother of all rope burns to remind you of the experience.
Also I wouldn't expect a gym lead class to ask about quickdraw spine orientation, since that's not something you need to know for indoor lead.
Man, that's a rough test.
Mine was pretty much the same except for having to finish the climb. Three clips, climb to the fourth drop.
Also we had to belay someone else and have them take an unexpected fall.