Climbing!
It's been a couple of weeks since I've been climbing. I got a one month subscription at the gym for 60 bucks on 9/10, and that was the last time I went climbing. If I go 4 times a month, it makes sense to get a monthly pass. I've been slacking!!
I made plans last night to meet up with this guy I met on the connecticutclimbers Yahoo group, George. I didn't know what he looked like, but I told the gym manager/owner that I'd be meeting George there and he directed me to where he was climbing, because he'd already arrived.
We climbed until my arms were shot. Started off on a little 5.5, then moved to some 5.7's and 5.8's. My fingers are obviously still not tough enough to handle little pinchers, but I was able to hold my own. In fact, I didn't fall almost at all. There was one climb (5.8+) that I simply couldn't get more than 5 feet off the ground on. I don't think that it's entirely because I was blown, either. I just have to puzzle it out.
George just started climbing last year after visiting Yosemite (or another big name park). He did well. His footwork needs practice, and he still has to learn about how to mentally approach the climb. He saw me do it a couple of times and commented that he didn't have that "chess-like" approach to mentally planning out the next few moves. I spoke with him about the virtues of it, and I saw him mentally going over the moves. That should help him with his ascents in the future.
Climbing is half physical, half mental. I am physically "weak" where it counts as it stands; my fingers start to hurt on crimps way too early, and my hands don't have much endurance (compared to how I used to be!). But mentally, I'm still pretty strong. I mentally play out the climb in my head before I actually start it. I pick out akward points and how I can deal with them.
Also, if I'm heading on a climb that I know I will probably fall on a couple of times, that I won't just "walk", I prepare myself shortly beforehand by breathing. Those deep, steady breaths that focus the mind and relax the body.
I love to climb =) I really do need to go more often.
I made plans last night to meet up with this guy I met on the connecticutclimbers Yahoo group, George. I didn't know what he looked like, but I told the gym manager/owner that I'd be meeting George there and he directed me to where he was climbing, because he'd already arrived.
We climbed until my arms were shot. Started off on a little 5.5, then moved to some 5.7's and 5.8's. My fingers are obviously still not tough enough to handle little pinchers, but I was able to hold my own. In fact, I didn't fall almost at all. There was one climb (5.8+) that I simply couldn't get more than 5 feet off the ground on. I don't think that it's entirely because I was blown, either. I just have to puzzle it out.
George just started climbing last year after visiting Yosemite (or another big name park). He did well. His footwork needs practice, and he still has to learn about how to mentally approach the climb. He saw me do it a couple of times and commented that he didn't have that "chess-like" approach to mentally planning out the next few moves. I spoke with him about the virtues of it, and I saw him mentally going over the moves. That should help him with his ascents in the future.
Climbing is half physical, half mental. I am physically "weak" where it counts as it stands; my fingers start to hurt on crimps way too early, and my hands don't have much endurance (compared to how I used to be!). But mentally, I'm still pretty strong. I mentally play out the climb in my head before I actually start it. I pick out akward points and how I can deal with them.
Also, if I'm heading on a climb that I know I will probably fall on a couple of times, that I won't just "walk", I prepare myself shortly beforehand by breathing. Those deep, steady breaths that focus the mind and relax the body.
I love to climb =) I really do need to go more often.
posted by Adam Skinner at 10/06/2004 08:33:00 AM
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