UKC

Hello all

I'm pretty new to climbing and have been to Manchester Climbing Centre probably around 10 times.

I've found that some of the ratings are pretty confusing - I can shoot up some 5's no problems but other 5's I find completely impossible. I was wondering what people who go there think of the ratings - it's a little tricky to progress if some 5's are easy yet others are just too hard to even get a foot off the ground.

We've been thinking about giving Rope Race in Marple a go - are the route settings better there? Anyone got any general thoughts about it?

Cheers
Ben

In reply to Kurt Alden:

Don't worry about the ratings. Progressing isn't about being able to pick a grade a climb every route at that grade, it's about constantly testing yourself.

Also all walls, more than crags, have dodgy ratings, because there are fewer sequences to compensate for different physiques and abilities.

The other thing that beginners rarely consider when critising ratings is that becuase they are inexperienced there are often gaps in ability. Don't blame the ratings if you find something you can't do, instead work out why you can't do it and improve. The rating MAY be wrong, but so what? If you want to improve, indoor ratings are nothing but the vaguest of guides, even to very good climbers.

In reply to Kurt Alden: Try going to Awesome Walls instead of Rope Race, as it's far better.

Andy F

In reply to Kurt Alden: Same on rock though really, I have done some HVS's, yet have had my arse kicked by more than a few severes.

In reply to Kurt Alden:

I agree - the ratings are extremely subjective. My feeling is that the subjectivity is unavoidable when there are so many factors that contribute to climbing ability - height, stamina, strength of different muscles, technique & co-ordination etc etc etc.

However I don't understand why the subjectivity of the ratings make it difficult to progress. I'm relatively new to climbing myself, but surely a climb is a climb and you try to work out how to get up it regardless of it's rating?

In reply to Kurt Alden:

That's grades for you.

In reply to Kurt Alden: I'm quite pleasantly suprised by the replies to this topic, grading will always be subjective, try not to get too sucked into what someone has graded a route. If you climb a route that felt hard enjoy the personal satisfaction, it doesn't matter what grade it has been given.

Hey

Well, I was finding it hard to progres because I thought I could take the approach of..

1) Do all the 4's, get good then...
2) Move on to the 5's, get the hang of them then...
3) Move on to the sixes...etc.

But it's not really working out like that. I did a 6a today no probs at all but there are still some 5's I simply cannot do.

Anyway, now I know that the routes arn't necessarily correct it helps to work out how well you're doing.

In reply to Kurt Alden:

well done, keep at it and you'll naturally gain strength, balance and experience with movement

In reply to Kurt Alden:

I don't think theres anything wrong man, maybe the climbs you are doing are simply more suited to your frame and style than others.

Also, you could possibly be getting French and UK tech grades mixed up hence climbing a 6a sport route and then finding it harder attempting a 5b/5C uk tech top rope..etc?

In reply to Kurt Alden:
I find the same thing on most walls i've been to - some routes are much easier than others of the same/similar grade.

Its not particularly because they're graded wrong, its more they're different styles of route. Some require fingery climbing, others you might have good holds but you have to really reach for them.

On the lead walls at Manchester there is/was a 6a with 2 overhangs but juggy holds that I do easily, but I find the vertical 5c on the opposite wall with its finger holds much more challenging. Just different techniques required for each.