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Climbing Coaching with Adrian Berry

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 Adrian Berry Global Crag Moderator 17 Sep 2008
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How much is success in climbing worth to you?

For the last six years I have been developing tecniques for rapidly improving climbers’ abilities. My books Sport Climbing+ and Trad Climbing+ are now recommended texts on many well-established climbing courses, including those run by the National Mountain Centre, Plas y Brenin.

Private coaching sessions


The positive approach:

I have yet to meet a climber who could not climb a grade or two harder than they think they can!

Using what I call the positive approach I will quickly work out your strengths and weaknesses, and then focus on each in turn to make immediate, and dramatic improvements. The methods I use have been developed entirely separately from those used by traditionally trained climbing instructors, and they have been refined over years of coaching literally hundreds of climbers. The effectiveness of my coaching methods is guaranteed. I am also the only dedicated climbing coach to specialise in trad climbing. I have no minimum level – all are welcome!

My methods:

If you’ve done a learn-to-lead course (as have many of my clients) you will find my approach very different. I fully expect you to see a change in your climbing after just a couple of hours, and you should expect to improve your leading grade by one or even two notches by the end of the day. My approach is very much geared to looking at the ‘positive’ side of climbing, put simply; I’ll show you how to get to the top – physically, technically, and psychologically.
The coaching days I provide are set entirely around your current level, and your goals – there are no ‘standard days’, and the more time I have, the more progress you will make.

A typical day:

The night before an arranged coaching day I will contact you to discuss the weather, if the forecast isn’t good, we can reschedule the day – there’s no point going out if the weather’s bad! I don’t take deposits, and if you’re unable to make the day, then we can simply reschedule.

On the day itself, I would typically meet you around 10am in Hathersage, and after a chat I will offer a plan for a day that builds up technical skills and confidence using carefully chosen boulder problems, before moving onto a series of routes that increase in difficulty. If I feel your footwear may be letting you down, I will help you sort that out before hitting the crags. I am perfectly happy to drive if you wish to arrive by train.

If the session is one-to-one, I will belay, if it is one-to-two, your partner will belay you, and I will arrange it so that I am on a fixed rope, able to give advice as you are climbing. The climbing you will do will push you, but you should expect to move through grade barriers without feeling like you are far out of your comfort zone. I will be improving your ability as a climber, and expect you to climb harder routes, without them feeling too much harder!
The day ends when the learning ends or you’re too tired to climb anymore! Lastly, if I cannot improve your climbing, I will not charge a penny. But I will, so don’t forget your wallet.

I frequently run two days back-to-back, where the first day is spent solely on technique, and the second day looking at applying that tecnique to leading routes. It’s entirely your choice.

About me:

  • Author of both Sport Climbing+ and Trad Climbing+ published by Rockfax.
  • Performance climbing writer for the BMC’s Summit magazine.
  • The UK’s leading climbing coach specialising in trad climbing.
  • Creator of the climbing coaching holiday
  • Have climbed at an international level


What I offer, and how much it costs:

  • One-to-one day-long session in the Peak District £150
  • One-to-two day-long session in the Peak District £180
  • Coaching sessions at The Castle in London and at The Climbing Works in Sheffield - see my website for hourly prices.
  • I am available 7 days a week including public holidays.

Non-meteorological conditions:

  • I will assume you have the basic safety skills for the style of climbing you wish to improve, unless you tell me otherwise. I will also assume you have all your own gear, though I have a large array of climbing gear that I can bring along if you are lacking some pieces. I will also bring a large DMM bouldering mat.
  • If you are under 18, I will require a parent to be present.
  • There is no minimum grade – nor a maximum!

This summer’s feedback:

“Just to say thanks for a brilliant day out yesterday. It was full of revelations and endlessly interesting. Thanks for pitching it just right for my current needs and for the encouragement along the way.”
Al

“I now have enough confidence to get on and try some harder routes. Will definately be having a crack at lots of E1 and 2's in Peak and some HVS/E1 5b in the mountains over the summer.”
Adam

“Thanks for the coaching and advice yesterday and restoring my faith in falling on trad gear again. Just what the doctor ordered!”
Derek

“Just wanted to thank you for last Friday. The things we did have really made a difference... It’s amazing what difference a positive approach can make - particularly deciding to climb through the hard bits, rather than stop to put gear in. And we've both been absolutely loving our climbing.”
Gavin

“I have really enjoyed both our sessions and have learned a lot, so money well spent. I let you know once I've done Telli!”
Rob

“Just a quick e-mail to thank-you for Friday, it really was excellant, from jibbering up severes to E1 within a day. It really changed my outlook as to what was possible from my trad climbing. Looking back I took alot away with me that can only help in all aspects of my climbing.”
Sam

Moving forward:

I can be contacted though UKC or through my website:
http://www.positiveclimbing.com


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