UKC

I'm off for a bit of a rock tour this summer around Europe. I'm not much of a sport climber normally but I'd like to tick some good routes this summer.

I've never worked a sport route and I don't really know where to start.

I'm after some advice on how best to work a tough sport route.


Thanks

In reply to Tamati: It's not hard.

On very, very overhanging routes you will need to work them on lead which is marginally more complicated. However that type of route will also have safe falls and probably be stamina fest so you should managed to boulder the moves from one bolt to the next pretty much onsight.

For all other routes the first thing you generally need to do is get a top-rope on the route. A clipstick makes this easier - plenty of descriptions online of how to use one.

Once you are in a position to properly 'work' the route having either stick clipped it or climbed it 'bolt to bolt', you should start at the top and then work down. You need to do three things:
- Work the moves
- Work the clips
- Work the rests

Unless the moves are between rests you should always aim to work overlapping sections. That may start with just 3-4 moves but you should be aiming to get to the stage you can do the entire route in 2-3 overlapping sections. You generally don't get much benefit from trying to work the entire route on top-rope; it will just exhaust you and you will need to spent more time resting than if you do shorter sections.

Rest on the rope frequently and don't spend too long on the route before lowering to the ground for a proper rest.

Once you know how to climb all the moves, exactly where and how you will make all the clips (extending any quickdraws if required) and you know exactly where and how you will rest or shake out, you are then in a position to go for the redpoint.

If you fail on a redpoint attempt having given it 100% effort (rather than having fluffed a move/clip low down), there is one key piece of advice: rest, rest, rest some more and rest a bit more before trying it again.

HTH

In reply to Tamati:

Sorry, I know it's nice to have your own thread but this was done quite well a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=500102&v

Maybe worth a read then see if there are unanswered questions.
jk

In reply to Tamati:

There's a very digestible guide available that includes this from Mick Ward of this parish: 'How to climb 3 grades harder'

In reply to Tamati: All the practical advice is there, but I would give you this tip: have a very open mind to it. I tried it, assuming it would be fun, 'cause loads of people do it, but didn't really think about what it would actually entail. You have to really want to climb at your limit, and put in quite a lot of effort to remove all the things that otherwise stop you climbing at your limit (fear of falling, not knowing the moves, etc). Also, I was surprised how hard clipping the rope was - something OK on toprope was much harder on lead. So you have to be into overcoming obstacles, like working out and practising a hard clip - even though that can seem like it's not really climbing (well, it did to me).

If it seems really sh!t and boring, that's probably a combination of the fact that it is what it is, and that you've not got the right approach to enjoy it - and you can only change one of those things.

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:


Don't do this. Really! By avoiding falls you make them scarier, by avoiding clipping you end up working a sequence which doesn't include clips then having to include them. You also add the difficulty of a rope which often gets in the way of the holds you want to use, and on steeper stuff it's often impossible to pull on once you're hanging out parallel to the holds you want to use - you need to come from below to have your body at the right angle.

There are practically no sport routes on which falling is actually dangerous. Get comfortable with it, get your belayer comfortable with it it, get stuck in!

If it genuinely helps work a move at the end of a sequence just before the next bolt then clip the next one either by pulling up on a bolt or clip-sticking, but be honest with yourself.

(Written by someone who used to habitually work sport routes on top-rope)

In reply to Tamati:

My advice is find someone who goes redpointing regularly and join them. Don't top-rope the route at all, you'll just make it feel scarier! Clipstick the bolts which keep you off the ground and get on lead

In reply to Tamati:

I find top roping to be a valuable part of redpointing. It lets you hang while you look for holds and try out hand/foot/body positions. I would find it very inefficient to try a position, often take a fall and have to climb/pull back up to try another one. I also use top-roping to try various clipping positions. And for trying out rest positions.

Of course, if you are using top-roping due to fear of falling or avoiding working out the clips that's a bad approach.

As for falling on sport climbs nearly always being safe, that will depend very much on where you climb. There are stacks of sport routes especially but not only in the 6s in Cheddar where you would bash yourself against ledge, bulges and so on, including through swinging falls. Assess every clip on its own (de)merits re safety.

As you can see, you will be offered some directly contradictory advice, so you will need to try it and see what works for you.