UKC

Somewhere that I often visit has some great, but (for me) pretty hard boulder problems. Maybe in the v6 to v8 range. And bugger all else worthwhile. Being a rubbish boulderer (best of around v4) and being unable to do more than hang the opening holds of each problem, I was wondering if there is any point in perservering in trying them. If I keep trying them, is there any likelyhood of getting stronger even though I can barely get on the opening holds, or am I probably wasting my time.

In reply to AndrewW:

It's bouldering, so yes you are wasting your time, go climbing instead.

In reply to AndrewW:

Are the problems such that it isn't possible to cheat? Add some holds work them until you get stroner, then eliminate the 'cheat holds' gradually?

In reply to Removed User:

Agreed!

In reply to AndrewW:


One way to find out.

I put up problems on my onetime local crag that I can't even touch these days despite climbing harder today in many ways than I was back then. Familiarity and perseverance counts for a lot.

jk

In reply to AndrewW:

>"I was wondering if there is any point in perservering in trying them."

Well if you can do V4 then a V6 doesn't seem such a leap. If you're persistent enough I say you *could* make that leap but it's not going to feel great for the soul. Weeks of pulling on the same starting holds while waiting for your body to become stronger isn't going to be much fun. However two year down the line you are likely to resemble Conan the Barbarian.

In reply to JLS:



I probably resemble Conan the Librarian at the moment, so reckon that this would be a definite improvement.

In reply to AndrewW:

Yes you will be wasting your time if you can't really do any of the moves. Go and get stronger elsewhere and then come back. Once you can start doing individual moves and trying links then trying things at your limit becomes productive (although not always successful). Make sure you're not kidding yourself and wasting climbing time - there's moves which will go if worked over a session and moves which you're never going to hold without improving finger strength etc. As stated earlier familiarity does make a huge difference with the difficulty of moves but you have to be able to do the move in the first place.

The comment about there not being a great difference between V4 and V6 is a bit silly - far fewer people can climb V6 compared to V4 and unless you're naturally talented it requires a lot of work. However most people could climb V6 if they are willing to put the work in.

In reply to Alex1:

Explain Naturally talented?

In reply to Alex1:

Cheers - kind of what I thought. The problems may well be somwhat harder than v6 anyway. This is simply my minimum estimate.

In reply to 3 Names:

Some people will climb V6 fairly easily a short time after taking up climbing. Most won't and most people who do will have taken several years to get there and done a reasonable amount of training.

In reply to crayefish:
... and rocky57 - yes, well, already do lots of 'real climbing' thanks, and it has been suggested to me by several climbers who climb somewhat harder than yourselves (no offence meant, but it is the truth) that bouldering is the most effective way of training for 'real climbing' (which I personally have found to be true), and this is the 'walls and training forum', so I think I'll follow their guidance rather than yours. Cheers for the advice anyhow

In reply to AndrewW:
My process always starts with hanging the holds - can you do static positions? If I can't do that, I've found I'd be wasting my time on it. I recommend trying boulder problems that should take several sessions to complete, enough so you are working hard at them/problem solving to progress, though not so difficult you slave away over one problem for ages which can end up counter productive - at the end of the day you want to do more hard moves.

Also bear in mind once you get your feet on the rock, and sort out body positioning, rubbish holds can spontaneously turn out a lot better!

p.s. try not do what I did and replace other climbing with bouldering completely!

In reply to kwoods:

Cheers for that. Sounds like good advice.

In reply to AndrewW:

Don't forget when 'training' to spend most of your time sitting around with your shirt off shouting 'yeah dude, you owned that' at your friend on the boulder problem while occasionally looking in the mirror while you tense your muscles lol

In reply to crayefish:
Oh dear....

In reply to crayefish:

What precisley is the purpose of your contribution to this thread? Other than to sound like a bit of a prat.

In reply to AndrewW:

When you finished unbunching your panties, perhaps try and grasp that it was a joke

In reply to crayefish:


No it wasn't. It was an expression of your own prejudices and inadequacies.

In reply to AndrewW:

Do pray explain And any trip to the WW will find many just as I described! Though I forgot to mention all the dreadlocks. Lol

In reply to AndrewW:

don't get hung up, about Bouldering its just a fad !! once saw a guy traverse a Butress at Brimham no more than a couple of feet of the ground I kid you not ,and tick it in a bouldering guide !!! it even had a grade 4b what a laugh