UKC

Is it possible to improve your climbing without even trying?

Jack Geldard thinks that a few small changes in your climbing habits could boost your performance both physically and psychologically, but is he right?

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=6253

In reply to UKC Articles:

You're a day late!

In reply to UKC Articles:

good advice.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Why couldnt this have come 6 months ago when I was dusting off my axes :/

A winter version would be really nice for the coming winter season!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Very helpful, there are many inputs to climbing better, more efficiently and perhaps thus harder.

Gear: Being confident in your gear is essential for greatest confidence and I atest results after change of quickdraw tapes. Once at the crag some other small details help further (I am caught out by these recurrently):

ensure that the krabs of the draws clipped to your harness are all correctly oriented for instant handling
&
as you ascend a route, ensure at frequent intervals that your draws remain available to both left & right hands

Partners: This advice is not quite so apparent. Sorting yourself out is right-on but changing partners is a luxury beyond most of us (I suspect). I'm content with my partners but in the case of some frenchmen I have found belaying style unacceptable; most have responded well to assertive instruction. On the other hand I have a good friend who expects me (as a belayer) to read his mind. There's no substitute for good communications - whether you're the climber or the belayer.

Lunch: To keep up energy at the crag you need accessible calories, but don't be fooled into taking sugary processed products - these can create insulin swings and consequent energy lows. Favour instead higher Glycemic Index carbohydrates which ultimately do the job better eg. bananas, dried fruit, muesli bars. Apart from foods, don't forget to keep up rehydration.

In reply to UKC Articles:

I was convinced this was going to be a load of bollocks, but this sounds like good advice; cheers Jack!

In reply to LeeWood:

No mention of a couple of beers at the crag though to get the eye in?

In reply to GrendeI:


This somewhat overlooks the tradition whereby all those snaggy old wires get relegated to your winter rack on the basis that hammering them into an iced-up crack isn't going to damage them any more than they already have been. A similar re-cycling system operates for aid-climbing!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great article Jack.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Superb Article. Well written.

In reply to GrendeI:



Hmmm, I think the winter training plan would be a little more painful, there's only so far a shiny rack and positive thinking can get you when you're stood at the bottom of your route exhausted from the walk in!

I too thought this was going to be an april fools but its good advice, big benefit of any training is the knowledge that you've done some training and I'm glad I have a new justification for buying gear.

On the training plan, while you're watching climbing videos I think it's a good idea to have a beer or two to relax, excess stress > muscle tension > injury. Doing some stretches while you're waiting for the pizza delivery is good too.

After all that you'll be pretty tired though, so have a couple of rest days and then take a trip out to the gear shop to replenish all the gear you've culled, get a few shiny things, maybe a new micro fleece in the sale and a "how to" training guide you can take to the café next door and read over a panini and a grande-macho-latto-frappo-chino. Then it's just a case of sailing up the e-grades.

In reply to UKC Articles:

The Lady in the Dolomites picture has a very long left arm.

In reply to Ian Parsons:


I was thinking more along the lines of sharpening tools, screws inspecting crampons and making sure boots/crampons fit. Winter hill food, brushing up on navigation... stuff like that.

In reply to Red Rover:

Arm proportions corrected. The drawbacks of a wide angle lens!

Great article Jack.

In reply to James Rushforth:

Awesome shots as ever James, looking forward to a trip to the Dolomites myself this summer if the stars align. Got to get on the Marmolada after all these years of dreaming!

Hope all is well with you.

Jack

In reply to Jack Geldard - UKC Chief Editor:

Thanks Jack. Get yourself there, the Marmolada South Face is almost certainly the most impressive lump of rock I've come across. Make sure you get some photos!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Just a heads up, but Petzl advise specifically against WD40. Feel free to make your own decisions on using it though.

"Do not use acid or harsh cleaners. Do not use WD 40 type degreasers as these products remove lubricants and their
abrasive effect can accelerate wear."

Source: http://www.petzl.com/files/all/technical-notice/both/protecting-equipment-t...