UKC

Hello.

From a strict technique perspective is it considered good or bad form to use elbows and knees when climbing chimneys and corners.

For example I often find my self bracing out into the chimney with a knees or elbows to add stability. This is done when the corresponding foot or hand is on a hold. Eg. right foot on hold, right knee brace.

Thanks

In reply to Inhambane:
Corners - no (i.e. don't use knees and elbows for top style points)
Chimneys - use whatever bodypart necessary to get up, however you climb them you look shit anyway

In reply to Inhambane:

Chimneys fine, textbook technique to use knees where appropriate.
As ianstevens says not on corners. However IMHO as a general point there are a few occasions where a knee can provide a more simple, neater solution to a problem.
Proviso: I'm a poor low standard climber anyway!

In reply to Inhambane:

Anything goes! Seriously.

In reply to Inhambane:

Chimneys - whatever will fit and aid upward progress or prevent downward progress, and generally to be recommended.

Corners - whatever will fit and aid upward progress or prevent downward progress, although it is less likely to be a knee or elbow.

The major disadvantage in a corner is that graceless floundering will be in full view to any idle bystander, who may be minded to offer advice which will not help you but will increase his enjoyment of the heightened struggle.

In reply to Inhambane:

I don't think the BMC have a style police.

But some people have opinions - and thats all they are.

In reply to Inhambane:

im definitely not going for style points, i was just wondering if technique wise it was bad that im somehow taking a short cut which may impact future climbing

In reply to Inhambane:
Personally I'd say that in any type of climbing but particularly trad (and soloing!) "it's bad form" to take an unnecessary fall and if using any part of your body can prevent that sort of thing, better to use a knee than come off. I'm sure that the great and the good of the climbing world will disagree with me on that one, and they're welcome - I'm just an ordinary guy who likes to stay alive and isn't trying to impress anyone. Having said that, I don't use knees on a regular basis because I climb to keep myself fit and supple so I favour actually stepping up and stretching my joints, but not in chimneys - there, I just swear a lot; that seems to help more than anything. (Swearing is probably 'bad form' too)

In reply to Inhambane:


As far as knees go, if you're 'standing' on a knee then you have no extension left. If you were standing on a foot instead, then you'd have a good three feet of extension available by straightening your leg. Consequently, using a knee can have consequences that need to be considered - namely how are you going to get off that knee again. If you're at the top of the crag, no problem; elsewhere, perhaps not. Usually less elegant than a foot, but not necessarily.

Knees are almost de rigeur for mentally hard steep stuff, where a knee bar may provide a rest, but not in normal usage.

Winter climbing - be careful what you kneel on: - rocky thing, OK. Ice, to end in tears.

Elbows - who cares.

In reply to Inhambane:

Does it help? Are you going to get stuck if you use it? Then worry if you're being judged
I sometimes brace my forearm and elbow on the wall to take some weight off my hands. Just last week found a knee bar rest on a traverse I use for stamina. Trouble is I'll have to do more of them now to make up for the rest.

In reply to Inhambane:

youtube.com/watch?v=iZfayydpIKc&

I'm a big fan of tasteful use of the knee, usually to the derision of my partners, who parrot things about style points and buying them beer. That using the knee is sometimes the most elegant solution appears to pass them by.

In reply to nniff:

knees and elbows for bracing out "chimney" not standing up on

In reply to Inhambane:

I'd refer you to the Pretenders song Brass in pocket, often sang to myself on routes:

Gonna use my arms,
Gonna use my legs,
Gonna use my style,
Gonna use my sidestep,
Gonna use my fingers,
Gonna use my, my imagination,