Climbing

Rock Climbing Basics: Rappel Knots

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 19:14:26 +0000

Climbing magazine answers the age-old question of which knot is best used for joining two ropes in a double-rope rappel by showing how to tie the flat overhand, the knot recommended by the AMGA. We also show the triple barrel knot, which can be tied in the end of both ropes to keep you from rappelling off the rope.

Into the Mind – Official Teaser

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:50:30 +0000

Blur the lines between dream state and reality, as you perceive the world through the minds of many. Into the Mind contemplates the experiences passed between mentors and peers to paint a philosophical portrait of human kind. What drives us to overcome challenge? How do we justify risk? What forces are at the core of a mountain addiction? Unique athlete segments over a multitude of mountain sport genres depict the connectivity of Earth, and window into never seen before moments. Explore how we begin our perception of self, construct the foundations of confidence, and are ultimately led up the path of self-actualization. As Buddha once said, “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” Into The Mind is about becoming.

Your Goal: Boulder Harder

By Kris Peters — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:18:52 +0000

Q: “I am a boulderer and would like to climb two or three grades harder within one year.” —Adam

A: Being motivated and dedicated is the key to reaching any goal. This year-long program, geared toward intermediate and advanced climbers, will show you how to get stronger and more powerful, but you have to work for it. “Trying hard” is V15-climber Ian Dory crawling across the bouldering pads to get to his next problem, being determined to succeed and refusing to stop or give up. This is how you need to approach your training. Hard work beats talent when talent stops working hard, so bottom line is: Work hard!

That said, be careful not to burn yourself out. If you are extremely tired during training, unmotivated, and/or not improving, take a break from training. Just go out and climb. Training is a very demanding routine. Push yourself and work hard, but don’t burn yourself out.

For each day, do a dynamic warmup for 15 minutes with jumping jacks, leg kicks, shoulder circles, push-ups, etc. Boulder on easy problems for 10 more minutes, then begin your program. This schedule is based on training Monday through Friday, and climbing or resting on weekends.

* Each exercise is 6 sets with a 2-minute rest between each set, unless otherwise noted. ** All campus moves start matched on the same rung, with feet on small foot rungs if needed. *** TF = to failure

Exercise Key:

Core: Do any combination of core exercises, but rest a minute or two after each exercise, then repeat for a total of a 20- to 25-minute core session. Options: toes to bar, front levers (2 min.), planks (2 min.), V-ups, Russian twists (1 min.), sit-ups (2 min.)
Campus Long Move (CLM): Throw with one arm to the highest rung you can reach. Come off the board and immediately repeat the same movement with the other arm. Each side is 1 set.
Campus Bumps (CB): Move one hand up each rung as high as you can reach and then bump back down each rung to your starting position. Go immediately up with the opposite hand; climb at least 3 to 4 rungs.
Campus Ladder (CLAD): Climb like a ladder, with each hand going above the other (you can skip rungs if you want or match hands if needed). Match at the top, then down-climb to the beginning and immediately go again—complete as many ladders as you can in 1 set without rest.
Campus Touch/Drop (CTD): Throw up to max level, latch the rung, and come back to match hands without coming off. Complete 3 reps on each arm before touching the ground.
4×4: Repeat 1 moderately difficult boulder problem 4 times, rest 4 minutes, then pick a new problem and repeat it 4 times, until you’ve done a total of 4 sets. By the fourth go on each problem, you should be trying hard to finish.
Campus Go-Again (CGOA): Start matched on one rung, throw up to a rung, and come back down to the matched position, then do it again immediately with the same arm. One set is completing 3 throws on each side.
Campus Double-Clutch (CDC): Start matched on a rung, throw with both hands to the next rung, and try to campus back down to beginning rung. Go to failure for one set.
Weighted Pull-up (WPU): Add enough weight when doing pull-ups to ensure that your second to fourth pull-ups are hard. Two to four reps per set.
Campus Long Move, Bump Back Down (CLMB): Do the campus long move then bump directly back down to the starting rung. Do each side once for one set.
Speed Pull-up (SPU): Do a pull-up quickly, lower slowly, then go right back up. Do until failure for each set.

November: Power

Power is the explosive strength that sets bouldering apart from other types of climbing. If you want to boulder hard, you need to build power.

Climb: CLM, CB, CLAD, CTD, 4×4, SPU (see “Exercise Key below) Cross: Core

December: Strength

This month boosts your ability to hold onto and move off difficult holds in any direction.

Climb: As many hard problems as you can per session, WPU, SPU Pinch hangs: Straight-arm hang on two pinches on the systems board (TF) Pinch pull-ups (TF) Pad-crimp pull-ups: Use a rung on the campus board that you can put a full finger pad on (TF) Frenchies: Do a pull-up and go side to side (TF), rest 90 seconds between sets.

Cross: Core; pushups (TF)

January: Power-Endurance

Now you’ll work on endurance, your capacity to do multiple hard moves in a row with intensity, accuracy, and power.

Climb: Pyramids: 8-6-4-4-6-8. Choose a grade for each set. (A V5 climber would start around V2.) For example: 8 V2s, 6 V3s, 4 V4s, 4 V4s, 6 V3s, 8 V2s. After each problem up the pyramid, do 10 push-ups. On the way down the pyramid, do 5 pull-ups after each problem.

Cross: Core; running (30- to 45-minute jog)

February: Power

Repeat November, but you should be able to complete harder throws, use smaller rungs, and increase grades for 4x4s.

Climb: CLM, CB, CLAD, CTD, 4×4, SPU

Cross: Core

March: Projecting

Time to get outside. If you feel a decrease in power, you can add a campus day (see November/ February) once a week.

Climb: See how you have progressed by projecting in the gym and outside.

Cross: Core

April: Power and Cross-training

Time to build superior general fitness with more cross-training.

Climb: CLM, CB, CLAD, CTD, 4×4, SPU

Cross: Core, circuits: pushups, pull-ups, dumbbell shoulder press, ring pushups, bent-over rows, wide pushups, bicep curls, burpees, mountain climbers, pull-up lock-offs. Each exercise is 45 seconds; don’t rest until you complete the circuit. After completing one round, rest for 2 minutes and repeat 5 times. Pick a weight that is pushing your limit at the end of 45 seconds.

May: Endurance

Boulder problems require endurance, too. The key to increasing yours? Getting on longer routes, which is a welcome change of pace.

Climb: 1 hard route twice, rest 5 minutes, 6 sets 5 routes (2 hard, 2 medium, 1 easy), 1 set 3 problems that go up in grade, rest 3 minutes, 3 sets 5 boulder problems (2 hard, 2 medium, 1 easy), rest 5 minutes, 2 sets

Cross: Pull-ups/pushups: pullups (TF) then pushups (TF), rest 90 seconds, 5 sets

June: Systems Board

Overcome weaknesses with targeted movements; do everything on the same days or alternate.

Climb: Simulate difficult moves and focus on weaknesses (body positions, bad holds, etc.). After an hour and a half of this, climb and project for fun.

Cross: Core; any cross-training (running, cycling, circuits, etc.)

July: Finger Strength

Climb 3 to 4 days a week, make sure to take at least one full rest day a week.

Climb: Double-arm lock-off on campus rungs: pull up and hold for 10 seconds, then 5 seconds off. Repeat 5 times for one set, rest for 3 minutes, 6 sets Half-way lock-off: Same sequence as full lock-off, except arms should be bent at 90° Dead hang: Same sequence as lock-offs, but let your arms hang straight Climb every problem of your onsight grade in the bouldering area in 1 hour.

Cross: Run

August: Power

Repeat November and February, but increase difficulty of each exercise. Project difficult problems inside.

Climb: CLM, CB, CGOA, CDC, CLMB, project hard climbs

Cross: Core

September: Power-Endurance

Focus on climb-specific exercises to prepare for outdoor projecting.

Climb: CLAD (4 sets), 4×4 Pinch pull-ups: 10 reps per set, 10 sets, rest 2 minutes between sets Pinch lock-offs: 10–30 seconds per set, 10 sets, rest 2 minutes between sets 4×4 (again): Do one 4×4 with one moderate problem, last exercise for the session.

Cross: None

October: Finger Strength

Fine-tune digits for pulling hard.

Climb: WPU Offset pull-ups: Put one arm above your head and other arm at waist level (both on jugs), do both arms (TF) July’s lock-offs and dead hang 1-arm lock-off (TF) Campus board offset lock-offs: hold an offset pull-up position on the campus board (TF), and then switch arms.

Cross: Core

November: Crush!

Now it’s time to get outside and put all that indoor training to use. Projecting boulder problems is three parts creativity, five parts persistence, and seven parts patience. Don’t be upset when you fail one, two, or 10 times. Working through movements that are at our physical and mental limit can be the most exhausting thing in the world. But by failing repeatedly, we are forced to utilize the more abstract levels of our minds in order to come up with a solution. It might mean that “Eureka!” moment or stumbling upon beta that seems crazy at first, but finally makes your long-obsessed-over project possible. Don’t rule anything out when you’re projecting and devour anything you can find on the problem. Talk to locals, research online, and think outside the box. Being patient with and committed to the process of overcoming failure is the only way to the top of any problem.

McColl Wins Overall World Championships

By Leia Larsen — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:25:08 +0000

More than 16,000 spectators lined up in Paris to see 500 athletes from 60 countries compete for the coveted title of World Champion.

On Saturday, during men’s bouldering finals, Dmitry Sharafutdinov flashed three of the four problems, taking first place—his second World Championship title. Kilian Fischhuber and Rustam Gelmanov each topped three finals boulders, finishing second and third, consecutively. Sean McColl easily topped out the first two boulders, but was shut down by a tricky traverse on the third problem and needed two attempts to finish the final problem, landing him at fourth place.

The same day, Angela Eiter swept the women’s lead event, climbing four holds higher than silver medalist Jain Kim. Johanna Ernst fell two holds lower than Kim, rounding out the top three.

Sunday opened with women’s bouldering. No one finished all four problems; Mélanie Sandoz and Olga Iakovleva each topped three boulders, with Sandoz taking fewer attempts and winning the gold. Anna Stöhr, last year’s bouldering champ, finished third behind Iakovleva. Despite a strong year of competing, Alex Puccio finished at ninth.

During men’s lead finals, Jakob Schubert climbed to a clear high point, securing a win over McColl, who finished second. Adam Ondra fell six holds lower than McColl, grabbing the bronze medal.

Having competed in all three disciplines, including speed, McColl placed first in overall rankings, followed by Cédric Lachat and Thomas Tauporn. Shane Puccio of the U.S. tied for 10th overall. Jain Kim took home top honors in overall rankings, followed by Cecile Avezou and Barbara Bacher. The U.S.A’s Delaney Miller tied for 11th overall.

Running alongside the World Championships was the Paraclimbing World Championships, hosting amputees, visually impaired athletes, and more. Craig DeMartino, a USA climber who lost his left leg in a climbing accident, took third place.

Men’s bouldering final results

Dmitry Sharafutdinov (Russia)
Kilian Fischhuber (Austria)
Rustam Gelmanov (Russia)
Sean McColl (Canada)
Jan Hojer (Germany)
Rei Sugimoto (Japan)

Other American finishes: Carlo Traversi (29th), Sebastien Lazure (59th), Ethan Pringle (59th), Austin Geiman (65th), Joseph Gifford (83rd), Shane Puccio (87th), and Ayodele Sopeju (87th).

Women’s bouldering final results

Mélanie Sandoz (France)
Olga Iakovleva (Russia)
Anna Stöhr (Austria)
Ceclie Avezou (France)
Jain Kim (Korea)
Akiyo Noguchi (Japan)

Other American finishes: Alex Puccio (9th), Angela Payne (18th), Elizabeth Asher (31st), Delaney Miller (45th), Thomasina Pidgeon (47th), and Kelly Drager (53rd).

Men’s lead final results

Jakob Schubert (Austria)
Sean McColl (Canada)
Adam Ondra (Czech Republic)
Ramón Julian Puigblanque (Spain)
Jorg Verhoven (Netherlands)
Romain Desgranges (France)

Other American finishes: Vasya Vorotnikov (37th), Ethan Pringle (51st), Robert Stewart-Patterson (57th), Joseph Gifford (67th), Dominic LaBarge (71st), and Shane Puccio (77th).

Women’s lead final results

Angela Eiter (Austria)
Kim Jain (Korea)
Johanna Ernst (Austria)
Momoka Oda (Japan)
Charlotte Durif (France)
Matilda Söderlund (Sweden)

Other American finishes: Delaney Miller (31st), Michaela Kiersch (47th), and Tegan Wilson (57th).

Full results here.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Avalanches

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:15:24 +0000

Finger Yoga

By Dionne Obeso / Illustrations by Jamie Givens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:03:05 +0000

“Extremities need yoga like every other part of the body,” says fingeryoga.com. “To a certain extent, hands represent a microcosm of the organs of action.” I’ve found that finger yoga helps keep my climber fingers from becoming painful claws after hard climbing. Of the many possible stretches and “poses,” the ones described below are my after-climbing favorites. The instructions are given for the left pointer finger; repeat with each finger, then switch hands. Dr. Susan Saliba, with 18 years of clinical experience as a physical therapist and athletic trainer, recommends that finger yogis keep their wrists straight while stretching; bent-wrist stretches can bend the carpal tunnel. (It’s OK to bend the wrist for thumb stretches.) Hold each stretch for several seconds, and don’t overdo it—the stretch should not feel painful.

1. For an “opening” stretch of the knuckle nearest your palm, relax your grip and straighten the fingers of your left hand. Use your right thumb to lift the first finger. Apply pressure at about the middle joint, pushing the finger back and keeping your other fingers straight.

2. For “closing” the joints, press your first finger to the palm, while opening the rest of the fingers on your hand. Grip across your left pointer finger with your right hand, using the heel of your hand to apply pressure to the joint closest to your hand. Move down to the middle knuckle, and then use your thumb and forefinger to apply isolated pressure to the last joint.

3. To loosen up your hands laterally, use your right hand to grip your left pointer. Pull it gently up and away from the rest of your fingers, toward your thumb. Reverse the stretch, pulling the finger across your other fingers toward the pinkie.

4. Now, do the splits: Use your right hand to press the left forefinger flat toward the palm. At the same time, use your right fingers to press the other fingers of your left hand gently up and back. This time, you are stretching one finger down and the rest of the fingers up.

5. To stretch your thumb, bend your wrist forward and use your right hand to press the left thumb flat into the left wrist. Relax, and then press the thumb straight across the palm. Relax once more, and finally press it straight back away from the palm, as shown in the illustration. Then switch hands.

The Quiet Art of Solo Toproping

By Jeff Achey / Illustrated by Mike Clelland — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:44:51 +0000

High Lonesome

Which is worse: training on the same old greasy boulder problems or losing your climbing partner in a fight over unmarked gear? Either way, climbing alone is a fact of life. If you want a new way to train or work your latest project without the inconvenience of a partner, try solo toproping.

Solo toproping is not rocket science — the techniques are straightforward, and the only special gear you need is a device for the belay. However, some specialized rigging is required, so follow the steps below for a safe solo experience.

Unlike conventional toproping, solo toproping requires only a single strand for the belay. However, a back-up line fixed to the anchor makes the whole operation easier … and safer. If the pitch you want to climb is more than half a ropelength, bring a second rope for rigging your back-up system. Warning: If your route of choice is located at an area primarily used for lead climbing, you’ll want to toprope from an anchor on the cliff face, rather than above, to avoid knocking down loose debris. If it’s a sport route you’re climbing, this shouldn’t be a problem. For a trad line, it is best to locate an anchor placement beforehand.

1. You’ll have to build a rappel anchor, so gain the top of the cliff and set to rigging. Be sure to warn everyone nearby beforehand — you’re a serious hazard and they should give you a wide berth. Once the top anchor is secure, rappel over the cliff’s edge on a single strand, to your toprope-anchor location. If rigged properly, it’s very unlikely that your solo belay device will fail. Nevertheless, ensure that the back-up line will keep you from hitting the ground or any other obstacles such as ledges. To do so, pre-tie loops in it at regular intervals — tie as many as you think you’ll want. If you don’t have a second rope, you can tie back-up knots into your main rope, below the solo device.

2. Clip into the anchor — if it’s a trad line, you’ll have to build it first — back yourself up and tie off the summit line to the anchor. Leave it slack, so it won’t dislodge rocks as you climb. Now, fix your back-up rope to the anchor and drop it down.

3. Next, rappel your main line to the ground. Attach your solo belay device to the rope, weight the rope end with a light pack or extra gear to help it feed, and clip two locking carabiners through your belay loop.

4. You are now ready to climb. Clip one of the lockers to your first backup loop at about the 15-foot level. Use the other locker to clip the next loop before unclipping the first, and so on. If you ever feel the need for a closer backup, simply tie one where you want it, taking tension from your main belay rope as needed.

Belay On
An endless debate rages over which solo devices are best. Possible options include the Petzl Microscender and Minitraxion (the Valley favorite — probably because it’s a great lightweight hauling device); the Yates or Troll Rocker; Wild Country Ropeman; and the Ushba Basic and Wren Silent Partner, both popular because they do not have sharp-toothed cams like the other devices. Some devices will require a chest sling to keep them oriented and running correctly. Whichever device you choose, climb with an extra ascender and a foot sling so you can unweight your device and/or ascend the rope if necessary.Hazards
Avoid large accumulations of slack in the system — this can precipitate a violent shock load if you fall, causing severe rope damage or failure. Scenarios in which this can happen include topping out a route above and to the side of your TR anchor, or climbing traversing or very overhanging routes, on which the amount of rope slack may not be evident. Also, icy ropes and solo belay devices don’t mix; if your ice-climbing partner bails at the last minute, go skiing, or be especially vigilant with your back-up system.

Jeff Achey, Climbing’s Editor at Large, has been doing a lot of solo toproping of late.

Climbing Pilates

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:28:18 +0000

Figure 1.

Look around the crag or climbing gym and you’ll notice all the people with forward-rolling shoulders, like those of the hunch-backed gargoyles atop Paris’ Cathedral of Notre Dame. Over-developed pectoral muscles and deltoids create this look in climbers. Gravity, compression, and improper postural alignment also cause people to hunch over as they age — 90 percent of my over-age-65 clients walk into my office with this less-than-optimal posture.

Figure 2.

As climbers, we tend to speed up this process by pulling, causing the pectoralis minor muscles to tip the shoulder blades forward, giving us the unhealthy posture of an older person. We also put our shoulders at risk with moves like the Gaston. To correct unhealthy posture and protect your shoulders from dislocation, try the following exercises.

Figure 3a.

Figure 3b.

Figure 3c.

Lats have feelings, too. Climbing sets you up for kyphosis (or “hunch back” — Figure 1), so familiarize yourself with the muscles that facilitate pulling the shoulders down and back — the latissimus dorsi, or lats. Lats are large muscles that start under your armpits and wrap down your back on both sides, attaching to the lumbar fascia that supports the low back. The easiest way to engage the lats is to squeeze an object (paper or ball) between your arms and the back of your rib cage, or simply envision stretching your elbows toward your back pockets (Figure 2). Thus engaged, the lats draw the shoulders down and back, giving you a solid, confident, upright posture, instead of “hunched,” rolled-forward shoulders.

Pilates push-ups. This exercise strengthens the “rotator cuff,” the group of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) that form a cuff around the humerus (upper arm bone) and hold it in the socket at your shoulder. The exercise also strengthens the abdominal muscles, and, unlike traditional push-ups, incorporates a spine and hamstring stretch.
Start standing with your arms straight above your head, fingers to the sky (Figure 3a). Now, engage your abs and curl forward over an imaginary ball toward the ground, leading with your fingertips and the crown of your head (Figure 3b). When your fingertips touch the ground (Figure 3c — bend your knees if necessary), “walk” your hands away from your feet until you’re in a push-up position (Figure 3d). Do three to five push-ups (or just hold the position), then walk your hands back to your toes, engage your abdominal muscles, and curl yourself back up to a standing position. Make sure your back stays broad throughout the exercise, and that your shoulder blades aren’t protruding.

Figure 3d.

Single-leg knee drops. This exercise also strengthens the rotator cuff, with the added benefit of an intense abdominal workout. Start in the classic push-up position, with your hands on the ground directly under your shoulders, arms straight, and back in a “plank” position with your legs straight out behind you, toes curled under on the ground. (I often use a mirror to self-monitor, ensuring that my lower back doesn’t sink toward the ground, my arms stay straight, and that my shoulder blades don’t protrude.) Now, drop your left knee (Figure 4) toward the ground without moving your spine or hips. Bring the left knee back up, and drop the right knee. Alternating knees, repeat the exercise six to ten times with each leg.
You can also drop both knees toward the ground together — a greater challenge for your abs due to the greater difficulty of keeping your spine and pelvis stable.

For more information on Pilates, visit Griffith’s website at www.fitlifepilates.com

Figure 4.

Climbing in the Olympics?

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:36:00 +0000

Czech superstar Adam Ondra will be only 27 in 2020, the first year climbing might enter the Olympics — he could still be a contender. Photo by Giulio Malfer.

News Link: On February 12, the full session of the International Olympic Committee formally recognized the International Federation of Sport Climbing, two years after the ISCF was granted provisional recognition. This means climbing now can compete with other sports for entry to the Olympic Games — the first test will come in 2013, when the sports for the 2020 games will be decided.

The IFSC represents three disciplines of climbing competitions: lead climbing, bouldering, and speed.

Planet Mountain has posted a good interview today with Marco Scolaris, who, as president of the IFSC, has spearheaded the push for climbing in the Olympics. Among other things, Scolaris said the 2011 and 2013 climbing world championships, in Arco, Italy, and Paris, France, respectively, will be crucial tests for the sport in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee.

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