The many ways I’m doing it wrong
As a beginner climber, with little to no technique, I’m sure I’m doing many many things wrong. I’m a climber who is inconsistent on 5.8’s, mostly because I can’t think through my route, and find myself awkwardly holding myself on the wall while I think until my arms are shaking and are just done — a situation I shouldn’t get into. There are comfortable ways to hang and rest, but the bent arm holding myself into the wall is my default, even though I know it’s wrong and can feel it wearing me out.
When we’re done climbing, my arms are blasted — in the bicep/tricep area, when it should be a more overall shoulder to forearm and hands tired. After climbing with the gang some last night, James took me upstairs to the shorter wall to practice some techniques like hanging straight armed and using my shoulder to begin my pull toward the wall when I’m ready to move up. And had to remind me 300 times to move my feet up first, because I’m not elastigirl. But, I did climb another 6 times upstairs — struggling through bad technique and “making it harder for myself than it needs to be” — but he did remark my endurance had really improved just to battle up so many times.
My endurance is better, and heck my arms are stronger — despite my quick burnout, and I am still having fun. I’m dying of lack of hand strength — because I dont trust my grip, which is why I tend to pull in to stand so much. I dunno if I suffer from lack of technique or lack of strength worse, but both I guess will build with continued climbing.
James and I did struggle last night to think of exercises I could do that might improve my shoulder strength and my grip, and he is really encouraging about me keeping my Curves membership because of the type of machines they have for me to work out on. Even though they’re mostly light-weight for toning, it is at least working some of those muscles that you just can’t do without a machine.