New to climbing, looking for some tips!
|
My boyfriend and I live in Florida where it's totally flat but we have joined an awesome rock gym. We are totally in love with it. We are just looking for some advice from experienced climbers as to how we can eventually grow from top roping to lead climbing so we can eventually get out there in the real world and do it. Also... if someone could help explain all of the different types of climbing (top toping, lead climbing, etc) that would be awesome lol. Feel free to throw in anything else you think we should know as beginning climbers. Thanks a lot :) |
|
Stephanie Walsh wrote:My boyfriend and I live in Florida where it's totally flat but we have joined an awesome rock gym. We are totally in love with it. We are just looking for some advice from experienced climbers as to how we can eventually grow from top roping to lead climbing so we can eventually get out there in the real world and do it. Also... if someone could help explain all of the different types of climbing (top toping, lead climbing, etc) that would be awesome lol. Feel free to throw in anything else you think we should know as beginning climbers. Thanks a lot :)See that link up there at the top of the page that reads "School of Rock"? Start there. |
|
Stephanie, |
|
#1 rule of advice for new climbers posting on the mountainproject forums, have thick skin. People on the forums usually aren't very kind. The best way to progress in your climbing skills is to find someone experienced who you trust and have them mentor you. There are plenty of experienced climbers out there who enjoy helping people progress in their skills. |
|
I lived in FL for 10 yrs and my advice is MOVE. I did little to no climbing while I lived there (there were no climbing gyms there 25 yrs ago) and the nearest place with fair climbing is in GA. |
|
FrankPS wrote:Stephanie, I would suggest you get some rock climbing books to help you understand the terminology. amazon.com/Rock-Climbing-Ma… amazon.com/How-Rock-Climb/d… There are plenty available, so pick up a couple of them. Also, if you have any experienced friends, you can learn from them. Finally, paying for a guide is probably the best way to go, but it is pricey. You'll learn from someone that knows what they are doing versus some friend that says they know what they are doing. Hiring a guide for private instruction, as opposed to a group class is even better. Have fun!^ This is a great start! |
|
Shep wrote:There are plenty of experienced climbers out there who enjoy helping people progress in their skills. They just aren't in Florida. :-) |
|
I Am also new to the sport and in Florida. Where are you guys located. In in the orlando area. |
|
Just have fun and climb often. Don't push your tendons to hard until they get used to the stresses climbing puts on them. Especially when you get to crimper holds. |
|
This site's School of Rock page has tons of great info written by a collection of talented and knowledgable climbers. |
|
Ditto to what Shep said about finding a mentor--this is huge. Only thing I would add is learn how to belay, and how to belay WELL. Learn how not to short-rope, how to give a soft catch, how to keep the rope stacked in front of you so it pays out smoothly through your device, when to keep your climber short (and off the deck), where to stand in relation to your climber and first piece of pro, how to communicate with your climber, how NOT to spray beta, when to push your climber and when to throttle back. In a worst-case-scenario, you are your climber's life line. But in a best-case-scenario, the belayer helps his/her climber climb better. Good luck. And remember: the best climber is the one who has the most fun and stays safe. |
|
just climb a lot but make sure you rest enough. starting off the best thing you can do is climb often and watch people who you can clearly see know what they are doing (as many don't) and ask questions! just have fun with it |
|
Jim Fox wrote:I lived in FL for 10 yrs and my advice is MOVE.+1 |
|
stephanielizw wrote:My boyfriend and I live in Florida where it's totally flat but we have joined an awesome rock gym. We are totally in love with it. We are just looking for some advice from experienced climbers as to how we can eventually growVisit www.multipitchclimbing.com of course :) |
|
Even this site has good resources to start with: School of Rock |
|
Jim Fox wrote:I lived in FL for 10 yrs and my advice is MOVE. I did little to no climbing while I lived there (there were no climbing gyms there 25 yrs ago) and the nearest place with fair climbing is in GA. Have fun and read some basic climbing books to learn more about the great sport of rockclimbing. (and ignore the internet trolls if they show up here) Take a vacation trip to a climbing mecca, hire a guide or take a class and have a ball. Climbing outside on real rock is 1000x more fun than indoors on plastic, IMHO.And Georgia has shit for climbing outside Tallulah Gorge. |
|
Some great answers so far. I would add, be very wary of who you climb with, and who/where you learn techniques that affect your safety, such anchors, placing gear, etc. Triple check any new technique you learn from multiple people and multiple sources, then triple-check them again! Don't trust any single person or source without verifying it, not even if that person is very experienced or a guide. It is astounding how common unsafe practices are, and I've found that climbing experience or ability to not correlate much to safety. Often there are multiple acceptable ways to do something, with pros and cons, but there are also many techniques that are downright dangerous. |