Climbing clinics

Want to know everyone’s opinion with climbing clinics.  I’m an experienced climber who has lived on the road for climbing for a couple years but has had on and off, love and hate relationship with it. There’s a particular style that really defeats me and puts tears on my face and would like to get better at it. This particular clinic solely focuses on that. The idea of paying for climbing really turns me off as I know from experience that mileage and more time on the rock gets you better but with COVID, it’s a bit harder to get back to that grind and travel all around country/ world. Would like to hear from people who has joined climbing clinics pros and cons. Thank you! 

I would say you aren't paying for climbing. You are paying for instruction. If you have the cash and feel like  you really want to improve your skills in this certain discipline/technique, then go for it.

It depends on your attitude towards it and going into it; you get out what you put in. It’s no different than paying for lessons/instruction in any other sport. I currently pay a coach to formulate training regimens for me and help me keep track of progress and improve overall, and that’s helped me immensely. I coached myself for a while and while it did help, I felt lost many times. Many strong climbers I know coach themselves just fine and that works for them.

I also took a clinic with Alex Puccio a few years back. Many of the participants literally just paid to meet her and hang out/get autographs...they showed little interest in the actual instruction. I took it as an opportunity to get as much information from her as I could and bring up weaknesses that she could help me with. It was incredibly helpful, and I applied what I learned in the next comp I had and took first place in my division.

I’ve seen some others that are stupid expensive and paired with meet & greets or autograph sessions, and I passed on those. The “Craggin Classic” series that travels around the US puts on great clinics in all facets of climbing, hopefully that comes back soon.  

D Elliot wrote:

It depends on your attitude towards it and going into it; you get out what you put in. It’s no different than paying for lessons/instruction in any other sport. I currently pay a coach to formulate training regimens for me and help me keep track of progress and improve overall, and that’s helped me immensely. I coached myself for a while and while it did help, I felt lost many times. Many strong climbers I know coach themselves just fine and that works for them.

I also took a clinic with Alex Puccio a few years back. Many of the participants literally just paid to meet her and hang out/get autographs...they showed little interest in the actual instruction. I took it as an opportunity to get as much information from her as I could and bring up weaknesses that she could help me with. It was incredibly helpful, and I applied what I learned in the next comp I had and took first place in my division.

I’ve seen some others that are stupid expensive and paired with meet & greets or autograph sessions, and I passed on those. The “Craggin Classic” series that travels around the US puts on great clinics in all facets of climbing, hopefully that comes back soon.  

Aahhh!! Thanks so much for this! Thanks for taking the time to reply. That’s really what I’m trying to avoid, is a “meet and greet” vibe and to blend in in a group that’s more focused on meeting the host rather than focusing on the climbing itself. It’s an off width clinic I’m particularly keen on. The price is steep but off width gets me nauseas with fear, particularly at vedauwoo. I get one or two days in at that place and I’m wrecked for the rest of the week. Mentally, physically, emotionally. It’s really the one and only style that scares me to the core. So I think paying for a clinic, I will have no choice but to do it and really learn it. Especially because I paid for it haha thank you again!! 

Part of your disappointment with clinics has to do with the nature of them in general. Whenever an organization "packages" an experience as a clinic, there's bound to be compromises in terms of content, venue, challenge level, and the like. The diversity of the folks who attend also brings a certain dillution effect, as you noted with the "autograph seeker" folks. While I'm sure there are excellent clinics out there, IMO this sort of weakened experience is the price you pay for a clinic versus private instruction. The flip side of course is that clinics run about half the cost, or less, of a private day with a guide. Clinics have their place, but I think that place is at the low end of the learning curve i.e. best suited for newer climbers or those seeking basic skills. As one becomes more experienced and their needs become more sharply and narrowly defined, private instruction becomes the more effective means to address them.  My 2 cents, anyway.

Gunkiemike wrote:

Part of your disappointment with clinics has to do with the nature of them in general. Whenever an organization "packages" an experience as a clinic, there's bound to be compromises in terms of content, venue, challenge level, and the like. The diversity of the folks who attend also brings a ceratin dillution effect, as you noted with the "autograph seeker" folks. While I'm sure there are excellent clinics out there, IMO this sort of weakened experience is the price you pay for a clinic versus private instruction. The flip side of course is that clinics run about half the cost, or less, of a private day with a guide. Clinics have their place, but I think that place is at the low end of the learning curve i.e. best suited for newer climbers or those seeking basic skills. As one becomes more experienced and their needs become more sharply and narrowly defined, private instruction becomes the more effective means to address them.  My 2 cents, anyway.

I would say I’m definitely a ‘beginner’ when it comes to off width climbing since it requires an entirely different set of skills especially invertion techniques and placement of big bro’s. I didn’t know you can do private instructions? What are private instructions available out there? 

"What are private instructions available out there? "

It's not a thing I have done, but a lot of guiding services can fill that role.

John Reeve wrote:

"What are private instructions available out there? "

It's not a thing I have done, but a lot of guiding services can fill that role.

I think there might be a little misunderstanding. I’m not a new climber looking to learn basic skills but looking to get better at off width climbing. I’ve never taken out a guide before as well so I have no idea what they actually do other than taking out new climbers because they can’t lead on their own yet. So Im wondering if a clinic is worth it for an experienced climber looking to get better at a particular style. 

Isha bailey wrote:

I think there might be a little misunderstanding. I’m not a new climber looking to learn basic skills but looking to get better at off width climbing. I’ve never taken out a guide before as well so I have no idea what they actually do other than taking out new climbers because they can’t lead on their own yet. So Im wondering if a clinic is worth it for an experienced climber looking to get better at a particular style. 

Yeah, I understood that... I believe that you can find guides who will teach you in a one-on-one situation.

John Reeve wrote:

Yeah, I understood that... I believe that you can find guides who will teach you in a one-on-one situation.

I had no idea! Gonna look into it. 

I would second the advice to get one-on-one with a guide, and make it clear that you are specifically looking for instructions on offwidth technique. And I would look for such a guide in the area where there is a lot of off-width climbing. It would be more expensive than a group clinic, quite a bit, in fact. But you get what you pay for.

My experience with group clinics (limited experience as participant, from many years ago, but many years of experience as a volunteer “helper”, who is there to belay, spot, hang topropes, do whatever is needed, etc), even the ones that SAY they are for “intermediate” or “advanced” climbers, are essentially beginner clinics. There is, inevitably, one or two individuals who greatly over-state their ability, and several people who mildly overstate it, and it ends up teaching to the lowest common denominator.

Also, think of the time allotted for the clinic, subtract time for getting to and from the rock, time for social “breakers”/intros, instructor talking, questions, and then obviously understand that they want every participant to try whatever it is they are teaching— e.g. climbing offwidth. Under best case scenario in a group clinic with 6-8 participants you will have 2-3 routes set up for toprope (many clinics wouldn’t let you lead, for liability purposes, best case scenario you will be placing gear with mock lead), and you will get to try each route once. Maybe. So figure about 40-50min of actual climbing time, for you personally. 

Isha bailey wrote:

I had no idea! Gonna look into it. 

Start here:

https://amga.com/hire-a-guide/