You absolutely have to start on something more ladder like, since your muscles aren’t going to be used to that. Even if you’re pretty athletic for a first outing definitely do a 5.7 to warm up, then a 5.8, then attempt a 5.9. It’ll burn you out something fierce.
WarrenM
2742
You absolutely have to start on something more ladder like, since your muscles aren’t going to be used to that. Even if you’re pretty athletic for a first outing definitely do a 5.7 to warm up, then a 5.8, then attempt a 5.9. It’ll burn you out something fierce.
Yeah, it’s amazing. I thought I was getting into better shape but then you run into something that you pretty much can’t do. It’s pretty humbling. Oh well, gives me something to shoot for in the future at least…
This, don’t even be afraid of starting even lower as there can be a huge disparity between gyms as to what they rate their routes. You use all sorts of muscles rock climbing that you’ve probably barely ever used in your whole life. It’s going to take time for them to develop. If the people at your gym are decent about creating routes the lower ones will help you develop those muscles and the movements necessary to do more difficult climbs while avoiding injury. Also don’t push yourself too hard, you need your tendons to get stronger, not just your muscles and that can take orders of magnitude longer.
90% of climbing is balance and technique, not strength. If you find you’re trying to brute force your way up a wall you’re likely doing it wrong. Try changing up the walls too, climbing slab or overhang makes use of very different muscles and techniques compared to verticals. You’d be surprised how many more walls you’ll be able to climb just by varying them as you’re letting other muscles rest.
edit: damn I’ve got to get back into rock climbing, I’m missing it now.
ZekeDMS
2744
In the last 10 hours, my crappy blog has gotten over 1000 pageviews.
I’m up to a whole $1.16 in google adpennies for SelfImportantWebsite!
I know it’s not much but a high day for that page has been 50 views, 1000 is just shocking.
Currently at 1,271.
As TrunkDr says, technique matters more than strength. Just keep practicing and you’ll get it, but expect to plateau pretty early. I’ve been climbing for a year and can’t really do any better than a 5.10b, and I doubt I ever will, and after taking 3 months off I’m struggling with 5.9s just because my muscles and brain aren’t really back in the swing of things.
Ditto, it’s probably been 5 years since I last climbed but it was a hell of a lot of fun.
I’m taking a training class this week for work with an external instructor. In the morning he used a technique that has always grated on my nerves in an adult/professional environment: calling out people at random to answer questions. I have instructed a few classes and understand it is a cheap way to get people to pay attention and break the ice and allegedly to think. However, I simply don’t learn that way. I attended Toastmasters for a couple of years so I have practice responding fairly intelligently to any random query, but I think it’s lazy and obnoxious. In college I walked out of the first day of class when a few professors did this, though I’m pretty sure they were just weeding people out. :)
Fortunately he backed off it and things are going much more smoothly, or else I probably would have mentioned it to him. If anyone here ever has to teach a class, don’t be this guy!
I’m totally not understanding your objection here. What kind of questions are we talking about? Just general queries along the lines of “what do you hope to get out of this training” or similar?
Sarkus
2749
Just because you don’t learn that way doesn’t make it an invalid approach. If it keeps people engaged, then where’s the harm? Do you just want someone to drone on for hours with no interaction with the class? Do you only want the same five or six people raising their hands to answer questions?
To me it sounds like a “you” problem and not a teacher problem, especially if this has bothered you since college.
Rward
2750
Some days think like a T-Rex, Big legs, small arms.
ZekeDMS
2751
I’m not sure it’s ever good to think like T-rex
There are ways to produce this interaction naturally as a teacher. The ambush style questions are just silly; it’s like junior high level. And good Lord, I’m sure it works in some situations in spite of itself, but as both a student and occasional instructor I think it’s lame, that’s all.
Tell her not to worry; it’s probably just a rebound relationship.
Socrates would be saddened to hear that he is silly and junior high-ish.
I know, the jokes just write themselves!
I did apologize to the young lady in question, and she apologized back for throwing her dirty laundry out on facebook and making things awkward for all her friends. Plus the real trampoline story with all the details is really hilarious, so all is well now :)
Eilonwy
2756
What I had hoped would be the last draft of my thesis came back to me with nine pages of notes (‘I know I told you to reorganize it this way but now I don’t think it works so reorganize it again’) and about eight more sources my advisor wants me to look up and read, which makes me wonder why she didn’t include those the other two times I’ve submitted this to her. To top it all off, to graduate in November I have to have the bound copy in by October 1st. Still doable–except that she also wanted to let me know that she’s only around for two more weeks, then she’ll be away from email until December.
Awesome.
Marged
2757
Jesus, that sucks. Do you have a second reader or someone who could fill in for her? It’s just absurd that she can be away from email for four months and still serve as your thesis advisor.
WarrenM
2758
We did our midpoint evaluation today in class. We do a bunch of stuff - bench pressing, long jumps, sprints, and some other things that ending with a 2 mile run. I didn’t finish the 2 mile run in time when we first did it (there’s a 22 minute limit). Today I finished in 18:40 so yay me! Fitness improving!
Eilonwy
2759
Unfortunately, no. Once she approves my final copy the Dean gets to look it over, but until I get the ok from her I’m just stuck. I’m basically going to be working on it every waking moment for the next couple days in the hope that I can turn it around super, super fast and she can give it the thumbs up before she goes away.
I’m not too terribly hopeful that it will happen that way at this point. Worse comes to worse, I graduate in March but fuck, I want to be done.
Marged
2760
Good luck.
I can’t believe that she’s allowed to do that. Who goes 4 months without email? Is she leaving on an expedition for terra incognita?
