erik Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 okay so we all know that i am fat and weak, but still love to go climbing...... and this past weekend opened me up to a reality that i had not wanted to even consider, but as all things, it is out of my control........ so here it is....... i know i have talked to some people whom are excellent face climbers, really excel at it....and that is awesome for them.......they find the body positioning quite and technique to ascend these fine looking face routes so easily and naturally....and that is great..though from what i gather most of them cannot climb a crack if there was a shotgun pointing at them....now there is me a i have never been a on a 5.6 face route that didnt own me.....and owned me bad.......what gives?? cause when ever i get on a 5.6 crack that stuff sails past me like a cherry 4th class spiltter hand crack....... here is my examples, i do not know the actual rating but i think they are the same, and i also probably have the names wrong..... creeping death owns my ass like a big hairy guy in a prison shower....wheres jihad, stood no chance against me and i beat the thing senseless like gw droppin bombs on the mud huts of the afganis...... granted i was only toproping these things due to my incedible weakness... but does any one esle have similar things going on with them?? granted i climb about 20 face routes a year, but man the glaring differences are amazing to me........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialed Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Whiskey used to be my weekness. Now beer is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_Anderson Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 there's no reason that someone has to be better at one over the other, but . . . quote: I climb about 20 face routes a year That's the problem - People are good at what they practice (in your case: cracks) and usually practice what they prefer(cracks). Then they get better at what they prefer(cracks) and shittier at what they don't like(face). Then they enjoy the things they prefer(cracks) even more. It's a vicious circle. Put some time into the face climbing and it'll get better. Gym climbing, of course, is tailor-made to training for face climbing and doesn't take all that much time. If you want specific training advice, go to a class at a gym. As annoying as the gyms are to some people, the one thing most gyms know about is how to help people progress past 5.6 face . . . The good thing, is that, while it is often hard to motivate one's self to train one's weaknesses, its the quickest way to improve your climbing overall, i.e. it'll also likely pay big dividends to your crack climbing. matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialed Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Maybe thats why I'm the worst offwidth climber in the lower 48. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayborbon Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 You cant climb it becase you dont have spandex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayborbon Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 And while we are on that note: There is not a 15 pitch sport climb up Mt Stuart yet so I wont be training on that aspect as much [ 03-25-2002: Message edited by: rayborbon ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjay Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 maybe your problem is that running shoes foot jam better than they smear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figger_Eight Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 I'm the opposite. I feel a lot more comfortable on face climbs than I do in cracks. You tend to stick with stuff more if you're better at it I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CleeshterFeeshter Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Erik, You need to let go of your strict Christian values. These are holding you back. The path to climbing enlightenment is in the middle ground. You have created these expectations for face climbing and when they are not met; you have pain and suffering and mental anguish. You need to surrender to those things that you can not control. ie, a cold wet day in a pot smoke filled camp Muir hut is better than any day that has ever existed in the toxic blizzard of the east coast or Texas. If you think postive thoughts about face climbing, then it will come to you in a dream and you will flash that which earlier burdened you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allison Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Love ya, buddy, but I have a hard time feeling too sorry for a guy who had trouble getting un an .11a face climb.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 I think Matt's right on. I have the opposite problem as you, brought on by climbing at places like Vantage. So I'm committed this year to stuffing my hands/fingers into cracks of all kinds. I just have to drive to those places. Sounds like you were raised on Sierra granite, where cracks abound and a trad route meant cracks. I miss that kind of rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappellini Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 yo e,face climbing is insecure...start pretending you look real sexy when you face climb, it may help more than the prison ownership thing....do you make carabiners too???? i'm too sexy for my draws, too sexy for my stick clip, too sexy for my tights.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Hey Al, Maybe you've done this already, but if you really wanna practice your crack technique, just head down to the UW Rock. Erik, Is Jihad as good as the book makes it sound? Anybody get parking tickets at Vantage this weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 25, 2002 Author Share Posted March 25, 2002 chuck you will make jihad look easier then changing a diper... and i saw no issuing of parking tickets this weekend....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bug Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Give me any crack over any face anytime. Sometimes it is good to practice face climbing. Like if there's this really cute babe with a loose fitting halter top looking for a partner to go sport climbing with. That's OK. Just don't confuse that with what really matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialed Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Just don't miss the right hand bucket off the start of Jihad and turn the first few moves into 5.12 fingers instead of 5.10 crack/face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 That is the weird thing about Vantage. Sometimes the ratings seem so easy that I think that I've used holds that are not "in". You know, like in a gym. I wish they just had colored tape at Vantage . Anybody climbed Lingerie? That's rated 11d or something did not seem too bad (on toprope) if you just stemmed out to Sex Party the whole time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayborbon Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Erik you should forget about that one and go climb Only the Lonely. Stellar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country_Jake Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Cracks, faces whatever it takes... thats my mato... It doesn't really matter unless your one of those technique is everything type of climbers... I prefer the cracks, but as long as i get to the top, I don't really care... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Take all the ratings in that area, at least for the cracks, with a big grain of salt. For example compare them to Butcher of Bagdad (at least I think thats the name: a bolt protected stemming climb.)just to their left. BoB is a very good climb steming and a cross between face holds and little jams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 25, 2002 Author Share Posted March 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Peter Puget: Take all the ratings in that area, at least for the cracks, with a big grain of salt. For example compare them to Butcher of Bagdad (at least I think thats the name: a bolt protected stemming climb.)just to their left. BoB is a very good climb steming and a cross between face holds and little jams. actually pp i did that route a couple years ago and thought much like most of his routes, that it is over praised........sheesh next thing you know someone might go bolt ddd................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Who is the he in his. And should it be capitalized? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 25, 2002 Author Share Posted March 25, 2002 actually on my planet we dont use capitals or puncuation at all.......amd your language of english....is quite trivial as well.... and i dont think i need to exlpain myself..... sheesh......old people now a daze............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 Hey Peter! Keep up will you? Erik can't tell you who the he in his is because he lost his damn guide!!! SHEEEESH!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 I can never keep up with you guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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