climbing 5.10

[whirlwind]

ok i know ill probly get flamed but..

 

i've been pushing 5.10 for what seems like forever, i got to the point where 10a's where good and b's where hit and miss depending on crack size with the occasional c and one 10d (crux pitch of serinity) so obiously i can't just go and climb any 5.10 but thats my goal, to be able to go any where and jump on a 5.10, other than the obious of climbing more often, if i climb as much as posible how can i "master", for lack of a better word, 5.10

flame on

[RJB]

I am by no means a solid 5.10 climber anymore, but here is my .02

 

Climbing in the higher grades requires good form or super human strength. Climbing alot is good. In your climbing, work on being focused and precise. Good footwork is one thing that can improve your climbing. Place your feet exactally instead of slapping them around alot. Climb with better climbers! You are more likely to learn from someone better than you. Watch how they move, the way they use hand and foot holds, place gear, ect..

[olyclimber]

I hope to call myself a 5.10 climber someday, but I seem to learn something else when climbing with someone who can't climb at my grade (basically, people who have never climbed before). For me, I'm learning on both ends of the rope.

[flashclimber]

Loose the beer gut!!!! i lost 20 lbs and now can climb .11's..Well I wish that was all it took but... I worked like hell to get to the 11's. Lots of falls, dedication, and climbing with people who are much better climbers than I. Dont be afraid to try something over your head (TR it a few times). Listen to others when they talk about style. They might know something you don't. Eventually you will get there. Core strength and mental dedication were my problems. As soon as I got past them I began to climb a lot better and harder grades.

[lancegranite]

Laps... lots of laps.

[Bill_Simpkins]

I have the same problem, but there are times where I don't. They are ususally when iIve been climbing a lot with good solid, patient and supportive climbers.

 

Here's some specific things:

1. Go to the climbing gym at least once a week. This helps you with the steep stuff.

2. Warm up on slabs, try to get up to 5.10 slabs, even if you are flailing and stuff. Doing this, really hones in your feet and hands. After smedging on blankness and pulling on a fingernail crimpers for an hour or two, a crappy flaring fingerlock feels pretty darn good, a small fingertip crimper feels like a giant jug and your feet will stick anywhere.

3. Climb harder more and try to go with good climbers.

Try to get on steep routes.

[Alex]

I've found leading 5.10 to be primarily a mental endevour. Loosing weight, being strong through the gym, and climbing harder grades than .10 with a more advanced partner will all help you get comfortable in the grade, but the #1 thing is probably just to get comfortable with the idea of falling, and falling on your own gear. Most people are unwilling to climb hard not because they can't, but because they don't really trust the system, and therefore don't commit to those 5.10 moves. Most 10s around here are not sustained, so getting that mental toughness to commit through a difficult section might be something you want to work on.

 

You wont get there toproping 5.9s.

[archenemy]

Climb a 5.11

 

Be sure your belay is strong enough to alternate between jeering and ropegunning. You are free to scrabble, sweat, and swear during this humiliating attempt. When you have thrutched your way as far as you can, come back down, rest for a moment, then take on a 5.10. In comparison to what you just did, it seems a lot easier and less embarrassing.

 

Although it sounds masochistic, but it breaks the mental barrier that keeps telling you not to go beyond the 5.10a level.

[mec]

WANTED: Someone who climbs 5.12 to haul me up stuff so that I can get real good. any takers?

[EWolfe]

Are we talking "haulbag" haul?

 

[whirlwind]

i after this week end i'd have to say a good partner definalty helps with the mental aspect of climbing, BOF felt easy and so did the secound pitch of Davis holand, cource they're only 10a.

btw do i look that fat, i swear im only about 8 or 9% body fat, cource at 185 thats almost 17lbs, guess i should hit the steam room

[whirlwind]

the thing with just jumping on 11's is that, well it gets really hard to get good gear when trying to pull moves that are hard enough for me without trying the aspect of palcing gear, and with shitty gear its even harder to make moves, and i usally end up hanging and or pulling on gear, and it turns into an aid climb, i can see jumping on a hard bolted routes though

[Blake]

Eric, if you want to improve your technique and strength on small holds, head down to erie and do one of the many sport tens. Small holds that are hard to find make any decent hold feel like a bomber jug.

[Billygoat]

plus, if you can get good on Erie, you'll be like spiderman when you hit granite

[EWolfe]

Climb a ton of 5.9 without bitchin' and boulder at every opportunity.

 

ps <-----thats what part of the alphabet would look like without q and r (Mitch Hedberg)

[Sol]

1. get throttled on sport 5.11's at least once every two weeks.

2. lift weights at least once a week.

3. do not allow yourself to take, fall.

4. aid climb at least once a month to keep the gear skills sharp.

5. when your rapping up the day, instead of getting on 8's and 9's cuz your tired, get on 10's and fall (or not).

6. climb 10's at as many areas as you can in as many styles as possible.

 

personally i find that how much i weigh has very little impact on my trad climbing. i feel it just a little on sport climbs that are at my limit. i do find that when i get really skinny i don't have the energy or endurance that i have when i weigh just a few pounds more.

[texplorer]

Whirly,

To be able to jump on any .10 is actually quite an endeaver. I have done a few .12 sport routes and feel that I can just now say I can climb any .10 trad route.

 

The truth of the matter has been touched on by many here. Being a good weight, weight training, getting on harder routes, gym climbing, falling over gear, and getting good at gear placement are all different pieces to a complex puzzle that you must fit together.

 

Probably the biggest hurdle for most people is the mental one of climbing over gear when they know there is a good chance they'll fall. As a result they "choke" up or simply place too much gear.

 

The main thing that will get you to where you want is just getting mileage on the rock. TR, lead, aid, follow as much as you can.

[whirlwind]

cool thanks

i know being able to climb any 10 is quite an endever, 10's here are diferrent than those in cali and utah ect. but it is my goal. im planing on going to yos somtime this summer/fall, as well as a trip to indian creek, and i want to get up some of the stuff there, there is not much for easy cracks and anything that is moderate goes on forever and a day. but omg i cream my pants just looking at pics of IC those routes are fricking awsome, a true crack whores dream

[E-rock]

Eric, I guarantee you that if you go to the creek you'll be leading 5.10 even if you aren't leading it anywhere else. For one simple reason, almost everything there is 5.10 or harder. Your first couple days though, you'll get spanked so hard you'll wonder why you even drove all the way to the desert.

[Thadsboner]

A little birdie told me that the better you spell, the better you climb. So clean up the spelling and you could be in the magazines climbing the really hard stuff.

 

I have noticed that weight dosent matter it is really just skill/tecnique/mental that matters most. i learned that while falling and struggling on this climb in squampton only to watch this dude with a beer belly walk what i was working, but he was sooooo fluid on it? i think i packed up and left that day.

 

[Bill_Simpkins]

Get back up here Thad!

We miss the bad 80's songs being stuck in our heads.

[whirlwind]

lol for sure i look forward to the spanking, i would a packed up and headed straight for the pub to work on my beer belly

 

oh and correct spelling is aid.