What are the typical pointers you give every person that begins climbing for the first time?
I'd like to know the recurring tips that you give to beginners. Examples may be "keep your arms straight," "keep your body close to the wall," "let your legs do the work," etc...
The Refrigerator Theory
and
The Spagetti Noodle Theory
The Refrigerator Theory simply states that your climbing shoes (specifically, the area around the big toe) is like a small, cheap, plastic "foot" on the bottom of your fridge. The only thing keeping those little guys from skidding across your kitchen floor when the cat walks by is the fact that a 300 pound appliance is on top of them. Climb like a refrigerator, keep your weight over your feet. The harder you press with your legs the less you skid around.
The Spagetti Noodle Theory ties in nicely with the Refrigerator Theory by adding core awareness to the equation. When you hold a cooked noodle so it is hanging free and you try and push the noodle up from the bottom, it just bends and wiggles. Do the same thing with a dry noodle and the whole thing rises up. Climb like a dry noodle. Keep your butt in, push your body up. [for those who remember: Think 3 Amigos pelvic thrust...now hold it.]
I regularly utilize "The ladder analogy". I ask:
When you climb a ladder do you do pull-ups or chin-ups? 95% of the time the answer is "no", the other 5% dont have a clue what you are talking about.
For those that say "no". I ask them "then what do you use?" They usually answer legs or feet. I explain the mechanics of climbing a ladder: You move your feet up to the next rung and stand up, while your hands are only being used for balance.
This usually results in immediate improvement of their technique and increased success rate.
I use this analogy with every single person that comes in that has never climbed before.
After a bit of success and they start going after harder climbs, I come back and start going over the finer points for a beginner: hips in, arms straight, parts of their feet they want to use.
You hear a lot of "What do I do now?" or "Where to I go from here?" Usually answer, move your feet and stand up. If they trust their legs they will continue to progress, otherwise they quit and come back down.
My gym has A LOT of never before climbers...
Dude, are you writing a book or something? If youre not, may I recommend some good reading material where you'll find 99% of all the answers to your questions....
The Self-Coached Climber (2nd installment coming soon, so Ive heard)
Performance Rock Climbing
Etc. the list goes on, and I think there might even be a topic in here about who's read what and what everyone should be reading.
Hope this helps you find your answers in an efficient manner.
I assume that different coaches prefer to approach things differently.
I'm not writing a book, but I am assuming that some climbing coaches may have particular exercises that they favor over others and tend to prescribe their tips in ways that may be interesting. This is what I'm interested in, the variation of answers we may get in response to the questions. Perhaps some coaches have even invented exercises or analogies that are not found in the books and found them productive. If so, wouldn't you love to hear what they are? They may also describe things in a way that is more understandable than the books have. If I recognize this, I can then adopt their approach as opposed to the one that I may have been using if their way of explaining things seems more understandable.
For example, I have not heard of the refrigerator or spaghetti noodle theories Brannon explained. These both seem like effective analogies and I actually used them to help a climber today. So I really appreciate that reply. And I've heard of the ladder analogy that Barth submitted, but I've never heard it explained so clearly or proposed to the climber as a question ("When you climb a ladder do you do pull-ups or chin-ups?"). This is quite clever, because it forces the climber to internalize the concept when they need to answer that question. After they do this, you can remind them of it while they climb and they'll understand what you're asking them to do. Like I said, I also liked Barth's explanation, so I'll probably explain it more like the way he did than the way I usually do.
I have the books you mentioned, among about 15 others. Thanks for referring me to them anyways, if I didn't have them that would be extremely helpful. Those two are outstanding.
However, I'm not interested in authoritative references for answers to these questions. I'm interested in the unique ways that different coaches may answer them.
Sorry, its foul but it works...
Climb like your fucking, not like your shitting.
Keep your hips in.
@Kaleb.... WTF????? lol
It works. except for with the juniors... Id never say that to my kids bahah
I think Kaleb wins this round of helpful tips.
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