Get Out: Prepare for the climbing season
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
By Matthew Irwin
Jackson hole, Wyo.-Never more than a recreational climber, I preferred the camaraderie with friends to the levels I could achieve. In San Diego, the after-work climbing wasn’t worth the hassle, so surfing became my primary sport of interest.
Back in this valley, however, I find myself again looking forward to afternoons in Boulder City – a favorite because of the variety of problems and the quality of the rock, as much as the ample shade. So I headed to Enclosure and found in the bouldering caves, there, that I had lost much of my ability and strength.The fear of landing awkwardly on a bad ankle also turned out to be a greater threat than actual repeated landings, though trad climbers will no doubt remind me that falling is not climbing. (The purpose of climbing is to go up, right AT?)
I didn’t last very long, and my finger joints ached like hell, but I stayed long enough to get a photo of myself, and I was able to ask the kind folks at Enclosure how to prepare for the season. Here’s what manager Shawn Overstreet said:
“Most injuries early season come from using muscles and tendons that aren’t used to being worked. Take plenty of time to stretch a
ll the fingers and forearms, hamstrings and shoulders. The colder it is outside, the longer you need to concentrate on warming up. If climbing on the ropes, your first three or four routes should be well below your ability level.
“Concentrate on slow, fluid movements and stretching muscles that feel tight. Once you start to feel a little looser, you can move up in difficulty level. You definitely shouldn’t feel pumped after your third route. And the biggest rule of thumb early season: If it hurts, let go. Early season is the wrong time to blow a tendon or aggravate a shoulder, as both can put you out for months, which will be the bulk of our short summer season.”
With another winter storm predicted for the rest of the week, I’m going to take this time to loosen up my tendons, toughen up my skin and get my mind in the right working order. Of course, I don’t expect trad climbers to stop their taunting of boulderers anytime soon. PJH
Courtesy photo
Climbing at Enclosure
PERMALINK:
Get Out: Prepare for the climbing season | Planet JH News Article: Sports & Recreation
|
No comments for this Article.
|
Leave a Comment
Please limit your letter to 300 words, sign it and give us the name of your town.
