Touchstone Blog Archive
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tips For Redpointing at TRS 5: Pipeworks 1/21/11
The Touchstone Rope Series comps is entering its fifth year and the first of the series will be this Friday, January 21 at Sacramento Pipeworks. The rope comp will have beer, pizza, and a ton of fun! It's a great time to meet other climbers, enjoy a competitive setting, and check out a lot of new top rope and lead routes.
Ethan Pringle, an accomplished rope climber who just redpointed Spicy Dumpling 5.14d and one of the hardest routes in China, provided some insight into the best way to perform at a rope climbing comp.
One of the most important things is staying relaxed under pressure. "Don't let the pressure of the crowds and the onlookers get to you. Treat it like any normal day in the gym," said Pringle. Being calm will lower your heart rate and help you perform at a higher level.
Pringle continued with some excellent technique advice, "Breathe and take your time. Don't rush moves and sequences. Deeeeeep breaths. Again, stay relaxed. BUT, at the same time..."
"Don't hang out in any one spot and shake out for too long. I see people (especially people who only boulder) shake out for like a full five minutes at a rest a third of the way up the wall... WRONG. Of course if you get to some good holds and you are pumped you can take a sec to compose yourself, shake each hand a few times, slow your breathing, and set off. A good rule of thumb for me is not to shake for half as long as it took me to get to that spot on the wall. I usually try not to shake out more than three or four times with each hand unless it's a really casual stance. I try to treat routes in the gym like long boulders problems because usually they don't have good rests on them, especially when the setters put some thought into them."
Pringle will be heading to Spain soon to try his redpointing skills on some of the world's hardest sport climbs. For those of you who want a great chance to try out your redpointing skills- check out the Touchstone Rope Series- this Friday at Pipeworks. The next rope comp will be at Great Western Power Company on February 18!
Ethan Pringle, an accomplished rope climber who just redpointed Spicy Dumpling 5.14d and one of the hardest routes in China, provided some insight into the best way to perform at a rope climbing comp.
One of the most important things is staying relaxed under pressure. "Don't let the pressure of the crowds and the onlookers get to you. Treat it like any normal day in the gym," said Pringle. Being calm will lower your heart rate and help you perform at a higher level.
Pringle continued with some excellent technique advice, "Breathe and take your time. Don't rush moves and sequences. Deeeeeep breaths. Again, stay relaxed. BUT, at the same time..."
"Don't hang out in any one spot and shake out for too long. I see people (especially people who only boulder) shake out for like a full five minutes at a rest a third of the way up the wall... WRONG. Of course if you get to some good holds and you are pumped you can take a sec to compose yourself, shake each hand a few times, slow your breathing, and set off. A good rule of thumb for me is not to shake for half as long as it took me to get to that spot on the wall. I usually try not to shake out more than three or four times with each hand unless it's a really casual stance. I try to treat routes in the gym like long boulders problems because usually they don't have good rests on them, especially when the setters put some thought into them."
Pringle will be heading to Spain soon to try his redpointing skills on some of the world's hardest sport climbs. For those of you who want a great chance to try out your redpointing skills- check out the Touchstone Rope Series- this Friday at Pipeworks. The next rope comp will be at Great Western Power Company on February 18!
Labels: Redpointing, Sacramento Pipeworks, Touchstone Roped Series
¶ Wednesday, January 19, 2011 0 Comments
Monday, November 15, 2010
How to Grab the Golden Ticket: Pringle Talks Redpointing
On Saturday November 5th, Ethan Pringle redpointed The Golden Ticket (5.14d) at the Red River Gorge’s Chocolate Factory . The all natural sandstone route features pockets and crimps on a steep wall. “The line is so inspiring and the movement is really incredible,” Pringle said. “I’d just like to say that the Golden Ticket is maybe the second best route of its grade maybe behind Biography.” To climb such a difficult route, Pringle employed a number of different tactics. Pringle’s techniques are applicable to any project- from the gym to the boulders to free El Capitan routes.
Pringle at the anchors of the Golden Ticket
Pringle’s path to his redpoint was a long way in coming. “When I first got on the Golden Ticket, it felt nearly impossible,” said Pringle. Pringle spent his initial efforts figuring out the moves on the route and then linking them into longer sections between hangs. The crux involves a V9 boulder problem with an accuracy dependent deadpoint to a hidden pocket. Higher on the route, there’s another V9 or V10 red-point crux which spit Ethan off a number of times. To climb high on the route, Pringle needed to maximize his efficiency through the difficult deadpoint so he could tackle the hard redpoint crux with a lot of energy. On his fourth try, Pringle climbed the entire route with one hang. On his fifth try, he managed to make it well into the red-point crux. Pringle’s next few efforts saw marginal gains though. The small and abrasive holds worked his fingers. The temperature and humidity affected his climbing. P
ringle analyzed each of the factors. “I realized I needed to start warming up better before getting on the Golden Ticket,” Pringle said. Warming up the muscles is an integral part of climbing hard. Trying to achieve maximum performance out of muscles without sufficient warming up can result in a “flash pump”, a condition where the forearms are filled with lactic acid. Pringle realized his need to avoid this condition so he could maximize his energy to tackle the difficult climbing near the end. “ I also realized that the temperature of the wall and the air mattered a lot- too hot and my skin would slide off the terrible crux holds, but too cold and my hands would numb out and I'd over-grip, get pumped and fall. The temps would need to be just right.” Optimal performance is often condition dependent. Waiting for a weather window is one of the most difficult parts of rock climbing and affects everyone from boulderers to alpinists.
A video of Pringle sending the route.
The clouds drizzled on November 5th. It was a dismal start to the day. Pringle knew better than to let the morning weather to affect his psyche. “That would mean that the wall would be cool instead of blazing in the sun like it normally does from 11:30-5pm.” Pringle started late and arrived at the Chocolate Factory parking lot to cold temps and little humidity. Derek, his friend and climbing partner, noted the “ideal” conditions that occur at the Red River Gorge saying, “Where else can you go sport climbing and say that the conditions are prime while you’re walking through puddles on the way to the crag?” Though conditions were not perfect for Pringle they were better than they had been.
Pringle kept a cool head approaching the route. Though he was nervous, he tried not to let it get to him. Pringle suspected he wouldn’t send but felt pressure to perform the route so it could be documented by his filmmaker friend. Pringle didn’t let his nervousness affect his performance though and after a solid warm up to make sure he wouldn’t get pumped, he headed to the route.
On the day he sent, the route felt easy for him. His muscle memory helped him sprint to the top crux. “Every move felt easier than it had on earlier tries, my skin on my fingertips felt nice and tacky, and I breezed through the crux easier than I had on previous attempts like I had just hung on the draw below the crux. I grabbed the finish hold, gave some celebratory shouts of victory, and clipped the anchors, psyched to have finished such an amazing route, and relieved that it didn't take any longer. “
Pringle noted the psychological feelings behind completing a project. “Finishing a hard project, especially one that ranks amongst the best and hardest you've ever climbed, is always the most satisfying. You get this elation that washes over you for a short time- you glow. “ Pringle finished with a strong point about projects and how to look for something new. “But then at some point, sometimes all too quickly, your satisfaction fades and you need a new project- a harder one, a prettier one, and you hope it won't take you too, too long.”
Pringle at the anchors of the Golden Ticket
Pringle’s path to his redpoint was a long way in coming. “When I first got on the Golden Ticket, it felt nearly impossible,” said Pringle. Pringle spent his initial efforts figuring out the moves on the route and then linking them into longer sections between hangs. The crux involves a V9 boulder problem with an accuracy dependent deadpoint to a hidden pocket. Higher on the route, there’s another V9 or V10 red-point crux which spit Ethan off a number of times. To climb high on the route, Pringle needed to maximize his efficiency through the difficult deadpoint so he could tackle the hard redpoint crux with a lot of energy. On his fourth try, Pringle climbed the entire route with one hang. On his fifth try, he managed to make it well into the red-point crux. Pringle’s next few efforts saw marginal gains though. The small and abrasive holds worked his fingers. The temperature and humidity affected his climbing. P
ringle analyzed each of the factors. “I realized I needed to start warming up better before getting on the Golden Ticket,” Pringle said. Warming up the muscles is an integral part of climbing hard. Trying to achieve maximum performance out of muscles without sufficient warming up can result in a “flash pump”, a condition where the forearms are filled with lactic acid. Pringle realized his need to avoid this condition so he could maximize his energy to tackle the difficult climbing near the end. “ I also realized that the temperature of the wall and the air mattered a lot- too hot and my skin would slide off the terrible crux holds, but too cold and my hands would numb out and I'd over-grip, get pumped and fall. The temps would need to be just right.” Optimal performance is often condition dependent. Waiting for a weather window is one of the most difficult parts of rock climbing and affects everyone from boulderers to alpinists.
Working the Golden Ticket from Ethan Pringle on Vimeo.
A video of Pringle sending the route.
The clouds drizzled on November 5th. It was a dismal start to the day. Pringle knew better than to let the morning weather to affect his psyche. “That would mean that the wall would be cool instead of blazing in the sun like it normally does from 11:30-5pm.” Pringle started late and arrived at the Chocolate Factory parking lot to cold temps and little humidity. Derek, his friend and climbing partner, noted the “ideal” conditions that occur at the Red River Gorge saying, “Where else can you go sport climbing and say that the conditions are prime while you’re walking through puddles on the way to the crag?” Though conditions were not perfect for Pringle they were better than they had been.
Pringle kept a cool head approaching the route. Though he was nervous, he tried not to let it get to him. Pringle suspected he wouldn’t send but felt pressure to perform the route so it could be documented by his filmmaker friend. Pringle didn’t let his nervousness affect his performance though and after a solid warm up to make sure he wouldn’t get pumped, he headed to the route.
On the day he sent, the route felt easy for him. His muscle memory helped him sprint to the top crux. “Every move felt easier than it had on earlier tries, my skin on my fingertips felt nice and tacky, and I breezed through the crux easier than I had on previous attempts like I had just hung on the draw below the crux. I grabbed the finish hold, gave some celebratory shouts of victory, and clipped the anchors, psyched to have finished such an amazing route, and relieved that it didn't take any longer. “
Pringle noted the psychological feelings behind completing a project. “Finishing a hard project, especially one that ranks amongst the best and hardest you've ever climbed, is always the most satisfying. You get this elation that washes over you for a short time- you glow. “ Pringle finished with a strong point about projects and how to look for something new. “But then at some point, sometimes all too quickly, your satisfaction fades and you need a new project- a harder one, a prettier one, and you hope it won't take you too, too long.”
Labels: Ethan Pringle, Golden Ticket, Redpointing
¶ Monday, November 15, 2010 0 Comments
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How To Redpoint Better: Shaking Out the Nerves
John shook as he climbed into the crux of the granite route. The two small cams at his feet were more than ample protection. He had the moves well rehearsed from toproping the route a number of times. Still, he looked like an autumn leaf. As he moved off a hand jam and to the horizontal jug on Snowshed Wall's Panic In Detroit (5.12b/c), he whipped.
"I'm just shaky. Maybe I had too much coffee this morning," John said as he dangled twenty feet below the crux.
John pulled back on and smoothly climbed the rest of the route. I suspected that it wasn't the caffeine's fault he had fallen.
Rock climbing is scary. From climbing to the top of the climbing gym wall for the first time, to trying to redpoint a difficult route in Tahoe, climbing remains intimidating. It doesn't matter the difficulty, rock climbing can wreck your nerves which makes the climbing that much harder. Here's some tips on how to redpoint, to climb a little bit better., and maintain composure.
Breathe: This seems intuitive but a lot of people hold their breathe while climbing. I have a number of pictures of myself trying super hard on a boulder problem or route with a red face from not exhaling. It's important to inhale before moving and then exhale when executing a difficult move or sequence. A lot of athletes grunt when they exhale, giving a Bruce Lee "Da!" when they do something difficult. Giving a little shout or exhaling sharply helps and will make your reach go a little further.
Jens Holsten regaining his composure on Silver Bullet (5.12b/c) at Tuoulumne's Private Property Cliff
Relax: Last summer, I watched one of the best female trad climbers in the world send a difficult 5.11 crack in Index Washington while crying. She fought though the tears in part because, although she was scared and emotionally distraught, she was relaxed while climbing. Grabbing holds too hard is one of the biggest reasons people pump out. Their forearms fill with lactic acid from trying so hard. Relax your face. This sounds silly but a smooth face actually helps. Your body is more relaxed and it works more efficiently in this state.
Slow your heart rate: Consciously thinking about how fast your heart is beating and then trying to slow it down will help enormously. Some sport climbers have been known to wear heart rate monitors. While going to this extreme isn't necessary, next time you are trying a difficult route in the gym, stop for a moment and think about how hard your heart is beating. A slower heart rate will pump blood more efficiently and will help you move more smoothly.
John Schmid climbing smoothly at the Grotto in Sonora.
Have fun!: It's easy to get wrapped up in climbing a hard route but the most important part of climbing well is having fun while doing it. Natasha Barnes made a solid point when asked about what the most important aspect to doing well while comp climbing, performing under high pressure. "If you're not having fun then you're missing the point." Enjoy the experience and redpointing will come that much easier.
On his next try, John moved into the crux of the route. He placed the two small cams, breathed and then exhaled, grunting as he hit the hold. He moved solidly into the top crux of the route, relaxing his muscles, and only straining as much as necessary. At the top, he turned and looked out, remarking, "It is a really nice day." He clipped the anchors, making a successful ascent of the difficult crack route in a large part because he was calmer.
"I'm just shaky. Maybe I had too much coffee this morning," John said as he dangled twenty feet below the crux.
John pulled back on and smoothly climbed the rest of the route. I suspected that it wasn't the caffeine's fault he had fallen.
Rock climbing is scary. From climbing to the top of the climbing gym wall for the first time, to trying to redpoint a difficult route in Tahoe, climbing remains intimidating. It doesn't matter the difficulty, rock climbing can wreck your nerves which makes the climbing that much harder. Here's some tips on how to redpoint, to climb a little bit better., and maintain composure.
Breathe: This seems intuitive but a lot of people hold their breathe while climbing. I have a number of pictures of myself trying super hard on a boulder problem or route with a red face from not exhaling. It's important to inhale before moving and then exhale when executing a difficult move or sequence. A lot of athletes grunt when they exhale, giving a Bruce Lee "Da!" when they do something difficult. Giving a little shout or exhaling sharply helps and will make your reach go a little further.
Jens Holsten regaining his composure on Silver Bullet (5.12b/c) at Tuoulumne's Private Property Cliff
Relax: Last summer, I watched one of the best female trad climbers in the world send a difficult 5.11 crack in Index Washington while crying. She fought though the tears in part because, although she was scared and emotionally distraught, she was relaxed while climbing. Grabbing holds too hard is one of the biggest reasons people pump out. Their forearms fill with lactic acid from trying so hard. Relax your face. This sounds silly but a smooth face actually helps. Your body is more relaxed and it works more efficiently in this state.
Slow your heart rate: Consciously thinking about how fast your heart is beating and then trying to slow it down will help enormously. Some sport climbers have been known to wear heart rate monitors. While going to this extreme isn't necessary, next time you are trying a difficult route in the gym, stop for a moment and think about how hard your heart is beating. A slower heart rate will pump blood more efficiently and will help you move more smoothly.
John Schmid climbing smoothly at the Grotto in Sonora.
Have fun!: It's easy to get wrapped up in climbing a hard route but the most important part of climbing well is having fun while doing it. Natasha Barnes made a solid point when asked about what the most important aspect to doing well while comp climbing, performing under high pressure. "If you're not having fun then you're missing the point." Enjoy the experience and redpointing will come that much easier.
On his next try, John moved into the crux of the route. He placed the two small cams, breathed and then exhaled, grunting as he hit the hold. He moved solidly into the top crux of the route, relaxing his muscles, and only straining as much as necessary. At the top, he turned and looked out, remarking, "It is a really nice day." He clipped the anchors, making a successful ascent of the difficult crack route in a large part because he was calmer.
Labels: Climbing Tips, Climbing Well, Redpointing
¶ Wednesday, September 01, 2010 0 Comments
