Aspiring climber stuck in a non-climbing city?

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ClimbingFanatic

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 4, 2015 - 11:58am PT
ive gone to the climbing gym a few times and found out that I love it! I would love to keep climbing but the nearest climbing gym is about 35 minutes away, and being 16 with no car or even a drivers license, I would have to put the burden of driving on my parents. The nearest place I could climb outdoors would most likely be Lake Tahoe, which is 2 and a half hours away. I desperately want to get better. Yestersay was my 3rd time bouldering in the course of 3 months and Im still stuck on v2. Any tips on how i can improve at home? And is it possible to even improve at all when climbing once, maybe twice a month?
snakefoot

climber
Nor Cal
Oct 4, 2015 - 12:04pm PT
are you near sac, davis, vaca or whatever? Uber!!!
Edge

Trad climber
Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO
Oct 4, 2015 - 12:09pm PT
When I was your age, there were no climbing gyms or Internet. If I wanted to climb, I had to ride my bike to choss or hitch to the good stuff in the summer, and climb frozen waterfalls and mini-mountains in the winter.

Not recommended. It's been almost four decades and I still suck.
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Oct 4, 2015 - 12:21pm PT
You could build a home climbing wall, providing you have funds for the holds and other materials, plus a place to put it.

http://www.google.com/search?q=build+a+climbing+wall
jogill

climber
Colorado
Oct 4, 2015 - 12:24pm PT
Do bodyweight exercises to build appropriate strength, especially suspension exercises. Build strength in the hands and fingers by imrovising on door jams etc. Then get to the climbing gym as often as you think possible to develop technique, which is fundamental.
Prod

Trad climber
Oct 4, 2015 - 12:38pm PT
Build a home climbing wall. You can always find holds on Craigs List.

Prod.
ClimbingFanatic

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 4, 2015 - 01:00pm PT
Thankyou for all of the great suggestions! Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely my parents would allow me to use Uber and they refuse to build me a home climbing wall (no space is the main reason, and I've never worked with wood my entire life). They probably think that climbing is just a phase for me.
snakefoot

climber
Nor Cal
Oct 4, 2015 - 01:17pm PT
ok, so what town are you near? there may be bouldering sites nearby. what about a friend with a large yard that you could build a wall on? we built a 32' wide, 12' tall half pipe with a foot of vert and a roll in at a friends with cool parents back in the day.

otherwise, looks like you might builder or climb trees for fun til then.

phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Oct 4, 2015 - 01:30pm PT
This sounds like a troll.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Oct 4, 2015 - 01:40pm PT
Pullups
tricep dips
inverted situps (e.g. from a spiral staircase or a railing where you can latch in your legs and hang below it)

fingertip pullups on a door jam to get started. Buy a hangboard like this
https://www.google.com/search?q=hangboard&tbm=shop

Maybe if you show some commitment with that routine and keep a log of your improvement in repetitions, your parent(s) will see you are serious and might help support you to get to the gym.

Even if not, you are building up that internal fire and it's only a few more years before you can organize your life for yourself to pursue your passions.
Edge

Trad climber
Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO
Oct 4, 2015 - 02:03pm PT
Can you at least put up a hang board? You will have to start off SLOW!!!, but at least you can start to build up contact strength and some pull muscles. Don't forget to balance those out with opposing muscle work.

Read books on technique and visualize yourself doing the movements so you can focus on refining movement when you do get to the gym.
ClimbingFanatic

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 4, 2015 - 02:07pm PT
I actually want to climb. I'm a girl, and I don't see how climbing rocks would make me cool.
ClimbingFanatic

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 4, 2015 - 02:08pm PT
I saw some hangboards at REI but I assumed they were just for professionals or advanced climbers. I'll look into it more, thanks!
Edge

Trad climber
Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO
Oct 4, 2015 - 02:18pm PT
Like I said, you will have to,start off slow and force yourself to not use it too often. It will give you more options than a door jamb, and you can always throw a few pull ups and lock offs on the jugs. Use the big holds for ab work also.

For me, I can't emphasize how important reading was to build a mental repertoire of techniques and keep the stoke alive. That will put you ahead of the game once you get your license and become mobile. If you want it, it will happen.

It also helped me when I was in HS and couldn't drive to join sports teams that let me cross train and increase my overall strength and endurance. I ran cross country, did five field events, and would train each year with the X-C ski team until snow flew and the ice came in. Any organized activity can help in lieu of climbing; you are trying to build a strong foundation.
HermitMaster

Social climber
my abode
Oct 4, 2015 - 02:38pm PT
For me, I can't emphasize how important reading was to build a mental repertoire of techniques and keep the stoke alive. That will put you ahead of the game once you get your license and become mobile. If you want it, it will happen.

WBraun

climber
Oct 4, 2015 - 04:49pm PT
Runaway from home.

Go to the most prolific climbing area you can get to.

When you get there start yodeling.

Bad ass climber will appear and you'll soon learn all the ropes.

There's no other way.

Blathering on the internet will get one nowhere ......
bixquite

Social climber
humboldt nation
Oct 4, 2015 - 04:49pm PT
I agree with Tami, if your in high school and show the interest to start a club, usually a teacher
or parent will see your motivation and be stoked to plan a few trips. If there is a local collage or jc
they may have an outdoor club to meet like minded folks. go play, yo be safe and have fun.
look at mtn project. com and start planning a dream road trip, follow a hippy jam band and
sell grilled cheese to support your resole expenses and watch out for some dude named Denis
who says he's going to red rocks and leads 5.9
have fun
overwatch

climber
Oct 4, 2015 - 05:17pm PT
I agree with Tami and Werner.
matlinb

Trad climber
Fort Collins, CO
Oct 4, 2015 - 05:50pm PT
I started climbing when I was 14 and ended up with a college aged climbing partner that took me under his wing as a belay slave. He had a car, a rope and a rack. I had obsession and a willingness to belay all day. It worked. At 16 he graduated from college and I helped him drive to Yosemite where I spent about 6 weeks in Camp 4. He ended up getting a job at Camp Curry and stayed. My parents had to buy a plane ticket from SFO to get me back home. That was 1982. All things are possible.
ClimbingFanatic

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 4, 2015 - 06:04pm PT
Joining a club sounds like a good idea.
There used to be a Wilderness Explorers club at my school but not a lot of people joined.


And how did you meet your college climbing partner by the way?
Messages 1 - 20 of total 71 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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