heh. you said 'member'
Dropped the big pile of money today. Shoes, harness, belay equipment, membership. I am geared up.
- Love my new harness. Jason says the difference is slight for him between his new harness and the rentals; for me it's a new world. The longer rise means the leg loops aren't encroaching on my personal areas and the contoured waist hugs my lower back and stays above my hips. Descent is 100% more comfortable.
- Less sure about the shoes. I got the Evolv Rockstars and I am not confident that they work for me. Fortunately, they are returnable. Hopefully. I should have checked before I walked out with them to be sure that wasn't the line.
The saleswoman steered us towards the cheaper entry level shoes, (which is cool, I prefer that to a hard upsell) and of the ones I tried on, the Rockstar had the best fit, but they push my big toe pretty hard. It got painful to wear them between climbs pretty quickly, even on the padded floor. By my last couple climbs my toe was unhappy even while I was on the way, and now that I'm out of them it feels like I have bruises.
There's a certain amount of masochism involved in rock climbing and it starts with the shoes; it's common for people to squeeze into shoes a size or even two too small in the name of support and control. But I'm not sure I'm there yet, and if I was, I'm still not sure that's what I'm getting. The rest of the fit is comfy, it's like my feet are just a little long for the shoes. The half size up was way roomy, though.
I was surprised to find I really do need a womens' shoe, the narrow heel cup and especially the lower cut heel opening are both way better for me. The heels on the mens' models were obvious blisterbait.
After climbing we stopped by REI and I tried on the Mad Rock Phoenix and it felt way better on my feet than the Rockstar, but had the high heel issue I had with all the men's models. It looks like REI just doesn't carry the Banshee, Mad Rock's ladies version at all. (Really, REI?) I might call around and try to find a store that does, or see if earthtreks would order them for me. Or I might just try on their higher end womens' shoes when we go back Monday. Or suck it up, I guess.
The actual climbing!
The climbing itself felt good today. In a general sense I was focused on using my legs, but I also felt like I was using my legs on some moves I had previously been driving with my arms even without really having to think about it. Just keeping in mind that my legs are where my power is located made the individual leg-driven moves feel obvious. I also felt myself using my core more (or possibly I noticed more because it is sore from situps) to move my weight around and to take some of the pressure off my forearms. My brain doesn't really get that I can use my stomach to hold myself close to the wall, but my body does.
My knee held me back today, about which I have mixed feelings. It's frustrating, for sure. There are routes I just have to modify because my left leg can't make the big pushes, especially at some of the twistier angles. I have not had other occasion, really, to test my leg with my foot facing any way but forward, and it drops my strength (and ups the pain) dramatically. I have one regular exercise with my leg turned out 45 degrees, and I need to start adding more. I'm still tearing little webs of scar tissue on the twists, too. It's not bad, kind of a crackly pulling sensation, and I know it needs to happen, but it is... I notice it. And I'm noticing it a lot, as heat and a little throbbing, as I cool down.
Even on the straight pushes my left quad is weak. It was trembling for all of my last climb, which was a ladder-like 5.4 I have been using for warmups. I did discover a trick of swinging my weight a little to shift some of the pushes off my quads and onto my glutes, but I suspect it'll only work on the routes with really generously sized holds. Also, I need to build the quads strength. In addition to the muscle weakness my knee itself -the actual joint- hurts on the big bends and aches by the time we leave. That's just going to take time. And ice.
I spent some time on a brown taped 5.7 called Jack Daniels today, and really enjoyed it, but also want to keep it in mind as a potential milestone. It starts off with three big leg pushes, the second of which I just can not do right now. I have to put my right leg on a bigger, lower (awesomely skull-shaped) hold than and shift my weight to there before moving to the marked one because my left leg feels like it will buckle when I try to make the move as it's marked. It's a big push off a tiny hold and it has the left foot turned all the way out, 90 degrees and then some by the end of the push. I want to be able to do that. I am willing to work to be able to do that.
The upside of realizing my knee was holding me back was that it feels like my endurance is improving. All of my other parts would have been good for a few more climbs. I think this is the least tired, least physically defeated I've felt walking out of the gym. My forearms are, okay I can feel them, but not screaming. Situps are helping. Yay! (Now more situps.)
I have more thoughts, but also a distinct odor and little salt crystals in my hair from drying sweat. And my eyes are starting to get a little unfocused, so I'm thinking it is time to stop writing and do the food and hygiene thing.
- Love my new harness. Jason says the difference is slight for him between his new harness and the rentals; for me it's a new world. The longer rise means the leg loops aren't encroaching on my personal areas and the contoured waist hugs my lower back and stays above my hips. Descent is 100% more comfortable.
- Less sure about the shoes. I got the Evolv Rockstars and I am not confident that they work for me. Fortunately, they are returnable. Hopefully. I should have checked before I walked out with them to be sure that wasn't the line.
The saleswoman steered us towards the cheaper entry level shoes, (which is cool, I prefer that to a hard upsell) and of the ones I tried on, the Rockstar had the best fit, but they push my big toe pretty hard. It got painful to wear them between climbs pretty quickly, even on the padded floor. By my last couple climbs my toe was unhappy even while I was on the way, and now that I'm out of them it feels like I have bruises.
There's a certain amount of masochism involved in rock climbing and it starts with the shoes; it's common for people to squeeze into shoes a size or even two too small in the name of support and control. But I'm not sure I'm there yet, and if I was, I'm still not sure that's what I'm getting. The rest of the fit is comfy, it's like my feet are just a little long for the shoes. The half size up was way roomy, though.
I was surprised to find I really do need a womens' shoe, the narrow heel cup and especially the lower cut heel opening are both way better for me. The heels on the mens' models were obvious blisterbait.
After climbing we stopped by REI and I tried on the Mad Rock Phoenix and it felt way better on my feet than the Rockstar, but had the high heel issue I had with all the men's models. It looks like REI just doesn't carry the Banshee, Mad Rock's ladies version at all. (Really, REI?) I might call around and try to find a store that does, or see if earthtreks would order them for me. Or I might just try on their higher end womens' shoes when we go back Monday. Or suck it up, I guess.
The actual climbing!
The climbing itself felt good today. In a general sense I was focused on using my legs, but I also felt like I was using my legs on some moves I had previously been driving with my arms even without really having to think about it. Just keeping in mind that my legs are where my power is located made the individual leg-driven moves feel obvious. I also felt myself using my core more (or possibly I noticed more because it is sore from situps) to move my weight around and to take some of the pressure off my forearms. My brain doesn't really get that I can use my stomach to hold myself close to the wall, but my body does.
My knee held me back today, about which I have mixed feelings. It's frustrating, for sure. There are routes I just have to modify because my left leg can't make the big pushes, especially at some of the twistier angles. I have not had other occasion, really, to test my leg with my foot facing any way but forward, and it drops my strength (and ups the pain) dramatically. I have one regular exercise with my leg turned out 45 degrees, and I need to start adding more. I'm still tearing little webs of scar tissue on the twists, too. It's not bad, kind of a crackly pulling sensation, and I know it needs to happen, but it is... I notice it. And I'm noticing it a lot, as heat and a little throbbing, as I cool down.
Even on the straight pushes my left quad is weak. It was trembling for all of my last climb, which was a ladder-like 5.4 I have been using for warmups. I did discover a trick of swinging my weight a little to shift some of the pushes off my quads and onto my glutes, but I suspect it'll only work on the routes with really generously sized holds. Also, I need to build the quads strength. In addition to the muscle weakness my knee itself -the actual joint- hurts on the big bends and aches by the time we leave. That's just going to take time. And ice.
I spent some time on a brown taped 5.7 called Jack Daniels today, and really enjoyed it, but also want to keep it in mind as a potential milestone. It starts off with three big leg pushes, the second of which I just can not do right now. I have to put my right leg on a bigger, lower (awesomely skull-shaped) hold than and shift my weight to there before moving to the marked one because my left leg feels like it will buckle when I try to make the move as it's marked. It's a big push off a tiny hold and it has the left foot turned all the way out, 90 degrees and then some by the end of the push. I want to be able to do that. I am willing to work to be able to do that.
The upside of realizing my knee was holding me back was that it feels like my endurance is improving. All of my other parts would have been good for a few more climbs. I think this is the least tired, least physically defeated I've felt walking out of the gym. My forearms are, okay I can feel them, but not screaming. Situps are helping. Yay! (Now more situps.)
I have more thoughts, but also a distinct odor and little salt crystals in my hair from drying sweat. And my eyes are starting to get a little unfocused, so I'm thinking it is time to stop writing and do the food and hygiene thing.