I agree that climbing often is the best way for beginners to get better. Being on the wall builds climbing muscle, and helps get over the initial fear factor and distrust of the equipment.

The strength vs technique argument…I don’t know…I’ve never been able to acquire enough strength to be in a position to test it. Then again, I am stuck at 10s…so my guess is that it’s time for me to get stronger (at least that’s what she said :-)

For beginners, I agree to just climb more and gain the the basic strength (grip strength, shoulder, back and core) to just get up the walls at first. When you start getting strong enough to get up 5.9’s and 5.10’s you’ll eventually need good technique in order to get up the climbs at 5.11 and higher. It never hurts to be strong and also have good technique.

My opinion is that it’s not about “getting stronger” by itself. It’s about getting stronger WITH good technique. No matter who you are, you’ll always eventually need both.

Even Sharma, who can campus 5.12’s without good technique, still has to use good technique to get up a 5.15.

Ha points out that to “just climb” builds climbing strength. That was Miguel’s point, too. Who would disagree?

But I think that Ha has it backwards when he suggests that Strength will get you to 5.9 and 5.10, but you must add technique to that Strength to climb 5.11. I have seen many low-strength climbers (particularly females) climb 5.9s, into the 5.10s and sometimes beyond on Technique ALONE! That always amazed me! I model my approach on what I’ve learned from watching them.

My main point in this Tips discussion is that Technique Is Most Important At First.

Why? Beginners naturally want to feel like they are getting somewhere, and good technique will get them farther faster. Strength simply takes a lot of time to build and very few people are willing to take that plunge into all-out Ironman-like training. And often that approach leads to injuries. Technique, though it doesn’t come instantly, can come quickly if you try to learn it.

My experience in this comes not only from observing but from routesetting and teaching. One lesson I like to give is a demonstration using the lowest moves on a set of routes on one rope. Our Rope #1 has 7 routes on it. The easiest 4 are 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, and 5.7. I will show a group of Beginner climbers all the low moves on these 4 routes and explain why the 5.4 is easy (the footholds are perfectly placed and without thinking your legs can do all the work), why the 5.5 is harder (the footholds are a little awkward and some flexibility in the hips is required), why the 5.6 is harder (because the easiest way to allow the legs to do the work is an out-of-the-box set of movements that Beginners are usually unaware of but can do if they try to imitate), and why the 5.7 is “harder” still (only because the easiest way up is a little farther out-of-the-box). Many Beginners at this point had already failed on these routes. They were trying to use what strength they had. Almost NO Beginner had ever tried these technical moves (on the 5.6 and 5.7). But after the demonstration many of them will try these moves, and with a little effort many climbers can do many of the moves. Suddenly the possibilities open up for them and the march up once impossible routes becomes more interesting and more hopeful.

I tend to agree with Tom. One of the biggest differences between a 5.9 and a 5.10 is the use of good technique. Sure, you can muscle your way through an 11, but you’ll tire very easily and will fail half the time.

Strength does have a very important role in climbing. I don’t care how good your technique is, if you’re not strong enough, there are going to be climbs that you just won’t send. And I’m not talking about being able to bench 350 lbs. I’m talking about finger strength, the ability to lock off, being able to do a pull up, the ability to use your leg muscles in a variety of ways, etc.

If I were to teach a beginner, I would tell him.her to build up their technique, then they can start building on strength once they can climb 5.10’s comfortably.

Is it taboo to talk about strength to weight ratio? I’m a beginning climber and totally understand the points about technique. HOWEVER, I feel like I’m carrying a little too much baggage that hurts my flexibility and endurance. I’m surprised more people aren’t advocating cardio and diet. Thoughts?

Dropping weight was probably the best thing I did for my climbing, not that my strength or technique are all that great but it does help to not be pulling so much up behind/under me.

Also, anyone think that part of the technique problems of beginning climbers would be helped by giving them better shoes? Obviously there are a lot of things that don’t depend on shoes specifically but maybe people would feel better about trying some more technical moves if they also weren’t trying to jam a huge rounded toe of barely sticky rubber onto the biggest hold they can see. It probably wouldn’t change that much at the lowest level, and there are plenty of people that climb at very high levels with crap shoes, but maybe those gym shoes are (part of) why so many people are feeling weaker than they are?

The white FiveTen climbing shoes we rent/offer are pretty good technical shoes—they have good rubber and good edges. The brown FiveTen shoes we rent/offer kind of suck—god rubber but lame-o shape and no edge to speak of. Our very old purple FiveTen shoes are pertty good—good rubber, long lasting (!), just not very technical.

For anyone who wants to pick up their own shoes go to Moosejaw and ask for a 15% “Tom sent me!” discount. They are really cool about bringing in the shoe you want in enough sizes to insure you get the right fit. At least they do that for me.

Also, they have the new badass Solutions! (LaSportiva)

Easiest way to shed weight, is to shed your shirt. I hear this makes you climb better.

Preach, brother, preach.

I’m generally new to climbing (3 classes and 3 free climbs) and after reading the discussion on technique vs. strength, while I have little technique to begin with, I find myself doubting what little I have. I was wondering if anyone would be up to the task of possibly sharing some technique tips at FP sometime. I’m there Monday and Thursday evenings. Any feedback would be immensely appreciated. Thanks.

The basics of good climbing technique: climb with straight arms, keep your hips/body close to the wall, and climb with quiet feet. Making yourself climb with quiet feet is very, very important. It makes you actually look at your foot hold and set your big toe on it softly. This causes you to actually think about your footwork and plus, when you set it properly, you’re less likely to slip off it as you move. Also, when you climb quietly, you hang with straight arms longer because you have to slowly set your feet softly which helps you gain grip strength and endurance.

Hope this helps.

Thanks alot nuge. I’ll definitely try that next time.

Ha’s suggestions are a very good start. Then, good footwork sets up maximal use of the legs-sparing your arms for when you need them. Then, there is a critical relationship between your feet and your hips (better stated: BETWEEN ONE FOOT AND THE ONE HIP IT IS ATTACHED TO!). This relationship is a LAW and it dictakes where your legs can send you. If you want to go straight up or in a specific direction you have to bring the hip of the leg that you want to drive you up in line with where you want to go. It usually doesn’t go there by itself; you have to be conscious of where you locate that hip! Furthermore, ONE leg is almost always enough to drive a climber’s weight in the right direction, while TWO is usually too much and actually makes ascending harder! That’s a very common mistake beginners make. These things are all being discussed/demonstrated in your class, so hang in there!

And maybe take your shirt off when you try this stuff.

Thanks for the advice Tom! I heard that we can only go shirtless when we hit the advanced classes. Mandatory head to toe clothing for us rookies. At least thats what Pete said!

Since this is an unnofficial blog I can say whatever I want about the shirtless question. But I prefer to remain silent on it. Maybe some women can weigh in.

Here’s a quote I heard a while ago can help, sometimes.

“Strength is a technique.”

You have to develop it just like any other technique and learn how and when to properly apply it to situations to your advantage. By itself, it’ll get you only so far. Don’t neglect other techniques in favor of strength.

neuroshock has a point, but this discussion is about issues that “beginners” struggle with and the first question they ask. For beginners strength needs to be understood as “a technique of last resort”. The first thing they need to learn is how to get by without it. Otherwise climbing will be frustrating and not much fun!