Tying in with a figure 8 knot is the most common way to attach to a climbing rope. The figure 8 is heavily used because it’s easy to tie, is reliable, and is easy to see if the knot is correctly tied. There are better and worse ways to tie the figure 8. Read on to learn what a properly dressed knot looks like and how to finish it the best way.
Climbing is a skill sport, but strength also plays a huge role in climbing success. As you progress up the grades in climbing, strength grows in importance. In this video, Lyti and I do a simple strength assessment, including pushups, pullups, crunches, a one-rep max hang and max duration hang. This measurement represents our baseline strength prior to starting a specific training regimen. We’ll test again after two months of training to see how we’re progressing.
Like any significant venture in life, setting climbing goals is a key first step toward success. Matt has recruited his friend and climbing team member, Lyti, in a quest to achieve their summer climbing goals. Read on and watch the video to hear more about how they’re going about achieving those goals.
There is a lot of gear you need to be a well-rounded climber. In this post, we give an overview of gear you might want for several stages of your climbing career, from the first time you head to the gym for some bouldering, to climbing multi-pitch trad routes. We’re focused on route climbing here, not bouldering, ice climbing or mountaineering.
Clipping a quickdraw while leading is an essential skill that every climber needs to master. In this article and video, we cover four rules for making a good clip and three methods of actually clipping the rope. Read on if you feel you need to up your clipping game.
Cleaning an anchor can be scary for a good reason—a mistake can have grave consequences! In this article, we go over how to clean an anchor either by rappelling or being lowered off.
A belayer during the lead climb needs to pay full attention to what’s happening with the climber to minimize the risk of injury. You need to be aware of what the climber is doing, what the risk of a fall is and if the fall happens, whether your climber is going to hit something on the way down. Read on for 7 tips for giving a great lead belay.
An advanced top rope belay sounds like an oxymoron, but top roping is a low-risk way to work moves on a hard route. If your climber is at their limit, even on top rope, having a careful, attentive belay can help them do a better job working the moves. Here are a few tips that will help you be the best top rope belayer out there.
The top rope belay is the first rock climbing belay that everyone learns, yet some people still struggle with doing it the right way. Read on for tips below on the basics of top rope belays and a video demonstration.
See how to combine climbing max hang and strength-endurance repeaters into a larger training macrocycle. We give an example for optimal route sending potential in the spring and fall.
This week, I’m going to go over max hangs again, but this time with two arms. Two-arm vs. one-arm max hangs are pretty similar, with other than the obvious difference of more pulling power when using two arms. Adding weight has one distinct advantage—you can quantify your progress exactly. Read on!
Max Hangs are a great way to gain climbing strength quickly. If you're stuck at home without the equipment for two-handed max hangs, then one-hand versions are a great alternative. This blog post goes over the details you'll need to execute this protocol.
