Wall world and urban adventure

I laughed and fell off into a puddle.

Improvising in secret urban locations, creeping sideways on brick edges under railway bridges, and for the more exhibitionist practitioner, the scaling of attractive buildings. Even banks and churches were fair challenges for those with an interest in fine architecture or who enjoyed the thrill of avoiding being locked up. This was inner city rock climbing training '80s style.

Towards the end of this time climbers also began training en masse in purpose-built but primitive indoor climbing walls, and I vividly recall the distinctive smell of sweaty bodies, no doubt familiar if you have ever been to a busy gym without air conditioning. These vertical indoor creations allowed climbers to increase their repertoire of moves.  They learned how to step up very high, then push down to transfer all weight onto one leg to reach a long way for a distant hold - the rock-over technique, which was extremely commonplace in boulder problems set at old style leisure centre walls.  At one end of sports halls were vertical brick or concrete constructions to pit your wits against, often sporting cemented-in lumps of granite, gritstone was in vogue, or for the more understated, slimming vertical stripes were the order of the day. Such colourful apparel, along with new technical equipment, had replaced the sombre woollen breeches and hemp ropes of the 40's 50's and 60's.  Climbs of old were protected only by jamming stones in cracks, with one end of a rope around the climber's waist and the other end in the hands of a trusty gloved friend. Falling wasn't an option! Imagine 'Cliffhanger' with no bolt-gun or expanding metal cams to calm the nerves. The 80s heralded an era of more reliable protection and effective training, albeit accompanied by loud music emanating from nearby aerobics classes or the whistling of unwelcome shuttlecocks.

'Lets not treat training too seriously, we will turn it into play and play seriously'

These were fun times, but there were very few other female climbers training in the UK to join in the fun.

An order of magnitude steeper.

German superwoman Marietta Uhden in World Cup action

European influence hit the UK with a bang in 1989 when the first ever World Cup indoor competition came to Leeds. Hundreds of people packed into a warehouse to watch the world's best, including the extremely strong and talented Frenchwoman Catherine Destivelle. (Catherine is often known in Britain as 'that French woman who climbs with no ropes' and is still a French National hero today, having explored most dimensions of the sport from sportclimbing in the south of France to extreme solo ascents routes in the Dolomites and the North Face of the Eiger.) The wall was constructed out of moveable resin panels with threaded holes into which bolts could be screwed to secure coloured resin holds in a configuration designed to dispatch climbers when their forearms became overly engorged with blood, resulting from the accumulation of lactic acid.

The crowd erupted to see Jerry Moffatt spring a metre up in the air to hit a hold above the highest point climbed by any other competitor.

'The state of motion is often to be envied, but is quite attainable through experiencing motion and a letting go of the minds immediate control of the body'

The atmosphere was electric underneath the 12m wall as the crowd revelled in a home nation win amid cries of 'allez' and 'go on'. The energy generated by this event signalled a turning point in the history of British climbing.

Not only was a British team created but a new window appeared through which the sport could be viewed by everyone. The old image wherein climbers had been seen as psychotic, bearded, rugged characters who liked to endure extreme hardship lived on shaky foundations. Now we were exposed to images of Olga Korbut like superwomen, blessed with outstanding power to weight ratios, showing funky ways of leaping and contorting using amazing body tension to move across stalactites, tufas and even 10m roofs.

View from the top

Jerry, along with some fellow Sheffield activists, went on to set up the first ever modern dedicated climbing centre ("the Foundry") in 1991. As a keen 19 year old  I began to virtually live there during the winter months, desperately keen to follow in the footsteps of Catherine and her like. Climbing over the next 5 years became a more accessible leisure option for people of all ages, with walls removing many of the sports mysteries. Now we have over 400 walls in this country, and I have taught classes for climbers as young as 5 and as old as 87.

Climbing on a wall feels a really natural activity like climbing a tree when you were 10 and just as much fun. Polly, an actress I once took climbing likened the movement to a well choreographed dance and was able to banish the problems of the day instantly by focusing on the climbing holds in front of her.

'Concentration is of the essence, the act of forcibly stupefying the senses and allowing me to follow the drift of my own body. As I climb I feel as though I am leaving myself behind and giving myself up to the movement of the rock by concentrating myself into the subtle tensions the moves require, I am able to escape the obligation to think, and this, more than anything else, brings me a measure of peace'

Charlie Woodburn

How do I start?

Your first experience of climbing could be indoors or outdoors, with a more experienced friend, a club member or as part of an instructional course. Wherever you learn, you will be wearing a harness (unless you are bouldering, in which case you don't need one) into which a rope is tied at a secure point around the front. You will probably be top roping at first, so the rope runs from your harness to the top of the climb, through a secure anchor and down to your partner. They will belay you as you ascend by taking in the slack rope through a friction based belay device attached to their own harness, so that in the event of a fall the rope can be quickly locked off and the fall arrested. There are three options open to you.

Clubs

Climbing clubs have been in existence for over 100 years and come in many shapes and sizes. The BMC has over 300 member clubs ranging in size from over 1000 to under 10, at locations across the country. Joining a club will give you access to a wealth of experienced people who can help you develop your climbing skills. Some clubs offer introductory sessions and there is also the possibility of a pool of loan gear, shared travel, arranged trips at weekends, hut accommodation etc. all of which make getting started much easier. All will welcome new members, but some are better equipped to cater for beginners and young members.

Courses

Traditionally people new to climbing have been shown the ropes (!) by experienced friends or within a club structure, but with the increasing popularity of the sport a range of courses have developed. Some of these courses cater specifically for indoor climbing only, so it's important to choose the right one for your needs. A common problem these days is making the transition from indoor to outdoor climbing safely.

Courses are run by climbing walls or outdoor centres (e.g. >Plas-y-Brenin and Glenmore Lodge, the National Mountain Centres). Your local Sports Development Unit, Youth Service or Duke of Edinburgh Award group as well as freelance instructors offer additional opportunities.

Guides and Instructors

Fully qualified British Mountain Guides are listed on the BMG website (www.bmg.org.uk), or a hardcopy is available from the BMC office.  British Mountain Guides can operate in the UK and abroad on all terrain.

The holders of Mountain Instructor Awards (MIA or MIC) are qualified to teach the full range of climbing techniques on British rock, but cannot instruct overseas. The Association of Mountain Instructors (AMI) website (www.ami.org.uk) provides contact details of these mountain instructors.

There are a number of other qualifications you may hear quoted, but the most likely is the Single Pitch Award (SPA) which qualifies the holder to supervise groups on single pitch rock climbs, but not to instruct lead climbing techniques.

An important part of learning to climb is developing the art of balancing the skills you have available against the challenges provided by the climb. That the sport involves a level of risk is obvious to all, but this risk is an integral part of the activity, and it is important for an individual's enjoyment of climbing to identify a personally acceptable level of risk.

"The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement"

Equipment

If you are on a course or learning with a club, then all the equipment you need is likely to be provided. There is no point on spending a fortune on gear before you find out whether you actually like climbing! When you do want to start buying your own equipment, there are a few products you should look at before anything else:

Harness - Prices range from £30-£60, and will depend on the features offered. Pick a harness with some good stiff foam padding around the waistbelt and leg loops rather than a lightweight webbing harness, it will be much more comfortable. Make sure there are plenty of gear loops (3-5) and if you intend to climb in winter look for adjustable leg loops to cope with extra layers of clothing. For young climbers in particular ask a shop assistant, instructor or expert youth leader for help with fitting, particularly around the waist.  A full body harness is often the best option for most under the age of 10.

Belay Device and screwgate karabiner - Devices such as a sticht plate, bug, ATC, variable controller etc. are suitable for any climber in almost any situation, and will cost from £10-£15. Some form of instruction is important before using these items. Devices such as the grigri are very useful in sport climbing where the leader may take repeated falls or sit on the rope for long periods of time, but contrary to popular opinion are not completely failsafe.

Helmet - Wearing a helmet whilst climbing may well save your life one day. There are currently three types on the market. Fibreglass variants (eg. Joe Browns) are very durable but heavy and uncomfortable. Plastic helmets like the Edelrid Ultralight are more pleasant to wear but have a shelf life of around 5 years regardless of use. Expanded foam helmets (eg Meteor) are much like cycle helmets, very light and comfortable, but provide slightly less in the way of protection. However all these designs pass current safety standards, so it's a matter of finding the one you are comfortable wearing. Helmets will cost from £30-£60

Rock Shoes - Rock shoes should be bought fairly close fitting, so that your toes curl slightly at the front, but not so tight that they are painful after a few minutes wearing. Over the first month or so the sticky rubber sole (along with the uppers) will mould to your foot hopefully leaving you with a precise but comfortable fit. Rock Shoes will cost £40 upwards, so make sure you try on a few pairs before you decide. A cheap alternative for young climbers starting indoors are black plimsoles.

Chalk bag - Here you can indulge your sense of fashion (or not!) with one of the many wacky designs out there. Get a few chalk balls too. Chalk prevents perspiration from your fingertips and increases friction.

Tips on how to progress

Girls may feel at a disadvantage to start with, feeling they can't pull-up as well as boys but don't feel disheartened. Any perceived weakness can rapidly translate into laying the foundations for superb technique by learning optimum body positions. This can translate into doing harder moves than your partner in a only matter of weeks.

Some climbers enjoy training and revel in almost perverse five day a week rituals in search of the holy grail of 'power'. Not everybody trains, and you can enjoy many great climbs without ever touching a pull up bar, but if you want to progress quickly it's worth remembering a few points;

Be organised

Specific: Your training should be specific to the style of climbing you want to improve.

Measurable: Know and record your current, past and future levels of performance.

Adaptable: Your training programme should be flexible to allow for occasional illness, partying and work commitments.

Realistic: Short and medium term goals in particular need to be challenging but achievable.

Progression: As fitness improves it takes higher levels of exercise and stress to create overload

Reversibility: Train inadequately or insufficiently and training effects will diminish.

'not daily increase, but daily decrease - hack away the unessential'

Warm up and down

Keep as much weight on your feet as possible by manoeuvring your centre of gravity close to the wall. Only hold on as hard as you have to and try to relax. To find out more consult the books and video list.

It can be simple! 'I've just figured out how to get better: climb more and drink less' - a well known female climber.

Top 10 walls

(This is a personal view and not one necessarily held by the BMC)

All walls have roped lead-climbing and bouldering, with Leeds and Bristol being particularly strong on bouldering. All have kids classes and most have reasonable disabled access. For a full list of walls around the country contact the BMC Office, or check out their website at www.thebmc.co.uk

Books and Videos

There are a great variety of publications available from textbooks, guidebooks, autobiographies, and cartoons, covering every aspect of climbing imaginable. Outdoor stores, good bookshops and some libraries will have a good selection, or will be able to order any more unusual titles. Most of the commonly used books can be ordered through the BMC website or office, magazines and videos are available at outdoor stores or better newsagents.

TEXTBOOKS

GENERAL

VIDEOS

The BMC and MLTB has produced a number of instructional videos available from the office or website:

Good commercial videos

Constructing a wall

Current state of the art wall panels often employ a 3D curved resin system which closely replicates the features and shapes of natural rock. They can incorporate bolt-on holds and inset discs, tufas, holes, cracks, calcite flows and flakes or merely small smear footholds for realistic competition routes. A high friction resin and sand mixture is applied to the surface to enhance the texture.

The paint work brings the wall to life, adding realism, dimension and aesthetic beauty. All belay anchor points are attached directly to the end of the support structure steelwork, thus transferring the loads back to the main frame.

The final job is to fix the bolt-on holds and create 2 or 3 graded climbs on each climbing line. Contact info@e-p.com for more information. Simple small walls can be made from wooden panels with bolt-on holds and can be constructed in your cellar.

This article, by Anne Arran, first appeared in the August 2001 issue of Sportswoman magazine.

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