beginner progress

[iclimb]

Hi all,

So about 6 months ago I started bouldering, just after Evo Rock + Fitness opened in portland. I wanted a way to train and needed a climbing fix when winter was months away.

I started climbing only V0, and I've progressed to V3. I feel pretty good about that in 6 months, but I'm wondering what I can do to make that better. I boulder 2-3 times a week, train hard when I'm there and when my skin holds up, and I try problems that are too hard for me just to work them. Anything else I could do to help my progression?

Here's a link to a problem I did last week just to show those better than me my form. Be nice :-)

https://youtu.be/diD44cVpbOA

[Nemesis]

Nothing beats mileage with good fun partners. 

[Nick Grant]

Beastmaker hangboard.

[iclimb]

Oh ya I forgot that. I have a pretty sweet homemade hang board that I definitely don't use enough

[strandman]

I think it's super easy to hurt yourself when you push bouldering. You have to get everything used to the stress.

indoors i would practice technique more than numbers,,do every problem perfect,,every time   ANS get outside whenever possible..it's not far down to Cape Ann  with tons of great bouldering

[Abpelton]

Strandman is right. Progress slowly when bouldering or injuries will occur. Also, get outside. Climbing on plastic has no correlation to real rock, other than movement.  Use it solely for strength training and learning how to move on rock. Not a measurement of what grade you're climbing at. If you're climbing at a v3 level, when you go to the gym, climb all the v0 to v2 flawlessly without falling. Then get on that project. Once that project is dialed in, add it into the routine. I personaly think training on hang boards or lifting weights is a waste of time and it's boring. Just be active. Run, hike, climb in every discipline. Just some ideas that have helped me progress relatively injury free. Have fun and good luck!

[eyebolter]

I personaly think training on hang boards or lifting weights is a waste of time and it's boring.

Agreed.  Climbing is the best training for climbing, unless you have no other option than hangboards.

Be careful you don't overtrain, most boulderers do.  I had a 30 move project a couple winters back that I tried for months and I was so close I kept hammering on it.  It wasn't until I took four rest days that I sent t.

Climb outside when you can, as others have said.  The easy grades inside are way too soft.  V2 at Hueco is like 5.11 for reference.  V1 is 10+ V0+ like 10.  Even real VO is like 5.9, but in the gym most are 5.5.

Was out with a bunch of kids on a couple of V9's at Farley today and I think I may need four days off right now, lol.