ao1 what is rock climbing

8/3/2019 AO1 What is Rock Climbing

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What is Rock climbing?

1) Rock climbing can be divided into three main categories or styles

a. Traditional (Trad)b. Sportc. Bouldering.

Write a page on each, describing the skills and equipment used in each style,use pictures and examples where you can (some examples should be frompersonal experience)

2) Describe what is meant by top roping?

Top-rope climbing (or Top-roping) is a style in climbing in which a rope, usedfor the climber's safety,

3) Describe what is meant by multi pitch?

Multi-pitch climbing is the ascent of climbing routes with one or more stops ata belay station. Each section of actual climbing between stops at the belaystations is called a pitch. The leaderascends the pitch, placing gear andstopping to anchor themselves to the belay station.

4) Describe what is meant by ice climbing?

Ice climbing is the activity of ascending inclined ice formations. Usually, iceclimbing refers to roped and protected climbing of features such as icefalls,frozen waterfalls, and cliffs and rock slabs covered with ice refrozen fromflows of water.

5) When talking about climbing moves, handholds and footholds, wecan use the following terminology:

a. Hand Jamb. Mantleshelfingc. Bridging

Write a paragraph on each describing how you do each one
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Climbing#Rock_climbing_basicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_(vertical_space)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_climbing#Lead_climbinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icefallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Climbing#Rock_climbing_basicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_(vertical_space)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_climbing#Lead_climbinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icefallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfall


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Hand Jam

Hand jams are when you put your hands into a crack so that they fit insidewith the palms facing one wall of the crack and the back of your hand facing

the other. Hand cracks are usually the most secure cracks to climb as well asthe easiest. Hand jams often use little strengthbecause you are usually hanging on your armbones rather than your muscles. Your feet arealso wedged securely into a hand crack. Jamminga hand crack is like climbing a ladder without therungs. To jam a hand crack, you need to wedgeyour hand in the crack with the side of your handwith the thumb on top or what climbers callthumbs up. Then tuck your thumb into the palmof your hand and expand the hand so it exerts

opposing pressure on the opposite sidewalls ofthe crack. Then hang your weight off yourwedged handthats a hand jam. If its under10cm wide you will Jam the crack by sliding inyour hands and camming your fingers into thecrack. You may also wish to jam your feet into thecrack for purchase.

Mantleshelfing

To mantle or mantel in rock climbing is to perform a specific move, typically toget a climber up onto a ledge. Reaching up, the climber puts one or bothhands on the ledge and raises his body gradually. At some point the climberwill be high enough to change the force being exerted, from pulling on theledge, into pushing downwards with thehands (when the midpoint of the body isapproximately at the level of the ledge).The climber then puts one foot on theledge and transfers body weight to it

before standing up without the use ofholds on the wall behind the ledge. Themove can be made without using anyhold except the ledge itself though afoothold orsmearing below the ledgewill make the move easier. This move isusually performed when goodhandholds above the ledge either donot exist or are not reachable. The useof knees or other body parts is thought of as poor technique as it requires asubsequent, and often awkward, move to return the climber to the standingposition.
http://climbing.about.com/od/mountainandrockwords/a/CrackDef.htmhttp://climbing.about.com/od/dictionaryofclimbing/a/HandCrackDef.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_climbinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smearinghttp://climbing.about.com/od/mountainandrockwords/a/CrackDef.htmhttp://climbing.about.com/od/dictionaryofclimbing/a/HandCrackDef.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_climbinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smearing


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Bridging

Bridging climbing is climbing a corner of a rock. To dothis you spread your legs wide apart and relying onfriction or very small holds for ascent. The techniqueof using just friction for climbing is known as smearingand dyno is a form of jumping, used to reach holdsthat are out of static reach. You can climb cornersand large cracks by bridging the gap with your feet,pushing with your hands and feet across the sides.Any holds you can use will make this feel moresecure as it relies on opposing pressure and frictionoff the rock.

Traditional Rock Climbing

Traditional Climbing, or Trad Climbing, is a form of Free Climbing whereinthe routes are climbed without using artificial tools to help the climbers in theirascent. Only the climbers hands and feet and some pieces ofPassive Protection like Nuts and Hexes are used.

Tools used in Trad Climbing are employed as a means of assistingclimbers by means of protection, rather than aiding them upwards.What separates Trad Climbing from other styles is that the safety ofthe climber relies on the tools used as well as the suitable area toplace such tools on the mountain wall. This makes Trad Climbing,otherwise known as Adventure Climbing in Australia, a pretty gear-

intensive form of Climbing. Trad climbers even have a rack to carrypieces of protection, or Pros, Slings of different lengths, as well asspare Carabiners for emergency use. This rack is usually carried on asling around the shoulders or clipped to the gearloops on the harness. The pieces of equipment usedare retrieved either by a belayer or by the climberhimself during his descent. Traditional Climbing, orTrad Climbing, is a form of Free Climbing whereinthe routes are climbed without using artificial tools tohelp the climbers in their ascent. Only the climbershands and feet and some pieces ofPassive

Protection like Nuts and Hexes are used.
http://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/passive-protection.asphttp://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/passive-protection.asphttp://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/passive-protection.asphttp://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/passive-protection.asphttp://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/passive-protection.asphttp://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/passive-protection.asp


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Traditionalrock climbing involves two people, yourself and your partner aswell as the use of rope. One climber ascends a piece of rock, placingprotection such as nuts and hexes into the rock's weaknesses such as cracksor rock spurs. The rope that this climber is carrying is attached to him or hervia a sit harness that is worn. The other end of the rope is attached to a

climbing partner and while one climbs up, the other partner feeds out the ropeas is needed through a belay device.

Equipment (Traditional)

Rope, cord and webbing

Carabiners

Quickdraws

Harness

Belay device

Ropes (Traditional)

Figure 8 is commonly used to tie in the climbers at bothends

Clove hitch is used when building an anchor using the ropeand sometimes to make a climber safe quickly at a belayledge

Alpine butterfly can be used to tie a climber into the middleof the rope

Munter hitch is commonly used to belay without a belaydevice

Slip knot or running knot, can be used during a climb to slinga protrusion of rock know as a chickenhead or any trees thatmay be on the route

Larks foot or girth hitch, is used to attach slings to trees orspikes and also to a climber harness

Nuts

Everyone who traditional climbs should have 1-2 sets of nuts (aka stoppers),which are shaped metal wedges that you place in a crack whereit gets narrower. If placed properly, nuts are bomber and will holdbig falls. Camming devices, or just cams, work well in crackswith parallel sides and are the perfect complement to nuts. Whenyou place a cam you pull the trigger, making the 3 or 4 metallobes narrower. Once the cam is in the crack far enough, releasethe trigger and the lobes will expand. Any force that attempts topull the cam will make the lobes wider, keeping the unit secure.Before you lead a traditional climb, make sure to learn from anexpert how to properly place all your gear, build anchors, and

other required safety techniques.


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Examples were you go Traditional climbing.

North Wales

Scotland

Spain

Snowdonia Portugal

France

Italy

Turkey

Romania

Belgium

Greece

Hungary

Sport

Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchorsfixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, forprotection, (in contrast with traditionalclimbing, where the rock is typicallydevoid of fixed anchors and bolts, andwhere climbers must place removableprotection as they climb). Since the needto place protection is virtually eliminated,sport climbing places an emphasis ongymnastic-like ability, strength, andendurance - as opposed to the adventure,risk and self-sufficiency whichcharacterize traditional climbing. Sinceartificial means are used primarily for safety rather than to make upwardprogress, sport climbing is considered a form of free climbing.


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Sport, climbing allows you to fully experience the great outdoors by giving youeagle-eye views from lofty summits, pushing both yourphysical fitness and mental health, and offering you away to confront and control a couple of our greatesthuman fearsthat of falling and that of heights. Climbing

is a risky sport that requires both skill and nerve forsuccess. Climbing tools and equipment such as ropes,harnesses, carabiners, cams, and helmets are all used tolessen the risks of climbing and gravity.

Climbing a well-bolted route allows you to focus on themoves and simply climb as hard as possible without thehassle of placing protection. Routes that youd hesitate tolead on traditional gear become more accessible. Afterall, if youre finding a particular move tricky you can justhave a go or take a rest so you can figure it out. Thats not to say sportclimbing is 100% safe, like any type of climbing you need to look after yourselfand whoever youre belaying.

Equipment

Rope

A good rope is your most important piece of equipment. Its best to get either

a 10.5mm or 11mm cord. The thinner ones wear out faster and unless yourean elite climber cranking hard routes, youll never feel the weight difference.Buy a 200-foot (60-meter) rope since so many sport routes now are as longas 100 feet from base to anchors. Dont buy a dry rope; they cost more andtheyre made for mountaineering routes so they keep dry on ice and snow.

Quickdraws

The quickdraw, simply a piece of sewn webbing attached to two carabiners, isessential for sport climbing protection. Each quickdraw is made from webbing

between four and six inches long. The two carabiners should have twodifferent gatesthe biner at the end that clips into a bolt should have astraight gate while the opposite end, which the rope clips into, should haveeither a bent gate for easy clipping or a wire gate.

Belay Device

A good belay device that youre familiar with is very important. Climbersconsider this the ultimate belay device, since, with use and experience; itseasy to hold a hangdogging climber who is working hard moves or to catch afall.


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Harness

A lightweight harness is fine for sport climbing. You dont need a beefy bigwall harness with a wide waist belt and thick leg loops since youll only behanging in your harness after you fall, when youre working tough moves, orlowering back to the ground. Try to get a harness with four gear loops; eachloop holds seven quickdraws.

Rock Shoes

Rock shoes are essential to your performance. Lots of specialty sport climbingshoes are out there, but if youre just starting out then buy a good all-aroundshoe. Theyll be comfortable. Theyll last a long time.

Chalk/Chalk Bag

When you climb a lot your hands get sweaty. Chalk helps dry them and allowsyou to grip those tiny handholds better. A chalk bag on a nylon strap aroundyour waist allows you to pull the bag to either your right or left side for betterhand entry.

Example of where you can go sport climbing

France

Scotland

Yorkshire

South wales

Lake district

Spain

Bouldering

Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normallylimited to very short climbs over a crash pad called a bouldering mat so that afall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large naturalboulders or artificial boulders ingyms and outdoor urban areas.However, it may also be practicedat the base of larger rock faces, oreven on buildings or publicarchitecture.


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Bouldering is a form of low level climbing typically

limited to a height of 4-5m to ensure safety andpractised above thick foam matting to help prevent

injury from falling. Bouldering is suitable for all age

groups and all abilities and offers an alternative all

weather sporting activity that is exhilarating, challenging

and motivating. Requiring very little specialist

equipment and as physical as you want it to be,

bouldering is the perfect antidote to the monotony of

gyms.

No specialist equipment is required other climbing

shoes which allow a much higher level of grip and precision to be achieved

than regular training shoes. You will also need flexible and comfortable

clothes

Examples of where you can go Bouldering

You can do Bouldering at any climbing Centre in the world.

Most people do it daily just by climbing on rocks. Bouldering is abasic understanding of how climbing works. Before you areallowed to go onto the higher levels, you must be able to dobouldering as it is a very easy.

ao1 what is rock climbing

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