Posted by jmclimber on 6/10/2007
Alright,
So I have been doing sport climbing outside for maybe the past 3 months and i have finally started to be able to send and flash hard 11. But now i am at the point where i can not send a 12. I have been trying this 12d/13a called darkie and can do every move but the last one. Thats the same thing with alot of 12's i try, i just cant do one move. Any advice?
Jimn72 says:
Thats the level you get to that genetics and natural athletic ability come in to play. A guy named Eric Horst wrote a book called "How To climb 5.12" where he explains fitness programs about how anyone with dedication and fairly normal genetics can push themselves to be able to climb 5.12. He also makes mention that into the 5.13 and up area has a lot to do with what you're born with. Thats not to say you are not born with it or you cant push yourself to do it but 13a is gettin up there, tendons snapping, shins a busting, and biceps snapping kind of grade.
I have never climbed at that level, stiff 5.11 is hard enough on my fingers but just for your own info when I cant get a hard grade its usually mental for me and usually has something to do with my very tricky and very sneaky ego. When I figure out how to climb without it I have usually figured out the crux. If I am climbing good and I still cant do it I figure that my body cant physically do it and I either decide to train harder so I can send it or be ok with it and climb easier grades and come back to it another time.
rcoisson says:
I would start on easier 12's first. If you climb at Foster Falls a lot I would check out La Pistola, Ethnic Cleansing, Satisfaction, Heart of Gold to name a few.
Typically, a 5.12a only has one 5.12 crux sequence where as a 5.12c or d has many.
Work those easier routes and build up to the rest.
http://www.rock-climbing-for-life.com
Anonymous says:
Don't do "La Pistola", its the dumbest route ever. Weaksauce for sure....
badash says:
who are you, anonymous? Yeah JM - try la pistola - you could flash that sucker for sure. And lets go to the red and do some 12s that Max did - I bet we could both work and send at least one or two in a week. Lets plan something... you definetely have the power to send one! Just work on endurance at the gym - thats the only thing holding you back...
gonzobeer says:
I'm down for the red! :)
Licentia Haud Vestigium
dbrayack says:
Try climbing at a "softer" crag... :). It may be advantageous to project something...work the crap out of it on TR then lead it. (Consider doing crux moves several times in a row clean to get them dialed)
www.brayackmedia.com
katie says:
It sounds like you are good on the endurance end of things, but could use a bit more power. Try bouldering for a couple of hours a couple of times a week. Short, powerful problems, no more than six moves. If you're in a gym, you can try and imitate the moves that you are unable to do on real rock. Also, you could start a campus routing to train pure power.
dbrayack says:
You know, it just occured to me that maybe its mental? Do you feel nervous when you are trying to break into 12s? I mean seriously, there is enough variation in grades that if you're sending 11+ consistently, you should be able to send some easy 12s (Some 12s at the New River Gorge are easier than 11s!)
I know that I sometimes get nervous before launching into a "hard red-point", but try to envision yourself clipping the anchors with ease and consider rewarding yourself with ice cream!
I believe in you man, you'll be ticking off 12s like its your job in no time! Enjoy!
www.brayackmedia.com
dbrayack says:
Where at have you been climbing? I see you're in TN? The OBED has some good "first 12s", the Stephen King Library for one. The routes are short and pretty tightly bolted. Perfect for ticking off stuff.
www.brayackmedia.com
jmclimber says:
ummm. i mainly go to routes at either forster falls or the obed. But whenever i am the obed i usually only go to the y12 wall and little clear creek
badash says:
wait wait wait...... jamichael....... i think you need to work endurance. SInce i'm the only person on here that climbs with you on a weekly basis, i know how you climb. You have the power to send Darkie for sure. You are a powerful climber in general. BUT, i remember when you first tried Herbivore and you fell not because the moves were hard, but because you had a lack of endurance. I know that you are getting better at it everyday, but we need to work on it MORE. Possibly even power-endurance.... but you are definitely better at power than endurance, and we should even it out.
jmclimber says:
hahah thanks ashley, yeah im tryin to work on the endurance and it is gettin better, i can already feel it.
jmclimber says:
just a little update i finally did it. yesterday i sent a 12a/b called bottom feeder at foster falls and im working on a bunch of new 12b's and c's
tnaks for all the help
badash says:
NICE JAMICHAEL!
dbrayack says:
Nice man! What was it?
www.brayackmedia.com
jmclimber says:
its called bottom feeder at fosters. it was surprisingly wasy, maybe because i only tried crazy 12's at first but then i almost sent something called ethinc cleansing 12c. i fell on the last move. maybe next time
dbrayack says:
Nah, I mean, what was it that you did/changed to break into the grade? (or were you just trying crazy stuff?)
www.brayackmedia.com
jmclimber says:
thats it. i was just trying to crazy of stuff to break into the grade. i figured out i should just try something alittle bit easier like 12a or b so i did and it helped. also i started really telling my self that i could do it and visualizing myself finishing the route. I also had to do the hardest move my own way. it was pretty cool.
dbrayack says:
Right on man, keep rocking! I've learned that its best to build a solid foundation. If you get solid on 11d (20 RPs), then 12a will come easy etc.
www.brayackmedia.com
katie says:
Congrats!! That's awesome!
badash says:
right on, JAM. Creative Visualization is a major help in life, ESPECIALLY with climbing. I use it ALL the time - especially at comps and when i want to send something outside.
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