Sometimes people call me Slow-mo. Though only certain people… The nickname comes from my speed of doing things. Slow-mo rhymes with Thomo so it is sort of funny. But only sort of. My pace can be frustratingly slow for not only some route climbers who I'd only describe as bright eyed and bushy tailed, but also for myself. When it comes to injuries and their accompanying lessons, I feel incredibly slow, or perhaps a better choice of word is stubborn. I like doing things at my own pace but sometimes, that isn’t an option.It has been over a year and a half now of working alongside an injury that …
Injuries and Prevention
A collection of posts geared towards preventing injury and thus, help improve your climbing. They say it is a wise person who learns from their mistakes, but an even wiser one who learns from others.
Injury Prevention by Training Smarter
As climbers we push ourselves constantly; climbing and training through pain to either luckily climb past it or inevitably have the pain stop us from doing what we love. Recently, I met my wall; there was no way up, down, backwards or forwards to keep climbing. A wall is a stop sign with a cop car behind you. You have to stop. 100%. My wall gave plenty of warnings before actually setting its pillars down. In hindsight, those warnings taught me some valuable lessons. For one, when I start climbing again, training smarter will be my priority. But what does training smarter mean? And …
Nationals
Do you remember a time when you wanted something so bad, all your energy and thoughts combined, spiraling towards that one and only, which finally in the end, was swept from beneath your feet? You go through a few days of disappointment and upset yet, somewhere in the deepest of spots, a small feeling knows that what you wanted isn’t necessarily what you needed. Anyway, that’s been my last couple months…! Nationals… slight disaster…!! Not just the event, but more the time leading up to it. My shoulder was a mess; pain was my constant. After BC provincials, it was to the point where it …
Tips on Splits. Part two.
This is part two of “Tips on Splits”. For part one, click here. Prevention: There are some things you can do to prevent a split for occurring, skin care and self-control on the rock being the most important. If you feel a tear is pending, yet you can't seem to stop, again, really consider stopping and try thinking long term. (You'll also probably send your project faster…!!!) If it is impossible to stop climbing, definitely tape up and change problems. The rock will still be there in a week’s time. Climbing with tape sucks but waiting a week or two for a tear to heal is …
Tips on splits. Part one.
Part one. In the last month i have encountered four split tips. This is something I am not accustomed to yet split tips are something many a climber suffer from. As many climbers prefer to climb in the wonders of a cold and dry environment, unfortunately, in this environment split tips are bound to happen. (especially if one skin resembles that of a lizard...in which case you want to always wash chalk off and moisture and avoid Anti-hydral, (It will dry out your skin too much) !!) My recent split tips have caused me blood and pain, but more importantly, …
backs, whips and a time out
The 80 year old came out of me this week. Rather the 99 year old. But to be honest, I haven’t met many 99 year olds, so I guess I haven’t really a fair comparison. There is one lady that I remember distinctly though. She was a retired ‘sister’ and lived in a retirement home in Melbourne, Australia where all the other retired sisters and fathers lived of that particular sect. It was the location I chose for a photo essay that I was doing for school. The home was in one of the older buildings in Melbourne making the backdrop quite beautiful and characteristic. The people there were so curious …
Plastic, injuries and awkward situations
For a number of reasons it has taken me weeks, well, many extended weeks, to start this blog. First off all , telling folks about my indoor comp life as of late does not really seem that exciting as does talking about my being plagued by a badly behaving shoulder. On top of that writing about my gym climbing abilities or there of lack of seems somewhat like self sabotage which is not really a healthy habit as some wiser folks would point out. Mind you, this post is just about that. This time of year I am usually walking in the desert sun with fresh air in my face, sore finger tips and a …
[Read more...] about Plastic, injuries and awkward situations