uh, not another one for climberwannabe..!!

[climberwannabe]

Hey guys, first off I want to say that this site is great. Its keeping me very entertained here on my weekend of midnight shifts. Gotta protect the country 24 hrs a day and all that crap (hehe). So anyways, reading these articles has answered a bunch of my previous questions... slightly ironic, but its also raised new ones:

#1. what the hell is an 'avatar'?
#2. anyone here try motocross before? cause the only sport I've ever experienced 'fore-arm pump' is from dirtbiking. And let me tell you, it can hurt so bad you cant pull in the clutch, or use the front brake, and this is a bad thing when you are turning or jumping So is it that bad in climbing is what my question is? What can a guy be doing to train for climbing? Do you do lots of chin-ups? Do you go out and spend $80 for those hanger-do-hickies from MEC that you put above your door? (guess this was more that one question huh)
#3. I see that on most posts it says "bring friends". I have 2 buddies who would be extatic about going out ice-climbing, but I dont want to break any etiquete rules here by being invited and showing up with a car full of people
#4. Do I need to be a member to participate? I have full intentions of becomming a member ASAP, but if I am not a member by the next session can I still go?
#5. Top 5-10 must know knots? I've been working on the basics: bowline, figure 8, girth, clove, munter, prussik, sheet bend. Anything to add?

[mitchleblanc]

Yo,

I also am bored, and thus, will try to answer your questions:

1. Avatar is the little picture that goes with your sign in name for forums. Mine is the poster from American Psycho. Well, technically Avatar is a representation of your actual self as in:

2 a : an incarnation in human form b : an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person (http://www.m-w.com)

2. Your forearms are gonna get a workout if you get out climbing, no doubt about that. Doing chin-ups isn't
gonna help that though, basically nothing but climbing is good training for climbing, in my opinion. I recommend you don't worry at all about training, and just get into the gym or outdoors, climb hard, and worry about training in a few months. You'll suck too badly for your muscles to make much of a difference at first. Don't buy a fingerboard, for sure. I have never met a single person that actually used one that they bought for home. What else? Oh yeah, long routes required endurance, short routes (bouldering) require power... you decide which is cooler (read: Bouldering is cooler). Chin-ups is fine (do them hands facing away to work your lats more, rather than hands facing you, which works biceps), I do them, but good footwork is probably more useful for getting you up there.

3. Most of these ice climbing thingies that people are talking about require signing up, don't they? If they don't, then bring as many friends as you want.. Just remember that if you have to borrow boots and flowers, it'll be harder if NONE of your friends have boots. Usually the more the merrier, especially if you need to huddle for warmth, as is typical in hell ... I mean, ice climbing.

4. Depends on the event buddy. Sometimes it's just a bunch of people going out, sometimes it's a club thing, in which case yes, you need to be a member.. but most club memberships are super cheap, so who cares.

5. Figure 8 for tying in, don't worry about the rest now.. The only time you'll use them is for setting up anchors, which you probably won't be doing anytime soon.

[Fred]

1. click on your profile button on the top right and you can upload an Avatar. It can't be any bigger than (100pixels)x(100pixels)

2a. If you want to get forearm strenght do laps at the gym. It's not about the strenght as much as it is about the pump when it comes to forearms. If you have no endurance you'll pump up fast. The best way to work on your pump/endurance is to do laps back and forth in the gym and try to stay on the wall untill your forearms look like Popey's.

2b. Don't buy a hangboard. You'll only use it on the first night you have a party and decide to go have a chin-up competition. After that, it's just going to collect dust. I also have never heard of anyone who uses theirs but know plenty of people who have one. Go to the gym instead.

[dcentral]

I use my hangboard all the time. I have it above the door to my bedroom and do any where from 5-10 pull ups. Sometimes I do other things like hang for 30 secs or do some leg lifts.

Just put it in a spot where you'll use it a lot. I used to do a routine but that gets boring.

[mitchleblanc]

I use my hangboard all the time. I have it above the door to my bedroom and do any where from 5-10 pull ups. Sometimes I do other things like hang for 30 secs or do some leg lifts.

Just put it in a spot where you'll use it a lot. I used to do a routine but that gets boring.

I'm impessed. Impessed. Shi, keyoad is ucked. sec....

OK, I'm impressed! Does it help though? I have my doubts that any exercise you can do without properly warming up (i.e. like 15 to 20 mins warmup) probably isn't all that beneficial.. Don't get me wrong, I like the hangboard and am not trying to put down your workout, it's better than nothing, I'm sure, but .. how useful? I'm not sure of that.

Thoughts? off topic, I realize...

[dcentral]

Well I work at home. So I do use it a fair bit, I kind of just warm up by hanging on it. Then just gradually increase the amount over the day.

I personally find it does more to improve my climbing and increases my grip strength.

Doing something is better then nothing at all.

[mitchleblanc]

Well I work at home. So I do use it a fair bit, I kind of just warm up by hanging on it. Then just gradually increase the amount over the day.

I personally find it does more to improve my climbing and increases my grip strength.

Doing something is better then nothing at all.

I see, that sounds wicked. You should build a woody too, then you'd never have to leave your house!

[dcentral]

If only I didn't live in an appartment building. Maybe I should take over the vacant appartment next door.

[climberwannabe]

finally... I;ve got an avatar of my very own now. Thats from last years snow storm... everyone else was shovelling (suckers). Thanks for the answeres... but is it set in stone that I HAVE to be a member to participate in ice days... even with the full intention of becomming one?

[The Teth]

Print off and sign the waver which is posted with the membership application on the CNS web site. (Click the CNS logo on the top of the Nova Scotia forum, or go to ClimbNovaScotia.ca) Click on “About” then “Memberships” then the “waver” link. You do not have to be a member to attend Ice Days, but you do need to sign a waver. Sign the wave and give it to Peter. Also, technically speaking the CNS crampons and ice tools are only meant for member, but in practice we are a little more flexible. You were planning on getting a membership soon right?

Teth Cleveland, President of Climb Nova Scoita