How To Use Prusiks

/
How To Use Prusiks

Some years ago, I was sea-cliff climbing at Gogarth in north Wales. My second was on a tricky overhanging pitch, and he was really struggling. We couldn’t communicate because of the background noise from the sea, and I couldn’t lower him back down as the tide was coming in. My only option was to escape the system using a prusik loop, climb down the rope using a prusik loop, build another belay and haul my second up to it using – you’ve guessed it – a prusik loop.

Read More

Why You Should Take Your Kids Rock Climbing

/
Why You Should Take Your Kids Rock Climbing

A recent study found that two-thirds of children do not do enough physical activity to sufficiently aid their growth and development. Rock climbing offers a huge range of benefits to children, ranging from lessons around overcoming challenges and dealing with failure, through to promoting healthy life choices. Further, climbing can be a great way to spend some quality family time together while keeping children active and entertained. If you don’t already take your kids climbing, here are five reasons why you should.

Read More

How To Avoid The Most Common Climbing Injury  

/
How To Avoid The Most Common Climbing Injury  

 Several years ago whilst running a climbing wall session as part of a Single Pitch Award assessment course, I got on the wall to demo a move and pop!! Everyone in the room heard it. I was properly warmed up, the hold I was pulling on wasn’t tiny, my feet didn’t slip – but I had definitely damaged a flexor pulley in one of my fingers. Pulley injuries are the most common finger injury in climbers, and A2 pulley injuries most common. Here’s an overview of pulley injuries, how to avoid them, and what to do if it happens to you.

Read More

Rock Climbing Technique: The Practical Guide To Movement Mastery

/
Rock Climbing Technique: The Practical Guide To Movement Mastery

I started working with John Kettle several years ago, and more recently I have benefitted from some coaching sessions with him. He has totally changed the way that I think about climbing movement. Decades of bad climbing habits have been corrected, proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks. I now move better and climb smarter. John’s book is deceptively simple, and very easy to understand, and I am proof that following his advice can transform your climbing In this post we chat to John about the book, and find out the thinking behind it.

Read More

Managing Risk in the Mountains #2: Heuristics & Mind Sets

/
Managing Risk in the Mountains #2: Heuristics & Mind Sets

“Even though people are capable of making decisions in a thorough and methodical way, it appears that most of the time they don't. A growing body of research suggests that people unconsciously use simple rules of thumb or heuristics to navigate the routine complexities of modem life.” In our homes and work places that may not be a problem, but when we take that mindset out into the mountains where the variables can change so quickly, we can find ourselves in serious trouble. 

Read More