Category: Free Inquiry

Hello! Here goes the last post for my rock climbing free inquiry! I have really enjoyed getting to document my journey with bouldering over the term. I have seen myself grow both physically and mentally with this sport. Rock climbing is an activity that requires a clear and focused mind because as soon as you’re out of the zone, things can get scary. This was a struggle for me as I would get up high on the wall and feel myself getting tired and not trust my grip to continue. Feeling scared as you reach the top of the wall is normal but what matters is pushing past that and trusting in your abilities. As the term went on I felt myself conquer this fear. Naturally I still have a sense of caution but I don’t feel the immobilizing fear as much which allows me to complete more climbs.

Here is a climb I completed this week:

This is a green level climb and you can see it starts near the bottom left and finished up the top where the little piece of green tape is. At first I was hesitant to try this climb as the holds are a strange shape. I decided to give it a go and ended up flashing the climb (flashing means you complete it first try). I ended up actually really liking this climb as once I figured out how to grab the holds it was fun to climb up.

Green tape overhang climb pictured above:

This week I had the opportunity to go to CraigX climbing centre downtown where they offer top rope climbing. Top rope is where you are harnessed and attached to the wall while someone belays you with a rope at the bottom. Although I didn’t get a chance to try the top rope, it was cool to watch others do it! The wall is so high and even though you are always attached it can be nerve-racking at those heights.

Overall I had a great time documenting my climbs this term and can’t wait to keep reaching new heights! I hope you learned something about climbing!

Hello! Back at it again. Last entry I dove into outdoor bouldering a little bit but I’d like to go back to indoor bouldering. During my climb this week I took a few pictures of the different walls to show each style of bouldering. My favourite right now is slab! Here’s a few pictures of different walls. Think about which wall seems the easiest/hardest/most intriguing!

Slab Wall:

Here is a slab wall. You can see it’s actually inclined a little bit towards the wall which allows for easier balance. Looking at the different runs, we can see the different starting points. There are various circles that say “start” and they are each a different colour. In my first post I explained the colour levels but I’ll give a little reminder. The easiest seen on this wall would be the yellow tape on the far right side and the hardest would be pink tape which finished up at the top with the green holds. When climbing sometimes it gets hard to differentiate the different runs as someone may say “hey want to try the purple run?” and you may not know if they mean the purple holds or the purple tape. Sometimes people will say “Let’s try the green yellow” meaning they would be talking about the green tape with the yellow holds.

Overhang Wall:

Here is an overhang wall. Quite the opposite of slab… power is key here. You can see how angled it is compared to the vertical walls next to it. The holds here are easier to grip as gravity is now working against the climber. The large triangles you see on the wall are called volumes. If they are not taped by a colour, this means they are “free game” and can be used by climbers as holds to put feet on or to grab. They can be especially helpful with overhang walls as they can provide a bit more leverage.

Hi again!! This week I want to explore the world of outdoor bouldering. This is not something I’ve ever tried and don’t plan on it soon but I wanted to do some research. First of all, lets look at outdoor bouldering spots here in Victoria BC.

Fleming Beach:

• Known for Top Rope, easily accessible anchors tp hook up to
• Location: 10 minutes away from Macaulay Point Park in Esquaimalt
• This is a solid place to go with your first rope as a new climber

Mt. Wells- South Cliffs

• Known for a mostly sport route, intermediate
• Location: 30 minutes from Goldstresam/Langford
• Lots of lead climbing here
• There is more climbing available around Mt.Wells but more harder sport

Glen Lake Crag

• Known for sport similar level to Mt.Wells
• Location: 25 minutes from Langford
• More of a moderate climb for certain routes

Nanaimo: Sunny side

• Known for sport
• Location: 90 minutes just before nanimo
• Full of sun good place to go in the spring
• You can also cool off in the Nanaimo river post climb

Hello all! I’ve been able to get back at the climbing wall as my injury was short lived. This week I did work on some slab. Slab is interesting because it’s not so much about upper body strength but it involves more coordination balance, and you have to think about where you’re placing your hands and feet. Here’s some slab tips:

• Avoid pulling down, use your hands to only keep your balance which will result in more stamina.
• Keep as much pressure as you can on your feet.
• Take your time: slab cannot be climbed fast, it’s about footwork not power
• Heels down, this will help you keep friction with the wall and prevent your calfs from working too hard and cramping
• Hips out, this will keep pressure on your feet and give you an extra bit of grip
• Stay on your dominant foot when you can to stay on balance
• Focus on finger and core strength when climbing slab, compared to overhang climbing which requires more back strength and power

Here is a good video I found on slab techniques:

Hi everyone! I’ve been back to the climbing wall and I got the chance to go the Langford Boulderhouse location. Ava and I went in the early afternoon which actually provided a really nice, calm and not busy environment to climb. Sometimes it’s hard to work on your own technique and see improvement if you have to share a circuit with 5 other climbers. It can also be intimidating to climb when others are watching and waiting to attempt the same route after you. The Langford gym is a bit of a bigger location so there was more to try.

This week I felt I grew with the fear element and trusting myself. Sometimes when I get up too high it’s the fear that takes over and convinces me my grip strength will give out. I found myself attempting bigger reaches or more risky moves even though it usually resulted in falling off the wall (which is not a big deal). Next week I want to focus on some slab climbing. Thanks for reading!

Hello everyone! I went for a climb today, Sunday the 5th at around 11:30 am with my friend Ava. We switched it up again this week and didn’t go on Wednesday. I thought going on the weekend may lead to the climbing wall being on the busier side but it actually ended up being quite manageable! Turns out the Wednesdays are one of the busiest days of the week as that’s when the walls get switched so new circuits are available. Today I tried some green tape level overhangs, although I was not successful with completing the circuit I made it over half way and did my best. The nice thing about climbing is that if you don’t get it the first time it is enjoyable to work on the following session. Watching fellow climbers attempt it, asking for beta and watching videos online of higher level climbers to observe technique. These are all ways to improve individually as a climber.

Here is a climb I did today. I first did this last Friday at the halloween climb and it took a few tries but I watched others do it and took some strategies from them. I feel comfortable with it now and it felt good to watch the improvement from the first time I tried it till now. Green tape vertical climb:

Till next time! Thanks for reading!

Hello! Since my last climbing post, I’ve gone a few more times and made some breakthroughs! My friend Ava (who is my climbing partner) and I have set Wednesday evenings as our climbing day. This has really helped me to make sure I am making the time to go to the climbing gym and actually see some progress, it also helps keep track of how often I’m going. Last week, Boulderhouse had a Halloween event on Friday the 28th which included climbing competition, local drinks and a dj. It was also their 7th anniversary and they had various contests including a costume contest, early bird registration and the climbing score competition. This created a really fun environment and a strong sense of community. It was cool to see the range of abilities at this event as there were many people who came with a friend and it was there first time climbing. On the other hand, me and Ava met someone who was on the youth Team Canada for speed climbing. We enjoyed observing his techniques as he flew up the wall.

This week, we went climbing on Tuesday instead of Wednesday as we both had plans. Instead of 8 pm, we went right after school more around 4 pm and it made such a difference! The climbing gym was so nice and empty and this gave me a new sense of confidence to try circuits I haven’t tried before and test out some more difficult levels. When the wall is busy, it can feel like you’re holding up the others while you try and figure out a circuit. Having the freedom of no one waiting to go after allowed me to try and fail more difficult circuits until I was able to complete them. On the slab wall, there was some large volumes (A volume is an extension of the wall- multi-sided climbing feature that attaches to the wall similar to a climbing hand hold) which provided a unique challenge. I enjoyed experimenting with these and I spent some time working on this circuit which was a green tape.

Next week, my goal is to work on some overhang climbs. I feel like my upper body strength has improved and I’d like to work on my grip strength more. I have been sticking to the slab wall but I want to push myself to work on a wall I feel less confident on. Till next time!

My Recent Climb

The month of September was a busy time with school starting up, my dance schedule and getting back into routine. I unfortunately didn’t get into the climbing gym as much as I had hoped as I didn’t make enough time for it. I went climbing about once a week with my friend Ava but it wasn’t regular enough to see some real improvement. Ava and I have been experimenting with different times to go and climb as we’ve discovered it’s difficult to make the most of a session when the climbing gym is very busy. As the wall reset happens on Tuesdays every week, Wednesdays are packed. We usually go in the evening but the past few times we went it was hard to get a chance to work on circuits without feeling rushed.

We went yesterday Wednesday the 11th at around 8 pm and stayed till about 9:30 as people started clearing out as the night goes on. Boulder-house closes at 11 pm so it’s defiantly a younger crowd of people between 9-11 pm. I noticed yesterday that the slab walls were very popular so I focused more on vertical and overhang climbs until people started leaving. Something I really appreciate about climbing is the community that surrounds the sport. At first I was very intimated by advanced climbers as I didn’t know much and had a fear of failing a circuit in front of everyone. I quickly learned everyone is there to work on themselves and watching fellow climbers fail and succeed is how you learn. I felt so inspired as I watched advanced climbers complete really difficult circuits but it also taught me useful skills and techniques. I would observe how they place their feet, start the climb and hand placement. Giving fellow climbers tips and advice is a huge part of building community. A useful climbing term is beta which means specific advice, direction or instruction on how to complete a climb. For example climbers may say ‘Hey, what’s the beta for this climb?” or “Can I offer some beta?”. This really came into play during my climb.

Improvements/What did I Learn

When we first arrived I was feeling intimidated, nervous and undetermined to try new climbs as the gym was very busy. People tend to congregate around the newest/most recently reset wall of the week. This week it was one of the slab walls. I really enjoy the slab walls as it has a large focus on balance which is one of my strengths in climbing due to my dance background. I didn’t get as much time on the slab wall as I had hoped just because of how busy it was but this also was a blessing in disguise. I tend to ignore the overhang wall because it causes me the most difficulty but I made myself try it as it one my only option at one point. I pleasantly surprised myself after I completed a climb that I previously couldn’t finish. Putting yourself out there is so important and remember that everyone there is focused on themselves and their own skills.

As the evening went on, I made my way to the slab wall as it started clearing out. There was one blue tape climb (4th ranking of difficulty) that many people were working on, including my friend Ava . At first I had the mindset of “I’m not going to try that, there’s no way I could do it” but I snapped myself out of it and decided to give it a go and see how far I make it up. My first attempt, I didn’t make it up far as I started it wrong and my footing was incorrect. I stood back and watched some others try it. One person in particular caught my eye as they did it completely different as the others but were successful. I tried it again once they finished and got up much higher! I learned the importance of watching fellow climbers think outside the box and adapt their ideas to what works best for you. Although I didn’t complete the whole circuit, I made progress which I hope to continue next week.

Green tape level on the slab wall- July 13 2023

Why did I Chose this Topic

For my free inquiry project I am going to pursue my hobby of indoor rock climbing, specifically bouldering. Bouldering can be described as the type of rock climbing where there isn’t the use of a harness or rope, instead there are large crash mats below the walls to catch the fall of climbers. Since climbers aren’t supported by any gear, the walls are typically much shorter is it would be quite unsafe if they were the same height as walls used for rock climbing with a rope. Bouldering is quite a popular activity as it improves upper body strength, coordination , balance, flexibility and grip strength. I grew up as a dancer so when I first tried bouldering, certain aspects came quite easily to me such as the balance and flexibility. Other areas such as upper body and grip strength proved to be a challenge that led to frustration as I had trouble with completing more challenging climbs. Through this inquiry project I hope to set goals, track my progress, dive into the technique of climbing and connect these lessons to other areas of my life.

Bouldering 101: The Ins and Outs

I climb at BoulderHouse Victoria but have also visited their Langford location. The wall is 13 feet high with an assortment of colourful holds with varying difficulties. Climbing at Boulderhouse is sorted by a set of 8 coloured circuits ranging from beginner all the way to advanced. Each circuit includes 5-6 problems which offers a variety of opportunities for climbers of all skills to practice and challenge themselves. The climbing wall gets reset on a weekly basis to make sure there are new challenges for climbers to come and work on. The Victoria location gets reset on Wednesdays every week so you’ll often see an increase of people coming to eagerly attempt the new climbs.

The list goes as follows (beginner-advanced):

Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Black, Pink

The goal behind offering circuits of ranging ability is to encourage people of all experience levels and backgrounds try climbing. It is also a great way to track your progress as you can look back and compare your abilities to when you first started up with now. It’s a very rewarding feeling completing your first circuit of a new colour which leads to the eagerness to learn and grow and complete the next level. There are multiple types of walls and holds and as you keep experimenting with new circuits you’ll discover which ones you prefer.

Slab: Slab climbing is a form of rock climbing in which the wall is at less than a 90-degree angle from the ground. Slab climbing, which can also be called friction climbing, prioritizes foot work over hand and footholds, as opposed to vertical climbs or overhang climbs which often have foot and hand holds. This form of climbing requires works on a lot of balance and reaching across a large distance as holds are usually scarce. Slab requires mental calculation to think about the most effective way to complete the circuit with the limited holds.

Overhangs: The opposite of a slab is an overhang wall. An overhang is any section of a wall that is more than vertical. Overhung walls tend to be a little more challenging to complete as they require more strength to stay on the wall. Overhangs usually have holds that stick out from the wall more than a slab would as the climber has to grab on and support themselves to make sure they stay on the wall. Gravity is working against the climber during an overhang as they are being pulled towards the ground and have to fight that to stay on the wall.

Vertical: Vertical climbing is what you would imagine: a wall that is about 90 degrees from the ground. Vertical climbs require smart footwork as it’s easy to get tangled and feel stuck if you aren’t thinking about your where your feet are going. Thinking about keeping your weight in your feet rather than your arms can help reduce stress and strain on your upper body causing fatigue and the possibility of falling off the wall and not making it to the end of the circuit.

My goals: What do I Hope to Achieve

I started climbing back in February of this year because my good friend Ava introduced me to it when she invited me to go climb with her. Prior to this the only experience I had with rock climbing was a few school field trips I had been on which mainly consisted of rock climbing with a rope and harness. I really enjoyed my time bouldering with Ava and decided to keep it in my life. About 3 months in, I realized how often I was going and so I bought a monthly pass in hopes of staying consistent with climbing often. When I first started I was completing yellows and oranges and now I can confidently do greens and challenge myself with blues. As I continue learning about Bouldering throughout my inquiry project, I hope to dive into the proper techniques of each type of wall. I tend to stick to my favourite type of circuits and sometimes let fear get in the way of trying a more challenging circuit. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of proper technique to build my confidence with climbing in order to keep improving and trying new things. I hope to achieve a purple level circuit by the end of my project and stay consistent in my climbing and make time for it in my schedule. Thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to climb through this journey with me!