help learning more advanced OW techniques

I'm havin a hard time finding people who know much (or want anything to do with) advanced OW. Any recommendations for other resources - video? Better yet would be to find someone to make me their dedicated pupil. Thanks

Russ,

That's why I need those new hooks... to help me get up OW's

Cheers

John

My off-width technique is basically this:

Get shoulder-deep in crack. I get as deep as possible; up to my neck if it's wide enough. Put respective foot/lower leg in the off-width. I then create enough of opposition between the heel of my hand and my elbow/tricep to lock off my body for just long enough to bring my leg up a few inches and then simply twist my foot so I get enough purchase between my heel and toe to bring my upper body up in the crack. The key with this technique is to get as much surface area of your body on the rock as possible; the more of your body you can get in the OW, the less strain it takes to lock off, IME.

It's groveling in it's purest form, but it works for me. I'm sure there are climbers out there that make OWing look easy and graceful, but I think it's a rare quality. If you make it up a few inches and use a ridiculous amount of energy in the process, be happy; making any progress in an OW is great. Perseverance is the crux of them, IMO.

When locking off with my arm, I try to find something to get the pads of my fingers on. Even a tiny ripple that you could never pull on can sometimes give you enough confidence to lock off.

A couple inches at a time. Hope that was at least a little helpful.

--Marc

John Langston wrote:He said advanced sucka!!

Sorry that wasn't advanced enough for ya. I'll try harder next time.

--Marc

Thrutch 'til you bleed. That's my best technique.

Didn't "Front Range Freaks" and "Return to Sender" have some off-width footage? Vera Schulte-Pelkam (sorry if I misspelled).

thanks everyone. John - I'm from Cols, OH (eh) and climb at the Red and the New. Fortunately I've got a crack simulator which is convenient for practicing OW. Until I find a good OW video or teacher, I'll probably continue to thrash around on the crack simulator.

photo of crack simulator, plz?

I'll post a pic of it for you after xmas (getting a replacement camera cuz mine got busted in a chimney in the desert). I'll try to describe: Indian Creek splitter that you can adjust from tips to chimney-size, and you have the option of either working the splitter or the dihedral. The gym owner says that his buddy made the simulator but the design is too expensive to be profitable.

Marc Horan wrote:When locking off with my arm, I try to find something to get the pads of my fingers on. Even a tiny ripple that you could never pull on can sometimes give you enough confidence to lock off. --Marc

I never considered myself to any kind of expert at any thing, but here is an observation I have noticed more than once in others (not myself of course). Someone says lets go do that ugly OW and they would take the first shot at it. Get totally focused on the crack and skip/miss face holds. After they gave up I would take my turn and immediately start using anything and everything I could get my hands on. And then be jeered from the ground for using face holds on a crack climb. As I said I never considered myself to any kind of expert at any thing but I did succeed where others failed. Again I never considered myself to any kind of expert this is just something I remembered about a couple of OW climbs I did. And the Quote reminded me of it.

dirtbag,

there is an old school warrior that lives in slowhio by the name of ken thompson. you should look him up. he's a really cool guy and a strong climber on all types of rock. he is also a good OW climber.

to get really proficient at OW it takes a lot of practice, and it also helps to take a step back and really analyze how to use your body in a manner that can get you up the crack. within OW, there are many subsets, each with very different needs and techniques.

you have the off fist stuff that is too big for fist, too small for knee (generally #4 camalot or tight 4.5 camalot. this is probably my favorite size. it is very technical, and if you don't technique(s) dialed for it, you will get slaughtered.

you have the fisher price stuff, where you can get good stacks AND get your knee in (4.5 to 5 camalot).

you have the bitch size (this is my worst size, generally big 6 friend to green bigbro) where it is too big to stack, and there aren't snug knee locks, but it is too small to chicken wing). this size gets really nasty at vertical and slightly beyond. VERY physical, yet very technical. big pink at vedauwoo is the ultimate example of this living hell.

then you have the big stuff that you can get good chicken wings in. this is a fun, yet physical size.

and THEN you have roofs. this is what i am going to spend more time on this year. i've done a few inversion roofs, but i am pretty tall and about as flexable as a 2x4. there will be much sweariing, and hopefully some learning.

anyway, look ken up if you can. he would probably be psyched to have an apprentice. i did an apprenticeship under 'the sender' and it was one of the best things that ever happened to my climbing.

Move to Laramie...
With luck you'll meet (and not piss off) Scarpelli,
with time and much 'road rash' you'll learn to forget what a finger crack ever was.

dirtbag, go to the red and get on "wide pride," and get on anything at muscle beach!....best way to learn it is to run laps on it. If you cant lead any of them, just french free it!

The larry, that looks like John Varco on "belly full of bad berries"

Think about leveraging your body parts. :) Nice slim!

Marc Horan wrote:I get as deep as possible; up to my neck if it's wide enough.

Don't you find that limits your ability to progress? Especially at times when your hipbone gets stuck?

The trick is to strike a balance between security (not losing ground) and being able to actually go up.

Stuff yourself in only to rest / place pro.

best off-width tech moves as follows:
1. Approach off-width
2. Walk by off-width
3. Continue walking