Delaware Rock Gym - First All Climbing Gym in the State

Delaware just got its first indoor gym completely devoted to the art of climbing, all thanks to Matt McCorquodale, a 31-year-old former engineer and consultant who had a dream and a good head on his shoulders. The new gym, called Delaware Rock Gym, is located in Bear and has been described as being a very convenient location for Delaware residents.

The state has a few other gyms that have climbing equipment in them, but Delaware Rock Gym is the first to be all climbing, all the time. Before the gym opened in early April, Delaware climbers had to outsource to places like Philadelphia and Baltimore to get quality rock gym time, but no longer. Some climbers have even said that they like the feel of the Delaware Rock Gym better than the Philadelphia gym even though the Delaware gym is smaller. The Delaware Rock Gym covers three of the big types of climbing: bouldering, top-roping, and lead climbing. The gym boasts of its tallest wall, which is 13 feet taller than the tallest wall in Philadelphia.

McCorquodale has been climbing for 12 years, and feels that he has created a solution for the location problems Delaware climbers faced. No longer do they have to drive great distances to practice their favorite hobby. Although the facility opened on April 7th, they are planning to have an open house grand opening celebration on June 23rd. The celebration will feature free climbing, food, prizes, and best of all, the opportunity to connect with other climbers in the area.

USA Climbing Southeast Divisional Championships

It takes a lot to be a really good climber, but it’s not a sport limited to adults. Children of all ages are getting into climbing at an amazing rate, and every now and then, they beat the pants off of their adult counterparts. This month in Georgia, four youngsters proved their point. The event was held at Adrenaline Climbing.

The crowds had gathered in Atlanta for the USA Climbing Southeast Divisional Championships, held for the first time ever in Georgia this year. There were over 110 entrants registered for various events in their age groups, ranging from 8 to 16 years old. The climbers wait in an anteroom before their scheduled competition time, so as not to plan their route or strategy ahead of time.

The winners from the USA Climbing Southeast Divisional Championships advanced as invitees to the Divisional 4 Championship in Suwannee, Georgia, set to take place on June 9th and 10th. Young climbers from the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Florida Divisionals convene at the Division 4 site, while the other Divisionals are taking place around the country. The top six youth climbers from each of the five categories in the Divisionals will advance to the USA Climbing National Championship.

The National Championship is taking place in Ann Arbor, Michigan this year from July 6th through July 8th. The young climbers of America will be able to test their skills among their peers, not to mention have the opportunity to heckle all the older climbers competing in the adult competition.

Climbing 101 - Workout to Train for Rock Climbing

One of the best ways to improve your climbing ability is to practice a climbing-centered workout regimen. If you improve the quality of the musculature in the areas you need most, you'll see better results than just practicing on the rock.

Forearm workouts are some of the most highly recommended. After all, the forearm is directly responsible for grip. Good workouts for the forearm include lifts and rotations with free weights.

Your shoulders can be strengthened by doing several different types of pull-ups. Remember to position your hands both pronated and supinated so as to work both your flexors and extensors. While working with the bar, also do hanging crunches and twists to exercise and tone your obliques. The legs, while the focus of your strength and supporters of most of your climbing, do not really need any extra training. The climb itself serves as the best exercise for them, and there's no need to overwork them between climbs.

It is also important to note that some claim that exercising the muscles not associated with climbing is not a good idea. Your body will stay in shape if you climb often enough, and the idea is to have as little unneeded body weight as possible. Since muscle weighs more than fat, toning up the secondary muscle groups is counterproductive to a "good climbing physique".

What's a 5.7 Climbing Trail?

Taking risks is all well and good, but so is knowing your limitations. No matter what climbing level you're at, it's good to know the varying difficulties and whether or not you can handle them.

The United States has created a rating system for natural and man-made trails, which applies to all forms of forward movement. Class one is normal walking, while class five covers everything that is rock climbing. Within class five, there are five ranges of difficulty, and it's important to know in which range your skill level falls.

The first range is 5.0 through 5.4. These are the easiest climbs that everyone should start off at. The holds are numerous and easy to maneuver around, and the course is fairly obvious. The second is 5.5 through 5.7. On these courses, you can still wear your regular sneakers, but the course itself is slightly less intuitive.

5.8 through 5.10 is when you really start needed a good pair of climbing shoes. It is not recommended to make your first climb in this range, as considerable skill is required.

The last two levels are the most taxing, 5.11 through 5.12 and 5.13 through 5.14. Both should only be tackled by the most experienced of climbers, as it is thought that only ten percent of climbers in the world can handle even the fourth level.

Everyone begins at a 5.0, but with enough dedication and skill, you too can reach the upper level of experience and difficulty.

Rock Climbing Supply Basics

For a successful rock climbing adventure, you'll need to start off with some supplies. The first and foremost thing you'll need to bring with you is a friend, preferably someone who actually wants to climb with you and isn't scared of heights, as you need them for safety and support.

You'll also need a good pair of climbing shoes. These are important since they're all that will protect your feet from jagged rocks, and also what's supporting your weight. Those and the rest of the items listed can be found at your local outdoors store, like Dick's or REI.

Next, you'll need a harness and carabiners to secure yourself and your partner to the rope. The carabiners especially should be made out of high quality materials, so as not to malfunction during a climb.

For safety, protection, and anchoring during the climb, gloves, hand chalk, quickdraws, and a helmet are very important. Quickdraws are necessary to reduce drag when the rope is moved through the bolts. In addition to quickdraws and bolts, belay and rappelling devices are needed to stabilize the rope for your partner when you're the lead climber. Good equipment takes a sizable budget, but you can't put a price on safety. Invest in the best, and you're sure to have a safe and fun climbing experience.

Climbing 101 - Types of Climbing

Everyone knows that the world of rock climbing is both beautiful and dangerous, but what most people don't know is that there is more than one way to do it.

To begin with, there's traditional rock climbing as we know it. Climbers come in pairs, and are connected by a tether. It is typically a completely vertical climb and many safety measures are taken to keep climbers from plummeting to the earth. A form of this is sport climbing, in which the holds are permanently bolted into the rock, creating a faster and safer way of climbing.

Indoor climbing is another commonly recognizable form, in which climbers use stationary or mechanically-driven structures to feed their climbing cravings. The stationary walls are usually very large and elaborate, while the mechanical walls provide a never-ending climb as the conveyer rotates. Other subcategories thereof include free solo climbing, in which no rope is used and therefore if you fall, you're dead; ice climbing, in which a frozen structure is scaled in lieu of a rock; and bouldering in which there are no ropes because boulders are not quite as tall as cliffs.

Now that we know the basics, we can further discuss everything you'll need
to know about rock climbing.

Climbing Community - Brian Postlethwait

Sometimes planning and caution can still be fouled by Mother Nature. It is a powerful and tragic note that all of us as climbers and avid outdoor types can appreciate, shown by the loss of one of our own. Mountaineer Brian Postlethwait was a meticulous planner, particularly for his trip to Alaska's Denali National Park. A former ski patrolman and not at all unknowing in the ways of climbing nor the dangers of snow and ice, succumbed to an avalanche while out on a climb with his partner.

Postlethwait, 32, of Park City, and his climbing partner, Andre Callari, 33, of Salt Lake City, were found dead Friday after the slide swept them to the base of Mount Barrille on either May 15th or 16th, the National Park Service reported. They were attempting to climb the Japanese Couloir route, which is classified as a moderate, Alaska grade III route because of its ice and steep snow. Reported overdue from the climb on last Thursday, weather conditions and lack of visibility delayed the recovery of the bodies until last weekend, the NPS reported.

Brian Postlethwait had 20 years of climbing experience and knew the signs of danger very well; he had even steered his partner away from a dangerous area earlier in the climb. The accident occurred later as a second avalanche started on the opposite side of the ridge they were on, and it took them. Nothing was done incorrectly, and no mistakes were made. It is a tragic loss for his family and friends, and the community of climbers that learned and climbed with him during his time on Earth.