The Climber's clinic

Crack climbing size VS relative difficulty. Found this graph in Kent Pease's Crack Climber's Technique Manual from 2014 and thought it explains why natural sizes (finger, hands, fists) might feel easier than the off sizes. According to Pease: some sizes (semi-thin, off-width and transition sizes) require more technical jams and greater skill in addition of being more strenuous, independently of the steepness, the rock type (roughness and friction), the character of the crack (rounded, flaring, bottoming, if you are climbing a corner which allows liebacking and stemming) and how sustained the climb is. Crack width determines if the climbing is more straightforward VS more challenging. What do you think?

I would like to know your opinion on comparison between the Vermin V bouldering scale and its equivalent in the Yosemite route scale. Do you think a V0 = 5.10c a V4 = 5.12a? Let me know! I am trying to come up with a way to quantify total load of climbing per week for individual who participate in both disciplines. Using the numerical IRCRA scale would work only if the V scale and YDS can relate to the same load on that reporting scale.

By far the best tables on the effects of temperature change and weather conditions on the quality and properties of water fall ice. Play it safe out there! ( Book: The Art of Ice Climbing by Jerome Gras-Blanc and Manu Ibarra)

Geek: an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. ( Wikipedia)

Heard during the IRCRA congress: Japan has over 900 climbing gyms. With the same ratio, Greater Montreal would have 30 gyms!

Post Climb recovery part 1 : CONTRAST BATHS.
The effet of contrast baths on muscle recovery after exercise have been studied by researchers. Its main physiological benefit is to increase superficial blood circulation. However, deeper muscular and lymphatic tissues seems not to be affected according to the scientific litterature review. On the other hand, ice cold immersion has been studied and criticized since it could potentially diminish the exercised-induced inflammation, needed as a stimulus for muscule protein synthesis.

HOW TO DO CONTRAST BATHS THEN?
Choose 2 bins, or an double sink long enough for your forarms and hands.
1-One sink has tap cold water (NO ICE!)
2- The other sink had warm water (not burning!)

Alternate 1 minute in each for a total of 14-16 min. Add water in each side to maintain temperature difference.

BONUS: open an close hands and fingers for additional blood circulation while immersed.

References:
BergerSanton, D.E, Lazaro, R & MacDermid, J.C (2009) A systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Contrast Baths, Journal of Hand Therapy, p.57-69.

Dubois, B. & Esculier, J-F. (2020). Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British Journal of Sports Medicine 54 (2), p.72-73.

What does your fingers look like after a climbing session? A marked loss in range of motion can be seen between picture #1 (before) and #2 (after). Make sure your cool-down routine includes finger mobility exercises, stretches and forearms self-release so you can come back to baseline. However, if ALL your climbing sessions end up in lack of mobility, learn how to vary your climbing intensity: difficulty, duration, number of rests and frequency.

Climb On! Skills for More Efficient Climbing from Hans Florine et Bill Wright

Does Hans Florine need a presentation? Master of Big Wall speed climbing and record holder for the last decades of many Nose Speed Ascent. He presents a book on how to be more efficient while climbing. The speed climbing philosophy being: “what is better than climbing is more climbing”. Don’t be afraid, most techniques and tips presented in this book are safe and miles away from what you might have seen while parties attempt to speed up the Nose to break the record.
From single pitch sport climbing to multi pitch and Big Wall Climbs, Hans Florine gives tips to increase efficiency and decrease dead times where no one is climbing.
Most tips though can be found in other How-to-guides. If you are a fan of Florine, Yosemite history or Big Wall climbs, you’ll get amused for 144 pages.

Mastermind : Mental Training for Climbers from Jerry Moffatt

Jerry Moffatt is a climber from England who pushed the limits of the rock climbing scene in the 80’s. His book, Mastermind is looking at the mental aspect of climbing. The book itself reads like a journal: short sections looking at topics such as mind control, motivation, concentration, planification, pressure, failure and success and much more. Along the 285 pages, the reader finds many wisdom quotes and stories from elite climbers. This is not an how-to-guide, but rather a source of inspiration for those who like reading quotes from the “masters” to boost their “psych”. There is no real common thread between the sections as similar topics are not grouped in distincts sections. Readers who prefer a more scientific and directive approach should invest in other mental preparation texts...

The Climber's Clinic has finally compiled the results of a web-based survey on route setting injuries. Read more about it on our blog!
https://lacliniquedesgrimpeurs.blogspot.com/2020/10/route-setting-injuries-survey.html

Let's take a time to review some of our behaviours as climbing gyms are closed. https://lacliniquedesgrimpeurs.blogspot.com/2020/03/chalk-dust-in-climbing-gyms-guide-to.html

Chalk Dust in Climbing Gyms: Guide to Better Air Quality The Climbers Clinic is an evidenced based blog orienteds towards the health and safety of climbers and climbing related topic.

As many climbing gyms still being closed, some might see that re-opening is arriving soon. Although we don't know the transmission risk of Covid-19 via chalk, there is another health aspect to consider when using climbing chalk indoors. https://lacliniquedesgrimpeurs.blogspot.com/2020/03/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know.html

Everything you always wanted to know about chalk but were afraid to ask The Climbers Clinic is an evidenced based blog orienteds towards the health and safety of climbers and climbing related topic.

Performance Rock climbing book review.

This 1993 book written by Dale Goddard and Udo Neumann still is a reference text today. All topics related to climbing performance are covered: the weakest link principe, technique and coordination, psychology and arousal, physical training in terms of strength, endurance and flexibility, periodization and finally tactics. A lot of information given in only 191 pages.

The strength of this book is that all aforementioned facets of the sports are covered equally. Compared to other training manuals, a specific attention is given on the importance of technique, movement and coordination.Even if no topic is covered in the utmost detail, this is already an excellent summary. A few practical drills are proposed to the reader.

The chapter on flexibility is probably outdated. Pictures of climbers performing splits and other impossible range of motion (for the “normal” climber) are shown. I doubt that the ability to reach as far is necessary for climbing optimal performance and trying those extreme exercise can pose a risk for injury. Skip the first pages of the flexibility chapter.

In sum, Performance Rock Climbing is a good reference manual for anyone having the desire to identify their weaknesses in their overall climbing performance.

If ever you are looking to practice your French, I was recently interviewed on the topic of climbing injuries! Podcast available on Escalade Québec https://www.escaladequebec.com/balado-evelyne-lajoie-physiotherapeute-du-sport/?fbclid=IwAR1ewaj7i0ACEpzoWUYDqiPLq6D1JItg-n81FP18JHLjBM44SL2_fYLEYtc

Balado: Evelyne Lajoie physiothérapeute du sport Entrevue réalisée par David Savoie Evelyne Lajoie s'y connait en blessures d'escalade! Elle pratique la physiothérapie depuis 2011 et elle est la première répondante lors des Coupes du Québec d'escalade. Écoutez pour en savoir plus sur les blessures, la prévention et les traitements!

The Climber's clinic updated their business hours.

The Climber's clinic updated their website address.

Reading now: Long-Term Athlete Development program from Climbing Escalade Canada. http://climbingcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LTAD-RockClimbing-EN-Final-VER2-1.pdf

Great clip on speed climbing and the science behind it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e863Qr0jaYo

Why It's Almost Impossible to Climb 15 Meters in 5 Secs. (ft. Alex Honnold) | WIRED In 2020 climbing will be an official Olympic sport with three events -- lead, bouldering and speed climbing. The fastest time up the standard 15 meter speed ...

The Climber's Clinic now is a registered business in Quebec! Stay tuned for a lot more happening in 2019!!!

Well said!! https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/skills/series/neil_gresham_technique_and_training/technique_-_use_of_the_toe-10957

SKILLS: Technique - Use of the Toe In this article, Neil Gresham examines the main ways to use the toe. Most will know the basic definitions, so instead he focusses on common errors and key tips for improvement.

Do you know what might happen during climbing competitions? http://evelynelajoiephysio.blogspot.ca/2017/10/httpswww.html

Acute climbing injuries during competitions, a (small) litterature review https://www.facebook.com/accesescalademontreal/photos/gm.1887075934944914/236735150188049/?type=3&theater The Climbing Panamerican You...

Learn when and how to tape your fingers according to science: a litterature review. http://evelynelajoiephysio.blogspot.ca/2017/10/when-and-how-to-tape-for-rock-climbing.html

When and how to tape for rock climbing. Athletic tape in climbing is often use for skin protection for finger, hand or fist jams into crack. Additionnally, climbers tape their fi...