Rock Climbing with Rob Pizem

September 11, 2014

NEW PAGE! https://robpizem.wordpress.com

It has all the links and work from this blog in an organized manner.
You might need to go back to this site for an old video that I posted on training, but everything else is running smoothly and way eaiser to find.

Enjoy the new page and enjoy the new posts.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I will continue to make my new one ever better!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: www.arcteryx.com www.camp-usa.com www.scarpa.com www.sterlingrope.com www.americanalpineclub.org www.brewersledge.com

August 29, 2014

Grand Valley Climbing: Short Walking Videos

Grand Valley Climbing Gym Update! Opens Sept 13!!!!

The gym from the outside. A new building designed for the gym, not the other way around like most older gyms. The heating, air conditioning and environment was designed to be pleasant and easy to move around in, in addition to allowing the members to see what their friends are doing!

After entering the gym, this wall will be on your right. At 44ft tall, it has been designed to be a great place for beginners and intermediate climbers learn to top rope and lead. Most of the wall is lower angle and vertical with some minor features accenting the climbing. There are about 20 top ropes that will be set which will keep everyone climbing and happy, even at the busiest times!

Still some construction going on (actually they are moving out the tools to build the walls because they are all done. Now it is time to install the state of the art Asana flooring system which will make climbing in the bouldering area worry free! Notice the free standing boulder behind the tools. It is large and in charge with great angles to climb on!

More of the bouldering area. The walls are over 10 ft tall which allows the routes to be more than 2-3 moves long! Again, the area was designed with big sweeping clean angles to allow for lots of variety in the setting. There is plenty of overhanging and vertical terrain to please everyone.

Boom! The pit at 50 ft tall (plus overhang distance). We have 40 routes up and will keep putting more on the walls. I had a chance to try some of the climbs in addition to setting a few and the wall just keeps going. It is a nice place to work on technique, endurance, leading and even falling! Notice the 10 +ft tall ladder in the lower right of the photo.

More of the pit. There are routes of all grades and styles on these beautiful walls.

This is how you access the pit. There are cubbies for your bags. Notice the lighting, there are no dark spots in this gym.

Again the rest of the pit. This wall is slightly overhanging to vertical and will allow some cool techy routes to be set.

August 26, 2014

Treadwall Training with Piz: Pink Single and Double

Watch the two videos.
Look for the following:

my body position

my twisting to reach holds

my grip

my foot work (toe placement)

my proximaty to the wall

when I get a shake

my breathing (if possible)

Then try to apply the succefull movements to your climbing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHxeC3iqI8A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i5LDDN_gc8

August 14, 2014

Treadwall Training with Piz (green triple)

Contact Piz at pizem@hotmail.com for Motivational/Instructional/Entertaining Speaking Engagements, Climbing Instruction, Training and Weekly/Monthly Training Programs

Until then... Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: www.arcteryx.com www.camp-usa.com www.scarpa.com www.sterlingrope.com www.americanalpineclub.org www.brewersledge.com

The green holds were sent to me in a package from Treadwall. They were grouped together by color of course and by shape. They are meant to be useful for warming up and for working powerful long moves. This route is all about longer moves and using good technique. I twist to reach the holds rather than staying straight on in my movements. Occasionally, I will reach straight on and that is more of a power move.

Why do I go for three in a row. I want to watch how I respond to fatigue (while watching my technique). It will help me focus on proper form when I am on a real climb outside!

Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=124A8yS1m_I

Treadwall Training with Piz

Dolomite Part 2

The always beautiful northern Italy.

Well manicured lands.

BOOM!

The glacier on the backside of the Marmolada.

We walked and ran and slid our way down the mountain after climbing 2000' of perfect limestone! Then we hitchhiked back to the car. Good times.

The hike up to the refugio. It took about 45 minutes from where we parked in the woods below to get to the hut where we got beta. rested and ate before the climb.

Chris and I on the hike.

The right side of the photo is the Marmolada. Tons of routes, tons of climbing, tons of run.

A photo of the routes in the refugio. We figured it would help us on while on route.

The hut where we slept the night before the climb. Great food and a super place to meet random travelers! Don't forget to watch the goats play in the hills!

August 12, 2014

Planning to Send this Fall? How will you do that?

Contact Piz at pizem@hotmail.com for Motivational/Instructional/Entertaining Speaking Engagements, Climbing Instruction, Training and Weekly/Monthly Training Programs

Until then... Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: www.arcteryx.com www.camp-usa.com www.scarpa.com www.sterlingrope.com www.americanalpineclub.org www.brewersledge.com

This is the time to be getting ready and tuning up for your fall redpoint season.
How are you going to do that? Are you going to try the same old way as you have every other year or are you going to attempt to use a systematic approach that addresses your weaknesses?

Here are some suggestions to get ready! (they are in no particular order)

Pick an objective. That can be a climb or boulder problem, short or long, steep or vertical. If you don't have something to train for it is difficult to assess your weakness and then train with intent.
Be realistic but aim high. Don't just pick something that you are already close to accomplishing, choose something that is out of your comfort zone. By addressing all those areas that are difficult for you, you will become a better climber.
Assess how much time that you have to give to the training. You need to meet your lifes obligations so plan your training accordingly.
Identify training days and fun days (at the crag or gym). You can't make every single day a training day, you have to build in the fun and vice versa, you can't expect to progress if you just go and screw off all day in an undirected manner.
Find a training partner with a similar schedule or training plan. That way you have someone to psyche you up if you are slacking on a day or two. A partner allows you to climb routes too!
Build in rest time! Without rest you don't recover.
Plan Plan Plan and then follow through! That means don't spend your time climbing slab if you want to get better at overhangs! Choose your climbs and boulders to meet your needs. That might take you out of your routine but that is good, you need to step out to step up.
Get a trainer or a training book. There are many out there that are very good at helping people progress. We are never too good to improve! Be open to constructive criticism. Even Ondra needs a coach!
Make it fun! If you aren't smiling at the end of the day, then your taking it to serious. It's climbing folks, we are not saving the world or solving world problems. : )