2008 Woodie Awards
Safety most important part of rock-climbing
Kristin Thomas
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Sports
Chris Pliley, an IUPUI student and avid rock climber, straps himself into his harness. He grabs the rope and ties it to the loops on his harness. Once the proper knot is tied, he chalks up his hands and begins to look around.
"Anyone want to catch me?" he asks.
His friends look at him like he is crazy. Not only did no one volunteer to catch him, they also begin to tell him that there is no way anyone will catch him. Why? Because Chris's rope is only as big around as a pencil and it is not a rope that has been approved for rock climbing.
Of course, Chris knew this from the very beginning and he was just joking around, but for a lot of rock climbers, safety is not a laughing matter.
"Safety, above all, is the most important part of rock climbing." Ryan Hoefling, a local rock climber said. "When sport climbing, trad climbing, or even bouldering the life of the person you are belaying or spotting is in your hands. It is a huge responsibility."
When starting out in rock climbing, it is important to know several things about what it involves.
First of all, it is important to know that you are getting yourself into a sport that involves high risk of muscle fatigue, injury, and even death. As a beginning rock climber, it is important to stay within the limits of what you can do and try not to push yourself too far. When climbers try to go over their abilities, accidents happen.
"Due to my over-ambitious attitude and my lack of common sense at the time, I over stretched my lat muscle one evening while in the gym." Rock climber, Brandon Farris said. "The pain didn't kick in until about two hours later at home and had me thinking I was having a heart attack."
It is important for rock climbers to learn their limits and how far their strength can take them.
"I like to climb things that I am strong enough for, but a climb that will take every bit of my strength and endurance." Ben Colter, a former IUPUI student currently living in Colorado said.
"Anyone want to catch me?" he asks.
His friends look at him like he is crazy. Not only did no one volunteer to catch him, they also begin to tell him that there is no way anyone will catch him. Why? Because Chris's rope is only as big around as a pencil and it is not a rope that has been approved for rock climbing.
Of course, Chris knew this from the very beginning and he was just joking around, but for a lot of rock climbers, safety is not a laughing matter.
"Safety, above all, is the most important part of rock climbing." Ryan Hoefling, a local rock climber said. "When sport climbing, trad climbing, or even bouldering the life of the person you are belaying or spotting is in your hands. It is a huge responsibility."
When starting out in rock climbing, it is important to know several things about what it involves.
First of all, it is important to know that you are getting yourself into a sport that involves high risk of muscle fatigue, injury, and even death. As a beginning rock climber, it is important to stay within the limits of what you can do and try not to push yourself too far. When climbers try to go over their abilities, accidents happen.
"Due to my over-ambitious attitude and my lack of common sense at the time, I over stretched my lat muscle one evening while in the gym." Rock climber, Brandon Farris said. "The pain didn't kick in until about two hours later at home and had me thinking I was having a heart attack."
It is important for rock climbers to learn their limits and how far their strength can take them.
"I like to climb things that I am strong enough for, but a climb that will take every bit of my strength and endurance." Ben Colter, a former IUPUI student currently living in Colorado said.
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