The skies are clear, the rock is dry: it's pretty frustrating being a climber at the minute. We'd could just about cope with not getting on the rock if the climbing gyms were open!
But we're a resourceful lot, us climbers: Joe Brown, a former plumber's apprentice, famously made some of the very first nuts by drilling holes in actual nuts and threading them with wire. It's also alleged (of doubted authenticity) that he climbed some of his first routes using his mother's washing line! He'll be sorely missed.
The internet is awash with climbers scaling their homes, setting up backyard bouldering walls or creating ever-more inventive strength exercises. We've been taking a looking at how a few of our Alpkiteers, staff and customers are maintaining their hard-won climbing fitness. And, most importantly, getting that vital fix for their climber-y brains! Here are six different ways they've been keeping climbing fit at home...
Pete Whittaker
Alpkiteer Pete Whittaker sent us a couple of his hangboard workouts a few of weeks ago but he's been getting even more creative since... Who'd have thought you could find so many opportunities for crack climbing just around your house! Vertebrate Publishing have 30% off all books at the minute so you can pick up Pete's Crack Climbing book (amongst other climbing guides) at a great price, and support a small Sheffield-based publisher in the process!
Anna Wells
Anna sent us an article on 10 Things to Replace a Chamonix Climbing Season a few weeks ago. At that stage she was still on the push-ups, pull-ups and 'acroyoga'. She's now moved onto dry-tooling in her granny's back garden! Anna's a highly competent mountaineer so probably don't try this at home with actual axes!
Daniela and Paolo Teixeira
Alpinists Daniela and Paolo eventually made it home to their village after about 20 days of trying to solve various problems concerning Paulo's mother's health. Facing a mandatory 14 day quarantine, and not knowing what the future held, they immediately dedicated themselves to staying in good climbing shape. "Since we are privileged enough to have our own home gym, there are... NO EXCUSES!" says Daniela. Their workout programme is: "1 hour spinning + push ups + pull ups + abs + dumbell lateral raises + front plate raises + LOADS OF MUSIC!"
Design Manager Ronnie
Ronnie needed to scratch her climbing itch just a week into lockdown... either that or it was a masterful piece of forward planning! With some pads at the ready she had a go at attaching some climbing holds on the side of her house. To the best of our knowledge her wall hasn't fallen down... yet!
Alpkit Foundation Trustee Adge
Keen climber Adge discovered some lovely little crimps between his brickwork early on. And he had a couple of Alpkit bouldering mats to hand for the beginning and end of the traverse. There'll be a lot of chalk on that wall by now!
Alpkit Customer Pete Gunn
Pete (@pete_r_gunn) got in touch with us recently to share some bouldering challenges he'd been inventing in his back garden: a 'Guess the Font Problem' and 4 different ways to climb around a table! He kindly sent us an alternative challenge for folks without a sturdy enough table too. We particularly enjoyed the bouldering over a wheelie bin - no chalk either!