Does anyone else have this issue?

It dawned on me at the crag yesterday that i climb cracks and gear routes much better than i do face/sport routes. I feel very fluid on 5.9/5.10 gear routes but flail a little on and 5.10 and above face climbs.

yep...thats me however I climb about the same for both I just prefer crack routes

I prefer climbs that are a combination. I like the availability of cracks for pro, but feel much more at ease on face climbs. Funny considering I'm 45 mins from Devil's Tower.

Anybody can climb cracks.

But not many dare delve into the world of runout Slab.

Oh yeah. Nothing else like it. Proper footwork, good balance and intense mind focusing are the key.

Kahuna wrote:Anybody can climb cracks.

Care to expand on this?

No need to. Self explanatory.

Any true slabhead knows and understands this very simple principal.

If a crack scenario gets too difficult or above ones climbing ability, they can simply french free or pull on gear through the tough section.

No French Freeing on a "R" slab route. You either climb or take the long slide.

Got it. So it's what happens when you're over your head. I don't pull on gear, so I wasn't in that mindset, I guess.

Burchey wrote:Got it. So it's what happens when you're over your head. I don't pull on gear, so I wasn't in that mindset, I guess.

One must also be prepared to take whippers as well.

Unless of course they wish to remain at a certain level of climbing and never improve their climbing abilities thus never moving onto the next higher level.

That too is a well known fact of the process. It is how one pushes through a certain "comfort" dead zone.

Get these two powerful reads and you may just learn something about improving your climbing and moving onto a higher level/grade:

Kahuna wrote:

Burchey wrote:Got it. So it's what happens when you're over your head. I don't pull on gear, so I wasn't in that mindset, I guess.

It is how one pushes through a certain "comfort" dead zone.

One must also be prepared to take whippers as well.

Unless of course they wish to remain at a certain level of climbing and never improve their climbing abilities thus never moving onto the next higher level.

That too is a well known fact of the process.

Get these two powerful reads and you may just learn something about improving your climbing and moving onto a higher level/grade:

I'll check 'em out - thanks. You do need to be prepared to take a fall, and I think I suffer because I don't crag much. It's either training in the gym or multi-pitch moderate alpine, where you try to avoid pushing your limits since even a twisted ankle at 13,000 can be a day-ruiner. I've got designs on spending more time pushing my limits on less committed climbs in Taquitz, but again that's crack climbing.

No excuses.

Here is some Stout and very difficult ALPINE climbing by the best who are at 20 something K feet and hundreds of miles away from any medical help.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmwzEJ7w0kA[/youtube]

How do you think they achieved their incredible abilities?

Read the books and find out.

Oh yeah, that particular FA hundreds of miles from nowhere, consisted of run out face and slab climbing of 5.12+.

Here some more of their incredible abilities hundreds of miles from nowhere:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW6vRHuTKD8[/youtube]

Alright, alright.

I'll read the books.

I have been thinking about snagging a copy of 'The Rock Warriors Way' for a while. Time to do so, methinks.

As a new climber, I find slab climbing more intimidating than cracks or places with good jugs, pockets, whatever. One thing I do like about slabs(at least at the 5.6-5.7 level) is how well your feet 'stick' when you trust your feet... It's kind of an eye-opener.

TimB wrote:As a new climber, I find slab climbing more intimidating than cracks or places with good jugs, pockets, whatever. One thing I do like about slabs(at least at the 5.6-5.7 level) is how well your feet 'stick' when you trust your feet... It's kind of an eye-opener.

Precisely Tim.

That is why all my first and second time students do nothing but slab. Just as I and so many others before did when they first started.

Proper and Precise Footwork is 80% of ones physical climbing ability.

Any World Class climber will tell you that.

Kahuna wrote:Precisely Tim.

That is why all my first and second time students do nothing but slab. Just as I and so many others before did when they first started.

Proper and Precise Footwork is 80% of ones physical climbing ability.

Any World Class climber will tell you that.

Always cool to see it click with a new climber...Hey! My legs are important!

Kahuna wrote:No need to. Self explanatory.

Any true slabhead knows and understands this very simple principal.

If a crack scenario gets too difficult or above ones climbing ability, they can simply french free or pull on gear through the tough section.

No French Freeing on a "R" slab route. You either climb or take the long slide.

Agreed 100%. I grew up in the SE climbing steep, runout friction at Stone Mountain and Looking Glass rock in NC. Develops 100% trust in your feet and develops mind control like no other. Stone Mountain is a minimalist slab climbers dream......150+ routes with runouts of 40ft considered 100% normal. Did a bunch of 10+ R rated slab routes to the left of the Great Arch that are runout up to 80/100ft and steep enough that if you fall.....um, ya better not fall.