More Climbing - yay!

5.9(c) 5.9(f) 5.10a(f++)

Despite only climbing the first climb clean, tonight was a pretty good climbing night. The first 5.9 is the one that i habitually seem to be warming up with.

The second 5.9 was the red one on the central pillar I DNF'ed a couple weeks ago. I had one rest about 2/3 of the way up - towards the end of a long bit of negative incline, and my arms were just tired. - but the rest of it was clean, and pretty smooth. I feel like i could have done it clean if I had just gone a bit faster so my arms didn't get so tired. Daniel said it would also help if i learned to rest (on the wall) more efficiently. He's totally right. I have not mastered that skill - or even relaly had it on my radar as a skill to develop.

the 10.a (Into the White) was a beast of a 10a. it's on the face of the pillar facing the red 5.9 - and it's LONG, and it has an overhang, and a fair bit of negative incline after the overhang. I had to stop and rest a LOT on this one - starting with the overhang.

One of the reasons I wanted to try this climb was because i thought there was a way 'around' the overhang - and i think there is - i just didn't find it. i think it's possible to use the huge purple hold under the overhang as sort of a 'lie-back' and walk my feet up high enough to reach the next hold

I did have sort of an 'a-ha' moment getting over the overhang, when i figured out that pivoting my knee downward helped me get my hip JUST high enough to reach the next hold. It's awesome when you find the efficient/'right' way to do a move that was giving you trouble and suddenly, it's easy. Daniel and I both agreed that this was a really good climb for me to really try to dial in the various things I am working on right now: dynamic movements, doing more work with my legs than my arms, trusting my right foot, keeping my hips over my knees, etc. ... I want to go back, right now, and try it again!