[gilltebb]

 

[rich d]

There you go...

http://m.youtube.com/#/user/lagerstarfish?&desktop_uri=%2Fuser%2Flagerstarfish

[gilltebb]

Oops, no idea what happened to my original post so here goes again:

I am female, clinically obese but losing weight slowly, and up until my recent slipped disc injury exercised with gym and swimming sessions, with occasional kettlebell and yoga classes.

I tried rock climbing in  my 20's and would absolutely love to take up bouldering at my gym (they have a room and a climbing wall). Obviously I will not be back to proper sessions in the gym until I have more physio under my belt, but I would really appreciate some advice from experienced members who will not judge, but give me honest guidance:

1 Should I realistically lose weight before even attempting bouldering, or should I start it when my back is better (I am currently 4 stone overweight for my height). If so, could you suggest the best exercises in the gym and outside to aid this, along with best swimming stroke (I am useless at butterfly btw lol).

2 Is it safe to rock climb / boulder if you have lower back issues as long as you work on core strength?

Really I get so excited at the thought of taking up climbing, but am also aware of my current situation, so any friendly but honest advice I would really appreciate it, Thanks!

Gillian

[jwi]

Preface: I am not a medical doctor, I've never been overweight and never had back pain of any form.

Congratulations on doing something good for you health.  I don't see why you shouldn't be able to start climbing straight away.  It may not be the best form of exercise for loosing weight, but it is more fun than most other sports, which counts for a lot.

[namnok]

I personally think bouldering isn't the best step if you have a bad back with the amount of potential falling and jumping from a safe height onto ( at times) hard matting. I would get on the ropes and work off some weight off first, and as you mentioned build your core, and hen once your back is better you'll feel more confident with falling off that comes with bouldering.

Good luck Gillian

[psychomansam]

Ideally you'd be better off starting it back up with some roped climbing. Maybe your local wall has a beginners program?

cardio exercise and controlled diet will sort the weight out (do as I say, not as I do), but you could add in the odd bit of arm work as well to get them used to working. Gyms have arm 'bikes' sometimes. Mixing swimming strokes would be good for that too.

When you do start climbing, don't push yourself. Take it really slowly. Don't go up overhangs. Just use the time to think about technique. Learn to climb well and it'll help avoid injury. Try to climb harder at first and you'll likely just develop injuries in no time. Enjoy the climbing and ignore the grades!

And ask your physio what they think. Doing nothing probably won't be good for your back, but you'll likely need to wait a bit before pushing it with a new sport

[fried]

Usually disclaimer - Not a doctor, don't know much about 'ologies.

I have a 'slipped disk' too and my physio told me it was fine to climb, but if it hurt to stop.

When it first happened I spent a lot of time traversing and doing easy stuff where I was completely in control. Downclimb where possible and go easy.

[dave]

The bonus of starting off heavy is as you get stronger in parallel with weight coming off you'll feel strong as a bastard. Enjoy!

[Fiend]

What, you lot are actually not mocking someone for weight issues and actually giving sensible advice? Thank fuck for that.

I second what other people have said: go for it, take it steady, be careful with the risk aspects like falling. The role of enjoyment and inspiration is particularly good!

[Dr T]

I have a 'slipped disk' too and my physio told me it was fine to climb, but if it hurt to stop.

Same for me... disc fully herniated and left me unable to walk until I had a microdiscettomy 
of course it might not have been the climbing but just a warning to be very careful (and I had good core at the time)

[SA Chris]

I think namnok gives sound advice. When I damaged my lower back I was advised to keep climbing too maintain strength and kee it mobile, but anything with impact ( like landings from bouldering) were definitely not recommended and any excess weight would only increase the impact

[fatdoc]

Great advice IMO

Any impact type sport not good for a back in rehab... I should know after wedge fracturing my spine, twice.

Really hard to get a strong core in such circumstance.

I suggest, physio / chiropracter advice, roped climbing... Esp if I can access a beginners programme at a climbing wall and weight loss.

Brave to post on what can a lions den here...

But, to give UKB it's credit, we all just want to help u get fit, nice one.

Waddage.

[rich d]

If you've found a sport that excites you and motivates you to get more active start it. Climbers are all sorts of shapes and sizes and it's great fun to do. Roped might be better on your back as others have said. Good luck

[mrjonathanr]

Disclaimer, I'm not a doctor, though you have had a reply from one ^^.

Climbing elongates the spine and strengthens surrounding muscles so I think it is a great idea.
Jumping off bouldering walls onto mats compresses the spine with added impact -I'd stay well clear till disc is much better tbh.

Roped climbing should be a safe option though. Welcome to the sport - the only way is up, so to speak.

PS Years ago I took a friend of my mum's climbing, up a V Diff in the Lakes. She was well into middle age, < 5', several stone overweight and hearing impaired.  She loved it -  changed job, moved from the South East to Wales and then joined the local Mountain Rescue Team. Climbers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

[lagerstarfish]

There you go...

http://m.youtube.com/#/user/lagerstarfish?&desktop_uri=%2Fuser%2Flagerstarfish

rich does have a point there

I am male. My BMI has, in the past hit 30, with a body fat content of over 30% (according to a variety of electronic gadgets which probably give overestimates e.g. 40%; but also according to a skinfold plus circumference measue) making me technically obese for a while. My average for the last few years has been a BMI of 28 and a fat content always over 25% (quite a lot for a man). I know BMI is a load of rubbish, but hopefully this gives you some encouragement. One problem I did find was that my stomach got in the way a bit and limited my ability to step high - a minor thing really.

I've had a few back problems, but always muscular and have never slipped a disk.

as people have said above, jumping off regularly whilst bouldering might not be great for your back - it's one of the reasons I don't boulder indoors much at the moment. Roped climbing would be a safer bet unless you can be really disciplined at always climbing down and not having too many unplanned falls.

climbing well is a lot of fun - climbing well, for me and plenty of others, does not have to involve pulling hard on small holds. I get a huge amount of pleasure from trying to climb as smoothly as possible using balance and good footwork to get up things. In fact, I often put time into trying to climb things with a lot less physical effort than was required when I first got myself up them. Climbing like this makes my back feel good.

Climbing whilst heavy will force you to develop good technique, so that as you lose "natures weightbelt" and your power/strength to weight ratios increase you'll notice improvement faster than most people - this will be very motivating

here's me with a BMI of 29 having fun and not really pulling down on anything



I really ought to do something about this visceral fat; I know it's dangerous...

[lagerstarfish]

another thing

us climbers (especially men) do tend to use a lot of language that will be seen by many to be derogatory and downright offensive about overweight people

we don't mean it to be like this, it's part of crag banter

perhaps we should be more considerate

if you overhear this sort of thing, don't be offended or feel put down - instead, take pleasure at being able to balance your way up things that they can only climb by using brute force 

[duncan]

The Science!

One very small trial with a short-term follow-up but it hints that climbing probably wont do you any harm and, like most kinds of exercise in moderation, might do some good.  If I remember correctly, the 'therapeutic climbing' of the study consisted mainly of traversing an indoor bouldering wall.

[grumpycrumpy]

Great advice IMO




I suggest, physio / chiropracter advice, roped climbing... Esp if I can access a beginners programme at a climbing wall and weight loss.

Not sure if you're Sheffield based Gill, but if you are it's worth booking a session with John at the Sports Injury Clinic on Abbeydale Rd ....... Good Physio, climbs himself and a thoroughly nice bloke who would give you the advice you're after ........

 

 instead, take pleasure at being able to balance your way up things that they can only climb by using brute force 

One of the few things that still keeps me climbing 

 

[tomtom]

another thing

us climbers (especially men) do tend to use a lot of language that will be seen by many to be derogatory and downright offensive about overweight people

we don't mean it to be like this, it's part of crag banter

perhaps we should be more considerate

if you overhear this sort of thing, don't be offended or feel put down - instead, take pleasure at being able to balance your way up things that they can only climb by using brute force

You are bloody strong though Lagers...

[slackline]

What, you lot are actually not mocking someone for weight issues and actually giving sensible advice? Thank fuck for that.

Ask as sensible question, get a sensible answer.  Ask a stupid one....

[gilltebb]

Hey, thanks all so much for your replies. I already feel a part of the banter- I'm pretty thick skinned (like the rest of me) .

Some great advice here. Think I will get a couple of physios under the belt first, a bit of swimming and gym work and then sign up for the taster session with the ropes as a starting point after Christmas, which I am pretty sure will lead onto the Learn to Climb soon after- I cannot wait to get started! Maybe leave the bouldering until I have a killer core or thereabouts, and get over my fear of falling 

Cheers, and hope you will put up with me when I post more dumb q in the future!!

[fatdoc]

Holi shit u local hacks... Of which I seem to b one...

We have achieved what the damn forum was set up to do...


Help others climb *gulp*

[Jaspersharpe]

Disclaimer, I'm not a doctor, though you have had a reply from one ^^.

In case you were wondering, he's the one who writes in text speak and can't punctuate properly. 

Always nice to hear someone psyched for climbing. Good luck.