[i.munro]

I've just had a bonus at work (apparently this happens every  100 years, Woo Hoo) & fancy spending it on something climbing related.

Does anyone know of anyone who does climbing coaching either in the SE or Bleau? (I've tried to contact Neil Gresham via his website with no success)

Thanks

Ian

[erm, sam]

If I was going to spend some money getting some climbing coaching I would spend it on Johnny Dawes. I think his ideas about movement on rock are inspirational. I think he does sessions on Southern Sandstone or used to at least.

[i.munro]

If I was going to spend some money getting some climbing coaching I would spend it on Johnny Dawes. I think his ideas about movement on rock are inspirational. I think he does sessions on Southern Sandstone or used to at least.

Thanks I'll have a look.

Ian

[Paul B]

 ???

[erm, sam]

 ???
?

[Paul B]

personally I wouldn't spend my money on dawes, just reading the article on him in high/ote or even his bit in power of climbing is enough to dissuade me instantaneously.

[i.munro]

personally I wouldn't spend my money on dawes, just reading the article on him in high/ote or even his bit in power of climbing is enough to dissuade me instantaneously.

Wasn't really what I wanted but I'm getting really frustrated at the moment. I'm doing a lot of training & it's making no difference! I wanted to compare my bouldering with someone (hopefully slightly) better to see what I need to train. Dawes seems to come from a completely different place.

[Paul B]

yeah that was my point...

I sent you a pm with a recommendation.

[erm, sam]

I guess it depends what you are after..
If I was after the lastest science on maximising recruitment I wouldn't go to him. But I always find it interesting when one goes to a crag and somebody says "Oh, johnny dawes was here with a mate last time I was here and he was doing this" they are never talking about some tiny hold, latch crimp pull problem and always about some 3d jump balance float "problem" which I find way more inspiring.. Slabification etc might be rather mumbojumboish, and I am sure he does spout a load of bollocks but imagine: If you could find half the poise and balance required to eg. Run up the pebble boulder at planation wouldn't that change the way you climbed, compared to eg. making 1,4,8 instead of 1,4,7.5?
I  have no idea whether he could incalcate that in one of his coaching sessions, but one would have thought it might be worth a try.
Anyway, I'll get me coat.

[i.munro]

I guess it depends what you are after..
Anyway, I'll get me coat.

That's the thing. It's kind of expensive so I'm not going to be doing it again & with Johnnie I can see me not being able to take much more than inspiration from it. Which is to say I don't think I could learn to climb like him as, from what he says at least, it's so different to the way I now climb which is pretty static.

I think what I'm saying is that I wouldn't expect to be able to pick up a whole new style/approach in such a short time whereas with someone closer in style to me I might at least come away with an idea of where I'm weakest compared to others.

[Johnny Brown]

with Johnnie I can see me not being able to take much more than inspiration from it. Which is to say I don't think I could learn to climb like him as, from what he says at least, it's so different to the way I now climb which is pretty static.

If you're a 'pretty static' climber, do you think you'll gain more from reinforcing that style? Can you not figure out where you're weakest yourself? Sounds like to me it might be dynamic moves?  Whilst Johnny may not have cut it down the school, out of all the climbing coaches available he is the only one who has been the standout climber of his generation. The most important thing to learn from one-to-one coaching is movement - the rest can be learnt form books etc. Johnny's workshops are only about movement. The wierd exercises are a great tool for making you unlearn your present comfort zone in terms of movement, they also have a knack of breaking down any natural hierarchy of ability that tends to form within a group. He's certainly taught me a lot about these things and I know James Pearson was pretty pleased with the workshop he did with him.
Then there's the inspiration thing, if Johnny doesn't inspire you as much as someone else then go with the person who does. That's not to say he wouldn't though, it was pretty clear on the telly at the weekend that he'd manage to inspire Griff Rhys-Jones.

[Paul B]

Whilst Johnny may not have cut it down the school,

oh come on, every time, do you think thats the reason I wouldn't spend my money on johnny? Did someone not hug you enough when you were young? If you really want to train there i'm sure you can go up with someone else, heck i'm heading up there friday your welcome to join, bring dense to. 

[i.munro]

If you're a 'pretty static' climber, do you think you'll gain more from reinforcing that style? Can you not figure out where you're weakest yourself? Sounds like to me it might be dynamic moves? 

Everything you say is true. I just find it hard to beleive that a few hours is enough to completely break down all my old habits & build a new style.

[a dense loner]

you never learn anything in a training course cos there's too much to take in, its like anything else you learn it after the course. of course there are things you find out you didn't know, but that is different, of course. four will do.

[Somebody's Fool]

you never learn anything in a training course cos there's too much to take in

Amen to that.  Two points of contact etc.  It's a lot to remember.

[Johnny Brown]

Whilst Johnny may not have cut it down the school,

oh come on, every time, do you think thats the reason I wouldn't spend my money on johnny?

No, but this:

just reading the article on him in high/ote or even his bit in power of climbing is enough to dissuade me instantaneously.

gives me the impression you've not met him, and certainly not seem him do a workshop. You generally seem to be passing judgement without anything to back it up.

Everything you say is true. I just find it hard to beleive that a few hours is enough to completely break down all my old habits & build a new style.

As dense says, no one is expecting this to happen. The best you can hope for is a workshop would send you in a better direction.

That said, a workshop with Johnny is a gamble, you might not like his style or he might be having an off day. But I think the potential gains are greater if you are prepared to really get into it. Depends what you need - I go to yoga classes not primarily to improve but because if I don't go, I'm lazy and don't do any. If I was madly psyched and did it all the time at home, then if I did go to one workshop I'd want a proper guru to inspire me and change my perception of it, not just some guy tweaking my technique 'don't give up, pull your knee in a bit'.

[Paul B]

gives me the impression you've not met him, and certainly not seem him do a workshop. You generally seem to be passing judgement without anything to back it up.

I have met him and my opinion still stands, he comes across as a nice guy but not someone i'd pay to coach me, too much of a gamble. So not unsuprisingly then your correct with the latter; I haven't seen him do a workshop.

[Paz]

gives me the impression you've not met him, and certainly not seem him do a workshop. You generally seem to be passing judgement without anything to back it up.

I've had a freeby taster sort of thing, and more or less concur.  Maybe i'm missing something, being closed minded or sommat, but how useful is climbing one handed or even climbing dynamically on a trad adventure route?  Is it just that it makes you a better climber at your top end, so naturally your mid or even bottom end trad skills you actually use tra climbing get dragged up.  If so then even still, it seemed like a climbing style that like any other you have to practise at, or even train at (the one handed windscreen wiper shizzle).  As far as relevance to trad goes, you could be better off with a planet fear Gresham esque course, full of magical wonder tips like: "On steep ground have you thought about flagging or using an egyptian?"Is there anyway you can reprogram the microsoft paper clip to come up with shit like this for tip of the day :-) "Cams are useful in outward flaring cracks",

[Idol eyes]

Everything you say is true. I just find it hard to believe that a few hours is enough to completely break down all my old habits & build a new style.

You would have to groom your vocab also, or are you familiar with terms such as, "outuition" or "jugification".
you will learn how to develop your "salad theory" by abiding by "coleslaw laws", yes you will be able to take this information and translate it to your everyday life...
I am offering classes...
but they are nothing to do with climbing

[account_inactive]

Self analysis is very difficult.  A coach is a good idea even if it is just an objective point of view.  Saying that even if you do know your weakness (like crimping  ) you still have to put the work into improving.

JD is a special man indeed.  He could always turn you on to a different experience

[Idol eyes]

I would just spend the cash on going to a cool area, and bump into a bunch of loons that are doing it!, Font would be the place, good socialising, climbing and totty factors (buying pastrys and drooling over the staff!!!) make this the destination.
A coach can take you only so far, the rock can take you all the way, Man...

[i.munro]

Font would be the place, good socialising, climbing and totty factors (buying pastrys and drooling over the staff!!!) make this the destination.

That's the weird thing. I go to Bleau (sorry hate calling it the F word) quite a bit & hardly ever see anybody clinbing above about 6a. I do prefer the quieter areas (less polish less chalk) but still.

Whenever I've got talking to people about grades the conversation tends to end with them muttering "dur dur" & wandering off to leave me to it.

Only bloke I've seen climbing consistently harder than that was being followed around by a large group of very attractive young women & (unsuprisingly) seemed to prefer their converstaion to mine.

[slackline]

He could always turn you on to a different experience

   

[Idol eyes]

I Munro, RBG? Think I am working to one of you M.S. on the Elgin, if you is he...
Oui?

[i.munro]

I Munro, RBG? Think I am working to one of you M.S. on the Elgin, if you is he...
Oui?

Errrr Quoi? I suspect he's another one (for we are not rare) although mostly I've no idea what you're on about.

RBG? I know what RGB is? M.S? Elgin?

[Idol eyes]

Rig blast, Method Statement, Elgin Franklin, Rig Speak, Prison,,, I Munro, Originator of afore mentioned M.S. Not You, Sorry, Bye Bye,,,

[inn wislon]

I've just had a bonus at work (apparently this happens every  100 years, Woo Hoo) & fancy spending it on something climbing related.

Does anyone know of anyone who does climbing coaching either in the SE or Bleau? (I've tried to contact Neil Gresham via his website with no success)

Thanks

Ian

Did you try to contact him through this website????

http://www.climbingmasterclass.com/coaching.htm

[Yossarian]

I'm based in the South East.  You can pay to watch me and learn all about how not to do it...

[i.munro]

Did you try to contact him through this website????

http://www.climbingmasterclass.com/coaching.htm

Actually. he has since got back to me having got back from a roadtrip.