Who's Got You Back?

Whether it's indoor or outdoor, rock climbing can be dangerous; there's always a risk for falling which can be scary, especially at great heights. While it is possible to climb without another person's help (usually for outdoor climbing), two people are usually needed for indoor rock climbing. A belayer's job is to stop the climber's fall in case the climber looses his of her grip or slips. The belaying rope is connected to the climber's harness, and the same rope goes through the belay device which is connected to the belayer. Friction is the secret to the belay device's power; the friction the belay device creates is what stops the rope from moving, and it allows the belayer to control the rope.

I was searching on YouTube this week for videos that might help me understand belaying better, and I found Adam Barczak. He is a certified rock climbing instructor who has made a series of videos for beginner rock climbers. His earlier videos cover what I've already researched, but he has many more videos that cover techniques which will be helpful later on. His video on belaying shows how important it is for a belayer to know what to do for the sake of the climber. My mentor, Steven, also mentioned to me that you never want to go climbing without someone else who knows how to belay.

In another one of his videos, Adam talks about safety checks (towards end of the video). According to him there are 5 things you need to consider before leaving the ground: 

1) Harness: Make sure your harness is double backed. 

2) Rope: The belaying rope should go through two loops of your harness. 

3) Knot: The knot should be about a fist away from the harness.

4) Clean knot: Make sure the knot is tied properly. 

5) Tail: The tail of the knot should be twice the length of the knot. 

Apart from learning about safety and belaying, this week I made a checklist of everything I want to cover by the end of the semester. I've been able to check off "equipment," "belaying," and "safety." Next week, I'm going to take a step back and research the history and background of rock climbing (indoor and outdoor). I want to know why and how it became to be the popular sport it is today. I'm aiming to go to the gym before I start researching techniques which won't be for some weeks because I have some other topics I want to cover before that.