2003/01/21
Climbing time.. Well, I've been to the NUS climbing center at the university three times now. I guess it's about time that I write something about it. Many of you have been victims of my wall-climbing hobbies in New York city, and have been subjected to climb with me. So you know what it is like in New York. There are some pictures in my picture logs if you haven't seen them.
Here's a sample.
Whereas the walls in New York are really more for climbing, the climbing wall at the University (well they use the term "uni" like Australians do) is really more for bouldering here. There doesn't seem to be many people who climb. In fact yesterday was the third time I've been to the climbing gym and the first time I saw someone who wanted to climb. But still very interesting. Lots of people, and a higher proportion of exchange students there, in comparison to the rest of the campus. The best climbers here are the local Singaporean men; who are pretty thin but muscular. Although they are more into just trying strength moves, the women here seem to be better at actually sticking to the wall... Will have to take pictures one of these days.
There is a 3 storied textured wall that is actually used for climbing (it has anchors for fixed lines and belaying) whereas the rest of the gym is mostly for traverses and roof climbs. There seems to be a fairly easy 5.8-5.9-ish route that goes around the entire climbing room (yes, all four walls of the room have climbing holds). That isn't to say that I have been able to do it. There is a section that is all roof (about 10 to 60 degrees from vertical) and that is pretty difficult. The rest of it can't be that bad. I'll have to let you know.
That said, the boudering problems lend themselves to strength training rather than balance and practicing on crimpy holds. There are more surfaces in the gym that are inclined as roofs (inverted) rather than inclined as a mountain. Later in the month I hope to go visit the Dairy Farm, one of the few places in Singapore that you can climb outside. This place I understand is frequented quite often, I guess somewhat like Rat Rock and Cat Rock in Central Park in New York.
More Later...
Here's a sample.
Whereas the walls in New York are really more for climbing, the climbing wall at the University (well they use the term "uni" like Australians do) is really more for bouldering here. There doesn't seem to be many people who climb. In fact yesterday was the third time I've been to the climbing gym and the first time I saw someone who wanted to climb. But still very interesting. Lots of people, and a higher proportion of exchange students there, in comparison to the rest of the campus. The best climbers here are the local Singaporean men; who are pretty thin but muscular. Although they are more into just trying strength moves, the women here seem to be better at actually sticking to the wall... Will have to take pictures one of these days.
There is a 3 storied textured wall that is actually used for climbing (it has anchors for fixed lines and belaying) whereas the rest of the gym is mostly for traverses and roof climbs. There seems to be a fairly easy 5.8-5.9-ish route that goes around the entire climbing room (yes, all four walls of the room have climbing holds). That isn't to say that I have been able to do it. There is a section that is all roof (about 10 to 60 degrees from vertical) and that is pretty difficult. The rest of it can't be that bad. I'll have to let you know.
That said, the boudering problems lend themselves to strength training rather than balance and practicing on crimpy holds. There are more surfaces in the gym that are inclined as roofs (inverted) rather than inclined as a mountain. Later in the month I hope to go visit the Dairy Farm, one of the few places in Singapore that you can climb outside. This place I understand is frequented quite often, I guess somewhat like Rat Rock and Cat Rock in Central Park in New York.
More Later...
