Chalking Up

Rock Climbing Newbs and Blogging Newbs*

The importance of chalking up! (in a climbing gym)

I like to call it washing my hands before climbing...like before eating. ;)  When I first started as a new climber, I didn't like to use chalk.  The texture of powder on my hands was a foreign feeling and something I didn't adapt to well.  It took awhile for me to understand why it's necessary.  I refused to own a chalk bag for the longest time.  One of the main reason was chalk can get everywhere, very similar to playa dust (for you burners.) 

As you start climbing more, you'll learn that gripping onto holds with sweaty palms and fingers can be uncomfortable.  Sweaty hands can grease up climbing holds and make it much more difficult to climb.  Climbing holds become more slippery and scary to grip.  On the other spectrum, it is also easy to over use chalk.  Have you ever seen a climber brushing a hold with a long stick and a brush on the end of it or a tooth brush?  It's because there's too much chalk on the climbing hold.  Chalk is caked on.  With a layer of chalk on the hold, your hand will have less contact and friction making the climb more difficult.  It takes time but you'll find that even balance.  Grab some chalk and climb!

*I'm new to this whole blogging so bare with me while I try to figure this out.