Catherine Hudson's IB CAS Blog

I was very excited to go climbing again and try a move that I had seen another girl do yesterday on the V5 route I was working on last week. When I was at the climbing gym yesterday, another girl was attempting to climb this same route and was getting stuck at the same point. We took turns trying out the climb and also observing each other’s climbs to see if we could either learn anything or offer tips to the other person. I noticed that I had been grabbing onto the nearest tiny hold with my right hand and then matching the other tiny hold with my left hand while the girl grabbed the first hold with her left hand and then crossed her right arm under her left and grabbed the other hold. In this crossed position she was able to control her body from swinging off the wall and had a tighter grip. I immediately tried her way after and was able to hold on for longer than before. What I really like about the climbing community at Momentum is that everyone is so willing to help each other and ...

Today is the first day of my CAS Project! I have decided to challenge myself to send a V5 route. Over the past year and a half, I have really gotten into bouldering at my local indoor climbing gym. I now go every Saturday and Sunday and just climb at a leisurely pace. I can consistently send the blue V3s and V4s but have not yet attempted a V5 just because they seem so intimidating. However, last climbing session, my sister who climbs at the same level as me, was trying a V5 so I decided to make this a goal. As I become a more experienced climber, walls that I would have never thought to attempt previously now seem like a challenging yet feasible climb. The first V5 route that I tried was on the back wall at Momentum Indoor Climbing. You start with your arms wide apart with your left foot on a hold right next to your left hand. You then have to simultaneously push off your left foot and move your left hand to a hole above. I had to try this movement multiple times to get my left hand i...