What am I doing wrong?

[Nutcracker]

Hi folks,

Getting a bit long in the tooth for this lark but I only climb for fun these days. I started out 51 years ago with a rope and harness and our tree gang used to fight over who got one of the carabiners (there were only two between half a dozen climbers)!

 

About 20 years later I was introduced to SRT which I used for climbing really tall trees, then reverted to doubled rope when working in the tree (for the most part).

 For SRT I used a Croll, chest harness and hand ascender with two foot loops attached and frogged up the rope. I was only shown once how to use it and never had any feedback regarding technique. Anyway it got me up trees OK for the best part of 30 years. I always fancied giving rope running a go but when I first tried it I didn’t get on with it.

Recently I bought a foot ascender and watched a few videos of people ascending using one in conjunction with a croll and hand ascender. Tried it out today and I’m really unhappy with the result. Basically I seem to be using my arms just as much and my body position is not vertical but more like the sitting down / standing up position in frogging. 
I know it’s hard to judge without seeing someone in action, but I’m hoping someone had similar experience when they first tried rope running.

Wondering if I need a chest tether or if I’ve just got so used to frogging that I can’t unlearn it. 

 

[Dan Maynard]

Have you got a knee ascender? I don't have a hand ascender, just foot and knee so it's two legs providing the drive.

[Steve Bullman]

Can you share the video you referred to? From your description it sounds like you are still using very outdated SRT methods. Things have changed drastically in the past 10 years or so.

[Nutcracker]

Good idea to post the videos that I’m referring to so I’ll try to attach them here. The set up is virtually identical to the one I’m trying out.

 

 

I’m not using a knee ascender - if I can ascend like these guys I may get one later.

[Nutcracker]

Hi Dan

As you can see from the videos both legs are used, but for some reason I can’t seem to walk up in the same fashion. Just been out and tried a chest tether but it was so uncomfortable I couldn’t climb with it. Having watched the videos again I see that neither of them is using one.

As this is mostly recreational I don’t want to splash out on a load of new gear when I have everything in the featured set ups.

 

Thanks to you and Steve for your replies,

 

hopefully we can work out where I’m going wrong

[Joe Newton]

Using a toothed ascender as your primary attachment to the rope is a pretty bad idea for tree work. Use a climbing device in place of the croll, and turn the croll until a knee ascender. Sorted. 

[Nutcracker]

Hi Joe

I’m only using the croll to climb the rope not for working in the tree. I think it’s the old cavers technique for ascending a rope and I don’t want to spend hundreds on mechanical devices or rope wrench etc.

The problem that I have is to do with my body position whilst ascending and I can’t see that changing the croll for something else will change that - just cost me a load of money.

Maybe I just need to keep plugging away and work out what they’re doing in the videos that I’m not getting right.

[Rich Rule]

Imagine you are pedalling a bike backwards.  Keep you heels under your but.   It stops the rope kicking out but also keeps you a bit more upright.  Just use a sling as a chest tether.  Or a length of cord.  Twist at the back and put it on like a rucksack and clip the two loops in front of you with a krab.  Again it will keep you a bit more upright.  

[Nutcracker]

Thanks Rich

Some good advice, I’ve left a line in a big oak next to the house so I’ll try again tomorrow. I think crabbing up the rope for so many years is proving a hindrance when trying to learn a different technique.

[Rich Rule]

Being upright as possible converts the energy upwards from the legs rather than more out in front if your leaning too far back.