Experienced climbers

[NickinMids]

Its often said and would seem reasonable to accept, that to be a good climber takes about three to five years of experience after initial qualifying. I would like to ask the experienced people to elaborate on this. Is it just speed...better more confident balance/positioning.....more efficient planned progress through the tree..etc etc

 

The available books just give basic concepts.. and book wise what is there.?

 

Jep Jepson Tree climbers companion and To fell a Tree

 

The Art and Science of Practical Rigging

 

Guide to good climbing practice

 

There's no guides on techniques for tackling particular pruning or removal challenges....no videos of crown reductions etc Or is it just too subjective that only personal experience can teach

[Fredward]

Yeah I'm in my first year out of training, running my own small business and sub-contracting to other arb companys, one guy said that after about 18months working in big trees it just suddenly clicked and everything was smooth and easy. I guess everyone is different and it depends on what type of work you are doing.

 

I can get the job done but its only through sweat and tears!

 

I'm sure reading a book will be helpful but I don't think there is any substitute for graft unfortunately. Not always easy when you don't get given opportunities to climb because you are inexperienced, thats one reason I wanted to be self employed, sometimes I have to chuck myself in the deep end.

[Will Heal]

Art and science of practical rigging a very good book i had it, but lent it out never come back.

Best thing for learning rigging is a groundie who can do it well

 

 

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[Jammydogg]

Yeah I'm in my first year out of training, running my own small business and sub-contracting to other arb companys, one guy said that after about 18months working in big trees it just suddenly clicked and everything was smooth and easy. I guess everyone is different and it depends on what type of work you are doing.

 

I can get the job done but its only through sweat and tears!

 

I'm sure reading a book will be helpful but I don't think there is any substitute for graft unfortunately. Not always easy when you don't get given opportunities to climb because you are inexperienced, thats one reason I wanted to be self employed, sometimes I have to chuck myself in the deep end.

 

 

Agree totally there pal 👍

 

 

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[Joe Newton]

Each climb will bring experience. Watch how other climbers work if you can. Assess each job you do critically. Try and figure out where you could have been more efficient.

 

I also watch a lot of clips of reputable climbers, and glean tips and timesavers from this.

 

I'm a tad obsessed with being a fast climber. Sometimes I rush and have near misses. I try to learn from this too.

 

Simply put: if you want to be good, you can make it happen. It just won't be overnight.

 

 

N.B: I don't consider myself great. Not yet.

 

 

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[Rich Rule]

The fundamentals of general tree work and the working climber series of DVDs by Gerry Beranek are both excellent guides to more practical tree work. Lots of learning in there.

[Stephen Blair]

Forget books, :sneaky2:get up the trees.

Forget how you think a job should go, or if you feel clumsy, or could of been better. It isn't perfect, it's cutting lumps off of trees and getting them on the ground, with a few variations of the last bit, nothing more.

You have to do something 20,000 times before muscle memory kicks in I was told.

You need to be busy, don't stop at 4pm and head back to the yard, keep going, work until it's dark,work in the dark, drag a 46 up when you only need a top handle, that will make you strong and precise, maybe sounds a bit daft, but if you are out in all weathers , 7 days a week for months, kit falls apart, kit gets forgotten, files get lost, so you use what's there.

Top some privette hedges with an 88 and 3' bar, get into a street tree contract that changes season by the time you get to the end of it, you will be climbing in your sleep.

Cut the sleeves off your t shirt and just get stuck in:thumbup:

[Jammydogg]

Forget books, :sneaky2:get up the trees.

 

Forget how you think a job should go, or if you feel clumsy, or could of been better. It isn't perfect, it's cutting lumps off of trees and getting them on the ground, with a few variations of the last bit, nothing more.

 

You have to do something 20,000 times before muscle memory kicks in I was told.

 

You need to be busy, don't stop at 4pm and head back to the yard, keep going, work until it's dark,work in the dark, drag a 46 up when you only need a top handle, that will make you strong and precise, maybe sounds a bit daft, but if you are out in all weathers , 7 days a week for months, kit falls apart, kit gets forgotten, files get lost, so you use what's there.

 

Top some privette hedges with an 88 and 3' bar, get into a street tree contract that changes season by the time you get to the end of it, you will be climbing in your sleep.

 

Cut the sleeves off your t shirt and just get stuck in:thumbup:

 

 

I've tears running down my cheek 😂😂

 

 

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[Fredward]

I can't say I totally agree with the above statement, I believe that a good climb is based around planning, communication and energy saving. If it seems like really hard work, then you're probably not doing it right. A certain amount is strength and stamina, but you should aim to be energy efficient, even if you aren't at start - it is something you have to strive for to have ensure you have a lengthy career. An example might be using a rigging line to get a groundie to pull a saw up to you; wait, that's just lazy isn't it? But why give yourself more work when you're groundie is standing around getting a sore neck watching you?

 

You're body will break down eventually, and if you can get a few extra years out of it by being smart then that's great. Hopefully by the time it does fail, you'll be doing quotes and making the youngsters do the work, but theres a chance you wont be.

[Fredward]

And I'm not saying that you should be making other people do as much work as possible so that you don't have to, it was just an example. If you can spend 2 minutes putting a block in a position that allows a groundie to swing branches next to the chipper, then that saves him dragging for 5 minutes, wasting energy. Its part of being efficient. But being efficient doesn't always mean fast, it can mean saving you and your co-workers energy.

 

Speed will come, planning is important.

 

Steve is right, it is cutting lumps off of trees, but sometimes it's more than that; quite often it's more than that, to me anyway.