bouldering and hands

[dagibbs]

My usual Tuesday evening climbing partner is in Switzerland on holidays, so wasn't able to make it today. So, I spent the evening bouldering instead. Got my first "flapper" (from climbing), too.

Lately I've been finding climbing rough on my hands -- I've worked up to a level where far more of the holds are "crimps" (little ledges, with maybe a finger's-width of gripping space) rather than "jugs" (bigger holds where you can get your whole hand in). This tends to put a lot more stress on the finger muscles and tendons -- and I've been feeling it in my hands. But, today, with bouldering, far more of that is done on overhangs, which means back to jugs, but you're putting a lot more weight/stress on the hands from the jugs -- but in this case I'm feeling it in the skin, rather than joints/tendons. My hands are feeling far more abraded than they normally would have after an evening of climbing, though the tendons (so far) seem less stressed.

But, I definitely no longer have the soft-smooth hands of a knowledge worker. :)

Comments

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

What's a "flapper"?

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

When you rip up a flap of skin -- usually a callous -- exposing the nice tender hurty stuff underneath.

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

Ouchie. I found they heal fastest if you keep them clean and exposed to air as much as practical.