Michael Dang outlines his journey in rock climbing from casual to competitive, starting with his first experiences and progress through various grades. He details his training regimen, milestones achieved over the years, and the transition into competitive climbing. Currently, he is preparing for a national competition while aiming to reach new climbing grades and expresses appreciation for the sport's accessibility.

1. Climbing Steps: From
Casual to Competitive
Michael Dang

2. Why Rock Climbing?
• Loved to climb higher
1. Climbed a tree?
2. Did monkey bars in jungle gyms?
3. Walked the higher ledges along sidewalks?
• Climbing Firsts
 First time climbing at university 40 ft. wall
 First gym was Seattle Bouldering Project in Seattle, WA
• Wanted to be join a consistent after-work sport
 Not interested in weight lifting gyms
 Breakdancing was too far and hard to schedule
 Climbing has V-Scale and new problems weekly!

3. Milestones (Mileage May Vary)
• Power/Weight Ratio
• General Fitness
• Movement and Physicality

4. Starting Point
• Athletic background
 Breakdancing
 Hip Hop Choreo
 Parkour
 Skinny
• V2 to V3ish range
Lessons
• Watched competitions and technique videos every day
• Watched better climbers do their thing
 Elegant and slow
 Static
 Purposeful movements

5. First Two Weeks:
V2 Consistent, V3-ish
• “Climbed” every day for 2 weeks straight
• Movements
 Short
 Locked arms
 Hopping feet
• Session Status
 1-2 hours
 Lots of flappers and blisters
 Weak tendons
 Quickly “pumped” arms
 Sessions end with sore body, no grip

6. First Month:
First V4, Overhang V0-V1
• Movements
• Session Status
 2 hours
 Fewer flappers
 Sessions end when grip disappears
Heel Hooks Drop Knees High Steps

7. Second Month:
First V5, Overhang V3-ish
• Movements
 One finger-pad crimps
 Slopers more accessible
 Open hand
 Extensions
 Dead hangs
• Session Status
 2 hours
 Slower warmups
 Very few or no flappers
 Sessions now end when skin is feeling raw

8. Fourth Month:
First V6, Overhang V4-V5
• Movements
• Session Status
 3 hours
 Fingers starting to tweak
Campus’ing Dynamic Movement

9. First Year:
First V7
• Climbed outside for the first time at Goldbar, WA
 No coloured holds, feet, nor ergonomic
• Movements
• Session Status
 3-4 hours
One-Two’s Bicycles

10. Second Year:
First V8
• Movements
 POGOs
 Breathing
 Visualization
• Session Status
 4 hours

11. By Fourth Year:
First V9
• Logging climbs with MyClimb
• Competing in CA Comps:
 Touchstone Climbing Series,
Planet Granite Bloc Party, Vertex
Climbing, Bridges Boulder Bash
• Started Training
• Movements
 Step Dyno
• Session Status
 4-5 hours

12. Transition to Competitive Scene
• Goal to climb competently at nationals
• Styles
 Redpoint
 Onsight
• Strategies
 Warming up
 Watching others climb first
 Finding your flashing level
 Pacing, especially for placing in finals

13. Training + Results
• Beginning to plateau
 Good movements
 Single-move blocks
 Crimps + Pinches + Lock-offs
• Weighted hangs
 High Intensity Interval Training
 Crimps + Pinches
• Campus board
 Power + Lockoffs
• Redpoint practice
• Gymnastic rings and weights
• Rice bucket
Results
TCS: Ironworks – 19th
TCS: Metalmark – 8th
PG Bloc Party: Sunnyvale – 13th
PG Bloc Party: Belmont – 10th
Vertex Climbing – 10th
TCS: Pipeworks – 9th
PG Bloc Party: San Francisco – 18th
Bridges Boulder Bash – 9th
TCS: Dogpatch – Saturday, Nov. 21st

14. What I’m Currently Doing
• Training for the final competition
• Nationals in January (maybe)
• Aiming to hit first V10 by the end of the year
• Outdoor Climbing
 Yosemite
 Bishop
• Planning a trip to Hueco Tanks next year!

15. What I Appreciate About Climbing
• Universally Accessible
 Age
 Country
 Economic status
 Biological sex
 https://youtu.be/t_2udXmARoQ?t=49

16. Q & A