Heather Weidner – Intro to Sport Climbing

Heather Weidner – Intro to Sport Climbing

What You’ll Get:

World-renowned professional climber Heather Weidner will teach you the fundamentals of sport climbing in this 8-week online course. From proper belaying and cleaning anchors, to safe leading and mastering efficient movement, Intro to Sport Climbing takes the guesswork out of exploring the exciting world of sport climbing.

Intro to Sport Climbing

Learn how to sport climb with one of the best sport climbers in the world: Heather Weidner. Climbing Magazine partnered with Heather in the 8-week online course Intro to Sport Climbing, which will take you through all the fundamentals, from the gear you need, to how to safely belay, to how to lead, to how to fall, and so much more. Whether you’ve only ever climbed in the gym and are ready to take it outside, have never climbed at all, or want to refresh your skills, this online class will teach you the fundamentals to climb efficiently, be safer, and maximize your fun.

1) Sport-Specific Gear

• Primary Gear (Shoes, Harness, Rope, Chalk Bag, Chalk, Quickdraws, Locking Carabiner, Belay Device)
• Accessories (Rope Bag, Brush, Helmet, Belay Glasses, Belay Gloves)

2) Knots

• Common Sport-Climbing Knots (Figure Eight Retraced, Figure Eight on a Bight, Clove Hitch, Overhand, Double Bowline with Overhand, Double Overhand Stopper)
• When and How Different Knots Are Used

3) Belaying

• Proper Belay Technique
• Belaying with a Tube-Style Device
• Belaying with an Assisted-Braking Device
• Dynamic Belaying

4) Anchors

• Assessing Anchor Safety
• Cleaning Anchors

5) Climbing Technique

• Overall Technique
• Climbing Efficiently
• Lower-Body Techniques (drop knee, heel hook, toe hook, stemming, frog, cross body, and more)
• Upper-Body Techniques (lockoff, straight arm, mantel, crimps, pinch, finger lock, gaston, and more)

6) Toproping

• Rope Awareness
• Lowering Techniques
• Following
• Proper Belaying
• Cleaning the Route

7) Leading

• Stick Clipping
• Clipping Technique
• Rope Management
• Communicating with Belayer
• Cleaning Draws
• Falling Technique
• Managing Fear

8) Redpointing and Onsighting

• Listening to Your Body
• Practicing Moves
• Visualizing Success
• Being Adaptable

How This Course Works?

We know you have a busy schedule, so we’ve designed this course to be taken at your own pace. You’ll learn through a variety of interactive formats, including video instruction, photo descriptions, and more. These cumulative lessons will provide a sport-climbing foundation and push you further. While we’ve designed the course to be 8 weeks long, you can take it at your own pace. Plus, once you purchase the course, you own the lessons forever.

INSTRUCTOR

Heather Weidner is a professional rock climber currently living in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, Chris, and dog, Charley. A Las Vegas native, Heather started climbing in college while studying veterinary medicine at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. But, after five years as a small-animal general practitioner, she left the vet life behind to climb full time. Her most notable ascents include Stockboy’s Revenge, (5.14b) in Rifle, Colorado, and China Doll (5.14a R) on gear in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. When she’s not climbing she loves doing yoga, cooking vegetarian meals, reading, and hiking with her dog.