Author: Aaron

Benefits of Indoor Climbing for Kids

Posted on by Aaron

Benefits of Indoor Climbing for Kids – There are more than you might think!

Are you searching for a type of activity for your kids that will help increase their confidence, problem solving skills, and you can even do it as a family?

Indoor rock climbing might just be the thing you’ve been searching for.

First, there are two types of climbing to be aware of.

  1. Rope Climbing: This type of climbing uses a harness and a rope.  The walls are typically higher and you will often need a belay partner to hold the rope while the climber scales the wall.
  2. Bouldering: This type of climbing has no ropes.  The walls are typically lower and the bouldering area is equipped with mats designed to support climbers as they come off the wall.

Climbing is an amazing activity for children that not only builds physical strength and fortitude but helps navigate mental challenges both on and off the wall.

Let’s explore some of the biggest benefits climbing can offer your kids.

1. Climbing builds confidence

No matter if you’re a kid or an adult, nothing boosts confidence and self-esteem quite like climbing. This is especially true if your child is afraid of heights, and battling these fears will provide the skills they need to overcome mental and physical struggles throughout life. Climbing teaches us persistence in the face of adversity.  Who doesn’t need a little more of that?

2. Climbing increases strength and flexibility

Because climbing is a full-body activity, it’s a great way to enhance overall physical fitness. Your child will exercise their core, legs, arms, and even the tiny muscles in their hands that provide some serious grip strength. Endurance is also a big part of climbing, especially as kids progress to longer and more technically difficult routes.

3. Climbing improves hand, foot, and eye coordination

Climbing is a full-body activity that incorporates every major muscle group and appendage. It also requires full body coordination and cross body patterning unlike any other sport. When your child climbs, they learn to evaluate the route and then determine how to move their body and use their hands, feet and core to reach the top.

4. Climbing enhances problem solving skills

Climbing is as much of a mental game as it is a physical feat.

As they climb more they’ll learn how to mentally map out the most efficient ways to navigate the holds. These problem solving and planning skills can easily transfer to everyday life.

5. Bouldering with friends and family.

Bouldering in particular is known to be a very social sport.  Since you can climb solo or in a group it opens the door to many different social styles.  It is wonderful to explore as a family.  Show your kids how physical fitness can be fun with a little family bonding on the side. It might be scary and intimidating at first, but with persistence and practice you’ll all be scaling walls in no time.

Field Trips

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School group outing? Sports team gathering? No matter what the occasion, LCC is the place! With our indoor mezzanine or outdoor patio, we can accommodate your event for every season. We offer over 15,000 square feet of climbing space with climbs to challenge any level of climber from beginner to pro. Each field trip includes the use of LCC for up to 4 hours.

Cost:
$175 for up to 10 climbers (includes shoe rental)
$15 per climber after 10
$50 add-on to work with one of our expert climbing coaches for 1 hour.

* If you are scheduling for youth climbers, there must be a 5:1 adult to climber ratio for the field trip duration.

Contact LCC at [email protected] or call 720-340-3640to schedule your event today!

Summer training mindset

Posted on by Aaron

Here’s my perspective on summer training for 2021. Picture last year as a garden hose with a kink in it. Picture the water inside the hose as stuff to do. The hose was kinked, and all the stuff to do was stuck inside.

Then, right about the start of this summer, the hose finally unkinked. All the stuff to do rushed forth in a glorious deluge—traveling here, climbing there, camping over yonder, family visiting next weekend, friends coming in town the week after that. Sound familiar?

These days, the littlest thing seems wildly entertaining. I had a margarita in a bar last week and felt like a king in a castle. In a summer as unique as this one, even I am willing to admit that maybe training can take a backseat for a few weeks to allow us the time to catch up on what we’ve been missing.

But what about the progress we’ve made in our training since last spring? I’ve personally seen many people make amazing progress in their training during the last 18 months. I’ve seen people work hard and crack through to the next level. It would be a shame to have to re-do all of that work.

So on the one hand we have this real need to reengage with the world and the people in it, and that takes up a lot of time. On the other hand, time marches on, and we feel a responsibility to not throw away the progress we’ve made. Spend time with people or spend time in the gym—which one to choose?

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose. One of the great lessons you can learn from working with a coach is this: real training is cyclical. You have phases of training for building and phases for maintenance. Now may be the time for maintenance.

Summer Maintenance Template

 “Plurality should not be posited without necessity.”

—William of Ockham

Below is a general outline of a 2 x per week maintenance program that will take less than an hour, and will ensure that you don’t find yourself rebuilding everything from scratch this winter.

The big thing with maintenance training is this: you need a very short menu of exercises. We’re talking Ockham’s Razor here—as simple as it can get, but no simpler. I will suggest some movements to plug into the plan, but if you have goals with particular exercises, feel free to insert them in the proper spot. Pick ONE movement for each category, and study the movements for the rest of the summer.

The Menu
Movement Pattern Exercise Reps Per Set
Push Kettlebell Press 3-5
Hinge Kettlebell Swing 5-10
Pull Pullup 3-5
Squat Double Kettlebell Front Squat 3-5
Core Turkish Getup 1 per side

 

The Plan
Pick ONE exercise from each category.
Train twice per week, with at least 1 rest day in between.
Do the exercises in a big circuit—Press, Swing, Pullup, Front Squat, Getup.
Do 3-5 circuits. Rest however long you want to in between exercises.
Always leave at least 2 reps in the tank—this is a maintenance plan!
If you find that you can easily complete the higher end of the rep range with a given weight, try the next weight up and keep toward the lower end of the rep range. But don’t worry about driving up the weight right now.

 

Here’s the great thing about a maintenance plan: you get the opportunity to practice the movements. Yes, I talk about this a lot.

When you take a moment to quit worrying about the weight, you learn some interesting things.

You learn that if you focus hard enough on the details, a light(ish) weight feels a lot heavier than it does when you’re feeding your ego with histrionics.

You learn that maybe you were overlooking some details in the name of self-flagellation.

You learn that you have things to learn. Happens to me all the time.

In a few months, you’ll look up and see snow on the ground. It will be time to train hard again. You will be very pleased with yourself for having taken the time to maintain your levels from the previous winter. This winter, you’ll build upon those levels, aided by the newfound insights gained from studying movement.

Next summer, you’ll already know what to do.

Indoor climbing offers many benefits

Posted on by Aaron

Whether you’re a seasoned climber who’s hit a plateau at 5.11 or fairly new to the game and hoping to get strong enough to head outside, Longmont Climbing Collective offers indoor climbing that is focused on helping climbers reach their goals and get to new levels of the sport.

While the state of Colorado has literally thousands of routes and everything from alpine and ice climbing to trad, sport and bouldering, sometimes the best way to get stronger and increase your climbing skill level is to head to the gym. Plus you don’t even need to leave Longmont.

Climbing Gym Benefits

“It will get you stronger for outdoor climbing and that’s basically a proven fact, but one of the best parts of it is how efficient it is,” said Chrissy Vadovszki, a head coach at LCC. “We all live these really busy lives so you can get a good workout really quickly.”

Vadovszki says skipping the long drive to a wall can be game changing. Instead of only being able to make it outside on the weekends, the convenience of climbing gyms makes a huge difference for anyone looking to focus on specific skill sets when you may only have an hour or two after a long work day.

She says another benefit is that the controlled environment can be safer whether that’s a guaranteed floor mat below, or a little more efficient if your goal is to improve something like finger strength.

Patrick Bodnar, another coach at the Longmont climbing gym, agrees with how the controlled indoor climbing environment can be beneficial for those looking to improve the mental aspect of their climbing.

“I think climbing indoors is a great way to get in your headspace and get comfortable trying hard, you know obviously to get your sea legs,” said Bodnar. “And then obviously it’s a great way to build a little bit of strength and endurance in a controlled environment.”

Getting Stronger

Step one for any climber looking to improve is to figure out what they need to work on.

“Knowing what to work on requires a lot of self reflection or potentially even coaching,” said Vadovszki. “But if you can work on your weaknesses inside whatever it might be it’s really time efficient.”

Anyone who feels stuck can look at LCC’s climbing courses for adults. From there, you can then use the different types of climbing in the gym, whether that’s slab or finger pockets, to help build on your climbing foundation. Vadvoszki says knowing the kind of climbing you want to work on can be key, and as Bodnar mentions, unlike the outside, gyms are able to provide multiple different styles of routes.

“I think we’re super lucky climbing in the gym because you have a million different styles you might not encounter all the time outside,” said Bodnar. “But it’s really cool to check out them all in the gym.”

From there, climbers can efficiently use even small amounts of time to focus on things like building up core strength on overhangs, better footwork on slab, using a hangboard to build finger strength or running laps on a route to increase endurance.

“For example if you aren’t very good at climbing on overhangs, there’s plenty of boulders at the gym plus you can use our boards and crank them back,” said Vodvoszki. “You can really work with your weaknesses and isolate them. That’s kind of hard to do outside.”

Another proven way to get stronger with indoor climbing is to actually get off the wall and vary your exercise routine. Simple changes to your workout can help you get over the spot where you feel like you have plateaued, plus it avoids overuse of the same muscles which can lead to injuries. Changing up your routine is also mentally good for you with learning new skills and avoiding burnout.

To do this, climbers can focus on building muscle in fitness classes, whether that’s by lifting weights or expanding their cardio. You can also increase your mental game with both focus and balance by checking out a yoga class.

Translating Indoor Skills to Climbing Outside

The best part of the skills learned at the indoor climbing gym is being able to take them back outside. Whether you’re a long time climber, or you’re making your first jump to bouldering outside.

“I definitely think getting comfortable falling and learning how to fall consistently and not hurt yourself is a great practice in the gym before you head outside,” said Bodnar.

Both Bodnar and Vodvoszki say the social aspect of the gym can also help climbers find friends and mentors to climb with both inside and outside, which can help climbers learn proper techniques and new ways to look at problems by working on routes with different partners. Plus veteran climbers often have the safety skills needed to head outside.

“Don’t start alone,” said Bodnar. “Make sure you have someone with you who’s making sure you’re climbing safe and obviously climbing with friends and mentors is more fun anyway.”

Meet the Ladies Behind LCC

Posted on by Aaron

March is Women's History Month and we’d like to introduce you to some of the #LadiesBehindLCC that have devoted themselves to bettering our community.

Shauna Hylenski

Q: What's your role at LCC?

A: Founder, Program Director, Yoga Instructor, Mom (unofficially)

Q: How have you helped the LCC community?

A: I think I help bring a balanced perspective to our programs and business. I have an education background as well as being a dance and yoga teacher for the last 10 years. I love how our business blends climbing, yoga and fitness and how they all support each other - just like our community. I'm really proud that at LCC we have created a culture of mutual respect and support between employees, teachers, coaches and leaders which feels pretty amazing all around.⠀

Q: Any big goals for 2021? Personal or related to the gym.⠀

A: One of my goals is to continue to learn and practice the harmonium and kirtan singing. I started this during the pandemic and have totally fallen in love. I'm thankful to my Tuesday Night yoga students for being my "sivasana audience" (no one has gotten up to leave - yet). I am also really excited to start teaching Advanced Teacher Training again. We lead our first round at Shri Studios in 2019/2020 and are getting ready to launch another training in September of 2021.

Q: Are there any women who inspire you, in or out of LCC, that you'd like to give a shout-out to?

A: My daughter Hana constantly inspires me with her caring and authentic nature. I very much admire Janet Stone who is a beloved teacher and powerful force in the yoga world. I also need to show some love to our amazing yoga teachers. Gina Matranga, Amanda Rabatin, Kylie O'Connor, Heather Hottovy, Lyndsi Fajkus and Kevin Flynn. These teachers created some serious, steady ground for our community during the pandemic closer and beyond. I am so incredibly grateful for them and their love and dedication to Shri and LCC.

Kylie O’Connor

Q: What's your role at LCC?

A: Yoga Instructor and Trainer

Q: How have you helped the LCC community?

A: I believe that I bring a unique approach to my teaching and training that not only promotes body awareness but that encourages that often lost sense of “play” and exploration.

The supportive, encouraging and authentic nature of this community are what make this not only possible- but FUN.

Q: Any big goals for 2021? Personal or related to the gym.

A: My goal for 2021 is to keep with the ability to evolve and adapt that we all began to master in 2020. I strive to continue to learn, grow and improve in my ability to provide the best training and teaching experience possible for my students/clients. I hope to find even more ways to share the movement and mobility styles that I am so passionate about. A personal goal is to continue to grow my small wood working business and do more wood burning projects!

Q: Are there any women who inspire you, in or out of LCC, that you'd like to give a shout-out to?

A: I honestly couldn’t name just a couple if I tried. All of the women of LCC deserve a shout out. It is a constant source of motivation to see so many strong and dedicated women within one community. I'm inspired daily by my fellow team members here and grateful for the powerful energy they project!

Meagan Campbell

Q: What's your role at LCC?

A: Director of Customer Service & Retail Operations

Q: How have you helped the LCC community?

A: I've done pretty much every job at LCC - taught yoga, taught fitness classes, painted walls, coached kids, vacuumed mats… But now I mostly help to bridge the gap between our members and the rest of the management team, to advocate for the needs and wishes of our community. I love that a huge part of my job is hanging out and getting to know our people! I ensure that our team is prepared to give everyone that walks in the door the best experience possible. But most importantly - I'm responsible for providing the sweet, sweet brews upstairs!

Q: Any big goals for 2021? Personal or related to the gym.

A: I always have climbing and fitness goals - besides my ever-growing list of routes to do this year I'd also love to see how many lines I can lead on only tricams, just for the tomfoolery of it all. Professionally I'm excited to work on our social mission with Shauna, creating more avenues for people to enjoy our gym. 2020 was about survival for LCC, and I look forward to 2021 being about thriving and growing.

Q: Are there any women who inspire you, in or out of LCC, that you'd like to give a shout-out to?

A: The list is so long - all the badass female climbers that are kicking butt and taking names in a sport that's still male-dominated, all the moms of the world (the hardest and most important job!), but most of all I'm grateful for my friends that continually help me find my own voice and way in the world by being loud and proud in their own voices.

Christine Vadovszki

Q: What's your role at LCC?

Head Climbing Coach of Youth Team, Performance Climbing Coach for classes/private clients

Q: How have you helped the LCC community?⠀

A: I've been a part of LCC's coaching team since the very beginning and have coached everything from Kinder Club to our competitive team to advanced adult classes.

Q: Any big goals for 2021? Personal or related to the gym.

A: I am always working to grow as a climber, coach and person. I have some outdoor sport climbing projects I hope to put down this year.

Q: Are there any women who inspire you, in or out of LCC, that you'd like to give a shout-out to?⠀

A: All of my female friends inspire me.

LCC is now 5 Star Certified

Posted on by Aaron

Longmont Climbing Collective is proud to be announced as one of Boulder Counties first 5 Star Certified businesses for following enhanced COVID-19 protocols. The Colorado 5 Star State Certification Program enables businesses that meet enhanced safety guidelines to open at greater capacity. At this time, in order to be extra cautious, we’ve limited our capacity to 75 which is below what we’re legally able to do. This is a voluntary program is for businesses that have gone above and beyond to keep their communities safe. The certification involves 53 criteria and we are pleased to report that we scored a perfect 100%.

A recent article in The Longmont Leader features pictures of staff and members as well as Bryan Hylenski, LCC’s General Manager and Co-founder, talking about the program and what we’re doing to promote safety. Quoting from the article:

“The certification process was straightforward and the partners charged with the creation of the program have done an effective job, Hylenski said. ‘(Throughout the pandemic) I’ve dealt with the state, the state’s attorney office, the county, the city of Longmont, and hands down Boulder County and the committee that put this together... we’re working 24 hours a day to get this up and running,’ he said.”

We’re going to keep working to be 5 star certified, promote safety and expand capacity in carefully considered way in accordance with the guidelines. If you want to read more about our safety protocols click here. Finally, and most importantly, as a member of our community, we want to thank you for supporting the gym and following the safety guidelines. We couldn’t do this with YOU!

5 star certified

New Year Goals

Posted on by Aaron

"There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto."
—Cormac McCarthy

It's the start of a new year, and if you haven’t written out a list of 2021 goals yet, I’ll bet it’s at least crossed your mind. Goals are great—without them who knows the degree to which we might just float through life. Without them, would we even be human?

When they first teach trainers the tricks of the trade, they teach you to help your clients set S.M.A.R.T Goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. Makes sense. Especially from the trainer’s perspective. Once your client sets a S.M.A.R.T. goal, the clock is ticking. If you’re a good coach, and the client does all the stuff you tell them to do, great! You hit the goal, you check it off the list. On to the next.

In my time as Head Trainer at Longmont Climbing Collective, I’ve had the honor to be a part of several stories like this. From breaking into the next climbing grade, to hitting a deadlift PR by the end of the year, to fitting into that old pair of jeans. Seeing people hit their goals is The Best part about coaching. But when you hit the goal, it begs the question: now what?

That’s the thing. More than once, I’ve seen goal-oriented people sort of…run out of goals. We set personal record after personal record, and then one day the shine wears off. At that point, it can be difficult as the coach to convince this driven person that it’s about the journey, not the destination. None of this is to say that I don’t think we should all have goals. We should. But what if instead of starting with S.M.A.R.T. goals, we started with S.T.U.P.I.D. goals:

  • Spectacular
  • Theoretically possible
  • Unbound from time
  • Personal
  • I couldn’t think of anything for “I.”
  • Dream-worthy

Spectacular. This is according to your own opinion. Climb double-digit boulders, deadlift triple bodyweight, still be training hard when you’re “elderly.” You get the idea.

Theoretically Possible. While the goal should be grand, it should still be theoretically possible for you. It might be a long shot, but it could happen. For example, “climb Denali” works, but “learn magic” doesn’t.

Unbound From Time. If you’re used to setting time-bound goals—shredded abs by summer!—it can be wholly refreshing to embrace a goal that you hope to hit “someday.”

Personal. This one is simple. This is your goal. Don’t set it according to anyone else’s opinion. What do you want out of life?

I Couldn’t Think Of Anything For I. That is all.

Dream-Worthy. What gets you going? Wouldn’t it be awesome if _________? Fill in the blank with something that you daydream about and then read the next section.

So now we have a goal that we might achieve, something that can guide us for years. Training sessions (if applicable) are now waypoints on a journey, instead of dramaturgical performances that exist for the glorification of our own achievements. We have embraced the moment, are enjoying the feeling of using our bodies in conjunction with our minds, and have let go of the need to push toward some arbitrary thing happening at an arbitrary time. Through the application of the S.T.U.P.I.D framework, our goals can serve as North stars, guiding our choices for years. Now we can get smart.

This is when you apply the S.M.A.R.T goals concept within a larger, more meaningful framework. Start working backward from your goal until you get to where you’re currently at. Like this:
Goal - deadlift 505 pounds.
Prerequisites - 455, 405, 365, 315… and so on.

Now the most important part: start where you’re at! Be honest with yourself and maybe even be a little conservative about where to start. Write it down, talk about it with your friends, make a plan. Will you need help? A coach, guide or instructor can greatly expedite this whole process (it’s what we do for a living). Are there books you can read to gather the knowledge required to progress toward the goal? Get into it!

Of course, you will not progress toward such lofty goals as these in a straight line. If that was the case, we’d all be climbing double-digit boulders and benching 3 plates. Two steps forward, one step back, juke move, three steps forward—that’s usually how it goes down in real life.

Don’t worry too much about when you will achieve the goal, just enjoy having something to work on. I think I’ve said this before, but enjoy the process—it’s all there is.

—Taylor Rimmer

Longtucky Showdown 2020 Wrap-up

Posted on by Aaron

That’s a wrap! The 2020 Longtucky Showdown is over and we can’t stop reminiscing (and rewatching the Finals livestream video, available here). It was a unique and exciting new take on our annual bouldering competition, with each competitor climbing in one of five 90-minute windows to ensure social distancing. Masks didn’t seem to hold our competitors back one bit, as they floated all the hard moves we could throw at them. Women’s Open finalist Stephanie Celommi even paused in a kneebar during finals to fix her mask before climbing on!

Men's Open

Congratulations to Hank Gaylord for winning our Men’s Open category. Hank took ample time to brush the huge, pink slopers before cruising through our steep Men’s Open finals problem. Toe hooks, insane core tension, and pure accuracy when completing big moves earned Hank the flash. Hank won a $250 cash prize and a lifetime membership to the Longmont Climbing Collective. Derek New took second place, winning a $200 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Everett Sloane took third place, winning a $100 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Jack Martinus took fourth place, winning a pair of Butora climbing shoes and a 5-punch pass.

Women's Open

Congratulations to Emily Herdic for winning our Women’s Open category. Emily rolled through shouldery moves and wrestled massive purple slopers before locking into a right kneebar and controlling a slick, undercling finish. She and Kylie both flashed our Women’s Open finals problem, sending them into overtime to battle for a highpoint on the Men’s Open finals problem. After already crushing hard boulder problems for hours on end, Kylie and Emily fought on more huge slopers until Emily reached the roof section (about halfway through our Men’s problem), securing first place in her category. Emily won a $250 cash prize and a lifetime membership to the Longmont Climbing Collective. Kylie Szilagyi took second place, winning a $200 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Stephanie Celommi took third place, winning a $100 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Melissa Caid took fourth place, winning a pair of Butora climbing shoes and a 5-punch pass.

Youth Competition

Congratulations to Lukas Davis for winning our Male Youth category. After taking a large portion of his limited finals time to brush holds and strategize, Lukas floated through bubble wrap slopers, kicked into the volume (a dynamic move that he turned static), and took a moment to rest before making the huge jump move to the finish hold, flashing our Male Youth finals problem. Lukas won a 5-punch pass, an 8BPlus chalk bag, and 100G of 8BPlus chalk. Calvin Meymaris took second place, winning a 5-punch pass. Reed Garfein took third place, winning a 5-punch pass.

Congratulations to Klara Meymaris for winning our Female Youth category. Klara utilized an impressive mix of flexibility, creativity, and pure strength to take down the yellow balance testpiece. She avoided glossy footholds by setting her feet high and rocking over her hips, and then employed a muscle-y toe-hook/heel-hook combo to float right past the last few crimps, flashing our Female Youth finals problem. Klara won a 5-punch pass, an 8BPlus chalk bag, and 100G of 8BPlus chalk. Kestrel Pikiewicz took second place, winning a 5-punch pass. Ava Walsh took third place, winning a 5-punch pass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Thank you to our headline sponsors Butora, 8BPlus, Maxim, Grossenbart, and The Roost for providing amazing prizes for our competitors, as well as refreshing beer and good eats (parents of competitors and adult finalists alike celebrated with hummus and cold pints once all the climbing was finished). Thank you to our amazing community for supporting the Longtucky Showdown and the Longmont Climbing Collective, even as we adjust the typical competition format and adapt to new realities. We can’t wait to do it all again and see who takes home the championship next year!

Men's Open Finalists
Women's Open Finalists
Youth Champions Klara Meymaris and Lukas Davis
Stephanie Celommi Fixing Mask
Emily Herdic Flashing Women's Final Problem
Hank Gaylord Flashing Men's Final Problem

Longtucky Showdown 2020

Posted on by Aaron

Live Results: UPDATED 3:43pm – 4 waves completed. Last Wave has been completed…we are adding them as we go, all top scores have been added, we are simply doing final check now,  finalists please make your way to the LCC!

Men’s Open – Finals begin at 5pm – Top 4 are Finalists – Complete!

  1. Hank Gaylord – 9400
  2. Everett Sloan – 9400
  3. Jack Martinus – 9400
  4. Derek New – 9400
  5. Sam Rothstein – 9000
  6. Tanner Baver – 9000
  7. Andrey Lototskiy – 8700
  8. Simon Hibbeler – 8700
  9. Chris Deuto – 8100
  10. Rick Gentry – 8100
  11. Danny Montalvo – 7000
  12. Zach Mattias – 6800
  13. Alexander Dornemann – 6600
  14. Douglas Sabe – 6600
  15. Jackson Cloud – 6400
  16. Levi Hernandez – 6300
  17. Greg James – 6100
  18. Matt King – 5900
  19. Ryan Kelley 5300
  20. Justin Discar – 5100
  21. Josh Garfein – 4400
  22. Joran Seigal – 4300
  23. Max McElhiney – 4300
  24. Ashwath Gundepally – 2800
  25. Madison Sharps – 2800
  26. Ryan Schmitz – 2600
  27. Thomas Milam – 2400
  28. Thor Horberg – 2300
  29. Karuna Abe – 2100
  30. Henry Benzing – 800

Women’s Open – Finals begin at 5pm – Top 4 are Finalists – Completed

  1. Stephanie Celomni – 7000
  2. Melissa Caid – 7000
  3. Kylie Szilagyi – 7000
  4. Emily Herdic – 6900
  5. Maya Rudd – 6300
  6. Grace Ryan – 6200
  7. Nicole Miswell – 4100
  8. Riley Crawford – 3400
  9. Alyssa Castaneda – 1400
  10. Alexandra Gladleova – 1000
  11. Holly Humphries – 800
  12. Alisha Humphries – 300

Female Youth – Finals begin at 4pm – Top 3 are finalists – COmpleted

  1. Klara Meymaris – 6800
  2. Kestrel Pikiewicz – 5200
  3. Ava Walsh – 4400
  4. Mackenzie Sargent – 4000
  5. Eliza Graybill – 2600
  6. Amelia Christy – 1400
  7. Lilly Fable – 700
  8. Macy Graybill – 300
  9. Kajsa Horgberg – 300

Male Youth – Finals begin at 4pm – Top 3 are finalists – Completed

  1. Lukas Davis – 6800
  2. Reed Garfein – 6100
  3. Calvin Meymaris – 6000
  4. Leif Sundem – 4800
  5. Evan Bates -4700 
  6. Ben Reinhold – 3800
  7. Milo Ruiz – 3800
  8. Quinn Kimmett – 3400
  9. Noah Thompson – 2600
  10. Camden Fligg – 2600
  11. Cayden Hajek – 1800
  12. Austin Holse – 1400
  13. Donovan Bosley – 1200
  14. Cole Walsh – 1100
  15. Milo Garfein – 900

 

On Saturday, November 14th take your shot at Longmont’s top climbing crown during Longmont Climbing Collective’s 3rd Annual Longtucky Showdown. Winners will earn prizes, a valuable LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP and join Daniel Woods and Isabelle Faus on the wall of fame!

There will be two divisions – Youth (ages 8-16) and Open (age 16+). Youth will compete for products and prizes and Open Division participants will compete for a $1,000 cash purse. In addition to these prizes, the top 4 Open Division male and female finalists will qualify for Paul Robinson’s “Battle of the Boards” in February 2021 to face the top pros in a fun bracket game of Pig, hosted by the LCC!

  • The competition will run from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, November 14th.
  • Each competitor must sign up below for a 90 minute slot to enter the LCC facility. Competitors may bring one guest/parent.
  • Finals will be:
    • Youth Division (ages 8-16) – 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm
    • Open Division (age 16+) – 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm
  • All competitors will receive a complementary dinner from one of Longmont’s favorite restaurants – The Roost.
  • Youth Division: $15
  • Open Division: $30 members / $40 non-members.
  • Sign up before November 10th and receive 10% off your registration fee.
  • Finals will be live streamed on Instagram starting at 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
  • Happy Hour at the LCC, sponsored by GrossenBart Brewery and the TopOut Taproom, will be held from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm outside on our patio and upstairs in the Taproom!

If your looking for another challenge, check out our neighbor’s Saturday Ninja event – The Colorado Ninja league! Use the code “longtuckyninja” at checkout and get 20% off on registration for BOTH Events. You must register by Noon on Friday, November 13th, FOR BOTH EVENTS, or your discount will be removed.

Got questions? Please stop by the front desk, call us at 720-340-3640 or email us at [email protected]

How to Buy Your First Pair of Climbing Shoes

Posted on by Aaron

How to Buy Your First Pair of Climbing Shoes
By: Patrick Bodnar

Let’s face it. Buying a pair of climbing shoes is intimidating. There’s a wide range of prices, shapes, and styles (as well as some very strong-yet-conflicting opinions that friends will have about what you should get). Here are some tips so you can stop worrying and start climbing.

Set a Realistic Budget

It’s no myth; climbing shoes are expensive. You can expect to find a range of about $80 - $200 when shopping around (not including rad deals!). However, if you’re buying your first pair, you probably don’t need to spend any more than $100. The bells and whistles of $200 shoes are gonna be uncomfortable for starting out and ultimately an unnecessary expenditure (save that extra dough for some chalk or a harness!).

Make Sure They’re Tight

Climbing shoes should fit tight. Too much room and you’ll feel the toe fold when you step on it. Not enough room and you’ll be fighting blisters more than you’re actually climbing. Here’s a good rule of thumb: your toes should hit the end of the shoe, but they should not curl.

Look for Beginner-Friendly Styles

There are lots of very different-looking climbing shoes out there, but there are three key features that you should focus on when buying your first pair:

  1. Aggressiveness: Have you ever noticed that some climbing shoes are curved down like ballerina shoes? These are called aggressive climbing shoes. Avoid aggressive shoes! While they do a great job of molding your foot into a single stepping point for steep climbing, they’re extremely uncomfortable for beginners. Find something semi-flat (or with a subtle curve) that more naturally fits the shape of your foot.
  2. Stiffness: Some shoes are very stiff, while others easily fold between your hands when you squeeze them. Avoid stiff shoes! These are usually intended for wedging your feet in outdoor cracks. In any other setting, ultra stiff shoes will make your feet sore, and make it more difficult to mold around larger shapes in the gym. The choice between super soft and kind of soft is less important; try them both on and see what feels better on your feet!
  3. Laces and Velcro: The choice between lace-up and velcro strap climbing shoes is almost entirely personal preference, but there are a few arguments for each. Laces allow you to control the tightness of your shoe a little better and remove air pockets across the top of your foot. However, we recommend that beginners start with velcro because they’re easier to get in and out of. If you’re planning to boulder more than climb on a rope, especially, you’ll be able to quickly take a break and pop your shoes off between climbs.
Avoid agressive shoes - they have pointy toes
Laces or velcro - a personal choice
Soft shoes bend easily - this is good

Try Some Shoes On and Go with Your Gut!

Online shopping is easier and more convenient than ever before, but it creates one major hurdle for buying climbing shoes: you can’t try them on! Sizing varies between brands and you’re preparing to place the majority of your weight on the shoes that you choose, so take the time to visit us at the Longmont Climbing Collective. We've got a great selection of shoes in our retail store that you can try on in person.

Once you’ve tried some shoes on, go with your gut! Choose a shoe that feels comfortable on your foot, and don’t let a friend or macho man pro climber try to sell you on a fancy shoe that doesn’t feel right.

If you have any questions or want to try some shoes on, come by the Longmont Climbing Collective and talk to a member of our team! We’ll make sure you get a good, comfy pair of shoes so you can get to the fun part: climbing!