Thesis (M.S.)--Northern Michigan University, 2008. / "14-57357." Bibliography: leaves 42-45.

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Rock climbing is a multi-dimensional sport encompassing physiological, psychological, bio-mechanical and skill components. Interpretation of data in current investigations is limited by the lack of knowledge regarding the extent of the potential interaction of pre-climb anxieties with the physiological responses during an ascent. This thesis attempts to delineate the psychological and physiological contributions of on-sight top rope and lead climbing in multiple ability groups of rock climbers. Furthermore, the thesis goes on to gain an understanding of the de-oxygenation and re-oxygenation profiles in two forearm flexors during sustained and intermittent contractions-to-failure, as well as during the subsequent recovery period. In study one, intermediate, advanced and elite rock climbers were asked to on-sight a route at the top of their respective best self-reported on-sight grade. There were no ability group or ascent style differences for any pre-climb measures of anxiety. However, elite rock climbers had significantly higher oxygen consumption, heart rate (HR) and cortisol (physiological component) responses compared to lower ability groups. Furthermore, the elite climbers spent a significantly greater percentage of their static time resting during the ascent compared to all lower ability groups. As there appears to be no differences in the anxiety based interaction with the physiological response, study one suggests that ability group and ascent style differences may be attributed mainly to the changes in the physical demands of the route. Furthermore, it would appear the higher level rock climbers may have a greater reliance on the aerobic metabolism during an on-sight ascent. Study two investigated the haemodynamic responses to sustained and intermittent handgrip contractions which are seen during rock climbing ascents. Intermediate, advanced and elite climbers as well as a control group were asked to perform sustained and intermittent contractions (10s) at 40% of maximal volitional capacity until exhaustion. Oxygen saturation, blood flow (BF) and HR were measured pre, during and post contractions. Elite and advanced climbers were able to de-oxygenate both the flexor digitorum profundus and the flexor carpi radialis significantly more than the intermediate climbers, and the control group. During the intermittent test to failure, relative re-oxygenation during the rest period (3s) (re-oxygenation which takes into account the amount of de-oxygenation during the previous contraction), may be an important determinant of the force time integral. During the intermittent test, the increase in Δ BF, release HR and Δ HR during the rest periods suggest that vessel occlusion in elite and advanced rock climbers may not be as prominant as previously speculated upon. Furthermore, elite rock climbers appear to have a significantly faster time to half recovery after both sustained and intermittent contractions-to-failure. In conclusion, it would appear that the psychological responses assessed pre on-sight rock climbing may not be different between ability groups or ascent styles. Instead, ability group differences may be due to physiological adaptations caused in part by the significantly greater amount of training. Furthermore, elite rock climbers appear to be able to de-oxygenate and re-oxygenate faster and to a greater extent than lower ability level climbers due to an increased Δ BF and Δ HR during intermittent rest periods, as well as post-exercise. Further investigation focusing on aerobic/anaerobic contribution, determination of capillary density and muscle fiber type would aid in gaining a greater understanding of rock climbing performance.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 37-39).

Rock climbing is undergoing unexpectedly rapid growth across the United States and around the world. Industry estimations in the late 1990’s put the number of recreational rock climbers in the United States in the 400,000 range. In 2013, estimates placed the rock climbing population as larger than eleven million active climbers, an apparent expansion of two orders of magnitude in about twenty years. As the number of rock climbers utilizing protected areas to further their recreation goals increases, so goes the associated impacts those recreationists can have on the resources. From what is known about recreation impacts to soil and vegetative cover, these impacts grow non-linearly with the amount of use, but asymptotically compared to the number of users. In an era of difficult resource management budgeting and staffing, this use-impact dynamic can grow unchecked. Therefore, this thesis seeks to map existing climbs in a developed climbing area and combine those spatial data with user attribute data towards generating a predictive suitability map for climbs. As climbing grows in popularity, land managers and climbing advocacy organizations both stand to benefit from clearer understanding of the processes driving climb site location selection and ultimately the characteristics observed about the climbing routes created. Resource management is comparatively slow and hemmed in by regulation and planning requirements. What makes a particular area suitable for rock climbing route development is the end result of an extended career as a technical rock climber. A skilled rock climber would be able to explain why a particular site might be better or less suited for climbing development. However most land managers are not experienced rock climbers, requiring the investigation for indicators that would be discernable by a novice. Therefore, the need to link managers and activity participants is great, considering this knowledge gap we ask the question: “To what extent can onsite and user-defined climb characteristics be used to model location and extent of climbing routes’ development by climbers?” Distances (2-dimensional centroid-to-centroid) between climb sites’ areas of impact, associated approach trail, and ingress/egress points of the canyon area were computed to subsequently determine correlative relationships between number of bolts, as well as horizontal 2-dimensional linear distance between adjacent climbs. Non-spatial attributes of each climb were also assessed for correlations with the above spatial characteristics of each climb. There were statistical correlations found between the difference in climb quality ratings and the distance to nearest climbs as well as correlations between clustering of climbs and their quality rating. This combined with a willingness to travel the farthest distance possible in the area to reach high quality climbs has many resource management implications both for land managers and users.

Rock climbing has been growing increasingly popular in the United States and around the world. Rock climbers frequently climb in the presence of fear and anxiety. Often climbers make mistakes while climbing that increase the potential for accidents and injuries. One area in which behavioral interventions have targeted sports performance is through the use of acceptance and commit training methods. Research has suggested that components of ACT may improve athletic performance such as present moment awareness, values clarification, and acceptance of challenging thoughts while performing. Studies have looked at the effects of training athletes within various sports such as basketball, powerlifting, swimming and golfing. Common skills that have been targeted include flow, attention to task, and goals/values identification. At this time, there has not been any research examining the impact of ACT on rock climbing performance. The current study examined the effects of ACT on rock climbing performance in two participants who frequently engaged in recreational rock climbing in a multiple baseline design across participants. Participants received ACT lessons prior to climbing and were assessed on falls and errors, speed, and heart rate. Results for both participants demonstrated improvements in decreasing falls and errors and increasing speed. There was no effect seen on heart rate. A second component of feedback on errors was added for participant one to further reduce errors.

Recreational sport climbing is characterised by self-selected route choices, which place participants under both physiological and psychological stress. This thesis is comprised of four studies, each conducted with experienced climbers, exploring subjective psychological, objective psychophysiological and behavioural responses to anxiety-inducing stressors. Studies One and Two explored the means of protecting a climber in the event of a fall and the relative difficulty of a route. Significant and meaningful differences in self-reported anxiety and climbing performance were found in both studies. However, notably, psychophysiological measures of anticipatory heart rate and cortisol did not result in meaningful differences. Results suggested that situations, atypical of participants’ normal recreation sessions, with an increased likelihood of a climber falling or being unable to complete the route, were likely to be evaluated as threatening, elicit a negative emotional response and disrupt performance. However, the quantitative methods employed in Studies One and Two did not provide an explanation of the processes underlying participant’s anxious response and disrupted performance. Consequently, Study Three qualitatively explored individual experiences of climbers, with a focus on psychological factors that influence performance. The defining characteristics of lead climbing were discussed, as were the potential for taking falls, and/or the anticipation of falling. Further, interviewees described the choices they make, in order to increase or decrease the physical, psychological and technical challenges present. Critically, the choices made by a climber appear to potentiate or limit opportunities to perform optimally. Climber’s decisions were mediated by a number of antecedents, including a climber’s background in the sport, climbing partners and training status. Data suggests that while decisions made by the climbers allow them to engage with the sport on their own terms and exert a level of control over the challenges of their climbing sessions, it is often at the expense of performance. Interestingly, while interviewees were aware of techniques to reduce anxiety and improve performance, few regularly used these in training. Study Four examined the effectiveness of clip drops and repeat practice to reduce anxiety. Results indicated that neither technique resulted in reduced anxiety or improved performance when compared to the control group. While there were small differences in the success rate of participants in the intervention groups, they were less anxious and interpreted their level of self-confidence as more positive, compared to control, it was not possible to differentiate between the two interventions. However, when the combined means were considered there were significant and meaningful differences observed in the post-intervention red-point ascent compared to the initial on-sight. This thesis highlights the difficulty that arises in attempting to quantitatively examine anxiety. While there might not be (a) anxiety in climbers or (b) quantifiable differences between climbers of different abilities, it may be that what is possibly ‘noise’ in data arises due to weaknesses in the markers themselves. The findings of Study Three provide evidence of the true nature of anxiety for climbers, which was not evident from the quantitative markers; as well as the lengths climbers will go to, to avoid anxiety. Climbers’ responses to anxiety were individualised, consequently, generalised interventions may have a limited effect on reducing anxiety to a level which supports performance improvements. It may be that an individualised approach to anxiety reduction and avoidance behaviours has a more significant impact on performance improvement than any of the latest training programmes, equipment or nutritional strategies.

This study is an exploratory look at the social world of indoor rock climbers, specifically, those at Texas A&M University. A specific genre of rock climbing originally created to allow outdoor rock climbers a place to train in the winter, indoor climbing has now found a foothold in areas devoid of any natural rock and has begun to develop a leisure social world of its own providing benefit to the climbers, including social world members. This study explored this social world of indoor rock climbing using a naturalistic model of inquiry and qualitative methodology, specifically Grounded Theory (Spradley, 1979; Strauss & Corbin, 2008). This research borrows from the literature on social world theory, serious leisure as well as specialization. This study confirmed indoor rock climbing to be a form of serious leisure for some participants. Furthermore, it found the social world of indoor rock climbing at Texas A&M provides a deep sense of belonging to some members who were found to coalesce at a mesostructural level into a confederacy of peers (R. A. Stebbins, 1993). Bouldering was found to be an avenue for social world entry for men but the female experience in social world entry was found to be different. The most prominent finding of the study was that the facility itself provides a place of belonging for social world members, even diverse and different groups which, outside of the social world, may be expected to come into conflict. Lastly, it was found that the social world has the ability to mediate conflict or negative experiences arising from competition and feelings of risk and fear. This exploratory study is expected to provide a framework for which to conduct further, more in depth studies into phenomena affecting the lives and experiences of indoor rock climbers. Furthermore this study has practical significance in assisting climbing wall managers to better understand the culture that surrounds and utilizes the facilities they operate. A review of the current literature on rock climbing, research questions that guided the study and methodologies, as well as the study results and conclusions are discussed in this paper.

Thesis (MA(Psychology))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.