limb walking

[clearance]

MB- you know I climb with spurs all the time, whats a few dozen pinpricks gonna do? I would be the porcupine of treework.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm talking as a general rule.

 

[Tinwoodman]

I prefer to trim the banches once the tree is safely on the ground, LOL! Cut it down first, then fool with the branches! I only climb to attach stay ropes and a tow chain to pull the tree over with, or to cut off limbs that would hit buildings, etc. when I pull the tree down.

 

[treeseer]

I guess you have never worked in the bush before, caulk boots are like magnets on steel. You can run around on wet logs, you hardly ever fall down, once you wear them you always want them.

I've worked in the WI bush and elsewhere, but I know BC is a good bit wetter so spikey boots would be a plus there. For professional tree care climbing you'd want to feel the branches with your feet; for removals that's another thread; this one's about limbwalking.

 

[Jim1NZ]

What the heck is a caulk boot? Never mind. On a few trees--hickores, red oaks-- heavy boots may be useful; on others I'd rather be barefoot, for grip and balance. Only with a sympatico audience, of course.

In wide trees I always carry a 2nd rope; I like 10mm for flippability. That or use your tail for a double tie-in.

Climbing bare foot is all good, when not working of cause. Have you tried footlocking bare foot?

 

[clearance]

Treeseer-I have worked in the very dry bush with caulks too, caulks are required by law for men who must walk on logs. They work good on wood anytime, anyweather, anywhere. I guess I call it treework and am a treeworker because I am #1, the powerline #2, the trees #3. Treecare is for pros like you, treework is for utility or removals.

 

[Trignog]

Balance is a big thing and muscle development is a big part of that.

Look into Thai Chi or Yoga for some good excercizes to build up the leg muscles

dragging brush helps but I get your point in using
different muscle groups.

 

[treeseer]

Have you tried footlocking ..?

Nope never have; never needed to and at this point probably never will. We can't all do it all.

"Treecare is for pros like you, treework is for utility or removals."

You know, as much as I keep trying to include all arborists under one tent, clearance may have something here, except that all are pros, in their own profession.

For limbwalking, the best exercise for improving muscle strength is running, which requires strength and flexibility.

 

[jason j ladue]

ha! running is nuts. i dont get it. to me running falls under the same category as swimming -a means of survival.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hahaha, me too...

 

[treeseer]

If you guys want to feel good, try endorphins. Running's the bes tnatural high there is, and if limbwalking takes strength and flexibility in the legs, no better way to get that.

But like tree climbing, it's not for everyone.

 

[ozy365]

The story goes like this.

Two men in the jungle awaken to the sound of a hungry tiger. The first man sits up and puts his boots on. #2 says"You're a fool if you think you can outrun that cat". Number 1 stands and says over his shoulder "It's not the cat that I have to out run"

After the first 50 yards, running loses its survival value.:angel:

 

[Jim1NZ]

Why dont you put them all together and do Triathlons! Could have the Blaster in the water, TreeCo on the bike and Jason doin the final run! Haha cheer

 

[jason j ladue]

If you guys want to feel good, try endorphins. Running's the bes tnatural high there is, and if limbwalking takes strength and flexibility in the legs, no better way to get that.

But like tree climbing, it's not for everyone.

bicyling has way less impact on the joints, especially if you are on pavement. thats important to an old fart like me. i still think cross-training w/martial arts makes more sense in terms of increasing range of motion/flexibility and mental focus. to me running just seems so manic. but like they say, it takes all types...

 

[jason j ladue]

Why dont you put them all together and do Triathlons! Could have the Blaster in the water, TreeCo on the bike and Jason doin the final run! Haha cheer

how about i time the event. or i could be one of the guys along the course holding a cup of gatorade for one of he crazies to grab as they run by

 

[Ekka]

As I one hand a lot I give might right elbow a real good work out at the fridge!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

great call, john. i have been considering the study of martial arts to help w/ climbing. the movements of each discipline seem to be compatible w/ eachother. also range of motion and being limber are key in limb walking/climbing.

It does help, I was a fight bum for a number of years. Trained at any studio near where I was living and would give me a discount for giving thier top people a chance to spar with a giant. ( I was almost 270 at the time and single didget body fat)

The one thing to watch out for are disciplins that have you streaching beyond your normal range of motion. The bad thing about this is that you loose quite a bit of power in contractions. Many martial arts rely on kinetics more then pure power where tree climbing is the oposet.

We want the strenght of the connective tissues to assist the muscles, or ligimental stability, not flexability.

A good example a PT once told me is that old ballet dancers have a lot of ankel injurties because they've built in so much flexability and then loose the muscular stability when they quit training on a daily basis.

 

[jason j ladue]

i'm thinking yoga, or tai chi.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Isshinryu works for me. I've got a couple of friends who are instructors. I think the leg stretching helps when moving around the tree rope climbing.

Isshin ryu, Gojin ryu, akido and those school seem to be the types that rely on forced streaching that can be counter productive. Though how is instructing has a lot to do with it.

I liked Jujitsu and Judo for the power elelment, but am too old for all that rolling around on the floor

 

[Jim1NZ]

hahaha

Yea you guys are right. When NZs top climber said he did yoga, i thought it was a great joke. I had a hard time working out whether he was serious or not! It didn't take long for me to work out how much it helped his climbing and how beneficial it actually is.