How to be a short climber - 10 tips from Hazel Findlay

Hazel Findlay and Angus Kille talk through 10 tips for being a short climber (although really, this video is for tall climbers too).
People say all sorts of mad stuff about height in climbing. Like ‘being tall is cheating’ (wait isn’t it?! 😉) or ‘being short is a mindset’ or ‘short climbers will never climb hard stuff’.
Anyway, we’re here to set the record straight!
Tips in order:
1. Myth buster 1: Being short does matter...
2. Myth buster 2: But it doesn't mean you can't climb hard
3. Understand the disadvantages
4. Understand the advantages
5. Focus on what you can control
6. Don't avoid specific climbs or styles
7. The grades won't mean as much to you
8. Avoid comparisons
9. Stay curious and be creative
10. Focus on your 'why' in climbing

[@elodieleroy3934]

A (short) friend of mine used to say "it's great being short! you get to do more moves which means more climbing which means more of what we love right?" ;)

[@StrongMindClimbing]

love that!

[@izaskrjanec7174]

Thank you for this video! As a (very) short climber of 160 cm (5 ft 2) I have struggled and am struggling still. This is especially true in the gyms where most of the routes are set by taller male routesetters (but not all!!). I’m also the shortest climber in my climbing group. The struggle is real 😅 But on the rock it’s different. I love being creative with high foot placement.

[@BunnyRaptor]

Being short and light is awesome. The only place I get shut down is poorly set indoor climbs. Mother Nature tends to make intermediates, even if they are crappy.

[@tydowner2731]

This was great! I’ve never heard someone put into words what I’ve been learning since I started! I always thought of climbs as a puzzle for me to problem solve and the problem is unique to the person.

[@PB-sk9jn]

The comment that outdoors you can fill in with alternate feet and features, but not indoors is very much spot on. Especially when the indoor wall itself does not have features (outside the bolt ons).

[@climblikeagirl]

This video is so spot on! I'm very short climber and it describes my struggles so well. Indeed, indoor grades can be quite meaningless for me and I had to actively work on my mindset not to get discouraged if I struggle on the route that is supposed be my easy flash grade. Overall overcoming the mindset problems took some years for me and I'm still falling into the mindset traps described in the video. What I find really helpful is to climb with other short people, because then at least we can solve things together. Unfortunately, the harder I climb the fewer short people around me. What is my main issue is that I often feel misunderstood by taller climbers and sometimes I feel like I don't belong to the community. There were cases on the crag that someone commented on the crag about "what is she even doing here" when I was working on the first move that most of people find easy. For me it was harder than the crux of the route, but for people it seemed that I shouldn't even attempt it, since I cannot do that one easily. So I would ask all taller climbers to not make such comments.

[@flootloop5909]

I have found that most short climbers go through the anger stage, the acceptance stage, and then the joyous creativity stage of climbing. It is so satisfying to find creative beta breaks as a short climber!!

[@StrongMindClimbing]

Ha, I love that. You can go through all those stages in a year or when trying one climb 😂

[@lupe75]

I always say I need to complain about a movement being reachy in order to come up with the right beta for me. It´s part of the process 😅

[@constanceelaine3909]

Thank you so much for this video. I am short and older (60+) and accepting my differences has been a journey. I felt really validated in seeing you both address the challenges all 'shories' face. Thank you ❤️

[@0-Will-0]

I’m 6’3 and my regular climbing partner is my daughter who is 11. We regularly do the same problems and are always seeing height issues for her. I was excited to watch this with her and thank you for uploading, looking forward to future videos from you both.

[@katerakelly2785]

Great content and filming - also appreciated the humorous bits :) I agree that as short climbers we're one step ahead with realizing the grades don't mean that much!

[@jjimena263]

Super hyped for this KZbin Channel!!!

[@mhedstrom]

This was good. I'm a short climber (5 ft 2) and everybody I climb with is taller (one of my climbing friends is like 6 ft 4), and it does get irritating when they can just skip holds or reach easily, and I have to jump. BUT I have the advantage with pockets since I can stuff my fingers in and they have problems with that, or starts that are super low (easy for me to get on and start, really hard for them). I think your last few points are the best - think of your reason why you do it (it's fun, and a good social outlet), you don't need to compare yourself to others, and get creative with how you do it. Thanks for the video!

[@StrongMindClimbing]

Thanks! Glad you liked it. I (Hazel) am also 5.2 😊

[@sean6387]

I climb indoors in Japan and the setting is definitely geared towards climbers who are less tall, unsurprisingly. This means there are fewer reach-dependent problems and really boosts the confidence of younger, shorter and female climbers. Hence, greater participation and achievement.

[@chrissmithdoe2100]

I'm an average height male but also often find my own beta for routes. E.g. i remember a route where the guidebook said the crux section needed a big dynamic move but I quickly found a tiny intermediate that you can use to break it into smaller moves, which to me felt easier, while the big move might feel natural to someone maybe with more power from a modern bouldering background. choose your own adventure, dontchaknow

[@jihaeshin4026]

Exactly this is what I have been realizing. And I do get psyched to figure out my own way of climbing. Thanks so much Hazel for sharing your thoughts and genuine opinions, I am sure it means a lot to many people :)

[@jhy8191]

I have an 11th tip - find a climbing partner of similar height if you can! I climb with a friend who is close to my height at 5'2" (he's only 4" taller than me) and it makes a huge difference in terms of sharing beta and overall understanding of movement.

[@StrongMindClimbing]

yep I (Hazel) love it when I can climb with someone my height although it hardly ever happens.

[@user-bx4zq7fx7e]

"get better at climbing and don't worry"

[@maxblair3317]

My current project in Squamish involves a long reach to get established into a crack, and I'm missing maybe 2cm of reach to make that move like most people do. I've had to resort to really working this section and finding an alternative beta, which turned out to be harder for me than the actual crux of the route 😂 I feel like this section gave me even more motivation to work the route and once it goes down I'll be even prouder. I keep telling myself "if it were easier it wouldn't be as worthy a challenge!"

[@StrongMindClimbing]

that's a great mindset!

[@MrNicolas411]

lots of good points here...always interesting to see topics about the height of climbers...I've seen a lot of videos about shorter and taller climbers (I'm short myself) there are certainly advantagesas you say yourself... there are also many climbs that I simply ignore because I know that due to my height it is harder or even sometimes impossible... especially indoor many disadvantages from my experience.But almost no one talks about the ape index, which I personally think plays a major role...example...someone of 1m70 with a + 10 ape index compared to someone of 1m75 with a - 5 ape index...the 1m70 climber is then seen as the short climber but has more reach and is lighter or the 1m15 climber...ape index matters a lot,all the 'short climbers' in comps have a positive ape index

[@MartaJohnDoe]

Thank you so much for this video. I've always thought being short is my main limit and I struggled a lot thinking "I would be stronger if I were taller". To hear these things from you is a great help to me. Please, continue to bring these issues that everyone knows but nobody talks about! ❤

[@StrongMindClimbing]

Yeah it's so easy to slip into that mode of thinking. I (Hazel) especially get that on certain bouldering styles.

[@MartaJohnDoe]

@@StrongMindClimbing I think the most reaching climbing style are stabs and vertical (technical) terrains... but some bouldering moves too...

[@kinny2023]

Thank you for uploading this movie... so may guys do not understand my struggle as a short person and this helps!

[@StrongMindClimbing]

Glad you liked it!

[@urabagofcells2228]

BEST EDUCATIONAL CLIMBING VIDEO IVE EVER WATCHED.

[@urabagofcells2228]

I think you'd be SO good at making a video on mini on-sighting mindset. Like going to the crag or gym alone and beleiveing you can do a move you've never seen, not matter the level/grade. So often my friends and I cant do someting until we see others do it. Which is the benefit of social climbing but also sad for me to realise (in terms of faith in myself).

[@urabagofcells2228]

also beautiful to see you in a relationship where your partner ISNT one of those people who tell you youre too short (wff) and can intimately understand your exprience

[@StrongMindClimbing]

@@urabagofcells2228 nice idea!

[@Christina_onanadventure]

So chuffed that you got a KZbin Channel now! As a short climber, with fear of falling I massively appreciate your insight and advice. :)

[@StrongMindClimbing]

Thanks, glad that you like the channel so far. Make sure you check out our new program if you want to work on your fear of falling go.strongmindclimbing.com/waitlist

[@susangriggs9709]

Thank you for posting this! So helpful and motivating!

[@donmcconnell896]

I enjoy watching other short climbers at my local gym, especially the ones that are much better than me! So much to learn from their technique and where to apply strength or dynamic movement. Though it is a bit galling when my tall mates just reach past the crux move! 🤨

[@user-dg9ti5gq4e]

excellent first video.

[@StrongMindClimbing]

thank you!

[@MsMDoris]

On gritstone that extra hold for me at the weekend was a pebble 😂. Great video 😊

[@StrongMindClimbing]

the gritstone is so reachy!

[@costecoste8975]

i just start climbing this year, and i really love it. and itch time I strugle on a route (indoor) because it's too "morpho" i remind myself that ai mori (one of the best climber in the world) is 1M55 just like me. so the route isn't the problem i just need to imrpove my climbing and it will not be "morpho" anymore ! and mini hand are a big advantage in the gym i think when i see big guy struggle to put their two hands on the same hold it's quite esay for me .

[@jaf67236]

As a shorst climber (159 cm) I don't like the moments where some person higher than me tries to sell me some betas that wouldn't work for me even if the suggestion is said with a good will. As if they'd knew better what is best for me. I got to the moment when automatically I just ignore those suggestions like they're never said. I only accept them from my climbing instructor or my boyfriend (who is well tall but got to know me in that matter). There are still many moves I need to work out like high feet steps or dynamic moves but sometimes that gets me into the bad mindset when I see holds just above my head but cannot reach them statically as they are even 5 cm away on my full reach and there are no holds or steps I can help myself with. During the training I feel sometimes like giving 120% of myself whereas others just train as normal without any problems. But it is just the very beggining on my climbing journey as I am at 6c stage and currently I am aware that some 6cs can be 7as for me whereas for someone taller can be easy. Hopefully someday the trainings would pay off. Sometimes the change is noticeable that gives me much satisfaction. Being short I think means working more on the psycho than usually. Being able to do dynos where other just reach the holds.

[@StrongMindClimbing]

Yes, that unsolicited beta from someone not your height and probably not as good a climber as you is very annoying! 😂

[@sageandtheraven]

Thanks for making this video. I'm not a particularly short climber but, as a woman of average height (5'6ish), I've still found some routes harder than for the 'average height man'. Not to mention the comment that '...there's no such thing as a reach problem!' Hah! But my flexibility has often helped give me a different sort of advantage. Also, some of the best climbers I know (of either sex) are short, and especially advantaged if they have a positive ape index. (I don't 😢). If you've ever watched arboreal apes, you'll see why! 😅 Also, I learned early on that focussing on developing good footwork was one of the best ways to improve my climbing, rather than just training for more upper body strength. Thanks again - I look forward to more thought-provoking videos.

[@StrongMindClimbing]

yeah totally agree! I (Hazel) have a 0 ape index which I always thought was a bit of a shame 😂 but we have to work with what we have

[@sageandtheraven]

@@StrongMindClimbing Exactly! And how we view what we have makes all the difference, as you clearly know! 😉

[@osrictentaqclesmin]

Excellent video. Thank you. 5’7” male. Light. Love crimps. Find indoor boulder grades idiotic and outdoor sport grades so varied. We should expect that. I find setting my own board or spray wall climbs far more efficient for training hit find I can find funky beta outdoors with intermediates and footholds such that the climb becomes incomparable to the climb my 6’2” friend just did on the same quick drawers lol

[@zoaxanthellae]

The average setter is an inch or two taller than you, unless you have incredibly short arms that's just not enough difference to matter

[@dannygrout92]

BIM subbed

[@oterocarbonell1665]

❤

[@Shakespearespaniel]

-5 ape index here [waves]. This is all useful, but there's a sizeable difference between being a short climber and being a climber with a pitiful wingspan. I'm jealous of other 'short climbers' who have great reach, or even a neutral ape index (like Hazel).

[@StrongMindClimbing]

there will always be people who are 'luckier' than us or have different natural strengths and weaknesses; the point is to let go of that and focus on our own experience.

[@dannygrout92]

Out of interest, what's Hazaels ape index ?

[@StrongMindClimbing]

it's zero 😞

[@celinepires6353]

Maybe we should start our own club of short climbers around the world :D we could spread short friendly beta 😂

[@chrissmithdoe2100]

am I wrong in thinking that almost all the best female climbers are quite short? And that very few top level female climbers are tall?

[@StrongMindClimbing]

a lot of the better female climbers are short yes or at least medium height, a few are taller like Mathilda Soderlund, Mina Mason, Katy Whittaker, Caro Ciavaldini - I know more of the outdoor climbers than competitors.

[@chrissmithdoe2100]

@@StrongMindClimbing cool! only knew about Mathilda Solderlund being tall.

[@Rafungilo]

I have tall climbers try to follow my leads and they pften havevto do different moves, because my short beta didnt work for them. They often find a way that "looks" easier for everyone but its actually just easier for them, itd be harder for me. Just like my beta was harder for them. Im also not suuuuuper short, im 5 7

[@philclimbr8763]

You two have such a good chemistry together - be careful, you might end up married 🙈😅

[@StrongMindClimbing]

😂

[@StrongMindClimbing]

And reproducing! 😅

[@poopoobeedoo]

Great video to share with my daughter who is frustrated to be the shortest in her team and have a hard time sometimes in competitions. Thank you.

[@mihapribosic9374]

I am tall and when my short climbing partners comment on my reach I propose a thought experiment: I will give you 10 cm but it comes with 10 kilograms. They stop commenting and start climbing.

[@StrongMindClimbing]

this is true 😂 but there will always be a person taller and lighter than you too

[@turkish3001]

An important topic for climbing wasted in this video though. Not much content, gives nothing.

[@zoaxanthellae]

I disagree, this is all good and uncomplicated advice for short climbers, and I see a lot of people causing themselves grief by not following it (including my past self!)