Details

Climbing Technique

Technique 1
When people take up climbing for the first time, they experience this as a rather physical sport. Which it is, or at least partly. More than a physical sport, however, it is a technical sport. 
In order to start climbing, you do not really have to be very strong. Technique, tactics and mental control are far more important. Sport climbing means you are playing with your balance. Or, according to David Van Reybrouck: “Climbing is vertical ballet”. 
In this course (4 lessons), you will be provided with essential tips and tricks to rapidly improve your climbing skills. You will be taught the basic techniques in order to learn to climb as efficiently as possible. To this end, attention will be paid to placing your feet, shifting your balance, and frontal versus inwardly turned climbing. By the end of the course you will have acquired all the basic skills required to climb efficiently. Your climbing buddies will be amazed at your fast progress! 

This course is also an excellent preparation for the Olympos lead climbing course.
 
Please note: The NKBV Indoor Top Rope (IT) climbing proficiency certificate is required in order to take part in this course.
 
NB

• Bring your own materials (e.g. belt)  
• Required: NKBV Indoor Top Rope (IT) climbing proficiency certificate

Introductory climbing lesson

Would you like to climb Kalymnos, but you have not yet obtained a climbing proficiency certificate? It can be done! 

We have an introductory climbing lesson for beginning climbers. Under the supervision of a certified instructor you will learn the (basic) principles of climbing and belaying and you are permitted to attempt the highest outdoor climbing wall in the centre of the Netherlands. 

NB

• Duration: 2 hours
• Includes: climbing material
• Optional: rent climbing shoes for € 4.00 (at the Olympos Service Desk). 
• Required: none
• Clothing advice: sports shoes, sporty, comfortable clothes and a warm jacket 

Climbing Top rope

Beginners: top rope (NKBV Indoor Top Rope climbing proficiency certificate).

The first step in your climbing career is to take the Indoor top rope beginners' course. This course will teach you the basic principles of sport climbing. Different themes are covered in four lessons including: safety, becoming aware of risks, material, prevention of injuries, belaying, technique, tying climbing knots and much more. There will be an exam during the final lesson. On passing this exam you will receive the NKBV Indoor Top Rope (IT) climbing proficiency certificate. This is a card that holds your personal data and is proof that you are able to safely climb top rope. The climbing proficiency certificate that you have obtained in this course is also a prerequisite to be allowed to climb during the top rope hours at Kalymnos (free with OlymPas). Click here to see when there is time in the schedule for free top rope climbing at Kalymnos. 

The course lasts four weeks. You will attend classes once a week and you are obliged to attend them all in order to be able to sit the exam. For this reason, you can no longer sign up after the first class (so register in time!). In principle, the classes will only be organised once so make sure you do not miss any. No courses are (usually) offered in winter.

Please note: purchasing the Indoor Top Rope course book (in which the most important points of the course are summarised once again) is mandatory when registering for this course; this book can be ordered from the table below (à €12.10). You will receive the book from the instructor at the start of the course.
 
NB

• Included: material, NKBV course booklet and Indoor Top Rope climbing profinciency certificate 
• Optional: rent climbing shoes for € 4 (at the Olympos Service desk). 
• Required: OlymPas and mandatory course book for €12.10

Climbing proficiency exam 

Do you have a wealth of climbing experience, but still no official NKBV climbing proficiency certificate? Then it is possible to obtain your IT climbing proficiency certificate by taking an exam at Olympos. You will be assessed by a climbing instructor certified by the NKBV on safe belaying and climbing and your knowledge of the materials according to the NKBV guidelines.
After passing the exam you will immediately be permitted to climb.

Bring your own climbing equipment (belt with a well-filled puff bag, safety harness and shoes). 

Available classes
The climbing proficiency exam will be offered at multiple times. See table below for the dates and times.

Registration
It is possible to register online from 2 weeks prior to the climbing proficiency exam via the table below. The costs of the exam are € 12.50 if you have a valid OlymPas. If you don’t have a valid Olympos, you can also register online, but then you have to pay € 12 extra for the admission ticket.

Information
If you have questions about the climbing proficiency exam, please sent an e-mail to kalymnos@olympos.nl.

Comments

• Includes: NKBV climbing proficiency certificate
• Required: good climbing experience

Lead climbing

Advanced: Lead climbing course (NKBV Indoor Lead Climbing proficiency certificate)

This course is aimed at learning lead climbing on a climbing wall. You will learn the basic principles to lead climb safely and independently. The following issues are covered: rope handling, belaying the lead climber, practicing lead climbing falls. This course is a good start if you have ambitions to further improve your rock climbing skills. An exam will be taken during the last lesson. On passing this exam you will receive the NKBV Indoor Lead Climbing (IV) proficiency certificate. 

You will attend classes once a week and you are obliged to attend them all in order to be able to sit the exam. For this reason, you can no longer sign up after the first class (so register in time!). In principle, the classes will only be organised once so make sure you do not miss any.

NB

• Included: material and IV climbing proficiency certificate
• Optional: rent climbing shoes for € 4. 
• Requirements: IT climbing proficiency certificate, can easily climb level 5a 

USAC

The Utrechtsche Studenten Alpen Club (USAC) is probably is the most adventurous sports club in Utrecht. Ever since 1928, USAC has been actively involved in the many disciplines of the alpine climbing and mountaineering sports, such as sport climbing, boulder climbing, alpine climbing and tour skiing. 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays (4.30 PM – 7.30 PM), USAC has their home base at the Climbing Wall Utrecht  where members can climb at sharply reduced rates. On Fridays (4 PM -7 PM) and Saturdays (1 PM - 5 PM) USAC members can also climb at reduced rates. In addition, we offer discounts on the various other climbing walls in the Utrecht region and often practise at the Kalymnos climbing wall (Olympos) too.

Boulder climbing
Sunday is our regular boulder climbing evening when USAC members can practise in the STERK boulder climbing hall as well as at the Energiehaven against interesting discounts. 

In the mountains 
In addition to the weekly training evenings on the climbing wall, members at the weekends regularly (in the climbing season as often as each weekend!) set off to climb rock formations in Germany, Belgium and France. In summer, the club’s attention centres on alpine activities and a wide range of alpine courses is jointly organised by USAC, other student alpine clubs in the Netherlands, and the NKBV . In addition, a USAC camp site is set up each summer in the Alps, welcoming both experienced and inexperienced alpinists and sport climbing athletes. 

Parties, activities and lectures
In addition to our climbing activities, USAC also organises great parties and monthly get-togethers in café Marktzicht. We also boast an activities committee that organises non-climbing related activities such as game nights and a hitchhiking weekend. And if you always fancied meeting your biggest climbing heroes you should join the lectures to hear them share their climbing adventures with us!

Membership fees (exclusive OlymPas)
€ 40.00 per year

Further information
For further information, please contact the secretary: ab-actis@usac.climbing.nl or check: usac.alpenclub.nl.

Want to become a member?

If you wish to become a member of an SSC, you will have to:

• Pay membership fees to the club of your choice. The fees may differ per club. 
• Own a valid OlymPas or Sports Club Card. If you’re in rate category A an OlymPas is required. If you’re in rate category B or C, you can choose between an OlymPas or the Sports Club Card. 
• Register for free at Olympos as a member of you SSC.

Step 2 and 3 can be done online. If you’re already a member of this SSC, sign up below for this sports club for free by adding the registration to your shopping trolley. Do you wish to become a member, please first click here for more information and which steps you need to follow to register.