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April Herrera - Importance of Womxn’s Specific Climbing Communities

Group photo

If you would have asked me 3.5 years ago, when I first started climbing, how important having a squad of women to surround yourself with was, I wouldn’t have thought much about it...

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Looking back on it now, I don’t know how I climbed for so long without that support.

For the last year or so, I've been heavily involved with “girl gang” groups based in the San Francisco Bay Area/California region namely Lady Crush Crew, Petite Ascension, and Womxn Who Climb. Each of these groups, while distinctly different from one another, has the goal of uniting, celebrating, and empowering womxn in climbing while addressing womxn’s specific issues.  I’ve attended a number of their in-person meet-ups at my local climbing gyms where they welcomed climbers with open arms. The ladies hosting these events were genuinely happy you were able to attend, cheered you on no matter if you were projecting V0 or V10 and were more than willing to give constructive beta if you asked for it. I have always left these meet-ups with a smile on my face, new friends, and, most importantly, feeling like I belong to a community.

As time has passed, I met a number of womxn, both online and in-person, that I have developed relationships with and that I am glad to call my friends. I now regularly give back to these same communities by volunteering my time hosting meet-ups, moderating online forums, promoting events on social media, and assisting with photography/videography during events in the hopes that these groups are able to grow exponentially and to reach womxn who are looking for that same sense of belonging I felt. 

Climbing club

It was also through these womxn-specific climbing communities that I found my climbing coach, Chelsea Murn. Working with Chelsea has significantly improved my climbing performance both physically and mentally. I’m now consistently either flashing or sending V3s in the gym after working on them for one session and also now projecting V4s. Chelsea has also made me realize how much my self-imposed beliefs were holding me back from trying hard. I’ve had to sit back and really think about the real roots of my fears that hold me back from reaching for the next move while on lead or higher up on the bouldering wall.

Climbing club group photo

I’ve also had to identify the root of the uncomfortable feelings I experience on “bad” training days - namely, identifying what is triggering my ego to respond in this manner and if/how can I move past this response. Training with Chelsea has made me not only more confident in myself as a climber, but also as an individual because her teachings on mindset are applicable to different facets of my life.  I am forever thankful for the womxn’s online climbing community because I never would have come across Chelsea since she lives in a completely different state.

Womxn-specific climbing communities are important as the interest in climbing grows. Having supportive environments created by Lady Crush Crew, Petite Ascension and Womxn Who Climb, make womxn climbers, both new and experienced, feel comfortable in these spaces where they can talk about women’s specific issues while also making friendships and feeling empowered to crush it both individually and collectively.

Climbing outside

Organization Information

Lady Crush Crew | The organization that originated in the San Franciso Bay Area.  The mission is to become involved in the climbing community by hosting monthly meetups for womxn and friends, stewardship through crag clean-ups, highlighting iconic climbers on our social media platforms, and partnering with climbing organizations and brands for events, raffles, and giveaways.

Lady Crush Crew Website
Lady Crush Crew Instagram

Petite Ascension | A support group to the "short" or "petite" climbers out there. Highlights the struggles of being a smaller climber, compare short vs tall beta, include training tips, motivational & inspirational posts, discussions, host meetups, giveaways and so much more.

Petite Ascension Website
Petite Ascension Instagram

Womxn Who Climb | An intersectional space for women and non-binary people who climb to connect, share gear and crag advice, and discuss various topics that relate to climbing and each individual’s experiences with climbing (both positive and negative).

Womxn Who Climb Instagram
Womxn Who ClimbFacebook

Lady Beta Coaching | Climbing coach that specifically works with womxn only.  Based out of Salt Lake City, UT. Does mindset work in addition to personal training specific for climbing.  Has 1-1 and group plans.

Lady Beta Coaching Instagram
Lady Beta Coaching Website

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

April heashot

April Herrera is a member of the La Sportiva Climbing Team.

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May 21, 2020, 4:06:00 PM
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