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I recently started indoor rock climbing at a local spot. I got to the top and (after appropriate communication) my partner started to belay me down. I instantly starting swinging and spinning pretty wildly, more than 10' arcs. I was able to catch the wall, but every time I let go the same thing would happen. I didn't see anyone else having this problem.

How does one descend in a relatively vertical fashion without swinging like a pendulum?

(edit: Top-roping)

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Can you keep your feet against the wall and walk / hop down as you're being lowered? Also, was the rope twisted and kinked up on your (the climber's) end? The only time I really experience a lot of swinging and twisting is when I'm being lowered over something dramatically overhanging and I can't touch the wall, or if the rope is twisted a little and needs to be un-kinked some. – DavidR Jan 11 at 17:36
It sounds like your belayer was going to fast at the start. If you are on overhung, it helps to have some time for the climber to lower their body in a controlled manner into the open space below them. If you are not on overhung, this should never happen, as long as the climber can slowly walk their legs down the wall. – theJollySin Jan 28 at 21:58

2 Answers

up vote 8 down vote

On your descent, assuming you don't have an overhang, you simply place your heels against the wall, feet about shoulder width apart and lean back until your legs are horizontal, holding the rope above the knot and walk or bounce gently as your belaying partner lowers you.

The only things that will cause a swing are-

  • climbing a pitch adjacent to the one your rope is for (as Don says)
  • holding on to the wall on your descent
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up vote 4 down vote

Top-roping or lead-climbing? I haven't seen this happen in top-roping except when using the wrong rope - that is, for the rope next to the route i'm climbing. When you top out you should be near the pulley. If you're way off to the side, then, yeah, you should expect some swinging. If you're 5 feet from the pulley, you should expect to swing 5 feet each way until the swinging dampens.

Spinning you should be able to control by leaning back and keeping both feet on the wall, which works unless you're passing an overhang.

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