What Santa Taught Me About Chimneys

Right…what does everyone seem to get wrong...

They forget how to breath properly!! Sounds stupid doesn’t it, as breathing is not something we think about in the day to day, it just happens. But those tight squeeze chimneys get our breathing patterns all muddled and hinder our movement.

Tight squeeze chimneys can be claustrophobic and difficult to move,  both things naturally tend to lead to heavy breathing and increased exertion. 

What do climbers tend to do:

1. Take a deep breath and then try to move: This is very counterintuitive as the deep breath increases the width of the chest and restricts movement…leading to further struggle, heavier breathing, and a vicious cycle of not going anywhere but getting more tired.

2. Panic because the chimney is tight and they feel stuck: Again leading to heavier breathes and breathing patterns that don’t match your movement.

What should you do instead:

1. Slow down: You don’t need to make quick progress in a squeeze chimney. Falling off/out of them is hard, so just take your time.

2. Control the breathing: Take long deep breaths in and out to control any panic.

3. Match the breathing to your movement: this is the most important one and where people tend to go wrong. Breath in when stationary; this expands the chest and makes it feel like you are wedged. Breath out when you want to move up; this decreases chest size and helps you slither upwards.