Coach/Trainer

Location
Norman
Hello!
This is a bit of a shot in the dark...but I'm looking for a coach/trainer that I could spend a month or so training with on or off the jobsite. Obviously, I would compensate you for your time, effort and experience. I'm also willing to trade my skills in sales, tree risk assessment, and I've been told I am pretty handy with a rake.
I'm based in Oklahoma. Closer would be better but I am certainly willing to travel and figure out lodging, etc for the opportunity to learn from someone who takes safety and efficiency seriously.

I have my own PPE, harness, gear, ropes, sena, etc.

My situation is this: I work for my family's business, and have been a certified arborist for several years doing mainly consulting/sales/risk assessment mostly.
I'm still really new to climbing and am not yet very comfortable in 60'+ trees. I find myself second-guessing my tie in points a lot, even on little scrubby ones, among other things.
I did go to an isa comp this year and managed (barely) to qualify for international, which was a blast. Internationals also inspired me to be a bit more aggressive in my search for training, haha.

My main goals are to gain confidence in my skills, and learn how to move around the tree more efficiently. My secondary goals are to learn more about rigging and I would like to develop my skills to the point where I can teach the guys back home how to climb and rig more safely and efficiently. I do not train with them currently because they do not maintain a level of safety consideration I feel comfortable with.

I've no idea if anyone would even be interested in this kind of thing or if this is the right forum to ask, but here we are. I guess what I'm looking for is similar to an apprenticeship? But it seems like most apprenticeships last at least a year and this will be short term...so m not sure what you would call it.

Also, all advice is welcome...unless the advice is "just watch youtube and you'll learn basically everything you need to know..." No, no...Just no.
 
@umystery; Welcome to the TreeBuzz forum! I know you've been a member here for a bit already, but I don't recall reading anything of yours before this.

I just wanted to mention that if you are not already investigating climbing SRT, you should be. It allows you to distribute your weight over many branches, instead of just one. It can increase one's level of comfort to know that there are multiple backups built into the support system. That is all I have for now. Take care, and good luck with your search.

Tim
 
I've been considering buying a camper for traveling workers.

Fortunate is an understatement for work-experiences here. And its wicked beautiful here, right now, pre-rain. It's beautiful in the rain, but people are not always so keen on that. Pick and choose jobs for the weather of the day. The hottest part of my day was probably about the same as the coolest part of your work day.
 
Are you gonna leave the family business for a while and go work full time for another arborist?
I had a great climber/ foreman/ trainer watching my back all the time, and it was still probably a year before I was getting comfortable and confident with it all. I had to work the ground and get better at all chainsaw work before he’d show me anything off the ground too.
What I’m saying is you can make a good dollar while learning, but it’d be all the not-so-exciting parts of tree work too; dragging brush, raking, loading wood, maintenance on everything, etc.

Hope you find what you’re looking for man, you got the right idea for sure, seeking a trainer.
 
Are you gonna leave the family business for a while and go work full time for another arborist?
I had a great climber/ foreman/ trainer watching my back all the time, and it was still probably a year before I was getting comfortable and confident with it all. I had to work the ground and get better at all chainsaw work before he’d show me anything off the ground too.
What I’m saying is you can make a good dollar while learning, but it’d be all the not-so-exciting parts of tree work too; dragging brush, raking, loading wood, maintenance on everything, etc.

Hope you find what you’re looking for man, you got the right idea for sure, seeking a trainer.

I am going to take small sabbaticals to train, yes. Not leave completely. :)
 
@umystery; Welcome to the TreeBuzz forum! I know you've been a member here for a bit already, but I don't recall reading anything of yours before this.

I just wanted to mention that if you are not already investigating climbing SRT, you should be. It allows you to distribute your weight over many branches, instead of just one. It can increase one's level of comfort to know that there are multiple backups built into the support system. That is all I have for now. Take care, and good luck with your search.

Tim
Yes, thank you for the welcome. I just kind of lurk and don't post. Yes, about 80% of my climbing practice is on a stationary system. Orginally I started using it because I kept getting myself into a friction situation with the moving rope system. Now I only use moving rope if my body is sore.
 
I've been considering buying a camper for traveling workers.

Fortunate is an understatement for work-experiences here. And its wicked beautiful here, right now, pre-rain. It's beautiful in the rain, but people are not always so keen on that. Pick and choose jobs for the weather of the day. The hottest part of my day was probably about the same as the coolest part of your work day.
Yeah, I have a small travel trailer that if I could hook up to electric might work about like that, haha.
 
My friend has a small RV rental business and has a small gooseneck travel trailer to rent out, locally.

She needs a stump ground, so I'm off to see the camper at the same time.

Going to ask her about it, and continue to look for my own for personal guest space, AirBnB, traveling tree workers.
 
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The university of youtube/treebuzz route is legit for some people. I did it. If you were on Mars you'd do it and be grateful. Just get out there, be patient, and stay within your abilities.

It's going to be hard to schedule with somebody, but if you go that way maybe try going to local comps to meet local people whose styles you like.

Wish you success.
 
Yes, thank you for the welcome. I just kind of lurk and don't post. Yes, about 80% of my climbing practice is on a stationary system. Orginally I started using it because I kept getting myself into a friction situation with the moving rope system. Now I only use moving rope if my body is sore.

No offense...
If you're going to moving rope because you're sore, I think you're missing easy ways to SRT/ SRS, like an easy 3:1, or rope-walker, SCAM, etc.

I just don't find myself wishing for MRT.

My flip line and mostly my lanyard are my MRSs.





Just finished this project.


Bigleaf maple edge tree, hanging over the garage. Couple main leaders.
Three rigging ropes, 9 branches rigged at one time, solo, with a retaining wall and landscaping next to the parking space.

I did two other rounds of solo, rigging and some tip-tied logs.

The other similar sized maple was also growing out for light, crowded under big trees and was over a service-drop. Solo.

Chill.

The two easy trees were easy, solo.

Chill.

By solo, I mean the mini does most of the work, my trigger finger gets tired, and I put friction, gravity, and the ground to work.

I did screw up and found the sprinkler line when chasing surface roots with the grinder. Homeowner didn't mark them, and I forgot to ask.

Boring, but chill.


IMG_20190827_115004453.jpg

IMG_20190827_115624636.jpg

IMG_20190827_114947689.jpg


Chill.
 
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