[Climbing] Gumbies Welcome. Everyone Else, Sidepull to the Gaston.

TL DR

Climbing is is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep object. Humans do it for any number of reasons, but in this thread we're going to focus on recreational climbing. This OP will also focus at least initially on indoor climbing, but this might change as other posters offer input.

Of the various styles of climbing, helpfully outlined in this really handy Reddit wiki on r/climbing, the average climbing gym will offer bouldering, top rope, and sport/lead climbing.

Bouldering is done without a harness or rope, on relatively short sections of wall intended to drill power and technique.

See the colored tape? Holds of a given color indicate a route, assigned a given grade from V0-V9 (or higher) to denote its difficulty based on factors such as the frequency and style of holds, advanced techniques required to complete the problem, whether the wall is straight or overhung, etc.

Top-roping uses a similar route-setting methodology and grading system as bouldering, though it uses something called the Yosemite Decimal System which was originally designed to rate trail hiking from easy walks to scrambles, etc. Most climbs you might encounter top-roping in a gym will be rated from 5.6-5.12.

Top-roping utilizes, you guessed it, a rope attached to the top of the route used to prevent injury during a fall. One end is tied to the climber's harness, while the other is run through a device worn by the belayer. The belay takes in rope as the climber ascends, and uses the belay device to lock the rope in the event of a fall, using their own body weight and/or an anchor to stop the falling climber. Climbing rope is dynamic and offers ~10% stretch, allowing such falls to be taken without whiplash or other injury.



Some gyms also use auto-belays, which enable top-rope climbing without a partner.


Sport / Lead Climbing is similar to top-rope, except the climber carries the rope from the ground and clips into bolts as they ascend. This offers the potential for longer falls and requires more expertise.



Sounds dangerous! How do I start?
Go to a climbing gym! Staff are generally helpful and, for a drop-in price in the neighborhood of $25, will set you up with admission and a rental harness and shoes, as well as a tour of the gym and explanation of how things work. If you decide that you like it, definitely take a belay class! Being able to belay other climbers will make it easier to meet people. Ask for help when you need it, especially if you're unsure about something that could be related to safety.

Helpful Links:
NY Times article on the rise of gym climbing
Climbing Lingo
http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-accident-reports
http://mojagear.com/learn/2015/12/09/a-brief-history-of-rock-climbing/
Neil Gresham's Master Class is THE BEST Youtube series on climbing that exists:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkfUqdr-0zk

Requisite Inspirational Photo


Unhelpful Links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JPpM1nFLAE

DISCLAIMER

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT ROCK CLIMBING IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY. REGARDLESS OF ANY ADVICE YOU MAY RECEIVE WHILE USING THIS FORUM, IT IS YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FULLY TRAINED TO HANDLE THE GREAT DEAL OF RISK INVOLVED IN CLIMBING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES.

Thanks to @Darkewolfe for help with the OP and inspiration to get a thread going. Everyone, please feel free to suggest changes or additions. I've only been climbing since late summer, and only been really into it since early December.

Kyougu

Yay, was hoping someone would do this, as I was too lazy.

Climbing is awesome!

I always encourage everyone to at least try it, and go into it with the mindset that its going to be tough and chances are that you may not be very good the first couple of times.

I think the biggest downside is that its pretty expensive.

TL DR

Yeah, the gym I frequent is $65/month including rentals, but paying drop-in prices while renting gear would get expensive quickly.

Darkewolfe

Yayy!

Also, since I deferred the thread to TL DR but was plotting, lemme just open up with:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpZIT_I2_Oo&app=desktop

Darkewolfe

For Christmas, I got a rope, some static rope for setting anchors, a rope bag (which is swank as fuck), and a relatively new hand-me-down trad rack (never been fallen on) via a poor bastard who decided he wants to replace his entire rack with ultra-light cams. THOSE THINGS ARE LIKE EIGHTY DOLLARS A PIECE. YOU CAN'T LEAVE THEM UNATTENDED, SOMEONE WILL STEAL IT WHILE YOU'RE LITERALLY CLIMBING ON IT.

Meanwhile, I still can't climb yet. Physical therapy starts next week and I'm dyyyyying. Pulling plastic is fine, I just want to get on the wall. I'd been working a most excellent lead climb with a marvelous stem for the last half that was just so much fun and I just know they're going to fuck it up with a route replacement before I get back. This is the only time you'll hear me bitch about new routes being set at the gym.

TL DR

Is theft of climbing gear a thing? There was an unclaimed $5 on the ground for the entirety of my session last week.

khain

TL DR wrote: »

Is theft of climbing gear a thing? There was an unclaimed $5 on the ground for the entirety of my session last week.

Yes. It's not common, but it's definitely something to keep in mind. I've had someone walk off with gear pulled of a TR setup that made it crazy dangerous to climb on.

Darkewolfe

I'm talking outside, here, where you never know who is gonna walk by. Almost everyone is cool. In most places I've felt comfortable leaving a bag with, like, a couple layers down on the ground. But there's definitely been a few instances of nicer cams getting lifted when unattended as, like, part of an anchor you aren't keeping an eye on at the moment.

Kyougu

Sometimes I find myself at the climbing gym wondering if I was as annoying to the regulars as many of the new climbers are to me.

I probably was.

At least I can sleep easily that I never took pictures of myself at the climbing gym or 2 feet off the floor.

The most annoying/amusing thing is watching people always decide that it'll be fun to "race" up the wall, without them realizing that one part of the wall may have better holds than the other.

So It Goes

I went to the gym on Monday and my forearms are STILL pumped plz send help

For real though when you climb after a year of not climbing lots of otherwise rarely used muscle groups say hi

TL DR

So It Goes wrote: »

I went to the gym on Monday and my forearms are STILL pumped plz send help

For real though when you climb after a year of not climbing lots of otherwise rarely used muscle groups say hi

Even when I do top-rope until I can barely untie myself after, it's still my tendons that are the limiting factor. I imagine at least some of that is technique / fear, though, and once I stop pulling with my fingers so much things will improve. In the mean time I'm just being cautious not to injure something.

Kyougu

Local climbing gym is offering a climb fit class from 5:30am to 7:00 am. Aimed at just making you a strong climber, regardless of skill.

$10 per class or $40 for unlimited classes a month.

Kinda considering, specially since my gym doesn't open that early, so some climbing before work could be nice.

So It Goes

TL DR wrote: »

So It Goes wrote: »

I went to the gym on Monday and my forearms are STILL pumped plz send help

For real though when you climb after a year of not climbing lots of otherwise rarely used muscle groups say hi

Even when I do top-rope until I can barely untie myself after, it's still my tendons that are the limiting factor. I imagine at least some of that is technique / fear, though, and once I stop pulling with my fingers so much things will improve. In the mean time I'm just being cautious not to injure something.

You've only started climbing this year right? And how often? The tendon strength takes a long time to develop I think. Most of the time concentrating on technique will help you improve faster. And yeah the mental thing which is still a big limiting factor for me.

TL DR

So It Goes wrote: »

TL DR wrote: »

So It Goes wrote: »

I went to the gym on Monday and my forearms are STILL pumped plz send help

For real though when you climb after a year of not climbing lots of otherwise rarely used muscle groups say hi

Even when I do top-rope until I can barely untie myself after, it's still my tendons that are the limiting factor. I imagine at least some of that is technique / fear, though, and once I stop pulling with my fingers so much things will improve. In the mean time I'm just being cautious not to injure something.

You've only started climbing this year right? And how often? The tendon strength takes a long time to develop I think. Most of the time concentrating on technique will help you improve faster. And yeah the mental thing which is still a big limiting factor for me.

Yeah, just started in June and have only been going consistently twice a week for the past month or so. The Monday-night bouldering class has been a huge help, though, and I went from V0-1 to steady V1-2 and itching to try some V3-4 problems in the span of a couple weeks.

Darkewolfe

So It Goes wrote: »

TL DR wrote: »

So It Goes wrote: »

I went to the gym on Monday and my forearms are STILL pumped plz send help

For real though when you climb after a year of not climbing lots of otherwise rarely used muscle groups say hi

Even when I do top-rope until I can barely untie myself after, it's still my tendons that are the limiting factor. I imagine at least some of that is technique / fear, though, and once I stop pulling with my fingers so much things will improve. In the mean time I'm just being cautious not to injure something.

You've only started climbing this year right? And how often? The tendon strength takes a long time to develop I think. Most of the time concentrating on technique will help you improve faster. And yeah the mental thing which is still a big limiting factor for me.

I think everything I read said it's like 2 years of climbing to get tendons caught up. During those 2 years, you're essentially always at risk of overdoing it on them.

Tynnan

Yeah, tendons are probably the biggest thing new climbers don't think about. Avoid climbing on consecutive days, and pay attention to non-muscle aches in your elbows. Tendonosis is insidious and takes a long time to recover from.

TL DR

Back at the gym last night, and I'm starting to project V3-4 boulders after having successfully sent all the V1-2s.

They're really hard! The most accessible-seeming problems are both overhung, with one involving starting feet that are on a single long, high, and slanting hold and another with a super low start and crimpy hands.

Darkewolfe

That's one reason I've never gotten into bouldering. My gym has like two climbs that aren't overhung. Most of the V1's are pretty heavily overhung.

Had physical therapy today. Can't climb for 6-8 weeks, starting now, rather than 6 weeks start two weeks ago. That's a bummer. Also, she called me a weekend warrior. I don't think she meant it as an insult, but I've only seen it used as such in climbing. Time to sell my house and buy a van, I guess.

So It Goes

dang I'm feeling lucky about the three gyms in town that have a really nice mix of overhanging and not overhanging and lots of grades all over the place

Darkewolfe

Well, to be fair the other gym right near me is not overhanging, but it's a different ownership group. I had somebody I could trade guest passes with, but she moved her membership to a gym that I can't get to as conveniently.

I prefer lead anyway, though. Bouldering is what you do when your belay has to cancel.

schuss

TL DR wrote: »

Back at the gym last night, and I'm starting to project V3-4 boulders after having successfully sent all the V1-2s.

They're really hard! The most accessible-seeming problems are both overhung, with one involving starting feet that are on a single long, high, and slanting hold and another with a super low start and crimpy hands.

V3-4 is one of those "Ha, so you thought you could climb" moments as you suddenly start having your body position and grip strength severely punished. Core workouts.

I'm going to go back to the gym after a 2+ year hiatus shortly (yay kids and herniated disc!). It will not be pretty.

TL DR

Getting sick for a week has surely set back my progress, but I'm stoked to be headed back to the gym tonight. V3 by the end of January is happening, mark my words.

TL DR

Sent my first V3!

I told myself if I did that, I'd buy myself a chalk bag. I am gruntled.

Jyardana

Holy shit, theres a climbing thread. I'm in my recovery week right now so I only have two climbing/strength sessions this week and two general conditioning workouts. I'm bored and I'm picking off all of my callouses.

Kyougu

Oh forgot to mention that 2 weekends ago I head back home to El Paso for my brother's wedding.

Growing up in El Paso I never knew Hueco Tanks was a world famous climbing spot, hell I didn't really know about any climbing period. So I was really happily surprised to learn that El Paso had gotten their first ever climbing gym, which I visited (since I didn't have time for a proper Hueco visit).

Really nice gym, with some awesomely unique routes. Talking to the employees, they mentioned that the guys who design the gym holds live in El Paso and set their routes for them, which was neat. Its also walking distance from an awesome bar, so I had a nice 17.5 Imperial Stout before ubering home.

Darkewolfe

Still in physical therapy for my shoulder. Didn't do myself any favors by going snowboarding against the advice of my PT doc. :X All of my callouses are gone and it's depressing. It'd be bad enough in the dead of winter, trad rack hanging there taunting me, but I can't even get in the gym. Hrrngh.

TL DR

You trad guys might appreciate this. Apparently in Poland, the climber ethos is to use no chalk and to use knotted rope instead of cams, etc, because of the delicate sandstone they have out there.

Jyardana

Gym is closed for the next 3 days to set up for a comp, so tonight was a full body circuit followed by repeater hangs in the home gym. First time being active in nearly a week since I just started a new job and have been slightly stressed.

Arizona climbing trip in 2 weeks though, so :biggrin:

TL DR

Bouldering Open National Championship qualifying round is now live

Jyardana

I was getting ready to stream semi's yesterday but then motivation hit and ended up spending about half the day working new projects. Two of them had hard left heel hooks and my hammy is feeling it today.

TL DR

I might be headed out later today, depending on what my body is telling me after yoga. I'm really starting to get a sense for my relative strengths and weaknesses, even where I can have an easier time with certain types of route than 'better' climbers (basically, anything with solid hands or that tests joint mobility / flexibility) and where I struggle (slopers, pinchers, situations in which I have to stop and figure something out while resting on sketchy holds).

I also recently learned the value of going to the gym with a group and being pushed to climb harder or different stuff than I normally would.

It's heckin' neat!

Jyardana

I've got a climbing buddy who climbs around the same grade as I do, but we have very opposite climbing styles and strengths. Shes very techy and has great crimp strength. I am much more dynamic but also climb overhung/roof and anything compression better. We always end up pushing each other. It works well.

Cyvros

I returned to bouldering today after almost a month worrying about my left shoulder* and it made me very happy.

* I pulled it bouldering. Then strained it again not long after. Also bouldering. The ultrasound was all good, though.

Magic Pink

I used to love going to my climbing gym

then they passed some horseshit rule about all the guys having to wear shirts and the magic died

TL DR

Did everyone immediately drop a grade?

They still allow beanies, right?

schuss

TL DR wrote: »

Did everyone immediately drop a grade?

They still allow beanies, right?

What's next, no grunting and yelping?

Kyougu

Can you still have an unnecessary amount of grigis that will constant make noise as you climb?

TL DR

My first climbing purchase beyond the gym membership: a +1 Chalk Bag of Panda Strength

schuss

Kyougu wrote: »

Can you still have an unnecessary amount of grigis that will constant make noise as you climb?

I'm just trying to imagine a situation where you'd have more than 1 gri-gri.

So It Goes

Maybe they meant cams

TL DR

I don't know much, but I hear that you aren't a real rock climber without a full trad rack.

There are a lot of gumbos* these days that call themselves rock climbers, but only climb in the gym. That’s bullshit. They’re not real rock climbers, and we all know it. Or are they? They do ascend rock-like surfaces using only their strength and cunning to overcome gravity. But it’s not rock. It’s plastic. On the other hand, some of the world’s best competition climbers rarely touch real rock, and there’s no question that the ones that top the podium are climbers, right? So let’s settle this once and for all. What’s actually rock climbing?

Is gym climbing rock climbing?
No. Obviously not. By the literal definition, gym climbers are not rock climbers. They’re plastic climbers. Real rocks are made out of rock, stone, and sometimes minerals. Rocks are never made of plastic. Anything that happens on plastic is a different sport entirely.

What about when I go to the crag with my friends and spend the afternoon toproping?
You're climbing on rocks, so it's rock climbing, right? Wrong! If you're not leading, you're not rock climbing. All you're doing is goofing off on a cliff. Think of it this way, if you can walk to the top, it's not a real rock climb (I'm looking at you El Cap).

I get it. Anything less than sport climbing isn't rock climbing.
Um, sport climbing? That’s more of an oxymoron than gym climbing. True rock climbing doesn't follow a dotted metal line up a cliff. It requires route finding. It doesn't provide you with bomber bolts every five feet. You need to be bold and take responsibility for your own safety. Sport climbing is more like bungee jumping where you try not to fall. If you think that doesn't make sense, you're right.

You're saying Chris Sharma and Sasha DiGiulian aren't rock climbers then.
Exactly. And furthermore, both of those people are too attractive and have too much money to be real rock climbers. They're just athletic models that pose on the sides of cliffs. Real rock climbers are dirty. And homeless.

So you're one of those elitists that thinks trad climbers are the only true climbers.
Wow. You think trad climbers are real climbers? You know those cowards use ropes for protection, right? Anyone can climb anything with the benefit of a rope. It's basically aid climbing, which is also not climbing. Those Caldwell and Jorgeson clowns were only able to climb the Dawn Wall because they used ropes and spent over two weeks up there. I could climb the Dawn Wall with a rope. I'd just hang for a day in between each move and do it over the course of two years. But that's obviously not rock climbing. Not to mention that climbing El Cap is a waste of time anyway because you can just walk to the top (see above).

I see. You’re saying that free soloing is the only pure form of climbing. I think that’s stupid, but at least I can understand the argument.
You don’t understand anything. Real climbing requires strength and gymnastic talent, as well as technical mastery. Free soloing is too easy. There's nothing hanging from your harness weighing you down. You don't need to build anchors. Free soloists are basically chimpanzees. Sure, they can get on top of a rock, but there's nothing going on inside their heads. Real rock climbers understand engineering and physics. They know what fall factors and kilonewtons are. They spend a lot of money on shiny metal things that they hang on their harnesses. Then they take those shiny things and shove them in the rock. Free soloists are not climbers, and especially not Alex Honnold, because like Sharma, he's way too handsome.

OK. What? You just said that trad climbing isn't climbing because ropes are for cowards. Then you basically said free soloing isn't climbing because it's not trad climbing.
Correct.

So the only true form of climbing is free soloing while placing gear and building anchors but not using either for protection? You're just sticking them in the rock for the hell of it, and if you fall, you die?
Yes. Free solo trad requires all the boldness and technical prowess of true climbing.

What about bouldering?
Bouldering is great.

*Spell check changed this and I’m leaving it, and saying it from now on.