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puffypika
Apr 12, 2005, 6:44 PM
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Background: i love climbing outdoors, i love it, i love it, i love it...the only reason i climb indoors to is to stay inshape during the days i cant climb outside...
Anyway, i took a road trip this past weekend to see some relatives and i knew there was a gym on the way so i decided to stop and get my climbing fix for the day...i was looking at this boulder prob and this guy walked by and said "that route isnt that hard, i have done it a couple of times," in a jerk of a way and then walked off...i looked at him and just laughed at the stupidity of the comment...later on i was working on this problem with someone i meet there and we were talking about some routes at sams throne in arkansas...that same guy that made the comment before walked by again and said "why climb outdoors when the weather is always nice on the inside"...i said "well you miss the whole essence of climbing if all you do is climb indoors, when you are in the outdoors you are living and breathing the experience"...then he just walked off...i asked the guy i was climbing with about that guy and he said that he has been climbing for 2yrs and he doesnt like the outdoors...nothing is wrong with climbing at a gym, nothing at all...i climb at a gym also to stay in shape...but my question is that have any of you ran into people like this at your gym, people that rather climb indoors rather than outdoors? do you think that when you only climb indoors that you miss out on the experience and the true nature of climbing? Or am i just loosing my mind from studying so much...
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caughtinside
Apr 12, 2005, 6:52 PM
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I've run into plenty of people like that. They're afraid of going outside and getting hurt. Or they don't like to hike. Timid.
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skateman
Apr 12, 2005, 6:55 PM
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Hey Puffy,
Sounds like one less person you need to worry about at the local crags. I say to each his own. Personally, I can't wait until the two feet of snow subsides from Cathedral ledge in NH!
S
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chanceboarder
Apr 12, 2005, 7:00 PM
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i know a few gym rats who have never climbed outside. to them i don't think its climbing, its more of another way to stay in shape as an alternative to a regular gym. i also live in LA where people who are obsessed with their looks and never leave the confines of the concrete jungle can be found just about anywhere you look, so that's no surprise.
those are the kinds of people i don't believe are missing out on anything. by not getting outside. i've yet to come across anyone who calls themselves a real climber yet never climbs outside.
personally i would say that those who only climb in gyms are missing out on a whole other world of climbing but they may not see it that way. climbing started outdoors and has evolved into what it is today with indoor gyms so i would say the nature of climb has changed a little since the beginning. climbing outside defiantly gives one a different view on what climbing can really be like, something that they'll never be able to experience or understand climbing indoors.
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chronicle
Apr 12, 2005, 7:02 PM
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I got a friend of mine interested in climbing by taking him on a Via Ferrata. Unfortunately it was the end of the season, so we climbed in the gym all winter. Spring came, I cancelled my membership and went outside (done the same thing for 4 years now). He still hasn't climbed outside and it has been over 1.5 years. I've tried and tried to get him outside.
I finally came to the conclusion that there are a lot of people like that, and as long as they are in the gym, then the crags are less crowded.
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dingus
Apr 12, 2005, 7:05 PM
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They are the Kens and Barbies of the climbing world, sporting smooth plastic lumps where their genitals should be. They have no hearts either and blood does not course through their veins.
DMT
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petsfed
Apr 12, 2005, 7:05 PM
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I've missed beautiful days because my friends wanted to climb at a competition. I was pissed. I ended up borrowing a car the next day and soloing all afternoon, just to get out. But I've had to pull plastic for about 7 months now because i don't have a car and all of my friends are too busy to climb. Stupid school.
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vawwyakr
Apr 12, 2005, 7:07 PM
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It seems most everyone I've met at the local gym here prefers indoors or is scared of going outside. I've been practically begging them to go outside with me and the best I've gotten is some maybes.
I definately prefer outdoors, for me the gym is training and not much more other than a better option than sitting around the house or a bar.
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blackgoldgator
Apr 12, 2005, 7:15 PM
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I LIVE IN FLORIDA:
I can;t really climb outside. Honestly the people at my gym, don't know any better... They are all really good climbers, but there is no one here to show us the ropes (pun intended) on how to get to the out doors. Some would be scared, but i think that the people that are stuck inside... just havn't been properly exposed, including myself. I could be just as happy climbing indoors the rest of my life, because i love the sport of climbing. Though i think once i have been properlly exposed to the outdoor world.... i will only "train" indoors.
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j_ung
Apr 12, 2005, 7:30 PM
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This is one of the things that amazes me most about climbing. It can be so many different things to so many different people.
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j_ung
Apr 12, 2005, 7:31 PM
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This is one of the things that amazes me most about climbing. It can be so many different things to so many different people.
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skateman
Apr 12, 2005, 7:38 PM
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Maybe if we took some brighlty colored tape and plastered it all over routes at the gunks to mark the routes, it would bring the indoor types to the mountains! Just a thought!
S
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cfmwh
Apr 12, 2005, 7:45 PM
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In reply to: They are the Kens and Barbies of the climbing world, sporting smooth plastic lumps where their genitals should be. They have no hearts either and blood does not course through their veins.
Started climbing outside and never looked back. I may go to the gym from time to time, but usually just to boulder in the winter, get myself back in shape, but that's it. Gyms have a rather strange air of bogusness to me, but that's just me...to each his own.
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davidji
Apr 12, 2005, 7:45 PM
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Most people aren't cut out to be rock climbers. Some are afraid of heights. Some don't like the outdoors. Some don't like physical activities. And some fit, outdoorsy people simply have no interest. The list of reasons why people don't like to rock climb goes on and on.
Rock climbing is fun. Really fun. That's my opinion and I'm sure it's shared by most people here.
Gym climbing can be pretty fun too. That's another opinion of mine, and I expect some here share it, and some disagree.
Why should it be surprising that there are lots of people who like gym climbing but don't like rock climbing?
The above argument makes sense to me (it should: I wrote it). But it still surprises me how many people enjoy gym but not rock, or how many people focus on the gym and ignore rock.
It further surprises me that I've joined their number. At least until local ski resorts start to close after this weekend. I think I hit the rock 3 times this past winter. I can't count my snowboard & ski days this season. Unless I remove my shoes. And maybe drop my pants...
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cfmwh
Apr 12, 2005, 7:47 PM
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In reply to: This is one of the things that amazes me most about climbing. It can be so many different things to so many different people. |
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iltripp
Apr 12, 2005, 8:10 PM
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In reply to: They are the Kens and Barbies of the climbing world, sporting smooth plastic lumps where their genitals should be. They have no hearts either and blood does not course through their veins. DMT
This is the first time I've bothered to rate a post... :lol: :lol: :lol:
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scuclimber
Apr 12, 2005, 8:14 PM
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In reply to: It further surprises me that I've joined their number. At least until local ski resorts start to close after this weekend. I think I hit the rock 3 times this past winter. I can't count my snowboard & ski days this season. Unless I remove my shoes. And maybe drop my pants...
That's how my last two winters have been too. 31 days and counting. Add another day at Alpine later this month and Mammoth over Memorial Day. But I've gotten my climbing bug back now; it just came back a little over a week ago. A month or two ago I couldn't stop thinking about skiing and now I can't stop think about climbing. Hence, my RC.com post count has gone up significantly. :wink:
As to the original question: I enjoy climbing in the gym, but not nearly as much as outside. Gym climbing helps me train b/c I can hop from route to route very quickly. My girlfriend flat out refuses to climb in the gym (and she's a beginner too, it's pretty funny).
Colin
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dinwoody
Apr 12, 2005, 8:16 PM
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When I joined a gym, I had no intention of becoming a gym rat. Being new to climbing and to California, just thought it'd be a good place to meet people to climb outside with. Its a year later and I'm still trying to find people to get outside with. I've got a some regular indoor climbing partners that just don't have much interest in getting outside. Hell, I can't even convince them to lead climb inside. I consider these guys to be good friends, but guess I'm going to have to start climbing with other people.
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rockclimbr3
Apr 12, 2005, 8:17 PM
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I too love to climb outside. Unfortunately I live in central Illinois and the closest place to climb outdoors is 4 hours away. Needless to say school takes up all of the weekdays so if I want to go to So Ill i'll have to go on the weekends. One of the problems is the ride(parents are uptight with the car). Since I can't go outside on a regular basis i go to the gym and actually have fun.
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chaps
Apr 12, 2005, 8:56 PM
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When it comes right down to it, I like both. Climbing outside is really the best (IMHO) - not always for the workout, but certainly for the experience of not being indoors. There are, however, plenty of days when I don't have enough time or daylight to get to a local crag, in which case, I'm really happy to have a gym nearby. It's training for the real thing, but it's also a heck of a lot of fun.
I don't feel that I can fault people who like climbing inside exclusively. They've found something they like and they're pursuing it - what's wrong with that? Indoors-only isn't for me, to be sure, but, given the choice, I'd rather have a world full of gym-climbers than a world full of pasty-skinned couch potatoes. At least they're doing something healthy.
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quietsin
Apr 13, 2005, 6:37 AM
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Figured you guys might want to hear from a gym climber so I'll post...
Me personally? I dunno, I just couldn't see where you guys were all coming from. I am afraid of heights, but only when I've got a rope on. I've bouldered outdoors a few times, and I do love the outdoors (I trail run, white water raft and backpack), but I dunno, I just love climbing indoors. I'm not saying its my sole reason for staying indoors (I'm not an outgoing person) but no one's mentioned that alot of folks like the social atmosphere inside.
Me? I can't explain what it is about the indoor climbing. I have subscriptions to both major climbing magazines and one up-and-coming one as well, and I love to read about all of your outside exploits. I can't really tell you what's going on. Maybe my friends can who beg me to come outdoors with them all the time and have to listen to my excuses. ;) Maybe we're not climbers, I don't know. You can call me whatever you want... I just wanted to show you that we're people... decent people.
Taylor
Santa Monica
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climbsomething
Apr 13, 2005, 7:21 AM
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So some people climb inside, and are content to stay there. BFD.
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cgailey
Apr 13, 2005, 7:41 AM
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I don't know about all you southerners, but I'm about ready to scream after being stuck indoors all winter. Thankfully things are a dryin' up might quick..
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puffypika
Apr 13, 2005, 8:54 PM
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yea...some climbers like it inside and others like the outdoors...everyone has their own way of living, and that is fine with me...as long as you are living the experience, breathing in the moment, and loving life, thats all cool with me...it seems like during some spurts in the winter when i am in the gym for a month and then all of a sudden i am outside climbing for a week my skills will improve in extreme ways...i believe that the only way to become a better climber is to climb as much as your little heart can handle and then climb some more, either indoors or outdoors...but i imagine the outdoors would speeds up the process...hey i guess some of you are right, means less people at the crags.
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puffypika
Apr 13, 2005, 8:59 PM
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ooooooops i didnt mean to do this...
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