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funktimonious
Nov 25, 2002, 6:36 AM
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Before you climb a route, do you like to know the rating? I find that sometimes I get discouraged by high ratings (mentally defeated) before i even hit the wall. I feel that since I'm right around 10a-10c that i stand no chance against 11's. I feel like knowing the rating before you climb sways your climbing. Any thoughts?
[ This Message was edited by: funktimonious on 2002-11-24 22:51 ]
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varstar10
Nov 25, 2002, 6:48 AM
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Hey i know how you feel. I find my self getting freaked out if i know the ratings right off the bat. But its always nice to know what you are climbing before you start so you can make that extra effort in sending it. I guess it just takes time to to really understand your thinking and feelings and how they are going to effect you. Just stay positive before you start. That usually helps me.
Jon
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micronut
Nov 25, 2002, 6:49 AM
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Back in the day, all my hardest OS's were routes that I didn't find out about the ratings until later. I find on sport routes, if it's around the upper end of my ability and I've pulled the crux, I climb real slow and deliberate so I don't blow my OS.
I'm more nervous about the .10c grade than the .11-'s when OSing. .10c can mean a lot of things, where as .11b usually means .11b
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xanx
Nov 25, 2002, 7:03 AM
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i think it all depends on your attitude towards your climbing ability. i am personally prone to underestimating what i can do. especially in competitions. so mostly i just wander around and do the problems that look cool and i think i can handle, then check out the numbers later. i am easily discouraged by high ratings, but am often plesently surprised by the grades of stuf i pull (mind you this is all in a gym perspective, but it should still hold)
besides, climbing is about having fun and hitting the radest problems, right? not about the grades. if grades make a big difference in your climbing (you climb much better when you know the grade because u try harder) i think that may mean you are taking it too seriously (unless it is a comp of course)
mike
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huisen
Nov 25, 2002, 7:08 AM
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This from a newbie point of view: In the beginning yes, it does affect me mentally. Halfway up though, it's just me and the rest of the way up. But I will admit that I wouldn't climb routes if they've got rating well past my ability i.e. 'sh*t! I can't climb this!' So, I do select routes at and just above my level. Maybe or maybe not I should just climb but I think the ratings serve as a good guide to my progress and quest to get better. I'm still very new to the sport. Any thoughts? I'd really welcome some advice.
P.S. I have no idea but is nailing two 6A routes on my second outing a good thing or normal or even behind? Thanks y'all.
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mrsmylie
Nov 25, 2002, 7:15 AM
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i tend to check ratings on sport routes before i hop on so that i don't get in over my head. as for bouldering, i just climb what looks cool or whatever looks possible. climbing a virgin boulder problem, no matter the difficulty, is sometimes where my inspiration comes from. unlocking the puzzle is what motivates me, not the grade given to whatever i am attempting.
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enigma
Nov 25, 2002, 7:23 AM
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I think if you following or on toprope its less important
If you leading it could be crucial A friend of mine climbing with his buddy went off route and fell because he was on an 11,thought it was a 10a/b.
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ajkclay
Nov 25, 2002, 11:04 AM
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I use ratings as a general guide to what is going to be realistic, and also to plan the order of what I'm going to climb.
If I try a 24/25 (ewbank) straight up then I'm going to be bombed by the time my limp and lifeless form is lowered to the ground, and that will be the end of my day.
I like to warm up gradually, climbing a 17/18 (5.9/5.10a) then move up a grade or two before going for the biggie. In this way, I know that I will be warmed up, and ready to go for the climbs at the edge of my ability. If it's a hard one, then I am aware of the fact that I may have to work it, but sometimes I get a nice surprise, and onsight it. I don't pre-judge the chance of getting up a route just by the number because some climbs are just suited to me, and I therefore find them easier than others.
So, yeah, I like to know the grade, but just so I know when to tackle it.
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funktimonious
Nov 25, 2002, 5:00 PM
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^^^
I like this advice a lot. Thanks.
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ktwo
Nov 25, 2002, 5:22 PM
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Sharma it... no grade.
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gumbobob
Nov 25, 2002, 5:40 PM
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i think knowing tha rating before i climb helps me up harder climbs...if i know a certain climb is a hard 12 then i feel better about trying it, because i know im supposed to fall off at some point. That way i climb harder and more precise because its supposed to be hard and requires better climbing and there is no pressure to onsight it. However, once i start doing low grade climbs like 10s and low 11s--the pressure is on. I feel like i always should be able to onsight those climbs, but i wont use as much technique or skill on them...its really weird...plus, with knowing the grade beforehand, if you are done with the crux, you know you can probably finish the route.
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oldandintheway
Nov 25, 2002, 5:49 PM
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Having taught climbing for awhile I stopped explaining to beginners the rating system beforehand except to say that climbs are rated. The result was I found my students generally climbed with fewer inhibitions or perceptions of what was within their abilities.
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bwnco
Nov 25, 2002, 6:19 PM
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My former climbng partner and girlfriend, would lead 5.8 5.9 trad pretty consistently. She would refuse to lead a 5.10c sport until we tricked her. She breezed threw it. Moral is I believe its hard to get your mind right if you have preconcieved notions. Harder for some then others. But you need a rating system for sure, but its taking some of the climbing for just climbing sake I think and making it a more competitive type of sport.......
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byrdherd
Nov 25, 2002, 7:03 PM
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I need to know the rating because one time in st. george I walked up to this climb and had the hardest time because I thought it was way harder then it was. If I would have known it was that easy I would have relaxed way more.
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coldclimb
Nov 25, 2002, 7:22 PM
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Ratings don't effect my climbing in any way besides the route I choose. I like to know them beforehand so I don't end up getting on a 5.13 or something.
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imamonkey
Nov 25, 2002, 9:17 PM
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The technical rating - seeing that as being subjective and subject to change as the years go on. However, the protection rating seems to be more of a factor by me - I probably wouldn not have done many of those climbs had a protection rating been implemented LOL
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alwaysforward
Nov 25, 2002, 10:06 PM
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heh, i realize we are ignoring huisen, but what's funny is that 6A isn't even a route, it's a boulder grading. ahh well
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funktimonious
Nov 25, 2002, 11:51 PM
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Huisen is in Malaysia...are you saying they rate boulder problems with the french/Brittish scale in Malaysia?
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sharmagod
Nov 26, 2002, 12:13 AM
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When I go climbing....I just look at the route and climb.Ratings don't have any effect on me....I really don't care what its rated.If it looks fun I will try it whether it be a 5.9 or a 5.12.
Ratings are good to a point but never get too caught up in it.It's not about who is better.
Jason
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moabbeth
Nov 26, 2002, 5:51 AM
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It can affect me if my head isn't on right that particular day. Yesterday I was climbing a route in Josh that I thought was a 5.8, but it seemed a lot tougher than that and I was kinda beating myself up mentally that a 5.8 was giving me problems and started underestimating my ability. I made it up clean but not happy with myself and when I got down my partner was like "okay, do you want to lead this 5.8 (there was a 5.8 route next to the one I had just done)" and I told him I thought I just did a 5.8 and he said "no, that was a 5.9+" Which made more sense as to why I thought it was harder than a 5.8 but had I not known what rating it was at all I probably would have done a better job. The rating can have an affect on me mentally if I don't watch it.
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huisen
Nov 26, 2002, 6:02 AM
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You're ignoring me?
Ah well.
Yes, we use the French ratings here. Sorry, should have mentioned that.
6A is a U.S. 5.10a/5.10b
I don't boulder. Not that there's anything wrong with bouldering mind.
[ This Message was edited by: huisen on 2002-11-25 22:44 ]
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catwoman
Nov 26, 2002, 6:27 AM
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I've only led once, so when leading, I think I'd like to know what it is. But as for following, sometimes I'd almost rather NOT know. One time I climbed a 10b and had no clue that's what it was. Nobody was hiding the rating from me, I just didn't ask and they didn't question me. I thought it was supposed to be a 9. When I got down, my friends told me what it was and I was ecstatic! Prior to that I'd never gone past a 9.
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