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traddad
Aug 19, 2004, 4:25 PM
Post #26 of 77
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In reply to: No bouldering is goooood
Is that "No, bouldering is gooooood" or "no bouldering is gooooood"?
See:
http://eatsshootsandleaves.com/
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curt
Aug 19, 2004, 4:34 PM
Post #27 of 77
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In reply to: Bouldering is like masturbation - nothing wrong with the odd yank every now and then but if that's all you ever do, you kinda start to lose sight of what it's all about. But if you can apply that bouldering power to actual climbs, and not get freaked out by the absence of the ground, foam pad, and spotter, then more power to you - that's how the best in the world do it. If you can pull v7-8, then you can, in theory, climb 5.14.
Joe,
Go clip some bolts and pretend like you are climbing.
Curt
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studiggity
Aug 19, 2004, 4:47 PM
Post #28 of 77
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I am a boulderer.... but it gets worse... I think I might be a gym rat too. There I said it. But wait it gets much much worse:
-I climb several times a week indoors and only get outside every other weekend or so.
-I climb wearing Prana pants.
-I smoke cigarettes and other things and I have sent several V6's but can't finish a 5.11 without taking a break on the rope.
-I take my shirt off when I climb outside when it is more than about 70 degrees.
-In the winter I wear a beanie.
-I work out just to make my hands stronger on a regular basis.
-I look like I am about 18.
-I travel around the east coast with my buddies and have extended sessions while drinking beer.
-I really like to watch Chris Sharma (as well as other top shelf boulderers) climb really hard stuff.
-I am even a Buddhist!!!
I would not be surprised that if most people saw me they would assume I was one of those dudes that makes the wonderful world of climbing terrible.
However I do think that appearances can be decieving. The reality is that:
-I am 26 years old, married, and have a very demanding career as a computer programmer.
-I got into climbing because I wanted something really physical to do when I wasn't hunched over a computer monitor in my office and I hate working out for the sake of not getting fat.
-The gym I climb in is literally one block from my office so getting to the gym regularly is trivial and I can climb there well after it gets dark.
-I love climbing outside but with my other life obligations I just can't get outside as much as I would like to.
-I smoke because I was a stupid teenager once, picked up the habit, and haven't been able to drop it.
-I wear Prana pants because I have a genuine belief that they just might be the most comfortable pants on the entire planet and they are quite rugged at the same time. Maybe I wouldn't have ever given them a shot if I hadn't seen major climbers wearing them but now that I have tried them I am hooked.
-I can climb V6 and work my hands out a lot because all I want to do right now is climb V10. Its just because I think it would be fun to be able to do that. Plus I am getting older and don't have that many more years where I can get substantially stronger physically so I might as well go for it. Some people like to run marathons but I just want to climb a V10. You can call me a grade chaser and you would be correct but I wouldn't be interested in climbing grades in the first place if I didn't have a profound love for how I feel while I am moving over rock.
- I can't climb 5.11s without resting because right now I don't have any interest in building up endurance. I have to achieve my V10 goal first.
- I take off my shirt when I am outside because I get hot, sweat a lot, and like to get a little tan.
- I wear a beanie when it is cold because it keeps my ears warm.
- I travel around with my other young looking mid-twenties buddies with jobs and families and whatnot because it is really fun to get away from it all and I enjoy hanging out with other people outdoors especially when there is a focus to the hanging out.
- I drink beer because it is perhaps the greatest substance on earth. :)
- I would also love to get into trad climbing but the thought of hanging off the side of a cliff dozens or hundreds of feet up depending on the gear that I placed scares the shit out of me. I don't get scared while I am bouldering and I enjoy that. However, I want to take on this fear very much but I figure there is no need to rush. If I can climb 15-20 feet of V10 then I will have a very nice basis from which to learn trad climbing. I know I will be a total gear freak when the time comes and I already read all of the mountaineering books but I just want to take it slow. I'd like to avoid an unexpected death if I can for my family's sake.
- I am Buddhist for my own reasons and I was a practicing Buddhist long before I knew there were people that spent all their free time trying to make it to the top of rocks that you can generally drive or walk to the top of if you just take a different path.
- Finally I have much respect for anyone that works hard at anything just because they love it. Meaning that just the act of having real passion is what inspires me. I have nothing but respect for all of the climbing disciplines because they all take a lot of hard work and devotion. In the end there is no point to trying to decide which one is best.
I suppose the point of this post is that things may or may not be as they appear. There are plenty of people in this world that make our lives more difficult and some of them do boulder but there are also plenty of boulderers who are productive members of society and have a deep love for climbing in all of its forms. But hate on if you guys want to. I'm certainly not going to try and stop you.
My two cents,
Stuart
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holdplease2
Aug 19, 2004, 5:03 PM
Post #29 of 77
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I think I am afraid of boulderers like homophobes are afraid of homosexuals.
* They kind of do what I do, but do it, um, differently.
* Every now and then I lose a good partner to...bouldering
* They seem to be having a better time doing what they do than I am doing what I do.
* They are an easily identifiable subculture (most of the time) and require special "gear" for their activities which I do not own
* Its getting to the point where I can't go out to do what I do without running into a chattering group of them out doing what they're doing...and I cant help but stop to watch.
* Every so often, someone asks me to go "bouldering" and sometimes its hard to say no.
But for now, I will continue to not boulder and not have a beanie and not carry a mattress.
-Kate.
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traddad
Aug 19, 2004, 5:38 PM
Post #30 of 77
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In reply to: I think I am afraid of boulderers like homophobes are afraid of homosexuals. * They kind of do what I do, but do it, um, differently. -Kate.
Heh....... :lol:
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marz
Aug 19, 2004, 6:02 PM
Post #31 of 77
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Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that bouldering to climbing is sorta like snowboarders to skiers???
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marz
Aug 19, 2004, 6:04 PM
Post #32 of 77
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Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that bouldering to climbing is sorta like snowboarders to skiers???
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actionfigure
Aug 19, 2004, 6:09 PM
Post #33 of 77
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bouldering is for real climbers to train power. boulderers are pebble wrestlers who like to call themselves climbers, but can't fully commit.
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kalcario
Aug 19, 2004, 6:19 PM
Post #34 of 77
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Registered: Sep 25, 2002
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*Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that bouldering to climbing is sorta like snowboarders to skiers???*
Except that the snowboarders and the skiers can operate on the same terrain. A better analogy is skimboarders to surfers - skimboarders look on actually getting wet (pumped) as poor form, operate on 1/2" of water (boulders) instead of actual waves (crags) and therefore don't need to learn how to actually swim in water (climb higher than 25') and get clowned on by the actual surfers (climbers) as well as by the girls on the beach. The skimboarders, however, at least know better than to try to call themselves surfers...
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curt
Aug 19, 2004, 6:25 PM
Post #35 of 77
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Registered: Aug 27, 2002
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In reply to: *Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that bouldering to climbing is sorta like snowboarders to skiers???* Except that the snowboarders and the skiers can operate on the same terrain. A better analogy is skimboarders to surfers - skimboarders look on actually getting wet (pumped) as poor form, operate on 1/2" of water (boulders) instead of actual waves (crags) and therefore don't need to learn how to actually swim in water (climb higher than 25') and get clowned on by the actual surfers (climbers) as well as by the girls on the beach. The skimboarders, however, at least know better than to try to call themselves surfers...
Sport "climbers" could learn something from them.
Curt
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shorty
Aug 19, 2004, 6:27 PM
Post #36 of 77
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In reply to: Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that bouldering to climbing is sorta like snowboarders to skiers??? |
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trx
Aug 19, 2004, 6:31 PM
Post #37 of 77
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I don't hate bouldering... I hate boulderers
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shorty
Aug 19, 2004, 6:38 PM
Post #38 of 77
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In reply to: In reply to: The skimboarders, however, at least know better than to try to call themselves surfers...Sport "climbers" could learn something from them.
grigri -- check.
petzl spirit draws -- check.
OK, so who wants to join me in Boulder Canyon for a rousing game of badminton?
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keinangst
Aug 19, 2004, 6:42 PM
Post #39 of 77
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Registered: Apr 1, 2003
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I love how almost every single "to boulder or not to boulder" thread is distinctly different than the last.
And I appreciate studiggity for eloquently stating his raison d'etre in a manner well above the brows of most full-time boulderers.
You make the subculture look good. Too bad there are 100 troglodytes for every one of you :D
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petsfed
Aug 19, 2004, 6:51 PM
Post #40 of 77
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I'm not saying that I hate bouldering, its just not my cup of tea right now. I go through this series of phases, that are quite cyclic. I start with top roping (because my lead had is gone), then failure on sport climbs waaaaaaay above my level, then I get back into bouldering with a preference for high balls, then I hit the single pitch lead stage, the multipitch easy, then multipitch hard. Then I start all over again. Once I figure out what part of that cycle is my peak, I'll know what kind of climber I should be. That is, boulderer, sport climber, trad climber, gumby (there is toproping there afterall), or perhaps just climber.
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iclimbtoo
Aug 19, 2004, 6:54 PM
Post #41 of 77
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Registered: Feb 10, 2002
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yeah, Boulder has way too many yuppies too. Washington is better...more hippy, less yuppy
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reno
Aug 19, 2004, 7:01 PM
Post #42 of 77
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In reply to: * They kind of do what I do, but do it, um, differently. * Every now and then I lose a good partner to...bouldering * They seem to be having a better time doing what they do than I am doing what I do. * They are an easily identifiable subculture (most of the time) and require special "gear" for their activities which I do not own * Its getting to the point where I can't go out to do what I do without running into a chattering group of them out doing what they're doing...and I cant help but stop to watch. * Every so often, someone asks me to go "bouldering" and sometimes its hard to say no.
Note to self: Coffee, nose, and computer screen do not make a happy triad.
:lol:
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rockhound71
Aug 19, 2004, 7:10 PM
Post #43 of 77
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Only if they fall on me :wink:
No, I don't hate bouldering, but I get injured a lot more when I'm bouldering (blown tendons, strained shoulders, etc). So for the time being, I'm staying away from it.
In my humble opinion, it's great for improving strength and technique quickly. But as they say about opinions...
Casey
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sarcat
Aug 19, 2004, 7:10 PM
Post #44 of 77
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Registered: Jan 22, 2004
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In reply to: In reply to: *Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that bouldering to climbing is sorta like snowboarders to skiers???* Except that the snowboarders and the skiers can operate on the same terrain. A better analogy is skimboarders to surfers - skimboarders look on actually getting wet (pumped) as poor form, operate on 1/2" of water (boulders) instead of actual waves (crags) and therefore don't need to learn how to actually swim in water (climb higher than 25') and get clowned on by the actual surfers (climbers) as well as by the girls on the beach. The skimboarders, however, at least know better than to try to call themselves surfers...Sport "climbers" could learn something from them. Curt
Interesting perspective from a "pebble wrestler". I'd put a smiley but I've de-vowed them.
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angry
Aug 19, 2004, 7:15 PM
Post #45 of 77
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Bouldering in cracks is fun. Standard crimp/slap bouldering is boring.
It's all training anyway.
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kalcario
Aug 19, 2004, 7:16 PM
Post #46 of 77
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*OK, so who wants to join me in Boulder Canyon for a rousing game of badminton?*
The dozen or so people I regularly sport climb with, myself included, have done multiple El Cap routes, thousands of pitches of trad free climbing, as well as a healthy amount of bouldering. Most if not all of the boulderers I know have never been climbers and in all probablity never will be, and when they do show up at the crags, it's to clip bolts - and they're in over their heads on the 5.11 warm-ups.
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crimpandgo
Aug 19, 2004, 7:24 PM
Post #47 of 77
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I love all forms of climbing bouldering included, although I prefer certain kinds of climbing more than others. Each form of climbing has its merits and can make for a better all-round climber by participating in each
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robmcc
Aug 19, 2004, 7:34 PM
Post #48 of 77
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In reply to: *OK, so who wants to join me in Boulder Canyon for a rousing game of badminton?* The dozen or so people I regularly sport climb with, myself included, have done multiple El Cap routes, thousands of pitches of trad free climbing, as well as a healthy amount of bouldering. Most if not all of the boulderers I know have never been climbers and in all probablity never will be, and when they do show up at the crags, it's to clip bolts - and they're in over their heads on the 5.11 warm-ups.
This is solid S-9. Maybe an easy S-10.
Rob
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tripperjm
Aug 19, 2004, 7:42 PM
Post #49 of 77
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While not interested in getting between Curt and Joe in thier ongoing love affair In reply to: when they do show up at the crags, it's to clip bolts - and they're in over their heads on the 5.11 warm-ups. |
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clarki
Aug 19, 2004, 8:45 PM
Post #50 of 77
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Registered: Feb 24, 2004
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Him:
Multiple El Cap routs blah blah blah, thousands of trad pitches blah blah blah, healthy amount of bouldering blah blah blah, 5.11 warm-ups blah blah blah.
Me:
Never been to Yos blah blah blah, hundreds of trad pitches blah blah blah, boulder a lot but always seem to hurt myself blah blah blah, barely redpoint 5.11+ clip-ups blah blah blah.
Only difference here is I am not a self masturbating egomaniac who actually thinks that my climbing accomplishments mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Also, I tend to like most boulderers when I meet them. Anyone who willingly hangs out in the woods engaged in a pointedly usless activity like bouldering can't be that bad!
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