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arkangel
Jul 8, 2003, 1:04 AM
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Registered: Jun 30, 2003
Posts: 45
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I just went to my first gym to climb today (yup, I started outside surprisingly). And... I didn't like it at all. Maybe that is just me and maybe it was cause it was hot and the holds were sweaty but I dunno, it was so much different than outside rock (I dunno if I expected anything different). It was really odd trying to only use certain holds whereas outside it is usually all on. Plus it seems like the routes were really underrated, that or I suck, or people just inflate the ratings of the routes I climb at Chickies. Anyway, the gym I went to is in Mechanicsburg. Anyone been there? What did you think? Who all uses gyms to train and what do most people think of them? Just curious :-)
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xcel360
Jul 8, 2003, 1:54 AM
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Registered: Jul 20, 2002
Posts: 481
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I use gyms to train during the year (minus summer when I'm up here), but that's because I live in Florida and there is no real rock. After climbing outdoors so much in the past year I personally don't like climbing in the gym, although the one I do train at is an exception. It's just a well managed and well maintained gym, however all the routes are overrated. I could consistently flash .8's and most .9's, and redpoint .10's in the gym, but when I climb outside I get spanked on .8's.
I would say gym climbing is great if your left with no alternative, but plastic sucks. There is no comparison to the real thing. If you can climb outdoors there's no reason you should be in the gym!! That's my pennies worth.
<=glen=>
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thurgood
Jul 8, 2003, 2:35 AM
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Registered: Jul 8, 2003
Posts: 77
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i primarily used the outdoors to train for gym climbing. the best routes are man made and there is no way mother nature can replace route setting ingenuity. the main advantage of outdoor climbing is the strengthening of your finger tips, other than that its a waste of itme
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micahmcguire
Jul 8, 2003, 3:21 AM
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Registered: Apr 18, 2002
Posts: 889
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gyms are for wintertime and for taking old people to. rock is for climbers.
I have to assume that thurgood is just kidding. No one is that silly
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trad_mike
Jul 8, 2003, 3:35 AM
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Registered: Jun 25, 2003
Posts: 96
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Moving from real rock to the plastic does take some getting used to. The shape of the holds and frictional properties (or lack of) are different from the rock you're used to. You would experience something slightly similar moving from one type of rock to another.
You have several advantages over people who move from plastic to real rock. You can't learn how to read the rock for holds in a gym. Most gyms are really bad at simulating the 3 dimensional aspects of real rock. You can't learn finese footwork for steep friction on plastic holds.
If you can get on real rock 3 or more days a week, don't bother with the gym. Real rock just offers so many more possibilities. Get on as many different types of rock as you can. Gym climbing can also teach bad habits with footwork.
If you can only get to the crags on weekends, climbing in the gym a couple of nights a week will get you stronger faster. Don't worry too much about the ratings. Unimaginitive course setters can just bump up the ratings by making the climbs reachier and not placing small intermediate holds. The ratings a course setter comes up with often have nothing to do with ratings on real rock.
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cjcalls
Jul 8, 2003, 3:40 AM
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Registered: May 30, 2003
Posts: 247
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Gyms smell bad and leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Guess I should quit licking the holds :roll:
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