UKC

Does anybody else get annoyed by guys at the wall who look like they have been sentenced to climb?

The typical suspect is someone who hasn't been climbing that long, they are reasonable in their ability but in no way exceptional. They look so bloody serious and aren't particularly helpful or friendly. They certainly don't look like they are enjoying it and think they are a bit special.

In reply to sparkass2:


Nope, it's just you.

In reply to sparkass2:

I used to climb with 2 guys, Eric B and Rakim. They were serious as cancer.

In reply to sparkass2:

indoor climbing seems to atracted them

In reply to sparkass2: You mean the same kind that will throw a massive hissy fit whilst hanging off the wall cause they cant do a move?

If so we have a couple like that, very angry ape looking types, one even wears a shirt with 'climbing police' printed on the back... he's a dick.

In reply to the power: +1 (certainly seems to )

In reply to sparkass2:
They aren't as funny as the ones who've clearly read some training advice somewhere that says that rainbowing around for extended periods is a good way to train endurance on a bouldering wall, and hence do so. At a popular wall. At peak time on a wednesday. While ten people stand around waiting to get on the same bit of wall thenmselves and rolling their eyes.

The really interesting thing is that you almost never see these people at the wall more than once...

In reply to the power:

Some people who use indoor walls are funny old things - I get the impression that some of them never venture outside. Also very much a closed shop - 'we don't like strangers around here ....."
Having said that alot of them are fine - but it never seems quite as friendly as at the crag - maybe it's just my local wall

In reply to sparkass2: Yes, I've noticed them! Have you noticed that they never seems to like their friends either? No laughing or joking around.

In reply to Ramblin dave: Oh,oh, come on then let's do a whole thread on strange things/people that go on/go to walls.

Couple of months ago I was at our local (Adur in Sussex) standing at the bottom of a route tied in and ready to top rope when the local wall superstar waltzes straight up and lead climbs over the top of me FFS ! I actually thought that he was gonna use my right shoulder as a foothold ! Not a word - ignorant bastard !

In reply to the power:

Now, I'm not trying to absolutely defend people who are actually unpleasant, but some people train for climbing, and training is not always about having fun.

When you are pushing yourself hard, you have to be focused. And when you are focused and just fail on a problem/route it can be very frustrating and that frustration sometimes erupts vocally. And just because someone isn't all smiles during their session doesn't mean that they don't go home satisfied.

I'm aware that it now sound like I am one of the people that the OP was criticising - I hope I am not unfriendly, but equally I know that when I am pushing hard sometimes I have some of the characteristics that the OP derides.

In reply to sparkass2:

I get annoyed by people getting annoyed at people for doing things the way they want to do them.

In reply to GrahamD:
I get annoyed by people that get annoyed by people getting annoyed at people for doing things the way they want to do them.

In reply to sparkass2:

When you were young and your heart was an open book
You used to say live and let live
(you know you did you know you did you know you di-iiiid)

In reply to The Ivanator: No looks almost like a smile to me Ivan.

In reply to sparkass2: Not really, each to their own, dont let it bother you. If they want to be serious let them be and get on with it. I think some people are too assuming of other people. If they want to train seriously, fair play they are keen to improve

In reply to GrendeI:
I throw hissy fits for that reason all the time!!! doesnt mean I'm not having fun though

In reply to sparkass2:

People generally point & smile when they see me climbing

In reply to sparkass2:


When it's all going wrong (bar the prospect of hitting the ground) I tend to get a fit of the giggles. It's not very helpful. It's worse when my efforts have led to some ridiculous and untenable shapes being thrown.


And another thing: everyone else is huddled up in fleeces and duvets, but there are always a couple of shirtless boulderers, not working hard, but taking themselves oh so seriously.

In reply to The Ivanator:
That's a great pic.

In reply to sparkass2:

One of my mates can be a bit like that. I think he's got some natural talent, but he seems to be so intent on getting good and improving quickly that I'm not sure wether actually enjoys climbing or just wants to be good at it. I'll hear him once or twice a session make snide comments about other climbers abilities, even those who are climbing harder grades than him. Each to their own though, I try not concern myself with it or let it affect my enjoyment.

In reply to sparkass2:

Don't get annoyed at them at all, if anything I just kind of pity them really.

In reply to geordiepie:

Bravo.

In reply to Ciderslider:

It's not just Climbing of course, at our local golf club (when I played) Charlie Gr**n who was pretty good regional golfer, used to practice pitch onto the 18th green when the course was being played, and even one time when my father and I were putting out.

Ok so we were crap golfers and it was not a competition, but shows you the arrogance of some folks.

In reply to Hat Dude:

Like they do with your skiing style?

In reply to geordiepie:

Oh, I saw them climbing together once. Their technique was so good they weren't even sweating!

In reply to Hat Dude: But do you scream and swear at the top of your voice whilst kicking the wall and punching the holds?

We all have a good moan if we fail on something, but some people do take it a little to the extreme!

In reply to sparkass2:

A lot of male serious climbers climb topless so that others will realise just how serious they are.

In reply to GrendeI:

I've done it once or twice. Generally when I've been practicing something stupid hard for me, eventually linked all the moves, got it clean on top-rope after many attempts, gone for the clean lead and it's been clean up to the point where the last hold has spun. Grrr.

Don't tend to make a practice of it as I feel that kicking and punching other people's property is not the way to behave..

In reply to sparkass2:
No problem really, we just tend to burn them off (unintentionally) and they often come over and start a conversation.....

In reply to Trangia:

If I climbed topless people wouldn't point and smile, just point.

Ah now I do this too. Not to show I'm serious but because I get to damn hot!

In fact Dave Macleod has just put a blog up about the benefits of "tops off for power" and how less layers mean less sweating.

http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/sweaty-hands-manage-it.ht...

Yogi

In reply to Trangia:

The topless thing is your basic ape mating display. You don't pick up on this as a guy so much, but try taking your 17 year old daughter to the wall and it all becomes very clear.

All that is missing, when you get the topless male looking round to see where the female is and doing a few gratuitous pulls off the top hold of a boulder problem before jumping, is a voice over from David Attenborough.

In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:

Misread that first time as "a few gratuitous pull offs"

Thought "mcfee I'm glad I don't climb there!"

In reply to tom_in_edinburgh: so long as thats as far as the ape analogy goes I can cope. I dont fancy being around if they start flicking their own poo for amusement.

In reply to sparkass2:

Boulder rooms tend to see great congregations of preening, high fiving, topless apes (often with personality hats) as well as seriously talented climbers who stay quiet (and dressed) and simply train hard. Every sport has its posers. I say leave em to it and get some routes in!!

In reply to Pinged:

I'd not heard that before

That's it to a tee

In reply to nniff:

http://ems.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pEMS1-9432410venh.jpg

No shirt, 'cos it's too hot. But a hat.

In reply to Trangia:

I boulder shirtless so I can have the wall to myself. Scares people off.

I must've been lucky though, by and large everyone I've come across indoors has been pretty friendly. Either that or they're too polite to tell me to bugger off when I start nattering to them.

In reply to GrendeI:

Maybe they just want to be a bit like Ondra.