UKC

From http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/02/sports_to_impress_your_valenti....

"Here's some advice from psychologist Prof Richard Wiseman on how to impress your Valentine today. If you are a man, take up climbing and extreme sports and if you are a woman, show off your yoga, pilates and aerobics skills.

These are the top choices in an online survey of 6,142 people into the sexiest sports. Participants were given a list of 15 sports/physical activities and asked if engaging in them would make a member of the opposite sex more attractive. Wiseman and his colleague Sam Murphy then ranked them in order of the percentage of people who responded "yes". The survey did not ask explicitly whether respondents were heterosexual.

At the bottom of the heap are those sports that make you least attractive to the opposite sex. Men who do aerobics and play golf may be in for a lonely night tonight. And women into rugby and body-building may also be spending longer searching for love.

Here is the list, from least to most attractive, of men's opinions of women's sports (with the percentage answering "yes"):

Bodybuilding 5, Rugby 6, Golf 18, Rowing 20, Football (Soccer) 30, Extreme sports 32, Martial arts 35, Cycling 39, Climbing 41, Hiking 41, Skiing 53, Running 55, Going to the gym 64, Yoga/Pilates 65, Aerobics 70

And here's the list for women judging men:

Aerobics 9, Golf 13, Bodybuilding 19, Yoga/Pilates 20, Cycling 37, Rowing 43, Martial arts 44, Rugby 44, Running 44, Skiing 46, Going to the gym 50, Hiking 51, Football (Soccer) 52, Extreme sports 56, Climbing 57"


All well and good. But the survey neglected to include some important points, such as that wearing a scabby old fleece, ron hills or a beanie might negate the benefits that your image as a climber brings, and small points such as the importance of personal appearance and hygiene, which may have suffered while you were at the wall, thrashing about on the crag or stuck on the hill for 18 hours in a whiteout.

Still, there's hope for the singletons lurking on these forums!

T.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

If that's true, how come walls the country over will be rammed tonight by lots of single male climbers?

In reply to galpinos:

Because, signor Nick, they all appreciate the quiet efficient wall space to train TO THE MAX.

Sorry, got all 80s there.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

So based on those results, female body builders will be gagging for a shag.

Just off to the gym...

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Are men really impressed that women do aerobics or yoga ???

In reply to David Riley:

Depends if they can get their feet behind their ears..

In reply to Ridge:

I'm sure the climbers can.

In reply to David Riley:


You either have an exceptionally innocent mind, or no imagination. Think flexibility and stamina.

Football....ahead of rugby! Yeah right.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:




Guffaw!

In reply to Cú Chullain:
Aye, I agree, whats more manly than running around in the mud touching other men and wrestling them roughly to the ground? joking really, rugby is played by men rather than poncy neds fresh from JJB and a perm.

In reply to Ridge:

Mind she doesnt break you now! :P

In reply to adam carless:


Everyone says that.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Hang on....I climb, partake in extreme sports, hike, go to the gym, ski, run, play rugby, have rowed and can kick ass with several years of Ju-Jitsu......

.....I should be a fanny magnet.....girls, form an orderly queue.











(where is that bottle of Old Spice)

In reply to S i'm on & on:

Crickey1 Where did that come from? Been watching Buoux 8c again?

Bizarrely, I'm off to one wall tonight and the missus is off to another.

Romance eh!

In reply to David Riley:

youtube.com/watch?v=0ziNuksz5AM&

mainly sort of safe for work

In reply to rich: in a not quite sort of way...

In reply to gingerdave13: i did say mainly sort of . . .

sorry though

In reply to Cú Chullain:

Personality, charm & whit also play a part.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:
Mountaineering definitely makes you more manly (or cool if you happen to be a woman), whereas bouldering has the opposite effect, I find.

Just picture it: a girl you like asks what you do with your spare time, and you reply "I climb rather small rocks, equipped with a beanie and a crashmat."

Whereas if you can say "I climb big mountains in the Alps," they will be impressed and think you're fit, resourceful and independant. Mention of ice axes will probably increase your manliness exponentially.

In reply to evs1066:


Come on Evs - he's got Old Spice...What more should he need ?

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

So climbing makes you as attractive as a hiker. Is it really worth the extra expense and effort when simply wearing a check shirt and gaiters and reading Trail will get you the girls?

Richard Wiseman is a complete self-publicising cock, I should just add at this point.

In reply to Alex Roddie:

Depends on the person. It might scare them off, with them thinking you're a mad ax-man.

Mehmet

In reply to galpinos:

Blimey?! How did you manage to get that past the romance police? Cooking and, if I can squeeze it in, another few panels on the bouldering wall before the wife comes home...

In reply to Pursued by a bear: When it refers to "extreme sports" does that mean the sort of 'sports' featured in 'Anal Endurance' and Anal Endurance 2'?

In reply to bergalia:

I think women realy want the Gene Geney type from life on Mars. Now he's cool.

In reply to S i'm on & on:

Easily, when you live in different cities, about 120 miles apart.

It's going to be a tough weeknd too. The missus has hockey matches both days so I'm going have to go climbing all weekend. How will I cope. I'll ahve to get Nick V out and show him how it's done!

In reply to CJD:

Is it the celtic band tattoo that does it?

In reply to galpinos:

lol!

In reply to evs1066:

Whit? Ah, Pentecost, descending with tongues and all that.

In reply to winhill:


Yes, that is usually popular with the ladies in my experience...

In reply to Pursued by a bear: Such a pity attractive Women don't climb.

In reply to Alex Roddie:

Proove it. Please. Really...

In reply to butterworthtom:

I think Alex is trying to cheer himself up. Me, I've gone out with boulderers *and* mountaineers. As mentioned above, I've currently got a pet mountaineer and very nice he is too. Alex's explanation of himself as a mountaineer ('I climb big mountains in the alps') would have me on the floor, laughing my ass off. Thank god my bf doesn't talk like that.

I think the main thing is the idea that whatever the climbing-based activity, the chap's likely to have a nice back as a result

In reply to CJD:

Blimey. Phew. Cheers CJD!

In reply to broccoligirl:

lol, Highballer is a wonderful man with a wonderful gallery!

In reply to CJD:

I was trying to be humourous ... I would never actually say that!! =)

In reply to CJD:

Er yes, I was appreciating his 'gallery'.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

I've just worked out that Ueli Steck scores exactly 100 % because he combines Extreme sports (56) with Running (44) !

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

*and* he has nice blue eyes http://mediadb.alpin.de/news/190b16f8-8ace-42d7-8273-0653b12b63e5/art.jpg

In reply to Pursued by a bear: I'm gonna post a profile Pic of the Blackmeister topless, and let the UKC Burds vote on how aesthetically pleasing I am on the eye. Its coming sooon Ghirls

In reply to Ian Black:

C'mon then! Waiting waiting waiting....

In reply to broccoligirl: Aye, but nae ugly Burds are allowed a vote

In reply to Ian Black:

how will we know who amongst us are 'ugly burds'?

In reply to CJD:

I think the Blackmeister has struck me off the list! Oh well.

In reply to CJD:

I think we all know how attractive we are by the amount of attention, flirting, etc that we receive.

In reply to broccoligirl:

Nah, you're top. Any Burd that eats all her greens must be OK

In reply to CJD:

I'm a bit surprised he looks like an ordinary human being, quite frankly

In reply to Pursued by a bear:
So what you are saying is I should wear my rock shoes and carry an ice axe when I go clubbing?

In reply to Reach>Talent:
Yeah, but on balance they'd still be put off by the baby-seal blood.

In reply to CJD:


I take it you haven't met my dad?? He posts on here.

In reply to Pursued by a bear: F..k me! I go to the Gym, climb, row, and Hike. How attractive and sexy is that

In reply to Ian Black: Well I don't fancy you.

Which is probably a great relief to us both...

T.

In reply to Pursued by a bear: Don't fight your feelings

In reply to CJD: Ooh climbing porn... me too!

Whilst I'm aware of the gross generalsation here -

Men who climb are definitely more attractive! Mountaineers offer a certain extra appeal but boulderers too.

Gingerdave - it's not about the size of the rock you know, it's what he does with it too.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

57% of women think climbing makes men more attractive,

and 90% of adult women still can't muster sufficient maturity and intellect to put aside their childhood neuroses about whether mummy and daddy really love them long enough to form a decent relationship,

so your 57% figure gets us nowhere.

In reply to Jim Fraser:



A bit deep, old chap.

In reply to Ian Black:

Deep? That's not deep. Deep would be where we'd go if we started a thread about why a woman would have a profile name like 'control freak'.



( scurries away ... )

In reply to Jim Fraser:

lol, that's a bit of a tongue in cheek name. CF's one of the good 'uns, pragmatic, low-maintenance, straightforward, good in the hills, has a normal relationship with her parents.

*and* she makes damn good cakes.

In reply to Jim Fraser:

Aye, true. Definitely issues there!

In reply to Ian Black:

dude, you used to be called twinkletoes!

In reply to CJD:

Aye, but that was because of my skill on the dance floor, and nowt to do with me destroying a free standing ice pillar with my delicate footwork

In reply to Jim Fraser: <cough> Hello, I am still here you know! Best you scurry away fast

In reply to CJD: Now I feel like you're trying to sell me!
You trying to get rid of me?

In reply to CJD: In fact I may make a cameo appearance on that 'strictly come while yer dancing'

In reply to control freak:

no... not whilst your mother's still making the direct debit payments into my account...

In reply to CJD:


Well that's a good relationship with my parents if ever I saw one!

Sorry, will stop hijacking now.

In reply to CJD:

Wow!

In reply to Pursued by a bear:


oh good

In reply to Jim Fraser: Well I'm clearly quite a catch. I hadn't realised! I was under the impression I was a fairly down to earth, if geeky, academic.

In reply to Undertow:

It's easy, or so I was told by a very nice couple at the Vaynol last year. Climbing girlfriends are at a premium - just walk up to suitable chap and say "You'll do".

Must have worked for them!

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Hiking is *attractive*? Since when? People cant seriously consider red socks and an obcession with owning volvos and corned beef sandwiches attractive can they?

*sigh* what is the world coming to?

In reply to Anni:

>an obcession with owning volvos

That from a transit van owner, HA!

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Woohoo; I do all of the top eight! I must be a real stunner

And yes; hiking is definitely a good thing in a bloke. Ones who only ever climb at the wall score much less well in my book than ones who are prepared to walk a long way to get to the climb.

In reply to sutty:

Its a transit *connect* thank you very much!

In reply to Anni:

To paraphrase someone famous;

A van by any other name would still be a van love. ;-P

In reply to AlisonS:


You should ask my other half what she thinks about me wearing red gaiters.

Even I think that's odd, and I'm a long way off passing for normal. I'm not complaining, mind...

T.

In reply to Different Steve: hmmm, im have to try that angle!