UKC

I spent a couple of hours at oxford Brookes wall today and there was a guy there who had awesome strength to weight ratio and hell didn't he enjoy showing us. In the entire time our visits coincided (1.5 hours) I don't think he climbed a thing. Instead he seemed very keen to show off his one arm pull ups and hand stand press ups. It seemed a little needy.
Are such posing monkeys common?

In reply to twm.bwen:

I climbed loads yesterday; needed a break from it.

In reply to Submit to Gravity:

Reading the OP I was planning on writing the exact same comment you made. You just spoilt my xmas.

In reply to twm.bwen:

Haha, I thought for a moment that you were referring to me, but sadly I am unable to do one arm pull ups. When were you there? I was around at lunchtime. I'm intrigued now by the hand stand press ups..

So far in my short time at Brookes I've found most of the regulars to be very amenable. There's some pretty damn hench guys that split their time getting ripped in the weights room, but not much posing, as far as I have seen.

In reply to twm.bwen:
You ought to have seen how he got on after being hoofed in the groin...

In reply to twm.bwen:

Each to their own, it takes all sorts, live and let live etc. etc.

I don't suppose he caused you or anyone else any harm in doing what he was doing so why bother to make anything of it.

In reply to twm.bwen:

Let me guess, you're normally the biggest show off! But this time he was?

In reply to twm.bwen:

Maybe he had already warmed up and was doing some training? You seem like your being over sensitive just because hes stronger than you.

In reply to twm.bwen:

Hey buddy ,

Yeah, so this was me, I was actually just waiting for someone to be finished with their exam, so I had no intention of climbing, I was more just milling about and chatting to a couple of friends/ casually training to fill the time, and since I have a membership at the wall it seemed the best place to do it.
I'm sorry if you felt that witnessing my training impacted negatively on your afternoon, but I can assure you, I have absolutely no interest in showing off, or making a nuisance of myself.
While this post has provided me and my friends with a good laugh, perhaps next time if you have a problem you could talk to the person directly and give them a chance to kindly explain themselves before writing an anonymous post on an online forum?
I hope you enjoyed your session regardless of my perceived 'neediness' .

In reply to Ramiel:

brilliant reply

In reply to Ramiel:

Nice

In reply to Ramiel:

good reply mate.
However, can you imagine someone approaching you saying:
"err, buddy, do you mind...err you're antics are disturbing my climbing routine. Would you mind showing off somewhere else...I find the experience belittling and all"?

I wonder what you would make of this?

Possibly one of the rare cases when it is actually really better off with the anonymity of a web forum? A lot less embarrassing for all concerned?

BTW I wish I could do one armed pull ups and/or the push ups thingme.
I am a weakling.

In reply to twm.bwen:

I agree with the previous comments on the quality of your post and it does put things in context a little,and I do admit my post seems a bit petty.
But assuming your 'training' is to improve your climbing (which I have no doubt is very good) I cannot see why actually climbing would not be the best training. I was not the only person there to comment on what seemed to be 'show boating'.

I also agree with scrumpy that it looks like I'm jealous because you're 'stronger' than me, however all we know is that your strength to weight ratio is much much better.

When I was younger I was also bothered about one armed pull ups and the rest until a long break from climbing made me realise such feats of strength were totally unnecessary and the strength I had lost relative to my weight did nothing to hold my climbing grade back. However, the difference is that perhaps you climb at a much higher grade than me.

As it appears this is the only thing you have posted in months it is clear I touched a nerve and for that I apologise, I simply wanted to know if such displays were common.

In reply to French Erick:

Just to clarify, the guy who is being referred to here is sound and he would never do anything to undermine others; on the contrary he is extremely encouraging to climbers of absolutely all abilities (even if he is nuts about system boarding )

I would think by considering approaching an individual with these questions the person would realise that, perhaps, he/she is being a little silly and should enjoy the great climbing around them more, instead of troubling themselves to the point of making a UKC post about someone else in a climbing gym

Just my two pence

In reply to twm.bwen:

I DO enjoy the great climbing around me, that's kind of my point!
However it is clear I have misjudged his character from actions that I was not the only one to judge as being a bit 'look at me'. I apologize.

In reply to Ramiel:

Haha, brilliant! I found your beastmaker 2000 sessions deeply upsetting, especially when you felt the need to add extra weight.

In reply to twm.bwen:



Yes,

next question..

In reply to twm.bwen:

tbf hand stand push ups are impressive. Last time i tried i strained my shoulder!

In reply to twm.bwen:

There were a couple of guys at the Stockport Awesome Walls a few months back who were obviously gymnasts, they weren't the best at bouldering (i think they struggle to get up V2's) but one of them was doing handstand pushups on those funky tricep dip bars. I was impressed at him doing this and not for one minute thought "show-off" or thought, yeh well you can't boulder.

In reply to goose299:


Apart from the "impacted negatively". When did we start using English like that?

In reply to twm.bwen:

Well, my name is Sam, feel free to say hello next time you're in and I'l try and keep some of my more aggressive exercises out of your view, could be worse! I could be shirtless.

I will issue a full apology for 'impacted negatively'! had a blonde moment there I'm afraid!

In reply to twm.bwen:

Yes. Personally I can only do a few pullups and prefer doing actual climbing.

Neil

In reply to twm.bwen:

Thread caught my eye as I also thought it might have been me, until I saw the day (and that "one-armer" wasn't preceded by "jump start").


Missing the point. Sure, climbing is generally more effective but:

a) There's a long history of climbers enjoying f-ing around in a variety of amusing ways to pass time. As someone who cant walk past a suspended chain without attempting to balance along it I sympathise with Sam. I'm sure passers by think I'm showing off but I simply find it fun. Can assure you I do it just as much when entirely on my own

b) Walls can be a social place where people don't just go to train. (Unfortunately Brookes isn't very conducive to this. Along with a lack of steep boards, hard routes and a usable campus board we also don't have a shagged comfy sofa and a kettle )

-ross