Don’t Be That Climber, Gym Etiquette
Boulder bros aren’t just a meme, they walk among us. In all seriousness, climbers get excited about climbing, we want to interact with those around us, the climbs around us, and the space around us. But are we behaving in the proper way? Here are some tips and tricks to make sure you don’t go down the path of the boulder bro.
Respect time- climbing is social, it’s a great way to interact with people and meet new people. We are sharing a space, a goal, and a lifestyle. These things unite us, but we still want to continue with caution. Respect people who don’t want to hang out and socialize. Some people are at the gym with a limited schedule, and just want to get their work out in.
Brush holds- if more people brushed, holds would feel better longer! Especially on training boards that don’t get cleaned often, brush your holds. It will help you climb harder and keep the holds ‘healthier’ longer! Also, be mindful of chalk, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. While chalk can increase friction and help us grip, too much chalk can make us lose friction and slip
Respect the brusher- if you see someone meticulously brushing a route, give them first go. Don’t just hop on and budge in line, if they are resting further, politely ask if you can try the route, if they say yes, join in. Hop in and help brush for future attempts. Brushing is a team effort, and we should all do our part!
Be aware of your surroundings- stay clear of landing areas. Safety is a huge concern, we don’t want to get landed on or land on someone else. Beyond safety, you are preventing access to a climb. While some people have no problem politely asking people to move, others can’t be shy, and might avoid climbs they want to do because they aren’t comfortable asking someone to move.
Don’t camp– avoid camping out on routes, sure it’s your project and you are so close to sending, but don’t be a rope hog. Let others hop in on routes, the route will still be there, plus a little extra rest never hurt anyone! You might also learn something from watching someone else climb.
Don’t show off- everyone comes into climbing at a different ability level. While you think it might be super impressive to campus that easy boulder problem and show off how strong you are. You might think you look cool, but you might also discourage someone that was new and trying really hard from coming back or progressing.
Keep your beta to yourself- part of the fun of climbing is the unknown, figuring out sequences. Climbing is like a puzzle on the wall. Don’t take that from someone, never give unsolicited beta (information/advice/hints), let them have fun figuring it out for themselves. You also may do more damage than good, your strengths and weaknesses might be different, and how you climb the route could be vastly different, and negatively affect their progress. Wait for them to ask for beta before giving beta, let them start the conversation.
Be encouraging and enthusiastic but don’t be a distraction- encourage and cheer people on, but don’t go overboard. See someone do something at their limit, let them know how impressive it was to watch. Someone is maxing out on their project, on the edge of failure, just barely latching the holds, give an encouraging “You got it!”. Don’t be a distraction, use appropriate volume and don’t over do it. No need to yell “Allez!” repeatedly as they climb the route. Not everyone likes encouragement, so if someone asks you not to, respect it. Don’t take it personally, we all climb differently!
Climbing is dangerous, it involves inherent and other risks and cannot be eliminated. The information presented here does not describe all of the risks associated with climbing and is not intended to replace or supersede expert instruction and training.
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