Oct 20, 2009, 4:28 AM
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Warming up on somebody's project
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So this came up in another thread, and rather than allow it to get buried in obscurity, I'd like to hear everyone's opinion...
cracklover wrote:
WordsVerbatim wrote:
kriso9tails wrote:
WordsVerbatim wrote:
2. Don't be an asshole or a show-off. That's just frustrating. I hate when I've been attempting a problem and someone comes up and shows me up when I've been working on it for a few days or more.
I guess it depends on what you mean by this. I've skipped over my regular warm-up problems many times before because somebody was working them as a project. If I have a lot of options available, I really don't mind because I know it can be discouraging to have someone walk through a problem I've been working on, so I avoid doing it to other people for no reason.
That's what I mean. Pretty much everything you said there sums it up perfectly. It's not so much the fact that they can do it - I'm glad they can. It's when there are a number of other problems on the wall. . . I don't think it's necessary to jump ahead of me or another climber and do it, ya know? Whenever it happens, I feel like I have to take a break for a minute so I can get back into my "headspace" or whatever.
I'm just curious, is this a commonly held "ethic"? If so, I guess you can call me a clueless ass, then. I've never even considered that such a thing could be an issue. Some people are way stronger than me, others are way weaker. Why the hell should I care if someone warms up on my project? If I'm interested in working out the beta on my own, then I won't watch them do it. Otherwise, I'd be psyched to maybe pick up a few tricks from watching someone who has honed the craft so much better than me.
And does jumping in front of you mean that I wait for you to finish, and then ask if I can give it a go? I mean, you're resting for a few minutes before your next burn, so it seems like a good time to ask.
I'm not trying to be an ass or show off - but sometimes watching someone work a problem gets me psyched to give it a go. If I like way the problem looks, and want to give it a go, should I ask myself if I can sometimes flash a problem of this difficulty before asking if I can work in with them? And if I realize that I might flash it, does that mean most people would prefer if I come back later rather than trying it now?
Honestly, call me uncouth, but this is a totally new concept to me.
GO
So the question for the poll is: If somebody flashed your bouldering project in the gym, would you consider that rude? Would it be a downer to you?
I actually go looking for people having a hard time with easy stuff, and then cruise it. After, I scream in their faces "THAT'S HOW YOU GET IT DONE!"
Actually, no. I don't. Also, I don't mind if people cruise my 'project' at the gym. It's the gym. It's about getting stronger, not about ego. Maybe they'll show me better beta while they're doing it.
It has never even occurred to me to not warm up on someone else's project, and, as far as I can tell, it has never occurred to anyone else not to warm up on mine. Assholes.
Sometimes it gets me psyched up, or gives me a little beta. Even if I know the moves they might do some slightly different body position that helps me figure it out.
Other times I just don't care. Bouldering in the gym is totally about me, not about anyone else.
(This post was edited by silascl on Oct 20, 2009, 5:00 AM)
People tend to work the routes that are fun and interesting. If that's a warm-up for someone then go for it.
The beta blasters outnumber those who like to work things out on their own at my gym. People tend to be really happy when someone does the route and gives them new things to try.
Yep, and I also get pissed off if someone lifts more weight in the gym, passes me when I'm jogging/biking/walking/skiing/driving, out drives me on the golf course, etc. So I'm a very pissed off person.
Actually, and I feel a little sheepish in trying to give a semi-serious answer to this question, I haven't had problems with this and I've spent quite a bit of time in bouldering gyms.
Finally, I'm sure there are exceptions, but the stone cold climbers I've seen have tended to be positive people and either supportive of the efforts of average climbers or, at the worst, not particularly interested. Haven't really seen anyone "lording it over" anyone else, except maybe in a joking way. In another thread I was insulted for questioning some guy who apparently likes to motivate his "friends" by calling them pussies and vice versa: thankfully, I don't see that in real life.
(This post was edited by pfwein on Oct 20, 2009, 5:04 AM)
It has never even occurred to me to not warm up on someone else's project, and, as far as I can tell, it has never occurred to anyone else not to warm up on mine. Assholes.
Jay
Or, more apt for me: "It has never even occurred to me to not warm up on someone else's project, and, as far as i can tell, it has never occurred to anyone else to warm up on mine.
Gym no, Outdoors, Yes. I personally dont take to projects much. I try something for a while. If it goes it goes. I will come back to it about 6 months to a year later and try again, but if it does not go the second time around I am going to get some dynamite and blow that fucker up. Seriously I do not play on the same climb for more than 30 minutes to a hour. I may try it again later if it has great movement or something about it catches my attention. but any longer and it just isnt my time to send a particular climb. Where did I putttt that C4? I though I left it right here. Where is the damn Detonaters? Honey have you seen the ?????????? Bye Bye project hello gravel. Takin out boulders one choss pile at a time.
Like a typical gym, there is a bizarre number of douche bags. You know the type: Someone's working something they've never been on. The archtype gym rat boulderer walks up, makes eye contact, walks up it because he's perfected it over the course of 2 months, makes eye contact again, and walks away without even saying hello... (Yes, this happened to a friend of mine)
I've had someone walk up to something I'm working and say, "You're working that?" and then do it.
If someone does it like a dick, they're a dick. If they do it like a friendly cool guy trying to warm up, they're probably a friendly cool guy.
I just laugh when one of the gym rats struts his shit in front of me. Mostly because my ego isn't attached to gym climbing.
I really only like to warm up on v0s. If someone is projecting a v0, then I guess I have no choice but to show them up, laugh in their face, and spill Vaseline into their chalk bag.
If I have to use their "gym project" route as a warm up, so be it. If I'm working on a problem and fall off of it while someone else is waiting to try/do it I get the hell out of the way. There are only so many routes at the gym, don't hog one, especially if it's brand new.
I love it when my husband warms up on my projects....it means he can hang the draws for me.
But as I get stronger he's having a harder and harder time warming up on my projects....sometimes he has to change out of his approach shoes and put on real climbing shoes before he goes up them now.
Seriously though, there are climbers of all abilities out there. There's no room for ego in climbing.
Dude once you get to a high level there is no way to warm up without getting on someone's project. I always ask if it's cool if someone is actively working something. I've had people accuse me of being a dick though. Must be something about doing campus training on their projects.
Agreed. Now that I just got back to climbing after an 8 month hiatus, I'm back to sucking...so I tend to try and stay out of the way for folks that pull much harder so I can pick up some tips for routes I'm too weak to pull off right now. One thing though, even with that much time off, all is not forgotten...so I'm getting better quicker...but also get tired much sooner than I used to while I was still doing much harder and more routes.
Overall, just be curtious to your fellow climbers. We're all there to have fun, some need more difficult problems to challenge their ability.
I've found far greater success in not warming up and just jumping on my project. Of course for hard routes in the platte, there aren't any easy routes near them.
For the gym, it doesn't matter what you climb as long as you have gas.
I love it when my husband warms up on my projects....it means he can hang the draws for me.
But as I get stronger he's having a harder and harder time warming up on my projects....sometimes he has to change out of his approach shoes and put on real climbing shoes before he goes up them now.
Seriously though, there are climbers of all abilities out there. There's no room for ego in climbing.
You're working a problem. It has some bizarre beta, so it's taking a couple of burns to get it. There's a guy that's been hovering around, and in between fluidly crushing things several grades harder, he's watching you. During a rest he comes over and asks, "can I give it a go?" It reeks of false humility. Obviously he crushes it - skips foot holds, needlessly campuses holds. He's a bouldering Burt Bronson. When he's done he says, "Thanks, that's a sweet problem" as if the moves are so rewarding and he really understands that it's difficult.
Later, as you are leaving the gym, you notice this guy is now behind the counter. You find out he works there and set that problem.
Again, I've experienced this in AZ, UT, CA, MI, NC, and MD. I find it hilarious. For several reasons:
1) Feigned humility and empathy as an entre to show off. 2) Acting like you're just another person figuring things out when you put up the problem. 3) Acting as though climbing some problem 3 grades below what you were previously climbing is part of your usual training system.
So, to answer the OP, no, I don't have a problem if someone wants to flash what i'm projecting if that fits in with a warm up or with a routine. I do have a problem with all the accoutrements to make it seem like routine when it's really just an opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond. So when it's obviously an ego trip I think it's pretty lame. The fact that it seems to be a part of the culture of working at a gym really isn't that surprising though.
I was once told by a quite attractive young woman, with the cutest grin you can imagine, that warming up on a girl's project is a lousy way to get her phone number. Then she winked.
Unfortunately, I was supremely pissed off at my own girlfriend at the time, and was more in the mood to pull down hard than try to actually change my situation.
I was once told by a quite attractive young woman, with the cutest grin you can imagine, that warming up on a girl's project is a lousy way to get her phone number. Then she winked.
Unfortunately, I was supremely pissed off at my own girlfriend at the time, and was more in the mood to pull down hard than try to actually change my situation.
So I nodded, and went on my way.
A friend of mine once told me that once you pass it up, it's gone forever.
I found out that wasn't true. Unfortunately, I also found out that if it comes back again you probably don't want it.
You're working a problem. It has some bizarre beta, so it's taking a couple of burns to get it. There's a guy that's been hovering around, and in between fluidly crushing things several grades harder, he's watching you. During a rest he comes over and asks, "can I give it a go?" It reeks of false humility. Obviously he crushes it - skips foot holds, needlessly campuses holds. He's a bouldering Burt Bronson. When he's done he says, "Thanks, that's a sweet problem" as if the moves are so rewarding and he really understands that it's difficult.
Later, as you are leaving the gym, you notice this guy is now behind the counter. You find out he works there and set that problem.
Again, I've experienced this in AZ, UT, CA, MI, NC, and MD. I find it hilarious. For several reasons:
1) Feigned humility and empathy as an entre to show off. 2) Acting like you're just another person figuring things out when you put up the problem. 3) Acting as though climbing some problem 3 grades below what you were previously climbing is part of your usual training system.
So, to answer the OP, no, I don't have a problem if someone wants to flash what i'm projecting if that fits in with a warm up or with a routine. I do have a problem with all the accoutrements to make it seem like routine when it's really just an opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond. So when it's obviously an ego trip I think it's pretty lame. The fact that it seems to be a part of the culture of working at a gym really isn't that surprising though.
When this happend to you in MD, was it at et-timmonium?
4 /
4%
Pretty much everything you said there sums it up perfectly. It's not so much the fact that they can do it - I'm glad they can. It's when there are a number of other problems on the wall. . . I don't think it's necessary to jump ahead of me or another climber and do it, ya know? Whenever it happens, I feel like I have to take a break for a minute so I can get back into my "headspace" or whatever.
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