What constitutes a BEGINNER? Is it TIME? Is climbing level ? Is it how many beers you can drink or friends you have ?

I suppose I'm intermediate and I suck, then. ;)

Im comeing back to climbing after a brain injury in 2007 . Im okay with speach and motor skills .(dont want to scare people) So, What constitutes a BEGINNER .Is it TIME ? Is climbing leval ? Is it how many beers you can drink or friends you have ? I ask in part for my own curiosity and as I read through threads I see people say they are not beginners based on time and leval. I am haveing trouble tryin to explain this in the rite way . I guess it is kinda like this ,I can top rope around 5.12-13 after being back for two months ,I led a 5.9 sport route in rumnney two weeks ago. My first time in a gym takeing a begginner course like 11 years ago I top roped a 5.10 and didnt think it was a big deal in fact it was kinda hard but felt good. i guess I kinda answeard my own question and might just be looking to start a new conversation and have my ass handed to me ,lol. So really though is it your numbers or your time of experience ? Im just happy to be back climbing at a leval I can have fun with if the grades go up they do if at 40 years old they stay wher they are thats cool too...

Being in the intermediate range doesn't mean you suck, it means you're pretty good. This is the problem with status labels like these: the ranges are too vague. If you want to tell someone where you're at as a climber, tell them what grade you can send.

I'm a beginner because I'm new and I suck.

If 5 years from now I still suck, you can bet your arse I'll still be saying I'm a beginner.

[R]aw power doesn't mean jack if you can't hold onto the darn grip in the first place.

I consider myself to be level-headed. I don't think I am the next phenom (neither would anyone else lol), but I am very athletic and can flail my technique-less body up 5.9+'s & 5.10's after about a month (subjective ratings...can't do all 5.9's I've encountered much less all the 5.10's).

If you define suck by can't climb over 5.x then I am going to guess that a lot of people will disagree with you. If I reach 60 and can only pull down 5.9 after 30 years of climbing, I don't suppose I will consider myself a beginner.

Define beginner on a more knowledge-based basis: how many knots do you know? What kind of rescue scenarios are you competent in? How many types of rock are familiar with? etc. etc. etc.

If you think that the grips are a problem, wait till you start leading and have to clip the hooks.

Jay

You're sending 5.10's after climbing for one month and you think you suck? I've never seen anyone do that well, actually, and I've seen plenty of climbers begin climbing. I suppose having respect for how much work it takes to climb higher grades is something you'll have to learn in time. You're doing outstanding. This is one of the most challenging and skillful activities in the world.

I appreciate that, but trust me when I say it's not the prettiest thing in the world...

It's very good that you're focusing on aesthetics of movement. Don't be a number chaser--this is a thing of beauty.

5.8 and lower = BEGINNER
5.9-5.11b = INTERMEDIATE
5.11c-5.13b = ADVANCED
5.13c on up = EXPERT

I'm not the lighest guy

I consider your status as a climber to be an indicator of, and determined by, your climbing level. It is a label for how hard you climb. If you climb...

5.8 and lower = BEGINNER
5.9-5.11b = INTERMEDIATE
5.11c-5.13b = ADVANCED
5.13c on up = EXPERT

In other words, it is a level at which you are at. If you climbed 5.10's from day 1, you were never at the beginner level. You climbed a higher level than that since the day you started.

5.8 and lower = BEGINNER
5.9-5.11b = INTERMEDIATE
5.11c-5.13b = ADVANCED
5.13c on up = EXPERT

So, What constitutes a BEGINNER .Is it TIME ? Is climbing leval ? Is it how many beers you can drink or friends you have ? I ask in part for my own curiosity and as I read through threads I see people say they are not beginners based on time and leval.

IMO, it depends. Top roping 11c-13b in gym is something. But leading 11c-13b TRAD, in Yosemite, is a whole new thing.

Based on that, top roping 11c-13b in a gym almost makes you look like a noob compared to someone able to lead 11c-13b RX trad in Yosemite.

Just sayin'.

In the old time, beginer means some think. Actually, it is a little humiliating because some people can climb at 5.6 level an enjoy it without wanting to be intermediate.

Beginer was; three point of contact. A slab where two arm hold your stability and one feet your weight. To be a beginer, you have to move in balance: transfering the weight of your body from one feet to the other. Or it can be a move where you use two hand to hold your body weight and one feet, moving one arm or feet at a time.

Intermediate was: two point of contact. a dulfer is one of these move where your feet is in contact with the rock and your hand pull on the other direction. It can also be a move of beginer with smaller hold or a move where you need more power to pull over after a rest.

advance was the same as intermediate. Except that a hole is missing and you need to use your strenght to pull over.

expert and when you use one hold like in an overhang or many small hold togheter as one good hold. You body make a counterbalance.

for example, imagine you climb a stairs. If you take each side of the ramp with your hand and move one feet or arm at a time: it is beginer.
If you climb alternatively with one feet pushing and one arm pulling simultaneously: it is intermediate
If you climb two step at a time or don't use the ramp with your right hand, it is advance and if you climb the stair on one feet...staying in balance all the time, it is expert.