Back on Plastic
We’ve had two icky weekends in a row, and busy, busy weeks between them. Last weekend, D-Liz mentioned they were heading to the rock gym, and Mark and I considered climbing indoors for the first time in years. We ended up going along and getting a week of free membership at Miramont North to see if we could work indoor climbing into our schedules.
The gym is an interesting one, with a whole fitness center (ie cardio, weight-lifting, yoga classes, basketball courts, etc) and a giant, very nice rock wall on one side.
I think the week was successful. We didn’t horribly embarrass ourselves while climbing the overhanging jug-fests that cover the walls. Mark did fall off of a 5.7 towards the end of our second day, which was hilarious. Yesterday, I tried bouldering by myself in the afternoon, and I remembered the problems I have had with bouldering in the past.
I’ve always said I’m not good at bouldering, which is true. I’m not super strong, and that is immediately apparent when I boulder. Plus I’m afraid of falling, which isn’t the best when you don’t have a rope. Finally, though, I don’t know the “rules” for bouldering. There are certain conventions and etiquette that boulderers all seem to know, and I’m left feeling a little confused and out-of-sorts. For instance:
1. I understand that between problems you’re supposed to sit on the floor and stare intently at the wall. How long, exactly should you sit on the floor? How far away from your problem should you sit? I mean, should I camp out directly below it or can I sit back in the corner? Can I do something other than stare at the wall? Like read or do homework?
2. It seems to be ok to watch other boulderers when you’re in a group, but creepy if you’re the only one there. Why is that?
3. How do you keep iPod earbuds in your ears after jumping down from the top of the boulder?
4. How long should you keep trying a problem until you decide to give up and move on? I’m a big fan of the “Well, didn’t get it on my third try, let’s try something else…” school, but it seems like more serious boulderers will work much harder on finishing one specific sequence.
5. How long is a normal bouldering “session”? I was there for an hour yesterday and felt like I got a great workout. But there were people sitting around staring at the wall that were there when I got there and still there when I left. Maybe they’re meditating? Would I do better if I spent more time there? Am I getting any benefit from only an hour of bouldering or do I need to spend several hours in order to climb the awesome routes?
So, that’s my adventure for the week. I asked a girl at the gym some of these questions and she seemed upset at first that I had disrupted her staring at the wall (I guess that’s not polite) and then laughed at my suggestion that I could do homework between problems. Mark, also, has no clue about these things. I suppose I’ll just have to learn in time. Unless there are awesome boulderers out there who would like to let a n00b in on the secret?
that’s awesome – I have a lot of the same problems at the gym I go to. I usually go alone, so unless some of my friends happen to be there, I never seem to spend the “normal” amount of time not bouldering (e.g. staring at the wall, socializing, crowding around a problem and taking turns flailing), so my skin and muscles always feel pretty done for like an hour. Luke usually does 2-3 hours at his gym, but he has way more people to talk to…
after spending the last six months pretty much just bouldering i feel pretty confident that i can give you the answers you require:
1) DO NOT sit directly underneath the problem you are working on. other people might like the opportunity to ‘work in’. you can read or do home work in between attempts, but only if you want to be mocked. if you don’t just sit there and study your problem you are not taking bouldering seriously enough.
2) when you’re in a group, you are ‘learning’ when you are alone, you are ‘stalking’. unless you strike up a conversation with the person, then you are ‘friends’.
3) i boulder with my ipod in all the time. no problems. ever.
4) there are different schools of thought on this. novices give up on a problem too quickly. serious climbers tend to go and work on a problem until they solve it or their forearms fall off. whichever comes first.
5) when you’re by yourself, work out until your arms fall off. when you’re with others, use the time to socialize and ‘hang out’ because you’re not really there to work out anyway.
number 5 also holds true when lifting weights.
I would mostly concur with Sean – though i will add that i am surprised that you got a surly look from someone for asking a question… most folks that i meet or chat with in the bouldering area don’t usually start a conversation, but are nice enough people if you do. I’ve actually received a decent amount of positive support when you and a couple of other strangers begin to work on the same tough problem…
as for the stalker/staring at the wall problem, i personally don’t think anyone is creepy who sits and is studying a problem, and happens to watch other people do it while they’re by themselves. I guess, as long as you are wearing the correct face… you know, don’t purse your lips or point your eyebrows or anything. Certainly don’t have the shifty eyes, that’s just bad. Having buds in your ears helps a bit, too, if only to create the illusion of separation between the person climbing in front of you and your own reality.
sounds like the three of us need to Boulder together – i was there for about an hour (that’s about all the time i usually need to get pumped – i can usually tell if i’m ready to go home if i attempt to get off the ground from a low-lying start, and can’t even pick my butt up) by myself, and while i had a good time, it’s always nice to have a friend.