beta

[merrick]

i love beta when i ask for it. unsolicited it can be really annoying. generally if i am working a problem or route i will solicit beta. but the most fun can be had finding that kneebar or hidden hold yourself.

i like the idea that the hardest style of climbing is not onsight but sandbagged flash. where someone gives you the wrong beta and you send anyway.

[kato]

Well, I had the good fortune to get to climb outside this weekend and saw a guy giving beta to his buddy on creature feature. It was a loud stream of constant and specific babble- put your hand there, put your other hand there, move this way, your foot goes here, no not there, here, a half inch to the left. Before his friend was a foot off the ground, this guy was practically grabbing his limbs and putting them in the "right" spots. I half expected him to climb on his friend's back and ride him up the wall, pointing out all the good holds on the way. Cause they're so hard to find on creature. At some point, I overheard them saying it was the victim's first time out. Great for him, probably doesn't get enough micromanagement during the week.

[charlie]

..... Great for him, probably doesn't get enough micromanagement during the week.

Geniush, a little perspective on beta from kato.

[Paul3eb]

yeah, that insight made me smile too

[captain static]

Paul3eb, Climbers are a strange group. People will take golf lessons, dance lessons, music lessons, etc - but climbers just want to figure stuff out on there own. Wes

I think this is strange too. Once my father played golf at Muirfield in Cols., OH as a guest of some business associates. After he kicked their butts they spent $4,000 for a one hour golf lesson from Jack Nickolaus. A number of years back when I had hit a plateau in sport climbing I took a climbing lesson from Jason & Tiffany Campbell. That is one of the best things I ever did to improve my climbing.

Also giving someone beta without asking them if they want it first is downright rude.

[longlegsrule]

Also giving someone beta without asking them if they want it first is downright rude.

but in the gym....say there's a newbie...and they just can't get this move...that would be soooo easy for them if they just dropped kneed or switched feet or something...

this is the only time i help without being asked...i wish someone had been there to give me a few pointers when i first started climbing...so they don't get frustrated and almost quit...

i love the look on their faces after they try it differently...

ok and maybe sometimes when i'm wanting someone to try a problem or a route and they don't think they can work on it...i tell them what i thought might of been the hardest move...

[Paul3eb]

you can still give the beta.. just ask first if they want it. more than likely they're going to say yes anyway.. and if they say no, cool, good for them..

[meetVA]

it is funny how this conversation has reminded me of the flack people who are vegetarian or vegan can get sometimes. why don't you want meat? what's wrong with meat? i like meat. are you judging me b/c i eat meat? (and usually the answer is from most people, no.)

[Horatio Felacio]

i like it when i ask for it, but otherwise i wish people would shut the hell up.

something that really irritates me is when people yell encouragement to me. this seems to be especially annoying in easy sections because i'm not as focused on climbing and the people yelling really annoy me. no ones encouragement ever clipped the chains for me. i do like it when people yell at me when i start to become a pussy. that always gives me a little energy to at least take a big fall for the audience instead of hanging...usually.

[J-Rock]

I don't mind people giving me beta, but I usually just ignore it and do it my way. However, sometimes I'm really bad about yelling beta to others, therefore most of the time I just try to keep quiet about it. Often I ask the climber to let me know if they want any beta, otherwise I do my best to shut up and only offer positive encouragement.