RRC Archives

I have noticed lately a lot of guys climb as hard or harder than me inside but drop a grade below when we are outside together. At the gym, I feel like such a weakling. You guys notice the same thing? In general, I think I do a better job of training endurance (25' ceilings) with laps and use the treadwall more. But it seems more than that too with it happening on short routes... ie Scar Tissue. Seems like the real climbers can crush no matter the surface. What gives?

There's no doubt in the gym where the next hand hold is, its that next chunk of plastic with the same color tape. An all to gether different story outside, as you know. I believe it has a lot to do with figuring out the climb without flaming out. Just my observation.

This is very common. Obviously GWG is spot on, but that may only be half of it, depending on who the climber is. The other half is the individuals mental game and attitude. I have seen a lot of really good gym climbers lose their shit outside. Many people feel alot safer in the unchanging setting of the gym environment.

gym rats are weak and have never been outside. they grew up on video games and indoor sporting gyms, they have never eaten dirt and this makes them scared and timid when removed from the climate controled safety of padded floors and spray painted texture.

Yes, less experience outside is true for some. But not all. Also, many are not weak, physically...

There's a lot of technique used outdoors that isn't useful indoors. I think that's the primary reason for the difference.

I agree that it has a lot to do with the mental aspect. It is amazing how much harder you can climb when you feel confident that you are safe. For whatever reason, people feel safer indoors. I guess the padded floors offer some security, but a ground fall from 30 feet up a gym route could still be deadly.

I was refering to their metal game. Physically, they all seem to outclimb me, but thats not saying much anymore, put them on some outdoor slab and those soft little wankers wanna go right back to thier mammas teets

Most of my climbing happens in the gym. I can't say the floor being padded ever enters my mind for mental comfort. I do tend to feel safer there though. If I had to pick a reason I imagine it would be that the bolts are only about 5 ft apart. Most of what I've done outside felt more like 8-10 ft. That may not exactly be the case but it sure feels that way.

whatever it takes to make you feel better about sucking..whatever it takes.