beta

[Paul3eb]

do you want to hear it or not? personally, when i first started climbing, i was indifferent and usually wanted it or asked for it. honestly, though, it was usually because i wanted to send and send quickly. now i usually really really don't want to hear it unless i'm absolutely shut down, and even then only when i ask. but that's me personally. and it's not that i don't appreciate beta, i think it's really cool that people want to help out and see others do well on a route also.. it's just that i like figuring it out myself. the whole "it's an adventure" sort of idea i guess..

ps: any idea why it's called it beta?

[Wes]

Just depends. I like to try pure onsights sometimes, but have really been having fun with "beta-flashing" stuff at/near my limit. I think many people that don't like beta are just having a hard time focusing on the climbing while at the same time processing the incoming info.

I also think the people who are totally anti-beta are making a mistake by not taking beta on stuff that is at/above thier limit. Just powering/scratching/thruching through a section "on you own" doesn't teach you anything, where having someone point out a sidepull/dropknee/thumbcatch/etc might teach you something you can use on another climb.

[squeezindlemmon]

J-Rock told me it's called beta bec in the olden times, hard core climbers would videotape their sends and other people would ask for a copy of it in betamax. Hence, beta.

[diggum]

if it's at or above my limit or if i ask for it, then it's nice, but if it's something i've done or something i know i can do w/out it then i'd prefer silence.

OR...if i'm so nervous i could puke then i REALLY don't want to hear it. like wes said...it's hard to focus on the climb while trying to process what someone is yelling at you.

[meetVA]

I think many people that don't like beta are just having a hard time focusing on the climbing while at the same time processing the incoming info.

Disagree.

A good part (and fun part of) of the process is figuring stuff out for yourself.

Also, sometimes one person's beta will not ever work for another person. Short/tall or male/female, flex/inflex...etc.

[dhoyne]

You "beta" grab that hold and do a drop knee or you gonna fall!

[squeezindlemmon]

Warning: yelling encouragement is as involuntary to me as breathing. Sometimes, this encouragement comes out in the form of beta. So for future reference, if you are climbing with me and you are the type who does not like beta, just let me know in advance.

It was esp difficult this past Saturday during an onsight comp in Indy. Of course, judges and belayers can't yell out beta. But when you know the kid's only got one chance and he is not climbing your route the way you set it so that it sticks to the grade, then it really takes your all not to yell anything out.

As for my pref, I like to figure things out on my own. I give it about three tries and after that, I will ask for the beta.

[diggum]

Encouragement is always appreciated & I know I wouldn't care if it came out as beta.
I wouldn't have made it up my last lead if the guys on the ground hadn't been yelling at me "Breathe" & "there's a no hands rest here...shake out".

[Paul3eb]

I also think the people who are totally anti-beta are making a mistake by not taking beta on stuff that is at/above thier limit. Just powering/scratching/thruching through a section "on you own" doesn't teach you anything, where having someone point out a sidepull/dropknee/thumbcatch/etc might teach you something you can use on another climb.

true but i think only for people who aren't open enough to really take in what's going on around them and reacting to the situation properly (ie: examining all options, techniques, and positions). that being said, i will say that an example to the contrary is true: on windy corner i decided to try to go at it without the beta. at the crux, i was completely shut down and couldn't figure it out at all. i literally tried just about everything short of a bat hang. after going at it for too long (tweaked my hand in the end) i aided through the rest. after hearing the beta, i doubt that i would have ever have thought to do the crux like that even if i got back on it.

i'd still say, though, that i'm happy i didn't have the beta to begin with cause it was fun trying to get through it "my" way and learning that i need to look and think more. and to be a bit more humble

[Ascentionist]

ps: any idea why it's called it beta?

Jack Mileski...

He's now dead. He's attributed with much of our modern climbing slang. Had a great bio on him after his death a few years ago in one of the climbing mags.