Question for the pros?

At what point did you consider yourself not a beginner anymore? Was it when you led a certain 5.#?? Was it when you took a big fall? When did you find yourself finally being out of the world of beginner climbers?

Thanks

When I no longer had the desire to compare grades with others.

When you feel proficient enough or have the skills to get yourself out whatever situation you might get yourself into. As the saying goes....judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement. You'll know and be confident that you can handle whatever situation you get into.

I agree with the previous idea of not being scared. I still assess my situation and try to use good judgment, but I feel like I have transitioned out of worrying about things I really don't need to worry about and can just concentrate on climbing.

I apologize for the thread drift, but keeping with the general theme...

Most of you have probably heard of Malcolm Gladwell's "10,000 hours" rule. Let's switch it up to total pitches of climbing. More specifically, I'm referring to traditional climbing, not sport or bouldering.

How many total pitches to reach:

- Gumby beginner
- Beginner with just enough knowledge to get oneself killed
- Rock climber
- Experienced rock climber
- Veteran rock climber
- Genuine hardman

If you are still asking questions like this, then you know where you stand.

Greg D wrote:If you are still asking questions like this, then you know where you stand.

Benjamin Chapman wrote:When you feel proficient enough or have the skills to get yourself out whatever situation you might get yourself into. As the saying goes....judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement. You'll know and be confident that you can handle whatever situation you get into.

Interesting question: made me think of 2 things. I'm not sure where the transition happened... maybe I've just been climbing long enough that I haven't thought about it in so long it doesn't occur to me anymore.

I've spent the last 17yrs doing all kinds of technical rock climbing and feel like there are certain aspects of the sport (the mental games, training, trying hard, technique) I have a good handle on. And then I've also recently had the opportunity to hang around some amazing guides and realized that there are things I could still learn a lot about, like proficiency on big routes, technical systems and risk management.

One of my favorite quotes about "lifestyle sports" is from Gerry Lopez. He's talking about surfing but I still think it holds true for many different pursuits. "The first 10 years is just to see if you like it. The journey doesn't really begin until the next 10."

When I realized that there wasn't really any such thing as a "pro" climber

I consider myself a beginner, or not-a-beginner depending who I am standing next to.

When I am next to a person who I am teaching how to toprope belay, I don't seem like a beginner. I also don't seem like a beginner next to someone who only topropes, only climbs indoors, climbs super easy indoor jugs, or just started last week.... even someone who has climbed on and off for 10 years but climbs like 2x before hibernating for years.

When I am next to a person who either climbs at a higher level, has been plugging pro for years, knows self-rescue forwards and backwards, and has climbed in many areas, or for many years, then I seem like a beginner.

Years climbing/climbing ability/experience level/knowledge/areas/types.... just depends on the relative factor of the person i'm standing next to!

John Wilder wrote:When I hit 1,000 pitches. That's when I realized that I really didnt know anything, so I should be alot more careful.

when I could climb an offwidth without crapping my pants.

Bstoker2 wrote:At what point did you consider yourself not a beginner anymore? Thanks

Greg D wrote: When i was man enough to accept any answer, positive or negative when i posed a question on the world wide Web.

When you realize that grade, status, and sending is all relative and its all about enjoying yourself... Climb things that inspire you!

Medical students are named according to what year they are in school. i.e M1, M2, M3, or M4. When I was at the University of Iowa, we had an awesome, hugely experienced, very knowledgeable, MD instructor who would address himself as an M23. I think that this perspective that one is always learning and growing and will never really be "there" is excellent.

"When I hit 1,000 pitches. That's when I realized that I really didnt know anything, so I should be a lot more careful."

A lot truth to that!

Benjamin Chapman wrote:When you feel proficient enough or have the skills to get yourself out whatever situation you might get yourself into. As the saying goes....judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement. You'll know and be confident that you can handle whatever situation you get into.

when my anchoring skills became solid and second hand nature and i could look at a spot and visually see how i was going to build an anchor in a matter of a minute or two, oftentimes less. mastering anchor building skills is a confidence booster and just plain smart.

Greg D wrote: When i was man enough to accept any answer, positive or negative when i posed a question on the world wide Web.