Let me first qualify this post by saying that I'm not well informed on the latest trends in the climbing community but under no circumstances can I understand how a new form of grunting behavior has taken favor with some gym rats. The grunting I'm referring to sounds something absurdly stupid like "DAAHT" and is executed at excessive volume, apparently when pulling on overhanging V-fucking hard boulder problems or overhanging 5 - who fucking cares (because it's really goddamn hard) routes. I get how the behavioral style of blowing chalk off one's fingers spread from Sharma to the rest of the climbing population because it had an air of elegant cool to it which was easily imitable and demonstrated a sense of relaxed power. Now the grunting, on the other hand, is neither elegant nor cool. Screaming often invokes feelings of fear and panic or perhaps concern among those who hear it. Now who likes being shocked into wondering if a nearby climber just blew a bloody hole in his colon because he was pulling so hard but can only find a shirtless dude more interested in saying 'look at me' in cro-magnon speak? Clearly this is a rhetorical question yet I will appreciate ponderings about how this phenomenon came to be or feel free to flame me if you think I lack empathy and/or have an over-exaggerated sense of self importance for belittling something so stupid in the first place.

Its done to attract attention and to impress climber girls! ....well DUHHH!?! ....no?

Yelling like that when exerting max effort in short powerful bursts has been around for eons in sports. Watch athletes throwing a discus or shot put in track and field or power lifters. I did it all the time as a Decathlete (mainly shot put). I do it on power moves like you describe. Let's off pressure in the lungs.

Try this. Go throw something heavy as far as you can and don't make a sound. then do it and let out the "yelp". Which feels better?

Minor historical correction: Edlinger famously demonstrated the ultra-cool chalk/finger/puff during his televised onsight at Snowbird in 1988 while Sharma was still in pre-school. Carry on.

Yelling profanities usually help me....just saying

I make noise when I'm going down unexpectedly, usually pretty quiet on the way up.

¡Porque tengo que dar el "extra"!

El FUA!!!! es el extra

each to his or her own ... whatever gets you up the wall ...

im sure there are some "ethical" climbers who will try to tell people how to climb ... screw em ...

mr ondra screams like a biatch and climbs harder than anyone here ... period

as said other athlete have done it ... if it works for them, no reason not to do it if it works for you ...

If your "shredding the gnar" and no one is looking at you are you really "shredding the gnar"?

shredding+grunting= bitchs

This is all very amusing.

The correct yelp while "shredding the gnar" is "shaka brah!"

Its for your entertainment. There is nothing better than mocking a grunt on a v2 while climbing shirtless in your brand new solutions. c'mon man!

Would somebody please capture this "BZAAAAT!" on video so we can actually witness it? I have been reading about it for years but just don't go to The Spot enough to get a chance to hear it.

You all should scream 'RASPUTIN!!!' Next time! Totally makes you pull those roofs man ...like nothing!

The proper term for such vocalization is the "Power Blat". Sharma seems to favor more of an unorthodox SAAAAIII type blat, whereas your average gym rat tends to prefer the tried-and-true BZAAAT.

In the same family, but altogether unique, are the vocalizations of a trad climber experiencing the claustrophobia and body pump of a squeeze chimney or offwidth. This truly makes for an enjoyable belay.

Finally, on a tangential note, I have noticed that by far the most common phrase uttered during an unexpected fall is not "Falling," but "SHIT!!!"

My trad spaz grunt is : God .....please please ..one two three four five...God ....please....:)

Have you been to a gym lately? This sort of thing has been going on for some time, and I'd agree, it is slightly annoying. It does, strangely help though if you are climbing a tough section. Almost relaxes you pushing out the demons...

First trip to Josh this year I was grunting and cursing my way up Big Mo on TR at the end of a day - a couple comes by and says "we figured someone was on it from all the noise". I think it definitely helped - you know - like female tennis grunts to hit the ball harder. Of course the petite female hopped on our TR and silently cruised up it with only one hang near the top. Apparently I should go to a climbing gym to get stronger while working on my proper grunts.

if you're truly climbing (or, doing any activity) at your limit, you'll make noises and won't even be aware of it until after you've done it. i'm sure there are some exceptions out there but most people aren't able to exert themselves to the edge of their physical abilities w/o making some noise.

so, if you never ever make any noises, you can probably climb harder than you are.

You meant to say "Cro-Bagnon"

Grunting like that will contract your ab muscles, so it does serve a purpose. I'm generally a pretty quiet climber, but when I'm trying hard on something over hanging I've been known to let out a grunt or three.

But I do agree with the OP, sometimes people take it too far and are too loud and obnoxious. It's pretty lame when you can tell someone is making a ton of noise just for the attention.

why is this in the "climbing gear" section?