I'm feeling shameful

You could just go outside ?

I'm pretty sure i would fail at a gym test....99.9%

Join the club

Haha, this has become a great bitch about the gym lead test thread. As others have said, don't take it to heart. That's pretty crazy that they failed you for clipping too high, as that honestly is more situational/preferential than anything. Is clipping at your waist better? Absolutely. It's easier, requires less slack in the system, and often can be done on more positive holds than if you always try to clip from the lowest possible spot. Plus, it's good for your mental game, as it pushes you to run out the protection a tiny bit more and feels more exposed at first. It's also significantly safer at the first few clips, as having less slack out in the system makes a ground fall less likely than if you tried clipped above your head and dropped the clip. That being said, if I had the choice between reaching above my head from a jug or clipping from my waist off a crimp...easy answer. Ultimately, the best approach is to clip from the best stance available.

I once had to show a tester what back clipping and z clipping would look like on his hand, lol. I also failed a lead test after returning from a big trip to the Red because I wasn't used to feeding their fat gym ropes through a Gri-Gri. It happens to just about everybody at least once if you visit lots of gyms...they all have their quirks.

Agreed, I am harsh about this, but if they told you to clip between waist and shoulder, and the route you were on was competently set, I have no sympathy. A good clipping stance in the gym has you hanging straight armed. I'm 6'1". So if I'm hanging straight armed, my shoulders should be about a foot lower than that of a 5' person. Unless your waist is less than a foot from your shoulders, that puts the clip in the right place every time. It should be at the shoulders of a tall person, the waist of a short person. This is a very simple rule to follow for setters. Most gyms are going to have a designated lead test route, where that's necessarily the case.

Gyms are the stereotype for excessive bolting, there is literally no safer place to take lots of falls. But if you are still trying to shorten the fall despite that, you're likely going to do something else stupid, because you are too scared to think straight, assess the risk, and take the damn whip.

I also ask the gym what their requirements are before taking lead tests. I've never had one refuse to tell me, because they know damn well why I'd ask. They will use general enough terms that they're not telling me how to do things, but still communicating what they want to see. Some want to hear 'clipping', some want you belaying on one knee after the first and before the third draw, some are extremely particular with how you pay rope into the grigri. Some make you wear a helmet during your lead test.

I think gyms are funny. Alot of times me and my friend do 3-4 laps on a wall without coming off. Up climb one route and than down climb and than move to the next route without coming off the wall. I remember running into multi employees at the gym that were confused by what we were doing. Never been told we couldn't do it but the look on their faces is great.

Yea viperscale I like climb up and down too, colors and up and down

ViperScale wrote:I think gyms are funny. Alot of times me and my friend do 3-4 laps on a wall without coming off. Up climb one route and than down climb and than move to the next route without coming off the wall. I remember running into multi employees at the gym that were confused by what we were doing. Never been told we couldn't do it but the look on their faces is great.

If you and your friend did 6-8 total laps in one location, maybe the look they gave wasnt confusion but something else.

Climb-it wrote:I passed my lead class only three weeks after starting to climb. Then, I lead my first 12c, and now i'm breaking into freesoloing.

I'm looking forward to next month's video of you free soloing the Dawn Wall.

To the OP (Eet). Your shame should be monumental. If I was giving you that test, I would have sat you in the corner with a dunce cap and a sign saying "I am a failure". You obviously have no business being anywhere near a climbing rope. I only say that because that's what they did to me. I haven't climbed since, but I've discovered that stamp collecting is a wonderful activity.

As long as gyms attract beautiful girls in spandex, I will be there, crushing 12c bra.

I remember a belay test I once took. Here was the question:

"What are the three things you must remember when belaying?"

Seems pretty subjective and situational to me.

I don't remember what the accepted answers were.

I think the three rules are:
1) Make sure the locking biner is locked.
2) Take out the earbuds, or at least turn the volume down.
3) Put down the crack pipe.
That should do the trick

I think there are more than three to be paying attention to, but I would have to go with: 1. make sure the climber is tied in properly 2. device threaded correctly 3. biner locked. Then, for longer belay sessions, pipe is preloaded and within arm's reach so you aren't fumbling around. Now pay attention!

I think the last suggestion would be 3a in my list

+1 M.Sprague!

frank minunni wrote:3) Put down the crack pipe.

Not if you're in the voo...

Does anyone have sit start beta for royal arches? I spent hours tryimg to find the sequence.

You gotta get that high toe. Then, you will cross to that weird sloped hold next to the arete.

Just to get this out there, I actually work for Climb-It Holds. I just wanted to make it clear that the poster calling himself "Climb-It" is not associated with our company in any way, and their views are not representative of the company at all. A few people have been asking me about this thread, and I definitely wanted to make that distinction.

wonderwoman wrote:I was recently reprimanded for my method of belaying at a gym that I barely ever go to. ... My husband mentioned how it was funny that the staff did not reprimand him even though we were both belaying the same way. ...

Not really funny, but it seems to be an instinct to criticize or make suggestions to the weaker-looking or more easy-going person, and not the stronger or more assertive-looking person. I catch myself doing this, unfortunately, and don't like it one bit. Chalk it up to 'Nobody said life is fair'.