If outdoor climbing ceased to exist, would you still gym climb?

Princess Puppy Lovrwrote:

I think if we looked at the thread where people stated their motivation for climbing we could figureout what they might do. I personally do not care about views, being outside, exposure, history, travelling. I like to try really hard at things, be left alone and push myself for improvement, climbing outside is just a fun medium for those things. 

Agree that this is a litmus test for what motivates your climbing.

I won't go do far as to say I don't care out adventure and being outside. I like those things a lot. But I also care about movement and problem solving. Climbing outside is the best since it provides all of these things.

But if climbing outside was not an option, I'd still climb in the gym a couple times a week for the movement and problem solving. I'd also pursue other outdoor activities (whatever is locally available) for the adventure/outdoor element.

Another key point is that it is really useful to have an accessible indoor weeknight activity. In a perfect world we'd be doing outdoor sports anytime we like, any day of the week. But in reality, for most of us, factors such as weather, time constraints, and access mean that it is good to have a convenient indoor activity to get some exercise and see friends on a Tuesday night. In this case the climbing gym isn't competing with outdoor climbing - it is competing with bowling, badminton, Xbox, the weight room, etc. Give this choice, the climbing gym is fantastic. 

So, in summary, in this scenario I'd find other outdoor activities for the weekend. But I'd still go to the gym as a convenient weeknight activity. Each plays a useful role 

Gym climbing is neither 

How crowded is this gym?

No, i wouldn’t 

To those answering no: Elaborate. Do you climb in a gym now? If so, when/how/why? 

JCMwrote:

To those answering no: Elaborate. Do you climb in a gym now? If so, when/how/why? 

I rarely climb in a gym now; it has been 2 or 3 years since I have been in a climbing gym.  There is not really a gym in my city although a new one is being built in el paso.  I plan to try it out and hope that I like it.  Although the commute to el paso is not enticing.  I cannot see doing it more than once a week.

I like trad climbing and there is tons of trad climbing near me.  A gym would fulfill 3 purposes, a place to meet other climbers, a place to train, and a place to meet friends.  I am pretty shy so meeting other climbers in a gym is still going to be a challenge.  I am going to put in a effort.

I for sure would. I pretty much view gym climbing and rock climbing as equally fun. Rock climbing has the beauty of the outdoors, unique challenges like weather or the need to climb quickly, movements & hold types that you can't get in the gym, and an element of adventure. But gym climbing has a ton of fun problems to try all right next to each other, perpetually good (or at least decent) conditions, well padded floors so I can climb alone and not have to haul a million pads or worry about breaking my ankles, and the potential to create and try any move. 

I think the big question is "what is the scenery like at the gym?" Is it like boulder, or is it like seattle? I haven't ever climbed at a florida gym, so that would be something to know ahead of time.

No…maybe in between swells.

Nah, what would be the point?  Gym climbing is just training for the real thing.  Without the real thing there would be no reason to train for it.

Jan Mcwrote:

Nah, what would be the point?  Gym climbing is just training for the real thing.  Without the real thing there would be no reason to train for it.

Tell this to all the people in spin classes…

Nah, what would be the point?  Gym climbing is just training for the real thing.  Without the real thing there would be no reason to train for it.

I’m with you on this. A crazy number of people like fake stuff tho

But if climbing outside was not an option, I'd still climb in the gym a couple times a week for the movement and problem solving. I'd also pursue other outdoor activities (whatever is locally available) for the adventure/outdoor element.

I feel exactly the same way. I love gym bouldering for the movement and problem solving. I don’t think it makes me any better at outdoors sport climbing, or even outdoors bouldering. It’s a related but different activity. I’d definitely still do it if I couldn’t climb outdoors. 

As for indoors route climbing, probably not. It’s mindless and pumpy. The movement is rarely interesting and there is no problem solving other than “should I clip now or climb a few moves higher first.” I sometimes try it in the misguided idea that it will improve my endurance for outdoors, but then I find myself pumped out halfway up the wall wondering why anybody climbs routes indoors.

Prav Cwrote:

I feel exactly the same way. I love gym bouldering for the movement and problem solving. I don’t think it makes me any better at outdoors sport climbing, or even outdoors bouldering. It’s a related but different activity. I’d definitely still do it if I couldn’t climb outdoors. 

As for indoors route climbing, probably not. It’s mindless and pumpy. The movement is rarely interesting and there is no problem solving other than “should I clip now or climb a few moves higher first.” I sometimes try it in the misguided idea that it will improve my endurance for outdoors, but then I find myself pumped out halfway up the wall wondering why anybody climbs routes indoors.

You don’t think climbing in a gym makes you better outdoors? How long have you been climbing for?

No. I climb/Boulder 100% outside right now. I couldn’t go back to only climbing in the gym. Gym climbing has too many rules for me…. Because beta options haha

Outside, in a gym, up a tree, on a building, water towers, monkey bars whatever I have always been and hope to be forever a climber. 

Is there surfing? Golf? I'm pretty into whatever activity is available.

My motivation for the gym is primarily to get stronger for outdoor climbing, so I would probably go a lot less if there are other activities available. 

Definitely. In fact, for a variety of factors including work and other obligations, where I live and the depredations of increasing age, I climb much more ( and more successfully!!!— though mostly due to soft grades at my local gym) indoors than outdoors these days.

With a good gym conveniently located directly on my commute, it is very easy to get in a session between other commitments. The New England weather plays a big role as well. Back in the pre-gym days, as my family will easily attest, I would be miserable during the prolonged periods of bad weather, so common around this region ( such as the wet cold spring we have had so far this year), but this is no longer the case when I have the gym to ease my frustrations.

Also, I enjoy climbing routes that I have never done before, which is a problem these days locally outdoors, where I have been climbing so frequently, for so long, and, sadly, with the realities of ageing, I am not able to do all that I once could and definitely am not getting better. Once again, the gym provides me with the opportunity to get on ‘fresh’ climbs almost weekly.

So, even if I couldn’t climb outdoors at all, I would still frequent the climbing gyms. Up to the start of the pandemic, a friend in his mid-90s, while no longer really able to climb outdoors, would still regularly come into the gym for his weekly session. Perhaps that will be my future.

Famous Raymuswrote:

Gym climbing has too many rules for me

James Mwrote:

Is there surfing? Golf? I'm pretty into whatever activity is available.

A wrinkle to add to the scenario: The island has a variety of other outdoor activities, in the ocean and on land.  Surfing, boating, fishing, golf, even enough topography for some decent mountain biking. BUT - it is in the North Atlantic and the weather sucks half the time. You can surf, but the water is really cold.

No tropical island paradise for you.