Finger Sucking for Recovery?

I was recently accosted for wearing approach shoes in the gym for “sanitary” reasons. I informed the accostor that my shoes are in fact clean and there is nothing to worry about. We parted ways both happy with the conclusion.

Although, this got me thinking, are climbers sucking their finger nowadays? Perhaps for recovery? Or pleasure? 

The answer depends on your answer to this riddle:

How many bolts could a trad route take if a trad route could take bolts? As many bolts as a sport route could, if a trad route could take bolts?

J Lwrote:

The answer depends on your answer to this riddle:

How many bolts could a trad route take if a trad route could take bolts? As many bolts as a sport route could, if a trad route could take bolts?

Do better

I’d like to think that we all approach every situation in life in a reasonably sanitary state, as much as we are able to. In my thinking, at a minimum means that 1) you didn’t just step in dog sh*t and just keep walking without even trying to clean off your shoe, 2) you’ve had a shower within the last 24 hours, and 3) that if you’ve sucked your fingers for any reason, that you wash your hands before going back out into public.

LL2wrote:

I’d like to think that we all approach every situation in life in a reasonably sanitary state, as much as we are able to. In my thinking, at a minimum means that 1) you didn’t just step in dog sh*t and just keep walking without even trying to clean off your shoe, 2) you’ve had a shower within the last 24 hours, and 3) that if you’ve sucked your fingers for any reason, that you wash your hands before going back out into public.

No, no. I think they are trying to save the finger suckers from whatever ends up on my shoe. However, I have never seen anyone in the gym sucking their fingers, is it even a thing? Nothing would surprise me nowadays.

Next time this happens you should ask if the setters only wear rock shoes while setting?  Pretty sure you know the answer to this but I’d point it out to the accoster and see what they say.

I also threw baby wipes in my gym bag so I can just clean my approach shoes and climb in them.

Better not wear your outside clothes, inside. 

I suck my thumb between burns

I'm so confused. How could they possibly be dirtier than climbing shoes...

Tradibanwrote:

I was recently…in the gym…

Yep that’s your issue 

Ok, the reason why outside shoes aren't allowed is to keep the holds sanitary for both regulatory and obviously the "ick factor".

I've been contemplating bringing my mountaineer boots to the gym, but decided that the hardest thing I'd need to climb in them is 5.8 or so?  Can do that by leading outdoors in my boots. Ah, brings back my childhood memories to my Fabiano boots.  

Tradiban, it's because I don't want your dirty, outside gunk on my hands when I go to pick my nose, thank you. Just chalk and whatever's on the men's room floor.

Li Huwrote:

Ok, the reason why outside shoes aren't allowed is to keep the holds sanitary for both regulatory and obviously the "ick factor".

So real climbers need an outdoor pair and a totally separate indoor pair? How do they even enforce that?

Tradibanwrote:

So real climbers need an outdoor pair and a totally separate indoor pair? How do they even enforce that?

To use the Lavatory, we need to change shoes. That's likely where the "ick factor" concern comes from. If you have separate "street shoes", I'd suppose that's okay? Honestly, I don't think it's actively enforced by the staff. Sort of like not washing your hands after doing your business. Other people will likely see you and may or may not avoid the climbs you've done if you don't obey.  

One could define "real climbers", but then again, on plastic, rock, ice or dirt, they are all real climbers.

I never figgered tradybahn for a shitfoot.

Devin Hanes wrote:

Like how do they distinguish outdoor climbing shoes from indoor climbing shoes, silly. Surely approach shoes can be exclusively used indoors, can’t they?

The real question here is why wear approach shoes to the gym?

Devin Hanes wrote:

I don't think they care if they're outdoor shoes, I think they care if you walk in with them on already, walking on dirty floors and restroom floors.

Yea that would make sense but this prohibition was simply on “non-climbing” shoes.

M M, I wear approach shoes in the the gym to show the noobs that they don’t need TC Pros to send V2. It’s a public service. 

Tradibanwrote:

M M, I wear approach shoes in the the gym to show the noobs that they don’t need TC Pros to send V2. It’s a public service. 

Funny you should mention using my outdoor shoes indoors, noobs really need Scarpa Vapour V, which are my indoor shoes. For V0 to V2 of course…

I’ll likely need a third shoe for all the V6 and 5.12c I’m floundering about on. Absolutely convinced it’s all about the shoes.  

M Mwrote:

The real question here is why wear approach shoes to the gym?

A better question would be, “Why would you wear climbing shoes to the gym?”  Seriously.   I never bring chalk (there’s plenty “in situ”) or climbing shoes.  I want to challenge myself and get better, not see how “hard” I could climb in a gym if I tried all the tricks.  And it’s more comfortable by a long shot.   

Has a study shown that you get less training effect if you don’t wear shoes that make it easier?