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Peanut Gallery encouragements when trying

Original Post
amarius · · Nowhere, OK · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 20
Redyns · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 60

i hate it under any condition.  

when i'm in the zone, i can't hear it.  

Dan CO · · Boulder, CO · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 60

If native spanish speakers are yelling 'VENGA! VENGA!' at you while you're climbing it bumps you up a minimum two grades.  It's science.

Ryan Hamilton · · Orem · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 5

It does help me try a little harder when I'm starting to get pumped and full of doubt. 

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

I don't like it. It distracts me from being in the zone. 

Tee Kay · · Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 110
Ryan Hamilton wrote:

It does help me try a little harder when I'm starting to get pumped and full of doubt. 

Aaaand, it depends on who's doing it.
A good friend, that can tell when I'm doubting, or someone I don't know just trying to be nice.
Gumbies telling me the hold is just 'a little further left!' bothers me more than, "Breathe, you got it..."

Creed Archibald · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 1,016

Sometimes getting reassurance from a belayer or spotter like, "I'm with you" or "Totally safe" or "You're right at your piece" will help me commit if I am feeling doubtful. "You got this" isn't as helpful. 

Lena chita · · OH · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 1,667

Really depends on who's doing it.

There have been times when the encouragement from the peanut gallery had kept me going and sending, when I might have given up.
There have been times when I wanted people to shut the f&ck up and go away already.

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419

It all ways rubs me the wrong way. 

As a means to increase the fun we are all having ~ to 'share the experience' having felt the same at the same set of holds' so that the excitement may be palpable. The draw to yell, encourage, instruct can be irresistible.

 I Get That, 

There is/are the 'feelings'  - the wish is to share, to live vicariously thru a person you are acquainted with, seeing them achieving ~ I get it and I'm often drawn in. 

But I feel strongly 'VERY STRONGLY', that if I'm workin' it   -  please   . . . . Resist the urge, 

If you can not keep quite, I WILL YELL (-LOUDER THAN YOU-)  To Shut The EF up!

Ken Graf · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2016 · Points: 0

Totally depends. If well-timed and well-placed from my belayer or a friend, it is welcome. 

If it is constant jib-jab from a beta-honkin' man-goose (I did not coin that awesome phrase, but use it liberally), STFU!   

Jplotz · · Cashmere, WA · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 1,315

"You're totally crushing it!" As they're hanging their way up on top rope.  Seems almost patronizing.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
simplyput . · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 60

A little encouragement can be nice but spraying beta sucks. I do appreciate the reminders to breathe as I often start to hold my breath through cruxes.

Kristen Fiore · · Burlington, VT · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 3,383

There is a difference between generic encouragement and the words of a trusted and reliable climbing partner. I personally never mind either but when I have someone I know and trust telling me, "I've got you, man, you're totally safe." and I know they aren't just spewing it, it really does help me bite down and go for it.

Jplotz · · Cashmere, WA · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 1,315

Is crag cheerleading a product of  the "Everyone's a Winner" culture that we have now?  I don't remember ever having my own cheer squad when I was learning to climb.  If I was butchering a climb, my partner would tell me how badly I butchered it.  

Andrew Krajnik · · Plainfield, IL · Joined Jul 2016 · Points: 1,739

I guess it doesn't bother me when I'm climbing, but I try not to do it myself unless it's someone I know. If anything, I find my self giving encouragement under my breath. (To me, it's akin to watching a suspenseful movie... I get drawn in, but I try to keep it to myself.)

JP Whitehead · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 0

Personally, I don't really hear ubiquitous encouragements when on the wall. There are a select few that climb with me enough to know where and how I need motivation, and I always seem to hear those voices above the peanut gallery. Those people have definitely gotten me up problems I may have otherwise punted off of. For the most part, however, I don't really care. It's the same for background chatter / riff raff. I'd almost rather people continue talking, the sheer silence after someone notices I'm climbing and hushes the group is distracting and makes me anxious with that "all eyes on me" feeling.

Anson Call · · Reno, NV · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 45

Conversely, the silence at some crags is unnerving. I've been to crags where 10-15 people are all standing around like they're watching a golf tournament in a library. A little banter or shouted encouragement helps lighten the mood sometimes. If that throws off your climbing performance, I think you might be 1) really nervous/skittish or 2) taking things way too seriously.

Parker Wrozek · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 86

I don't want beta, I don't mind encouragement when it is obvious that I am not in my headspace or the move is really hard. I fell off the crux of an 11 yesterday 4 times and my belayer really helped me push through on what I was calling my last go at it. I will encourage my friends to keep going sometimes, just depends on the situation. 

Lou Hibbard · · Eagan, MN · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 410

My favorite I overheard in a climbing gym was a wife yelling up to her husband: "you're huge".

JP Whitehead · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 0

Other side of the coin: if people don't remind me to breathe while I'm bouldering, I don't. I've topped out dizzy a few times because of this...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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