Many, if not most Comp Climbers are also great outdoor climbers. In between events, many competitors are on real rock somewhere. Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra are both world class competitors, who also spend their free time on real rock.
Sure, outdoor bouldering is a lot of fun, I'd do it everyday in summer if only for the fact that I'd need to drive at least half a day one-way to get anywhere... So I don't really want indoor gyms to just be a training place for something I can do at most once a year. I'd rather have some fun and I'm not mad if people start to create new challenges that wouldn't be typically found outdoors because that's part of the unique strength of not being relient on only what nature produced
I think its just like Alex said, I remember when I started climbing people said that indoor climbing was not climbing but slowly over time I think people have realized not only it is but because of convenience, variety, etc it's probably the fastest way to improve. Comp climbing is that but on steriods! Any opinion on speed climbing?
Speed to me is making climbing like any other sport - boring and repetitive. If that's your thing fine but that's not why I climb. Sure I'll climb the same problem several times but I couldn't care less how fast I did it.
So ofc comp climbing is climbing- lets just move past that silliness. For me though the thing that stops me from really embracing indoor and comp is that as somebody who's most interested in trad and adventure climbing, the physical dexterity that is so central to comp is the least engaging to me. The stuff that I find most interesting- being in beautiful unique places, reading and understanding rock features and crack systems, decisionmaking in challenging circumstances, mastery of gear and protection, logistics around approaches and descents, dealing with unknowns like weather and other conditions- is all absent from comp climbing, in a way that makes it feel a bit sterile and lifeless by comparison.
I'd be intrigued to learn how the best climbers in the world thing about gear, protection, approaches, and descents, but I don't think you get that unless someone narrates their thoughts. Do you wish you could watch more videos about all those things that you find most interesting? What would those videos look like?
All this "debate" is so useless! There's no sport where there is so much comrederie like in climbing "climbing against the wall not against each other"! It's always funny how first-time watchers react at climbers all together sharing betas! If you have the means or a crag nearby, go climb! If you want to climb, chill and do it leisurely in a gym, do it! If you want to do both, do it! Just stop disparaging one for the other. It's a douchy behaviour! Enjoy climbing!
Completely unrelated but I don't think I will ever get over the difference between Fitzs voice and how he looks. When I first started listening to climbing gold I didn't know him, I just imagined some young intern, some aspiring twenty something climber. Now I've seen him in photos and videos and he looks like the grizzled mountaineer that he is. I just can't get it to match :D
Those new no-tex holds are interesting for sure…. Slippery granite? I’m not quite sure what they’re going for, but it definitely throws a curveball into the mix.
The cognitive leap between competitive and recreational climbing seems much larger than with almost any other sport. Nearly everyone who’s played basketball, for example, has played in an organized league at some point. However, many people climb for years without ever considering competing. Even elite comp climbers seem to prefer a project focused approach. That’s a bigger gap than indoor vs outdoor.
Thumbnail is VERY misleading. I though he was going to talk about speed climbing, which is a completely different thing (and thankfully, was not part of the Olympic combination this year). But Alex is right in what he said, the competition climbing is progressing the sport. Obviously, the the competitive climbers can get sponsorships and win prizes, which allows them to focus purely on climbing and not doing it only as a hobby. Which makes them better and pushing the limits. What I personally don't like about the direction of the current sport climbing (bouldering in particular) are the extra dynamic jumping boulders. It might look flashy (and thus appealing for route-setters to build), but I don't like it. It becomes much more parkour and much less climbing... I am far from being a well-flexible person, but I still prefer (to climb AND watch) the technical boulders rather than the power dynos.
Rock climbing and mountaineering are two different things. Different goals. Different mindsets. Honnold is not a mountaineer and he doesn't pretend to be one.
Indoor climbing is important as it introduces people to the sport that would t otherwise have exposure. The end goal is to get people outside though. Gym climbing is great, but nothing compares to the feeling of real rock under you.
Many, if not most Comp Climbers are also great outdoor climbers.
In between events, many competitors are on real rock somewhere.
Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra are both world class competitors, who also spend their free time on real rock.
I just love climbing. Anyway I can - indoor, outdoor, overhang, slab. It's all great. Except for speed 😂
Sure, outdoor bouldering is a lot of fun, I'd do it everyday in summer if only for the fact that I'd need to drive at least half a day one-way to get anywhere...
So I don't really want indoor gyms to just be a training place for something I can do at most once a year. I'd rather have some fun and I'm not mad if people start to create new challenges that wouldn't be typically found outdoors because that's part of the unique strength of not being relient on only what nature produced
I think its just like Alex said, I remember when I started climbing people said that indoor climbing was not climbing but slowly over time I think people have realized not only it is but because of convenience, variety, etc it's probably the fastest way to improve. Comp climbing is that but on steriods! Any opinion on speed climbing?
@@colinthompson7463 I think you replied to the wrong person 🤣 The guy that commented under me said something about cracks
Speed to me is making climbing like any other sport - boring and repetitive. If that's your thing fine but that's not why I climb. Sure I'll climb the same problem several times but I couldn't care less how fast I did it.
Proof Alex is a machine: watch him blink, or rather not blink
So ofc comp climbing is climbing- lets just move past that silliness. For me though the thing that stops me from really embracing indoor and comp is that as somebody who's most interested in trad and adventure climbing, the physical dexterity that is so central to comp is the least engaging to me.
The stuff that I find most interesting- being in beautiful unique places, reading and understanding rock features and crack systems, decisionmaking in challenging circumstances, mastery of gear and protection, logistics around approaches and descents, dealing with unknowns like weather and other conditions- is all absent from comp climbing, in a way that makes it feel a bit sterile and lifeless by comparison.
I'd be intrigued to learn how the best climbers in the world thing about gear, protection, approaches, and descents, but I don't think you get that unless someone narrates their thoughts. Do you wish you could watch more videos about all those things that you find most interesting? What would those videos look like?
All this "debate" is so useless! There's no sport where there is so much comrederie like in climbing "climbing against the wall not against each other"! It's always funny how first-time watchers react at climbers all together sharing betas! If you have the means or a crag nearby, go climb! If you want to climb, chill and do it leisurely in a gym, do it! If you want to do both, do it! Just stop disparaging one for the other. It's a douchy behaviour! Enjoy climbing!
Completely unrelated but I don't think I will ever get over the difference between Fitzs voice and how he looks. When I first started listening to climbing gold I didn't know him, I just imagined some young intern, some aspiring twenty something climber. Now I've seen him in photos and videos and he looks like the grizzled mountaineer that he is. I just can't get it to match :D
Those new no-tex holds are interesting for sure…. Slippery granite? I’m not quite sure what they’re going for, but it definitely throws a curveball into the mix.
My closest local crag is limstone, and it is extremaly slippery. It sometimes is like trying to climb on soap xd
The cognitive leap between competitive and recreational climbing seems much larger than with almost any other sport. Nearly everyone who’s played basketball, for example, has played in an organized league at some point. However, many people climb for years without ever considering competing. Even elite comp climbers seem to prefer a project focused approach. That’s a bigger gap than indoor vs outdoor.
100% indoor is pushing difficulty levels. Look at what happens every time Janja Garnbret goes outside. She just crushes everything in sight
Thumbnail is VERY misleading. I though he was going to talk about speed climbing, which is a completely different thing (and thankfully, was not part of the Olympic combination this year).
But Alex is right in what he said, the competition climbing is progressing the sport. Obviously, the the competitive climbers can get sponsorships and win prizes, which allows them to focus purely on climbing and not doing it only as a hobby. Which makes them better and pushing the limits.
What I personally don't like about the direction of the current sport climbing (bouldering in particular) are the extra dynamic jumping boulders.
It might look flashy (and thus appealing for route-setters to build), but I don't like it. It becomes much more parkour and much less climbing...
I am far from being a well-flexible person, but I still prefer (to climb AND watch) the technical boulders rather than the power dynos.
Rock climbing and mountaineering are two different things. Different goals. Different mindsets. Honnold is not a mountaineer and he doesn't pretend to be one.
dood is doing a podcast in an unfinished wc
Indoor climbing is important as it introduces people to the sport that would t otherwise have exposure. The end goal is to get people outside though. Gym climbing is great, but nothing compares to the feeling of real rock under you.
"Age out"? Is there an upper age limit?
One difference is 90% outdoor climbing has crack climbing , but 90% gyms don’t have cracks.
@@bwii369 90% of outdoor climbing is cracks? My guidebooks tell a different story. "Start on bad opposing crimps"
90% of outdoor climbing has crack climbing? What definition of "outdoor climbing" are you using?
If by “outdoor” you mean trad
Dude not 90 percent is crack climbing, complete bullshit
Even trad is like 70% where I’m at. I can only think of one sport climb here that requires a jam. everything else is a style choice