I'm one of the new wave of climbers. I can't really comment if this whole thing is good or not, it has been good for me. It is probablt the first sport that I actually enjoy in my 33 years of life, and it has done wonders for my physical and mental condition. And indoor climbing makes it possible to do any time when I have 2 hours to spare. So while the old school climbing purists might be upset about all of this, it has been a positive thing in my life.
same. I used to think I simply wasn't a sports person. and then I discovered climbing and all the things my body could do (I am in my 30s as well) and it isn't even boring like jogging! I can do it and completely lose myself in it without it feeling too much like a sport, at least for me, I refuse to do any extra workouts to improve my skills. too boring 😂 once it starts to feel like work, it drains my energy and loses the joy. The way I am doing it is simply perfect for me. I have never been fitter in my life
No i’m such oldschool guy and i can tell you, we’re not upset. Good for you you found climbing and enjoy it. Our best part is, we can go to al remote spots outside were other people can’t go so always fun for everybody
@@s.9899 Climbing having constant immediate and reachable goals is *huge* for motivation. Jogging or the gym you're slowly working towards something while with bouldering you're always working towards a goal that's visibly right in front of you.
@@theoneandonlyAeth absolutely and it's not just that. my mind is so much more occupied. I tried jogging for a few months and I never reached a point where I could let my mind wander (like I do while biking), it always felt strenuous and exhausting and I kept thinking "how long until I can stop that". Never happend to me while climbing or bouldering. Especially while climbing I can reach a point where I am just flowing and thinking about whatever while doing my moves, clipping, resting. Pure meditation high above the ground. I love it.
To Ged’s point about who is a climber: I started climbing as a 35 year old mother of four, 4 years ago. From the very first time I tried I knew I wanted to do it the rest of my life. So I think you’re a climber if you feel like you are. (And to those 10 year climbers saying they’re not really climbers: no one’s definition matters as much as your own. If you love climbing and you do it, you’re a climber!) We all engage with the sport to varying degrees, but one of my favorite things about the current culture in gyms is how welcoming and open it is. Everyone belongs and has a right to be there. Thanks Hannah this is a great video!
ClimberCore is hot right now. Genuinely though, I think people are just discovering how - once made accessible - climbing is just as foundational as walking, running, swimming etc to our human bodies.
I agree, it feels like a genuine human need, to be climbing, as balance, physical strength and mental strength is all part of being alive. Its rare to develop all at once in other sports, as much as you do so in climbing.
@@Mie_Bunger So true, you get such a wide range of physical/mental benefits by doing something that is fun 99% of the time (can't say I've never had a bad day in the gym but it's still enjoyable even when I have a rough session). I never had fun doing typical strength training in a gym, but now I have motivation strength train for climbing lol.
I started climbing ‘late in life’ at age 43 after years in the gym lifting weights and the stress it puts on the body, joints etc. I’m thankful for the commercialism of “new” climbing culture. It makes the spaces feel vibrant and welcoming, especially to those like me who are very socially awkward. My first few times I got to meet amazing people and see the social culture and was greeted with open arms. Thanks for such a great video Hannah and Nathan.
It’s lovely how a sport using movement that is just as fundamental and natural as running or swimming has now become accessible and popularised. It’s a space where people are getting together to solve problems using movement and it’s no wonder that this creates a unique community feel ❤ Thanks for putting together this video with beautiful footage and insightful information
I first started climbing at 14yrs old at school 47 yrs ago. We were lucky enough to have a wooden climbing wall inside and a couple of teachers who climbed quite hard outside and took us on trips around the country.I learnt outside trad climbing and reached a good level (extremely severe). Then after being involved in a fatal accident in the lake district I didn't climb again until 5 yrs ago when an indoor gym opened very close to home and I ventured there to try it. I re kindled my love of climbing and have been going twice a week ever since. The indoor gym allows me to meet people of various ages and abilities and I have improved alot .I haven't plucked up the courage to return to trad climbing yet. But hopefully I will at some point. If it hadn't been for the increased popularity and availability of indoor gyms, I wouldn't have returned to something I've always loved. Great video Hannah.
this is so similar to my experience. I started climbing back in 2003 until about 2009 while at uni, then stopped after two fatal outdoor accidents in my climbing community. Just got back in to it about 1.5 years ago - after 14ish years - mostly indoor bouldering due to being able to visit them so easily, some top roping. Still trying to fix my head game though after all this time - plus its harder to build up the technique and strength than it was 20ish years ago!
I was a couch potato before trying climbing 2 years ago when I was 34.My body, mind and relationship to work has totally changed. I started working out (outside of bouldering) learned to lead climb as well, fell in love with outdoor climbing. This is such a great sport/community
Looking forward to the sequel. If you're looking for problematics to prod, I'd say one particular issue the explosion of indoor climbing is doing to the outdoors is due to the cultural gulf between the two. An indoor climber is basically a customer, and as you said everything is made for them (us), we are cocooned, everything is safe, we have almost nothing to worry about, and 0 care in the world. And there are bins, toilets, even showers. Those who venture outdoors with that mentality may, and I insist on the term (meaning not everyone is in that category) treat the outdoors in the same vein, as customers who think all is done for them, and they are owed it. Yet going outdoors requires a mental shift: you can't do all you do in a gym in nature. You can't leave your packaging in a bush for lack of a bin, or your toilet paper. You can't drag your crashpad along as if you were in a man-made, fixable environment. You can't blast loud music like in a gym, because nature is not a gym or a nightclub. And of course that extends to understanding that bolting will likely be more runout, that anchors may look different and need the learning of new techniques and so on. I'd say indoors you need a bank card. Outdoors you need humility. That is NOT to criticise indoor climbing in the least, not least because I partake several times per week. But it raises questions: should, for instance, indoor gyms educate for the outdoors? I don't have an answer.
Beautiful comment. Well written. I agree for the most part that moving to the outdoors requires a mental shift. I do not however believe that an indoor gym is required to (or even should) attempt to educate their users on the differences of climbing outdoors. I think it is up to us as individuals to learn to respect something that we may not know about, regardless of the thing in question. In the case of being outdoors like you mention: the environment is a) not ours and b) not FOR us. these things ought to be taught by parents as a general respect for nature as well as the people who bring the indoor folk outside. I think that from the gym's perspective, the most they should do is have the information available on request. With all of that said, this is simply my opinion and would love to hear the opinions of others on the subject.
Fantastic comment. This is exactly why I think that to preserve outdoor bouldering, habits like brushing AFTER you climbed a route need to be made part of indoor climbing culture - otherwise outdoor climbing seems doomed. Places like Fontainebleau deteriorate quickly and that is also due to, let's say, not very role-model-esque behavior of famous RUclipsrs.
@@fabian-hugsforhikers Cheers. Yep. The problem is that good practices are either present in a vlog but not shown as such (because it's 'boring' and doesn't make for sexy footage) or they are not and some bad ones take their place. There was a famous vlogging 'incident' by Mejdi Shalk in Font last year, among others. I like the idea of the indoor brushing. Maybe it should be made compulsory for newcomers to spend an hour cleaning holds before they get to climb 😁.
@@sirVlinky Cheers. You're right, education is paramount here as in many other aspects of society, and so is common sense (i-e, one should be able to work out that nature is not a gym). I've never taken part in gym-organised trips. Maybe then do the staff explain the dos and donts? Ideally, I'd put a lot of emphasis on the notion of mentoring, for me the best way to pass on knowledge, provided the newcomer is actually willing to learn and listen (or better, try to understand why this and why that).
I think a lot of the increase in popularity is to do with the lower barrier of access. Thirty years ago, most climbing needed ropes, equipment and knowledge, and crucially a friend who had all these things. The increase in bouldering facilities means that anyone can just rock up and enjoy themselves.
Yea! I think so too. I can see how traditional or sport climbing would feel very intimidating if you didn’t already know someone who climbed or hadn’t been shown how whereas indoor bouldering feels more like a safe gateway to explore movement and that movement it super enjoyable and satisfying so people are getting the bug!
The way I see it is that indoor climbing, especially bouldering is a completely new sport. It shares some skills with traditional climbing, but it is just not the same. It is popular because it is good, and it is gaining because people are discovering it. I think the best comparison you can make is to swimming. This too became popular when swimming in a pool was its own thing, not just training for swimming in a lake or in the ocean.
I've been pushing myself to get into indoor climbing the past few months and I finally gained the confidence and went to my first intro to bouldering session last week. So far I haven't regretted my choice. I never favoured the gym environment due to the fact people can be so judgemental but this is a great substitute for my health and leisure. The people I have met the past week have been super helpful, friendly and I already feel a sense of belonging. Even if I am just a beginner, the sense of motivation from others is unreal!
Never been this early to a Hannah Morris video. All I can say is you make great content and one of my favorite creators on RUclips period! Thanks for growing a supporting community, Hannah!
I've been climbing for 7+ years, and the sport has changed so much it's crazy. Back then, most people would only boulder as training for lead and only indoors as training for outdoor. I've always liked plastic more and would never really be on the same page as other people, but with the growth in popularity (probably thanks to channels like Erik's and later yours), gyms have gotten way better and more accessible for the average climber. Overall a great thing for the climbing community even if I now have to wait in line to climb my project. Great video guys, the documentary/philosofical side of climbing youtube is something I would love to see more of 🔥
Loving this new look video into both the sport's history and direction, plus interweaved with the more human aspect of someone's first day at the climbing wall. Myself I still count as a beginner despite in theory almost four months climbing. This is mainly due to bad timing with both injury and bad health. I plan to start again as it were this week after a month to forget. Recognising & dealing with the mental side of coming back from an injury is although not new to me it is as regards sport as that was never really my thing. Indoor climbing for me has been a way to get fit plus interact with others in a way I would probably not do. As a 57 year old trans woman not connecting with people beyond my old school friends & family has been a protective tool to keep me safe... climbing has helped me see a better side of life and I have become more outgoing as a result. As Hannah pointed out, climbing in part has been about counter culture & inclusivity so it isn't any surprise many of us in the LGBTQ+ community have gravitated to it. It's refreshing to just be in the moment, talking about technique, anti-styles and overcoming climbing fears.
My local gym is in an old warehouse with very poor air conditioning. Which is pretty brutal in the Texas summers. But the staff and the environment is amazing.
I think a huge part of it was the lack of contact with eachother throughout lockdown left people craving community and connection again and climbing not only offers that but it also offers a way to remain active and heathy; win, win. Again the sense of identity and style also plays a part into it literally and figuratively for example you can be more drawn to overhang so your a more powerful climber and prefering holds such as pinches but then it also, like skateboarding, has different ways to dress and express yourself that way, some wear what they would wear to a conventional gym where others may wear baggy cargos and T-shirt you also find this charateristic in skateboarding. Overall I think it is good that climbing is getting recongition and uptake and building careers for the people that have been climbing for 5/10+ years but also giving the newcombers aspirations to progress as a climber, person and a community member.
I'm 58 and I started top rope climbing a year ago. I was hooked from the first time I topped a route and all I could think was "I want to do that again!" I began pouring over RUclips videos about technique and training and just watching other people climb. But I knew I was a climber when , after watching content from professional climbers, I realized that even at my beginning level, I was experiencing the very same mind games, challenges and thought processes that they were. Not to mention the same injuries, aches and pains. I seriously could talk about climbing all day! My kids joke that after I retire that I'll go live in my car at a state park and hang out with the boulder bros. In this economy that may be all I can afford! It sounds like a wonderful life! Thanks Hannah for an interesting and insightful video. I really do love your channel!
I'm apart of the new waves of climbers and two of my favorite things about the sport is the exploration of movement and the lack of ego (by and large). I've done many other physical sports but a common experience I would run into other sports were, "I love the sport, but I can't stand the community." I've found it freeing to be in a community that both challenges itself for self development and mastery of the sport, and yet does not project the need for one's development to be sized up against their peers. Of course, you run into the "v2 in my gym" bro online and sometimes in person, but by in large the community isn't like that. Ultimately, I like how we pursue the path towards excellence together, rather than against one another.
I’m a new wave boulder’er! I’ve been properly at it (at least 2 times a week) for the past 3 months and have also recently climbed on real rock - I love it. I’m so grateful for indoor climbing gyms because coming from The Fens we have one of the flattest parts of the UK and have to travel a fair distance to be able to experience real rock climbing on anything higher than a roundabout 😂 I first tried it about 3 years ago but never stuck at it; now I look forward to every session and I’ve met such a great community at my local gym 🩵
I started climbing back in 2003 until about 2009, mostly outdoors and rope climbing indoors (very little bouldering). After two fatal outdoor accidents in my climbing community it put me off, and I stopped. I've recently got back in to climbing indoors about 1.5 years ago - after wanting to for quite a while, and after getting past my kids being in pre-school. It's been fascinating to return - the sport and community has changed so much over the 14ish years I was away. I'm loving the accessibility of so many bouldering walls, and being able to visit them so easily. However, I still love the style of climbing on an indoor rope more as it feels more akin to the old outdoor climbing style I learnt on - more delicate tension moves over raw power, but maybe that's the styles of the walls that are in my region..... I've found it interesting how the etiquette of climbing in the indoor walls has changed too...
I think there’s something to say about the ‘aesthetic image’ being attached to climbing. The Nalgene bottles, NF/patagonia branded shirts, orange petzl harness etc.. with all due respect, people that love climbing for climbing do not buy into the aesthetics of it and just buy the needed gear to participate in the sport and let the passion drive them, not being blindsided by what they think a climber “should” look like. All the gear, but no idea.. something to say about the state of our society and obsession with our image/how we are perceived to others.
I'm 30 now, I started climbing nearly 2 years ago, this year I started consistently going twice a week. I also lift weights twice a week as I have done for so many years. I genuinely wish I had gotten into climbing years ago, i can't imagine ever stopping now. The community at my gym is amazing, and it gave me something to look forward to on a weekly basis when I was going through a tough period last year. I am super motivated now to try it outside as I normally go hiking with my friends every year and have always seen climbers in the wild.
Love watching Jen as, almost in spite of herself, she gets hooked! You can see the stoke and excitement in her face, and her growing confidence and courage. Beautiful! We ❤❤❤❤ CLIMBING!!! (Me: 60 yr old Old Lady, 5 years climbing and TOTALLY HOOKED :) )
It is so interesting to see so many new people getting into climbing .. I have started climbing over 15 years ago and later even met my now husband at the climbing gym .. since then a lot has changed - I had to take a few years long break (life is dark and full of terrors) and now I am baffled with the advancements the sport has taken .. like just the chalk alone - are you kidding!?! if I had this stuff back then I would have been unstoppable :D .. the one thing I still feel strongly is the comunity - I mean how normal is it that you see a person in a gym for the first time and instantly you cheer eachother on even when you both are frustrated and laugh with them like its the easiest thing in the world - normally it takes me months to warm up to people like that :) that is why I have fallen in love with climbing all those years ago and I hope it never goes away
What a cozy living room you got 😊❤ I started bouldering 2 years a go when I turned 30. A friend introduced it to me in 2015 and I remembered it was quite fun, so I gave it a shot again and got hooked. My body and mindset transformed a lot to the better thanks to it. 💪🏻
My wife took up climbing early this year (2024) by friends that gave us a taste of it outdoors. We are both in our 60’s and initially I just belayed her and did rappelling. I now climb as well and we spend two nights a week, every week, in top rope gym and finish off on circuit board in bouldering area! Been absolutely wonderful for both mind and body and my wife is a better climber by far… so far! We hope to continue for as long as we can!
I’m part of the new wave of climbing and was using it to supplement my jiu jitsu. It’s so accessible and my wife loves it too! It’s a good way to challenge yourself and see progress to get that sense of accomplishment. Also the community at the specific gym I go to is amazing. The climbers there are so chill and if a new climber finishes a route they are all cheering even if they climb v7+. Just comparing it to jiu jitsu or trad. weight training, it’s not too intimidating, the vibe in the gym is different and it’s so much more accessible. The movement is more intuitive which makes the barrier to entry(minus the cost) easier. Also the community is so different. I love bjj and weight training but hate the community lol
I feel a bit between waters ^^ I started with school as a teenage, but without much structure, "just for fun", remembered I liked it and only started again in my mid 20s with colleagues in few local bouldering gyms. I like the ambiance / community, but I love bouldering gyms convenience because I can go on my own, and being quite the introvert / loner, I like being able to chose weather I want to interact more or not (sometimes group problem solving is fun, or helping others progress is cool, but often, going away from crowds times, staying in "my bubble" vibing with local music and climbing for a while is just what I need ^^). For me climbing is like my intro to actual working out beyond school sports (which made me believe I didn't really like sport). I like mostly static climbing to feel my body move, being able to control it etc. And I only add more working out now because I want to progress certain areas, but the main goal remains body control and pleasure. (I even started running with the same approach to have more knowledge and control on my body, explore its abilities, etc and discovered I needed to also do some strength / stability training there for injury prevention and progression). I'd love to dig more into rope climbing, indoors, and outdoors climbing with friends / experienced guides, as I also love nature, hiking etc., but the "loner, quietness" and safety aspects kind of contradict so I'm not rushed to push the experience ^^
I've been a climber for 53 years now, and I find the climbing community to be far nicer, happier, more inclusive and better adjusted that it was when I first started - long may this continue! However, I do have anxieties about the future, as big brands wake up to climbing's commercial potential, and some organisations have a disproportionate influence on its direction. For example the IFSC has done a reasonable job so far, but at the end of the day, it is a private organisation with a strong vested interested in the way things progress.
I've never climbed outdoors. I'm sure I'd enjoy outdoor climbing, but it doesn't hold any particular appeal or mystique for me. What does make me laugh is people looking down on indoor climbing. Like, oh no, some twat I don't care about thinks I'm a filthy casual, whatever will I do?
Rock climbers do look down on indoor only climbers, but no one really cares as much as you think we do... as long as you know it's basically 2 different sports at this point. It's like running a marathon outside and running one on a threadmill.
@@daniel_brqlo I think one of the biggest issues is that "real" rock climbers have an inflated sense of self worth and think that people should care that they look down on them. If, in a coordinated effort, every rock climber on earth looked down on me simultaneously, my life would be completely unaltered.
@@generichuman_ I think you may have main character syndrome. Not a single rock climber that I know of cares what other climbers do with their lifes... we just have preferences and opinions like everyone else. The fact you don't care about these opinions and that you like to say how much you don't care, means nothing.
It is funny how I never experienced this gatekeeping apparently alot of people have. Maybe it is because I grew up in a city where we literally had a climbing wall in our school gym (and a climbing club that did outdoor tours) and where people around me would regularly talk about going climbing. Also interesting the machismo you talk about, because women were always around when I climbed. The teacher of our schools climbing club was a woman and my current group is also mostly comprised of women. How could I convince myself this was a mens only sport, when there were countless women around proving the opposite? Though obviously I dont know the experience of these women.
Great video! Honestly I've only been climbing 8 months but met some of the best people ever through it! Best decision I ever made from a physical and mental perspective ❤❤❤
I've been climbing for the last 7 years, and have never gone outside yet; hoping to go on a trip soonish, but I don't feel like I'm missing anything per se. Indoor climbing is really good. The increase in popularity is only a good thing in my mind, more climbers means more gyms, more equipment, more research, more attention; it moves the sport forward for both casual enjoyers and hardcore climbers.
I think so too! Indoor bouldering has developed as its own sport, of sorts, and I think the evolution of competition climbing over the last couple of decades is helping it to set indoor climbing aside as an activity that’s inspired but separate to the outdoor climbing experience! I think the influx of funding and new climbers does ultimately move the sport forwards, but I know some people feel like that’s chipping away at climbings core values. Hoping to go further into that in the next video!
I was a huge sports guy when I was younger, doing BJJ, track and field, currently I shoot competitively in USPSA, but nothing compares to the feeling I get when I send a V5/V6 slab.
I think it's overall good that (indoor) climbing is becoming more and more popupar, but it becomes a problem when more indoor climbers want to try out outdoor climbing without educating themselves on proper etiquette/code of conduct at the crag. Overcrowded crags, trash, even damage to the rock are all things that result from this
People often make this comment but I've been climbing more than 15 years and it's always been about as crowded and messy as it is now. I don't notice many more people particularly disrespecting ethics today compared to 15 years ago.
@@aspzx Definitly not dissagreeing that it hasn't always been a problem but I do feel like I notice it more and more. besides anecdotes, more people always means more chances for 'bad (behaving) people'
With all the local climbing gyms constantly over crowded these days, I'm just trying to ride this surge of popularity out and wait for it to become a bit LESS popular. Sooner would be better than later, but I'm guessing it'll take awhile. Awesome work on the video though! 🙂
i'm so sad i wasn't able to start climbing earlier. i've been into it since 2018 but i only started bouldering regularly in july of this year. it was too expensive for me as a teen and then i gained a bunch of weight and got scared about not being able to do anything. eventually i was able to figure out a way to get a membership and i love it so much
Speaking of trajectories, really digging your trajectory from more or less weekly climbing videos to less frequent, but more in depth short form documentaries. This was awesome! I do miss the climbing videos though :(
Glad you like the documentary style videos too! In honesty, I’ve been taking a bit of a personal step back over the last few months - definitely not as much climbing from me on the channel, or as many ‘pure climbing with guests’ videos! I plan to keep the climbing videos going in 2025 though, as well as experiement with new formats. We have some fun projects in the works which I think will feel more classic style!
@@hannahmorrisbouldering Oh, don't get me wrong. I got into your channel and stuck with climbing as my new sport in large part because of your climbing videos, but we are supposed to learn, grow and evolve. I like the new direction you are going and I am excited to see where the channel goes from here!
Speaking for the middle aged demographic, it's great exercise and muscle building with little/no impact when roped, and does wonders for the back (perfect for desk-bound workers).
The main reason is there are no real rocks in my city, but there are multiple climbing/bouldering gyms some of them really large and great.. and it is very easy for more friends to join on specific time
Climbing is a great way to exercise and modern gyms are very casual, welcoming and accessible (long opening hours etc). Indoor climbing also takes a lot of risk of serious injury out of the sport.
Yes! A great gateway for feeling more comfortable with the environment and the movement that you can build on, or not, depending on what you want climbing to be for you! Super cool.
I hated sports in school! I was always the last one. I hated running, riding a bike... Until 10 years ago! Me and my boyfriend visited his sister in Berlin and she took us to bouldering gym. It was so much fun! We came back home to Brno, Czechia and there was no such thing as bouldering gym! Only 2-3 underground lead climbing gyms. So we started lead climbing, went to climb rocks, sandstone, multipitches in Austria... Now we have great bouldering gym that recently doubled in size and it's so crowded all the time! I remember having whole gym only to ourself when it was newly opened 🤣
Would be very interested to see that study in other countries. I'm fully biased being in the French alps, but I'd be curious to see how many indoor climbers also climb outside here, knowing that our outdoor options aren't only sketchy trad climbs but nicely bolted sport crags.
@@jeremiahjahn 😅 I guess a broader way to phrase that would be that I’d be curious to see how the outdoor climbing options influence gym développement, usage and population
@@hannahmorrisbouldering I didn't get it today.. but I made great progress and I am confident I will get the send within the next couple of days and/or sessions.
Incredible video! Amazing quality and fantastic writing to boot. I am one of the "new wave" though i have also since adventured outside. I started climbing in september of 2023. I have since become so hooked that its become part of my lifestyle and I live and breathe climbing. I wouldnt be caught dead in a commercial gym doing pullups, i hate those. Yet here i am doing pullups for reps in the local climbing gym because i want that next grade (v7 by 2026!!). i have a hang board at home for the same reason. I believe that climbing as a sport is vulnerable to the effects of capitalism right now, but only because the popularity has increased due to the social, physical, and even "spiritual" (in a sense) effects that the sport can have. I personally don't believe that climbing can or will be ruined by its own popularity because of its roots. If nothing else, its a fundamental movement of the body, and people will ALWAYS do it simply because they love the sport in the same way some people love running, or swimming. I am happy to have joined this community, and look forward to many more years enjoying the sport!
Whether climbing will suffer due to popularity is inevitable. Maybe not every aspect but if there is money to be made it's somehow somewhere it's going to get ugly, just what money does
from one end it's awesome, from the other end it's horrible. Nothing in this world became "better" because it became "popular". For now, climbing gyms are much less toxic than regular gyms, but if Kardashians get involved, I expect a flood of tiktok videos that will make me question humanity again.
It becomes more accessible, which means more people which has an impact on something that relies on limited natural resources. But the fact that 75% of people only climb indoors helps with that problem. I've been climbing for 20 years and I love how much more accessible the sport is.
I do not agree with that sentiment; it is purely subjective to person to person. I would say indoor climbing has become better since I starting 15+ years ago and because of that we have introduced harder grades for routes/boulders that were unimageable at climbing's infancy. Other examples of what has become better are music, food, acting, technology of al sorts and I am sure I could list more. Popularity brings innovation, which leads to better products and for climbing, safer gear, better climbers, micro beta, and so on. I hope I have gotten my point across; for the other side of the argument; of course the rise of popularity has bought more trash and uneducated climbers to crags, which is truly unfortunate.
@@SeizeMachineClimbingIn bouldering the needle hasn't actually moved that far in the past 15 years. We had V15 in 2002 (and 5.15b by 2008). As far as gear is concerned, certainly nothing revolutionary has really been created anytime recently, and even things that have been have been by the same companies that have always done it.
@@Aaron-xq6hv That's fair; I cant disagree with that. I would say 2 new grades (v16 and v17) and sport/trad grades up to 5.15d in the last 22 years is a big thing; especially because more and more keep getting FAs.. but I guess that doesn't necessarily mean "better".
@@SeizeMachineClimbing It's hard to say, especially since you consider that 1980-2000 essentially went from 5.13b to 5.15a. But obviously as we get closer to the "limit", it's going to get harder. Maybe we see more people at the top end, but I'm not even sure that's true. However, in the gym era, in the 90s to 2010-ish, gyms were more about training facilities, and now it's hard to say that most of them are. There are certainly better tools, but I think they're in the minority. For instance, there is one gym near me that is the epitome of "climbing is cool now", but they unironically have an amazing spray wall (and a TB1), both of them barely get any use.
Climbing (gym) is unique bc in that it is easy to have a bunch of ppl of different skill level come together and talk shit. You can hangout with tryhards, trad dads, team kids who warms up on your project, while eating chips the whole time and not doing shit lol
Technically rock climbing indoors looks a bit odd, mostly i call it indoor bouldering its more technical correct language. Indoor and rock are hard to mix. But indoor and bouldering go well together 😅
This is random, but could you put links to the studies and surveys mentioned in the video down in the caption? I think it would be interesting to read into.
I think it’s definitely a valid concern as more people who are introducing to indoor climbing look to try outdoor climbing too. It’s a tricky one to navigate, and I think stewardship and knowledge sharing within the climbing community is key. I hope that one of the best things about climbing is that it can help people to reimagine their relationships to their environment and foster a sense of respect, though I know that’s not always the case, which is a huge shame!
Enjoyed this video, but I struggle a bit with the portrayal of the progression in inclusivity. There is still a long way to go in terms of making everyone feel welcome. I personally have experienced more bigoted, misogynistic comments and views in climbing spaces than any other aspect of my life.
Climbers want to make money like in any oder sports. Them on Media is making the sport getting in oder direction.. whats understandable... I mean, climbing is their "job" but that at the same time it's ruining the sport as it used to be.
I think this is a shame. Most climbers I meet now a days never even touched real rock climbing. It's great they're exercising and all, but I feel like the heart of the sport is being lost to excessive comfort.
I think it's a shame that you don't play water polo. I think it's great that you're dirty and uncomfortable, but I think some essence is being lost due to excessive climbing.
Why is it bad? Imagine all these people going to touch the real rock? How fast all traditional routes will break? How much trash, and human waste will be around? How many incidents and traumas will occur? And I am not even saying the time investments needed to go there. Not everyone can dedicate a whole weekend to driving to the closest bouldering spot, including all the food preparation. What about harsh weather conditions? Poison ivy, insects (ticks especially), snakes? There is no shame for ordinary folks to avoid all these complexities. I tried outdoor climbing, and I absolutely love it, but I absolutely don't have time to do it regularly. And I would not blame people who never want to go there at all. Gyms provide service, and people enjoy it. It is a good thing.
@@daniel_brqlo Yes... is was clearly meant to be sarcastic. Why is it a shame that someone isn't interested in exactly what you are interested in? Indoor and outdoor are basically different sports at this point. I don't think it's a shame that indoor climbers are "missing out" any more than someone who played hockey or water polo is missing out, or that you're missing out from not playing those sports. The world a big place full of lots of things to derive meaning and pleasure from. Congrats on finding something that works for you. Most casual indoor climbers (myself included) do it for fitness and have other things in their lives that they enjoy.
I'm glad they don't want to go outside. It's already a sh#tshow at most crags. And many climbers today are needy af compared to the climbers of 70's and 80's. The cheerleading at the crags these days is damn near unbearable.
I'm one of the new wave of climbers. I can't really comment if this whole thing is good or not, it has been good for me. It is probablt the first sport that I actually enjoy in my 33 years of life, and it has done wonders for my physical and mental condition. And indoor climbing makes it possible to do any time when I have 2 hours to spare. So while the old school climbing purists might be upset about all of this, it has been a positive thing in my life.
same. I used to think I simply wasn't a sports person. and then I discovered climbing and all the things my body could do (I am in my 30s as well) and it isn't even boring like jogging! I can do it and completely lose myself in it without it feeling too much like a sport, at least for me, I refuse to do any extra workouts to improve my skills. too boring 😂 once it starts to feel like work, it drains my energy and loses the joy. The way I am doing it is simply perfect for me. I have never been fitter in my life
No i’m such oldschool guy and i can tell you, we’re not upset. Good for you you found climbing and enjoy it. Our best part is, we can go to al remote spots outside were other people can’t go so always fun for everybody
I'm a climbing purist and we're not upset at you, y'all keep the lights on at the gym! Those things cost a ton!
@@s.9899 Climbing having constant immediate and reachable goals is *huge* for motivation. Jogging or the gym you're slowly working towards something while with bouldering you're always working towards a goal that's visibly right in front of you.
@@theoneandonlyAeth absolutely and it's not just that. my mind is so much more occupied. I tried jogging for a few months and I never reached a point where I could let my mind wander (like I do while biking), it always felt strenuous and exhausting and I kept thinking "how long until I can stop that".
Never happend to me while climbing or bouldering.
Especially while climbing I can reach a point where I am just flowing and thinking about whatever while doing my moves, clipping, resting. Pure meditation high above the ground. I love it.
To Ged’s point about who is a climber: I started climbing as a 35 year old mother of four, 4 years ago. From the very first time I tried I knew I wanted to do it the rest of my life. So I think you’re a climber if you feel like you are. (And to those 10 year climbers saying they’re not really climbers: no one’s definition matters as much as your own. If you love climbing and you do it, you’re a climber!) We all engage with the sport to varying degrees, but one of my favorite things about the current culture in gyms is how welcoming and open it is. Everyone belongs and has a right to be there. Thanks Hannah this is a great video!
'The best climber is the one having the most fun', Alex Lowe.
ClimberCore is hot right now. Genuinely though, I think people are just discovering how - once made accessible - climbing is just as foundational as walking, running, swimming etc to our human bodies.
I agree, it feels like a genuine human need, to be climbing, as balance, physical strength and mental strength is all part of being alive. Its rare to develop all at once in other sports, as much as you do so in climbing.
Agreed!
@@Mie_Bunger So true, you get such a wide range of physical/mental benefits by doing something that is fun 99% of the time (can't say I've never had a bad day in the gym but it's still enjoyable even when I have a rough session). I never had fun doing typical strength training in a gym, but now I have motivation strength train for climbing lol.
I started climbing ‘late in life’ at age 43 after years in the gym lifting weights and the stress it puts on the body, joints etc. I’m thankful for the commercialism of “new” climbing culture. It makes the spaces feel vibrant and welcoming, especially to those like me who are very socially awkward. My first few times I got to meet amazing people and see the social culture and was greeted with open arms. Thanks for such a great video Hannah and Nathan.
It’s lovely how a sport using movement that is just as fundamental and natural as running or swimming has now become accessible and popularised. It’s a space where people are getting together to solve problems using movement and it’s no wonder that this creates a unique community feel ❤
Thanks for putting together this video with beautiful footage and insightful information
I first started climbing at 14yrs old at school 47 yrs ago. We were lucky enough to have a wooden climbing wall inside and a couple of teachers who climbed quite hard outside and took us on trips around the country.I learnt outside trad climbing and reached a good level (extremely severe). Then after being involved in a fatal accident in the lake district I didn't climb again until 5 yrs ago when an indoor gym opened very close to home and I ventured there to try it.
I re kindled my love of climbing and have been going twice a week ever since. The indoor gym allows me to meet people of various ages and abilities and I have improved alot .I haven't plucked up the courage to return to trad climbing yet. But hopefully I will at some point. If it hadn't been for the increased popularity and availability of indoor gyms, I wouldn't have returned to something I've always loved.
Great video Hannah.
this is so similar to my experience. I started climbing back in 2003 until about 2009 while at uni, then stopped after two fatal outdoor accidents in my climbing community. Just got back in to it about 1.5 years ago - after 14ish years - mostly indoor bouldering due to being able to visit them so easily, some top roping. Still trying to fix my head game though after all this time - plus its harder to build up the technique and strength than it was 20ish years ago!
I was a couch potato before trying climbing 2 years ago when I was 34.My body, mind and relationship to work has totally changed. I started working out (outside of bouldering) learned to lead climb as well, fell in love with outdoor climbing. This is such a great sport/community
Your intros and overall film structure is top notch! Thanks for another great video
Much appreciated!
FANTASTIC video, Hannah! You really are such an authoritative voice on the modern culture of climbing, and I love it!
AW HEY NOAH!! Thank you - hope you’re good! 🥹
Looking forward to the sequel.
If you're looking for problematics to prod, I'd say one particular issue the explosion of indoor climbing is doing to the outdoors is due to the cultural gulf between the two. An indoor climber is basically a customer, and as you said everything is made for them (us), we are cocooned, everything is safe, we have almost nothing to worry about, and 0 care in the world. And there are bins, toilets, even showers.
Those who venture outdoors with that mentality may, and I insist on the term (meaning not everyone is in that category) treat the outdoors in the same vein, as customers who think all is done for them, and they are owed it. Yet going outdoors requires a mental shift: you can't do all you do in a gym in nature. You can't leave your packaging in a bush for lack of a bin, or your toilet paper. You can't drag your crashpad along as if you were in a man-made, fixable environment. You can't blast loud music like in a gym, because nature is not a gym or a nightclub.
And of course that extends to understanding that bolting will likely be more runout, that anchors may look different and need the learning of new techniques and so on.
I'd say indoors you need a bank card. Outdoors you need humility.
That is NOT to criticise indoor climbing in the least, not least because I partake several times per week. But it raises questions: should, for instance, indoor gyms educate for the outdoors? I don't have an answer.
Beautiful comment. Well written. I agree for the most part that moving to the outdoors requires a mental shift. I do not however believe that an indoor gym is required to (or even should) attempt to educate their users on the differences of climbing outdoors. I think it is up to us as individuals to learn to respect something that we may not know about, regardless of the thing in question. In the case of being outdoors like you mention: the environment is a) not ours and b) not FOR us. these things ought to be taught by parents as a general respect for nature as well as the people who bring the indoor folk outside. I think that from the gym's perspective, the most they should do is have the information available on request. With all of that said, this is simply my opinion and would love to hear the opinions of others on the subject.
Fantastic comment. This is exactly why I think that to preserve outdoor bouldering, habits like brushing AFTER you climbed a route need to be made part of indoor climbing culture - otherwise outdoor climbing seems doomed.
Places like Fontainebleau deteriorate quickly and that is also due to, let's say, not very role-model-esque behavior of famous RUclipsrs.
@@fabian-hugsforhikers Cheers. Yep. The problem is that good practices are either present in a vlog but not shown as such (because it's 'boring' and doesn't make for sexy footage) or they are not and some bad ones take their place. There was a famous vlogging 'incident' by Mejdi Shalk in Font last year, among others.
I like the idea of the indoor brushing. Maybe it should be made compulsory for newcomers to spend an hour cleaning holds before they get to climb 😁.
@@sirVlinky Cheers. You're right, education is paramount here as in many other aspects of society, and so is common sense (i-e, one should be able to work out that nature is not a gym).
I've never taken part in gym-organised trips. Maybe then do the staff explain the dos and donts?
Ideally, I'd put a lot of emphasis on the notion of mentoring, for me the best way to pass on knowledge, provided the newcomer is actually willing to learn and listen (or better, try to understand why this and why that).
I think a lot of the increase in popularity is to do with the lower barrier of access. Thirty years ago, most climbing needed ropes, equipment and knowledge, and crucially a friend who had all these things. The increase in bouldering facilities means that anyone can just rock up and enjoy themselves.
Yea! I think so too. I can see how traditional or sport climbing would feel very intimidating if you didn’t already know someone who climbed or hadn’t been shown how whereas indoor bouldering feels more like a safe gateway to explore movement and that movement it super enjoyable and satisfying so people are getting the bug!
30 years ago bouldering was still very much a thing. Danse des Balrogs (V13) was first done by Fred Nicole over 30 years ago.
The way I see it is that indoor climbing, especially bouldering is a completely new sport. It shares some skills with traditional climbing, but it is just not the same. It is popular because it is good, and it is gaining because people are discovering it. I think the best comparison you can make is to swimming. This too became popular when swimming in a pool was its own thing, not just training for swimming in a lake or in the ocean.
I've been pushing myself to get into indoor climbing the past few months and I finally gained the confidence and went to my first intro to bouldering session last week. So far I haven't regretted my choice. I never favoured the gym environment due to the fact people can be so judgemental but this is a great substitute for my health and leisure. The people I have met the past week have been super helpful, friendly and I already feel a sense of belonging. Even if I am just a beginner, the sense of motivation from others is unreal!
Never been this early to a Hannah Morris video. All I can say is you make great content and one of my favorite creators on RUclips period! Thanks for growing a supporting community, Hannah!
Thank you so much! Really nice to hear you like the videos and I hope you enjoyed this one too!!❤️🔥
I've been climbing for 7+ years, and the sport has changed so much it's crazy. Back then, most people would only boulder as training for lead and only indoors as training for outdoor. I've always liked plastic more and would never really be on the same page as other people, but with the growth in popularity (probably thanks to channels like Erik's and later yours), gyms have gotten way better and more accessible for the average climber.
Overall a great thing for the climbing community even if I now have to wait in line to climb my project.
Great video guys, the documentary/philosofical side of climbing youtube is something I would love to see more of 🔥
Loving this new look video into both the sport's history and direction, plus interweaved with the more human aspect of someone's first day at the climbing wall.
Myself I still count as a beginner despite in theory almost four months climbing. This is mainly due to bad timing with both injury and bad health. I plan to start again as it were this week after a month to forget. Recognising & dealing with the mental side of coming back from an injury is although not new to me it is as regards sport as that was never really my thing.
Indoor climbing for me has been a way to get fit plus interact with others in a way I would probably not do. As a 57 year old trans woman not connecting with people beyond my old school friends & family has been a protective tool to keep me safe... climbing has helped me see a better side of life and I have become more outgoing as a result. As Hannah pointed out, climbing in part has been about counter culture & inclusivity so it isn't any surprise many of us in the LGBTQ+ community have gravitated to it. It's refreshing to just be in the moment, talking about technique, anti-styles and overcoming climbing fears.
Can you imagine someone rocking up to the Climbing Hangar with a Louis Vuitton chalk bag 😂😂😂
Hahah maybe ONE DAY! 🤓☺️
@@hannahmorrisbouldering There are already clothing brands with 60 euros Tshirts soooo !
My first "gym" was a room in a basement with no ventilation, so I'm definitely glad things have improved :D
My local gym is in an old warehouse with very poor air conditioning. Which is pretty brutal in the Texas summers. But the staff and the environment is amazing.
I think a huge part of it was the lack of contact with eachother throughout lockdown left people craving community and connection again and climbing not only offers that but it also offers a way to remain active and heathy; win, win. Again the sense of identity and style also plays a part into it literally and figuratively for example you can be more drawn to overhang so your a more powerful climber and prefering holds such as pinches but then it also, like skateboarding, has different ways to dress and express yourself that way, some wear what they would wear to a conventional gym where others may wear baggy cargos and T-shirt you also find this charateristic in skateboarding. Overall I think it is good that climbing is getting recongition and uptake and building careers for the people that have been climbing for 5/10+ years but also giving the newcombers aspirations to progress as a climber, person and a community member.
I'm 58 and I started top rope climbing a year ago. I was hooked from the first time I topped a route and all I could think was "I want to do that again!" I began pouring over RUclips videos about technique and training and just watching other people climb. But I knew I was a climber when , after watching content from professional climbers, I realized that even at my beginning level, I was experiencing the very same mind games, challenges and thought processes that they were. Not to mention the same injuries, aches and pains.
I seriously could talk about climbing all day!
My kids joke that after I retire that I'll go live in my car at a state park and hang out with the boulder bros. In this economy that may be all I can afford! It sounds like a wonderful life!
Thanks Hannah for an interesting and insightful video. I really do love your channel!
I'm apart of the new waves of climbers and two of my favorite things about the sport is the exploration of movement and the lack of ego (by and large). I've done many other physical sports but a common experience I would run into other sports were, "I love the sport, but I can't stand the community." I've found it freeing to be in a community that both challenges itself for self development and mastery of the sport, and yet does not project the need for one's development to be sized up against their peers. Of course, you run into the "v2 in my gym" bro online and sometimes in person, but by in large the community isn't like that. Ultimately, I like how we pursue the path towards excellence together, rather than against one another.
I’m a new wave boulder’er! I’ve been properly at it (at least 2 times a week) for the past 3 months and have also recently climbed on real rock - I love it. I’m so grateful for indoor climbing gyms because coming from The Fens we have one of the flattest parts of the UK and have to travel a fair distance to be able to experience real rock climbing on anything higher than a roundabout 😂 I first tried it about 3 years ago but never stuck at it; now I look forward to every session and I’ve met such a great community at my local gym 🩵
I started climbing back in 2003 until about 2009, mostly outdoors and rope climbing indoors (very little bouldering). After two fatal outdoor accidents in my climbing community it put me off, and I stopped. I've recently got back in to climbing indoors about 1.5 years ago - after wanting to for quite a while, and after getting past my kids being in pre-school. It's been fascinating to return - the sport and community has changed so much over the 14ish years I was away. I'm loving the accessibility of so many bouldering walls, and being able to visit them so easily. However, I still love the style of climbing on an indoor rope more as it feels more akin to the old outdoor climbing style I learnt on - more delicate tension moves over raw power, but maybe that's the styles of the walls that are in my region..... I've found it interesting how the etiquette of climbing in the indoor walls has changed too...
I like these little docufilms you edit together at times! The one on mile end was great as well. Keep it up!
Glad you like them! 🤩
I think there’s something to say about the ‘aesthetic image’ being attached to climbing. The Nalgene bottles, NF/patagonia branded shirts, orange petzl harness etc.. with all due respect, people that love climbing for climbing do not buy into the aesthetics of it and just buy the needed gear to participate in the sport and let the passion drive them, not being blindsided by what they think a climber “should” look like. All the gear, but no idea.. something to say about the state of our society and obsession with our image/how we are perceived to others.
I'm 30 now, I started climbing nearly 2 years ago, this year I started consistently going twice a week. I also lift weights twice a week as I have done for so many years.
I genuinely wish I had gotten into climbing years ago, i can't imagine ever stopping now. The community at my gym is amazing, and it gave me something to look forward to on a weekly basis when I was going through a tough period last year.
I am super motivated now to try it outside as I normally go hiking with my friends every year and have always seen climbers in the wild.
Love watching Jen as, almost in spite of herself, she gets hooked! You can see the stoke and excitement in her face, and her growing confidence and courage. Beautiful! We ❤❤❤❤ CLIMBING!!!
(Me: 60 yr old Old Lady, 5 years climbing and TOTALLY HOOKED :) )
It is so interesting to see so many new people getting into climbing .. I have started climbing over 15 years ago and later even met my now husband at the climbing gym .. since then a lot has changed - I had to take a few years long break (life is dark and full of terrors) and now I am baffled with the advancements the sport has taken .. like just the chalk alone - are you kidding!?! if I had this stuff back then I would have been unstoppable :D
.. the one thing I still feel strongly is the comunity - I mean how normal is it that you see a person in a gym for the first time and instantly you cheer eachother on even when you both are frustrated and laugh with them like its the easiest thing in the world - normally it takes me months to warm up to people like that :) that is why I have fallen in love with climbing all those years ago and I hope it never goes away
What a cozy living room you got 😊❤
I started bouldering 2 years a go when I turned 30.
A friend introduced it to me in 2015 and I remembered it was quite fun, so I gave it a shot again and got hooked.
My body and mindset transformed a lot to the better thanks to it. 💪🏻
My wife took up climbing early this year (2024) by friends that gave us a taste of it outdoors. We are both in our 60’s and initially I just belayed her and did rappelling.
I now climb as well and we spend two nights a week, every week, in top rope gym and finish off on circuit board in bouldering area!
Been absolutely wonderful for both mind and body and my wife is a better climber by far… so far! We hope to continue for as long as we can!
I’m part of the new wave of climbing and was using it to supplement my jiu jitsu. It’s so accessible and my wife loves it too! It’s a good way to challenge yourself and see progress to get that sense of accomplishment. Also the community at the specific gym I go to is amazing. The climbers there are so chill and if a new climber finishes a route they are all cheering even if they climb v7+. Just comparing it to jiu jitsu or trad. weight training, it’s not too intimidating, the vibe in the gym is different and it’s so much more accessible. The movement is more intuitive which makes the barrier to entry(minus the cost) easier. Also the community is so different. I love bjj and weight training but hate the community lol
I feel a bit between waters ^^
I started with school as a teenage, but without much structure, "just for fun", remembered I liked it and only started again in my mid 20s with colleagues in few local bouldering gyms.
I like the ambiance / community, but I love bouldering gyms convenience because I can go on my own, and being quite the introvert / loner, I like being able to chose weather I want to interact more or not (sometimes group problem solving is fun, or helping others progress is cool, but often, going away from crowds times, staying in "my bubble" vibing with local music and climbing for a while is just what I need ^^).
For me climbing is like my intro to actual working out beyond school sports (which made me believe I didn't really like sport). I like mostly static climbing to feel my body move, being able to control it etc. And I only add more working out now because I want to progress certain areas, but the main goal remains body control and pleasure. (I even started running with the same approach to have more knowledge and control on my body, explore its abilities, etc and discovered I needed to also do some strength / stability training there for injury prevention and progression).
I'd love to dig more into rope climbing, indoors, and outdoors climbing with friends / experienced guides, as I also love nature, hiking etc., but the "loner, quietness" and safety aspects kind of contradict so I'm not rushed to push the experience ^^
I've been a climber for 53 years now, and I find the climbing community to be far nicer, happier, more inclusive and better adjusted that it was when I first started - long may this continue! However, I do have anxieties about the future, as big brands wake up to climbing's commercial potential, and some organisations have a disproportionate influence on its direction. For example the IFSC has done a reasonable job so far, but at the end of the day, it is a private organisation with a strong vested interested in the way things progress.
I've never climbed outdoors. I'm sure I'd enjoy outdoor climbing, but it doesn't hold any particular appeal or mystique for me. What does make me laugh is people looking down on indoor climbing. Like, oh no, some twat I don't care about thinks I'm a filthy casual, whatever will I do?
Rock climbers do look down on indoor only climbers, but no one really cares as much as you think we do... as long as you know it's basically 2 different sports at this point. It's like running a marathon outside and running one on a threadmill.
@@daniel_brqloWhy would you look down on people for doing a different sport? Quite uncalled for.
@@daniel_brqlo Thanks for demonstrating buddy 👍
@@daniel_brqlo I think one of the biggest issues is that "real" rock climbers have an inflated sense of self worth and think that people should care that they look down on them. If, in a coordinated effort, every rock climber on earth looked down on me simultaneously, my life would be completely unaltered.
@@generichuman_ I think you may have main character syndrome. Not a single rock climber that I know of cares what other climbers do with their lifes... we just have preferences and opinions like everyone else. The fact you don't care about these opinions and that you like to say how much you don't care, means nothing.
It is funny how I never experienced this gatekeeping apparently alot of people have. Maybe it is because I grew up in a city where we literally had a climbing wall in our school gym (and a climbing club that did outdoor tours) and where people around me would regularly talk about going climbing. Also interesting the machismo you talk about, because women were always around when I climbed. The teacher of our schools climbing club was a woman and my current group is also mostly comprised of women. How could I convince myself this was a mens only sport, when there were countless women around proving the opposite? Though obviously I dont know the experience of these women.
Great video! Honestly I've only been climbing 8 months but met some of the best people ever through it! Best decision I ever made from a physical and mental perspective ❤❤❤
I've been climbing for the last 7 years, and have never gone outside yet; hoping to go on a trip soonish, but I don't feel like I'm missing anything per se. Indoor climbing is really good. The increase in popularity is only a good thing in my mind, more climbers means more gyms, more equipment, more research, more attention; it moves the sport forward for both casual enjoyers and hardcore climbers.
I think so too! Indoor bouldering has developed as its own sport, of sorts, and I think the evolution of competition climbing over the last couple of decades is helping it to set indoor climbing aside as an activity that’s inspired but separate to the outdoor climbing experience! I think the influx of funding and new climbers does ultimately move the sport forwards, but I know some people feel like that’s chipping away at climbings core values. Hoping to go further into that in the next video!
I was a huge sports guy when I was younger, doing BJJ, track and field, currently I shoot competitively in USPSA, but nothing compares to the feeling I get when I send a V5/V6 slab.
0:41 that's a growth of over 100% though.
I think it's overall good that (indoor) climbing is becoming more and more popupar, but it becomes a problem when more indoor climbers want to try out outdoor climbing without educating themselves on proper etiquette/code of conduct at the crag. Overcrowded crags, trash, even damage to the rock are all things that result from this
People often make this comment but I've been climbing more than 15 years and it's always been about as crowded and messy as it is now. I don't notice many more people particularly disrespecting ethics today compared to 15 years ago.
@@aspzx Definitly not dissagreeing that it hasn't always been a problem but I do feel like I notice it more and more. besides anecdotes, more people always means more chances for 'bad (behaving) people'
With all the local climbing gyms constantly over crowded these days, I'm just trying to ride this surge of popularity out and wait for it to become a bit LESS popular. Sooner would be better than later, but I'm guessing it'll take awhile. Awesome work on the video though! 🙂
i'm so sad i wasn't able to start climbing earlier. i've been into it since 2018 but i only started bouldering regularly in july of this year. it was too expensive for me as a teen and then i gained a bunch of weight and got scared about not being able to do anything. eventually i was able to figure out a way to get a membership and i love it so much
Speaking of trajectories, really digging your trajectory from more or less weekly climbing videos to less frequent, but more in depth short form documentaries. This was awesome! I do miss the climbing videos though :(
Glad you like the documentary style videos too! In honesty, I’ve been taking a bit of a personal step back over the last few months - definitely not as much climbing from me on the channel, or as many ‘pure climbing with guests’ videos! I plan to keep the climbing videos going in 2025 though, as well as experiement with new formats. We have some fun projects in the works which I think will feel more classic style!
@@hannahmorrisbouldering Oh, don't get me wrong. I got into your channel and stuck with climbing as my new sport in large part because of your climbing videos, but we are supposed to learn, grow and evolve. I like the new direction you are going and I am excited to see where the channel goes from here!
Your editing is so cool! :)
Speaking for the middle aged demographic, it's great exercise and muscle building with little/no impact when roped, and does wonders for the back (perfect for desk-bound workers).
The main reason is there are no real rocks in my city, but there are multiple climbing/bouldering gyms some of them really large and great.. and it is very easy for more friends to join on specific time
Very underrated video and channel. It's always a great watch when I stop by here.
Your film-making is really maturing. I really look forward to these.
Climbing is a great way to exercise and modern gyms are very casual, welcoming and accessible (long opening hours etc). Indoor climbing also takes a lot of risk of serious injury out of the sport.
Yes! A great gateway for feeling more comfortable with the environment and the movement that you can build on, or not, depending on what you want climbing to be for you! Super cool.
Excellent video Hannah! It's well-researched and engaging
Glad you think so!
I hated sports in school! I was always the last one. I hated running, riding a bike... Until 10 years ago! Me and my boyfriend visited his sister in Berlin and she took us to bouldering gym. It was so much fun! We came back home to Brno, Czechia and there was no such thing as bouldering gym! Only 2-3 underground lead climbing gyms. So we started lead climbing, went to climb rocks, sandstone, multipitches in Austria... Now we have great bouldering gym that recently doubled in size and it's so crowded all the time! I remember having whole gym only to ourself when it was newly opened 🤣
How trivial to seek identity and label oneself as a 'climber'...just climb and have fun, my god.
Would be very interested to see that study in other countries. I'm fully biased being in the French alps, but I'd be curious to see how many indoor climbers also climb outside here, knowing that our outdoor options aren't only sketchy trad climbs but nicely bolted sport crags.
Your comment is so wonderfully french. And I'm curious as well.
@@jeremiahjahn 😅
I guess a broader way to phrase that would be that I’d be curious to see how the outdoor climbing options influence gym développement, usage and population
🔥Another good morning!🔥 Wish me luck on the gym proj today!
Good luck! I just sent mine, now you go get yours!!
@@amberblackford9999 🔥💪
Goooooo get it! 🙌
@@hannahmorrisbouldering I didn't get it today.. but I made great progress and I am confident I will get the send within the next couple of days and/or sessions.
Great video, loved the editing
Thank you so much!!
Great wee vid🙂 on the considerations arond sport/indoor climbing.
Omg, my gym in Melbourne is featured in this vid! I think my best friend's car got a cameo parked out the front! 😂
I just loved climbing trees as a kid. Can't really be doing that as an adult. Logical next step
Hahah true!
Your uk climbing visits stat is wrong, 180k to 375k is growth of over 100%, not 60% like you said in the video.
Such a good video, Hannah!
Wow crazy to see the local gym (Urban Climb) throughout the video. Were you guys in Melbourne?
Incredible video! Amazing quality and fantastic writing to boot. I am one of the "new wave" though i have also since adventured outside. I started climbing in september of 2023. I have since become so hooked that its become part of my lifestyle and I live and breathe climbing. I wouldnt be caught dead in a commercial gym doing pullups, i hate those. Yet here i am doing pullups for reps in the local climbing gym because i want that next grade (v7 by 2026!!). i have a hang board at home for the same reason. I believe that climbing as a sport is vulnerable to the effects of capitalism right now, but only because the popularity has increased due to the social, physical, and even "spiritual" (in a sense) effects that the sport can have. I personally don't believe that climbing can or will be ruined by its own popularity because of its roots. If nothing else, its a fundamental movement of the body, and people will ALWAYS do it simply because they love the sport in the same way some people love running, or swimming. I am happy to have joined this community, and look forward to many more years enjoying the sport!
Whether climbing will suffer due to popularity is inevitable. Maybe not every aspect but if there is money to be made it's somehow somewhere it's going to get ugly, just what money does
Absolutely beautiful take. ❤
Glad you think so!
from one end it's awesome, from the other end it's horrible. Nothing in this world became "better" because it became "popular".
For now, climbing gyms are much less toxic than regular gyms, but if Kardashians get involved, I expect a flood of tiktok videos that will make me question humanity again.
It becomes more accessible, which means more people which has an impact on something that relies on limited natural resources. But the fact that 75% of people only climb indoors helps with that problem. I've been climbing for 20 years and I love how much more accessible the sport is.
I do not agree with that sentiment; it is purely subjective to person to person. I would say indoor climbing has become better since I starting 15+ years ago and because of that we have introduced harder grades for routes/boulders that were unimageable at climbing's infancy. Other examples of what has become better are music, food, acting, technology of al sorts and I am sure I could list more. Popularity brings innovation, which leads to better products and for climbing, safer gear, better climbers, micro beta, and so on. I hope I have gotten my point across; for the other side of the argument; of course the rise of popularity has bought more trash and uneducated climbers to crags, which is truly unfortunate.
@@SeizeMachineClimbingIn bouldering the needle hasn't actually moved that far in the past 15 years. We had V15 in 2002 (and 5.15b by 2008). As far as gear is concerned, certainly nothing revolutionary has really been created anytime recently, and even things that have been have been by the same companies that have always done it.
@@Aaron-xq6hv That's fair; I cant disagree with that. I would say 2 new grades (v16 and v17) and sport/trad grades up to 5.15d in the last 22 years is a big thing; especially because more and more keep getting FAs.. but I guess that doesn't necessarily mean "better".
@@SeizeMachineClimbing It's hard to say, especially since you consider that 1980-2000 essentially went from 5.13b to 5.15a. But obviously as we get closer to the "limit", it's going to get harder. Maybe we see more people at the top end, but I'm not even sure that's true. However, in the gym era, in the 90s to 2010-ish, gyms were more about training facilities, and now it's hard to say that most of them are. There are certainly better tools, but I think they're in the minority. For instance, there is one gym near me that is the epitome of "climbing is cool now", but they unironically have an amazing spray wall (and a TB1), both of them barely get any use.
Interesting how social media wasn't highlighted to be a factor for popularity.
The materials used for the holds are the biggest reason indoor climbing has exploded.
Climbing (gym) is unique bc in that it is easy to have a bunch of ppl of different skill level come together and talk shit. You can hangout with tryhards, trad dads, team kids who warms up on your project, while eating chips the whole time and not doing shit lol
I just read the title, a wild guess: For the same reason people are going to gymnasiums and instead of working out outside
loved the video hannah, thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Technically rock climbing indoors looks a bit odd, mostly i call it indoor bouldering its more technical correct language. Indoor and rock are hard to mix. But indoor and bouldering go well together 😅
I started climbing this year because my gym did a buy a day pass get the first month free.
Hope you’re loving it!
TCH Reading is now your local? I'm surprised I haven't seen you there! I'm watching this on the bus to go climbing now
One of! Hope you had a good session. 🙌
Whats the mellow video around 2:10?
This is random, but could you put links to the studies and surveys mentioned in the video down in the caption? I think it would be interesting to read into.
ayyy urhan climb represent
Who’s a climber?
Staff: Anyone on the wall with shoes on!
Barefoot Charles: ummm
Bouldering is amazing
We think so too!
This is so so so so good 😮.
As a gate keeper myself this video is going to be interresting.
Would be cool to hear your thoughts after watching 🤓
I am concerned about the impact on the outdoor scene. Ranging from littering, damaging crags to unsocial behavior.
I think it’s definitely a valid concern as more people who are introducing to indoor climbing look to try outdoor climbing too. It’s a tricky one to navigate, and I think stewardship and knowledge sharing within the climbing community is key. I hope that one of the best things about climbing is that it can help people to reimagine their relationships to their environment and foster a sense of respect, though I know that’s not always the case, which is a huge shame!
:42 Thats a 108% increase
Ahhhhhh maths
Because climbing is awesome
True true true
Enjoyed this video, but I struggle a bit with the portrayal of the progression in inclusivity. There is still a long way to go in terms of making everyone feel welcome. I personally have experienced more bigoted, misogynistic comments and views in climbing spaces than any other aspect of my life.
Cheaper climbing shoes would be great :)
Agree with a lot of things, but ideologies isn't part of climbing and claiming that it is doesnt make any sense..
First comment!!
🫶
Climbers want to make money like in any oder sports. Them on Media is making the sport getting in oder direction.. whats understandable... I mean, climbing is their "job" but that at the same time it's ruining the sport as it used to be.
I think this is a shame. Most climbers I meet now a days never even touched real rock climbing. It's great they're exercising and all, but I feel like the heart of the sport is being lost to excessive comfort.
I think it's a shame that you don't play water polo. I think it's great that you're dirty and uncomfortable, but I think some essence is being lost due to excessive climbing.
@@generichuman_ I... what??? Is this supposed to be a sarcastic comeback or something?
Why is it bad? Imagine all these people going to touch the real rock? How fast all traditional routes will break? How much trash, and human waste will be around? How many incidents and traumas will occur? And I am not even saying the time investments needed to go there. Not everyone can dedicate a whole weekend to driving to the closest bouldering spot, including all the food preparation. What about harsh weather conditions? Poison ivy, insects (ticks especially), snakes? There is no shame for ordinary folks to avoid all these complexities. I tried outdoor climbing, and I absolutely love it, but I absolutely don't have time to do it regularly. And I would not blame people who never want to go there at all. Gyms provide service, and people enjoy it. It is a good thing.
@@daniel_brqlo Yes... is was clearly meant to be sarcastic. Why is it a shame that someone isn't interested in exactly what you are interested in? Indoor and outdoor are basically different sports at this point. I don't think it's a shame that indoor climbers are "missing out" any more than someone who played hockey or water polo is missing out, or that you're missing out from not playing those sports. The world a big place full of lots of things to derive meaning and pleasure from. Congrats on finding something that works for you. Most casual indoor climbers (myself included) do it for fitness and have other things in their lives that they enjoy.
I'm glad they don't want to go outside. It's already a sh#tshow at most crags.
And many climbers today are needy af compared to the climbers of 70's and 80's. The cheerleading at the crags these days is damn near unbearable.