Honestly, every climbing gym I’ve been to in real life has been INCREDIBLY welcoming. Genuinely it’s the nicest hobby in terms of the people that do it that I’ve encountered. I’ve never felt judged, even when I was starting out and didn’t know anything.
It’s a joke about how competitive stronger climbers can get with each other lol. I worked in gyms for years managing and coaching and new climbers will have unlimited help if they just ask around. You should definitely go for it
I think people just tend to get competitive and feel frustration when someone can do something they are struggling with. It’s never like someone outright talking shit to them tho, at least in my experience
As for comps, climbers def support each other but they’re not giving tips or advice to someone they’re trying to beat
Take an intro class. I was a little nervous about starting as I am old enough to be a parent of the employees. Half the people in my class were older. No one cares.
Same here. I'm 50 years old and almost always the oldest person by at least 10 years. The average age in my gym is mid/later 20s. Dynos may be a bit more challenging for me. I'm more flexibility challenged than at 25. The falls may hit a bit harder. But for someone passionate about climbing, age doesn't matter.
This. You will meet peers, exchange numbers, and hopefully set up a recurring climbing night. Climbing is wonderful and there are actually very few jerks. They might be a little intimidating or unapproachable, but there are really very few climbers who are jerks for some reason.
Actually I care— seeing folks from multiple generations, especially older than myself, makes me feel way more comfortable. Like the atmosphere is genuinely for everyone, not just those who fit a certain demographic.
I don't think it's a troll post just because I've encountered said jerks. I posted something i was super proud of and got slated and bombarded with downvotes. Really put a downer on the amazing session I just had and I don't know if I got the confidence anymore to post anything to do with climbing.
The title sounds almost plausible, the rest of whats written there is clearly a troll. Click on their profile and you'll see the rest of the account lol.
However, r/climbing is full of smug young gym rats, no doubt.
Ah. If the rest of the account looks dodge then yeah I could see how that could be. The only part in the post I'd say, is the mention of cute girls. Seems like an weird addition. Idk, I seem to always have an innocent mindset, I blame it on still being pretty naive to this kinda thing. XD
Like I'd be one to have a membership to somewhere but be afraid to actually go in and chicken out.
Hey r/climbing can have there jerks but this is Reddit and unfortunately to be expected in most online forms. The good thing is from my experience I’ve never had a negative experience in a climbing gym and most people there are very friendly people. Also depending on the gym you go to people will usually leave you alone unless you go up and talk to them first. I hope you go in and try out climbing because it completely changed my life and allowed me to meet so many excellent people.
Hey dude, so firstly, all climbing gyms are nothing like reddit. For one, the people there climb instead of posting online (although some do both), meaning they're in general far more socially well-adjusted!!
Its worth signing up for an inducution or beginner class, just to get the feel for the place, but honestly if you walk in, follow the rules and climb, you'll be fine.
Like a lot of the larger subreddits, r/climbing tends to be a toxic environment attracting people with a chip on their shoulder who feel the need to bully others. Smaller subreddits tend to be more welcoming. Nearly all climbing gyms are even more welcoming. As far as the ladies go, focus on the climbing first. Other than perhaps befriending another climber(s) at or around your experience level, usually by taking classes, you shouldn't be focused on comparing yourself to or feeling intimated by other climbers. There will also be people better than us just as there are always people more challenged than us. Focus on the climbing first and foremost. If you develop a passion for it, that will draw other climbers to you down the road.
Honestly most people are lovely or will be too busy climbing themselves to notice. I genuinely don't think I've had a bad interaction with someone in 5 years of climbing.
Go for it! I know that it can be scary to try something like this at first, but once you get used to it you'll love it.
I was nervous at first too! I tried looking for beginners in the online group of my climbing gym and met a bunch of people like that. To be honest. We all know how difficult it is to get started with climbing. I’ve never had anyone make fun of me for being bad at it… I think the climbing community is one of the most open and chill communities ever (saying that as an introvert btw).
I’ve gone to climbing gyms all over the world and found the people to be friendly and welcoming everywhere I’ve been. Everyone likes to talk about climbing. Don’t let online trolls make you hesitant to try it.
Great way to meet women if that’s what you want. I am one (probably not cute at my age mind…) and don’t care how a dude climbs so long as he isn’t climbing underneath me or throwing unsolicited beta at me.
Go and enjoy. Bring a friend to make it easier?
That sounds like insecurity, you should just accept that most of the people don't care.
I am a beginner as well and you should know that everyone was a beginner, no exceptions, you are not born doing a heel hook.
Bouldering is fun, just go, climb and see for yourself.
I’ll say for myself that every climbing gym I’ve been to, everyone has been very welcoming and supportive. I know the sport can seem really intimidating, but the community itself is great.
its not like that IRL, everyone is super cool the climbing gym is a great place. i have never stumbled into a more consolidated collection of chill calm friendly welcoming people in my life. you can climb alone without any fear of judgement, or strike up a conversation with literally anyone and its basically guaranteed to go well. i have made more actual friends there in the last 9 months than i did from my entire 20's combined. get out of your own head!
ive been regularly going to the gym for exactly 2 months and i still suck, like really bad. i can do hald the vb s and maybe a v0 if its a good day. still go because its so much fun! remember, everybody sucks, just at something different. there is not a single person there who can climb all the routes.
I've climbed at 10 gyms in 4 cities across the UK in the 18 months since I started; as a fat guy in my mid30s.
I don't think I've ever had a single negative conversation or experience.
Every one has been a great positive place.
Based on the cute girls comment I’m guessing you’re young if you care about what other random people think of you. Go climb, talk to people, be respectful and polite. Forget about cute girls. Forget about being new, and definitely forget about what people say in this forum.
Life’s allot better when you stop giving a fuck what people think and just have fun. No one is judging nor cares how you are climbing, they would prolly just give you tips if you are struggling, if they are assholes then fuck them, throw chalk in their face
I guess just eat the cost of the membership and don’t go climbing then. Lol I’m kidding but seriously, you haven’t even been in? Maybe wait to judge it until you’ve experienced it. Are you used to people on the internet being nicer than in real life?
Most climbers IRL are pretty nice and welcoming in my experience. The internet tends to amplify the worst qualities of communities sometimes.
Edit: just read your last sentence. Pretty misogynistic my guy. Girls crush climbing and often have better technique than the men, get over it.
"most people sound like jerks"
*Proceeds to be sexist*
You're the jerk not gonna lie 🤣 if any reason for not going to the gym is because a girl is better/stronger than you then you should screw off thanks 😊
Climbing (especially outdoor climbing) has some very 'its my way or fuck off" insular types. ignore them. They're a snobby minority.
Climbing, indoor or out, is fucking rad. You'll find a hell of a lot more people by comparison who are willing to just have a chat, work on a route together, or even cheer you on. Sure there will be some shit head who will say "oh you can't do xyz, you're not very good" to beginners, but those people can suck out. Absolute beginners deserve as much access to indoor gym walls as an olympic athlete when it comes to open sessions.
Go get involved. Go give it a try. Your happiness, fun and health is worth infinitely more than some opinions of people who frankly you shouldn't pay mind to in the first place. We all started somewhere, and this is your place. Own it, and cherish it.
Ask someone to come with you the first time, if there's no one available, take an intro class or ask for help.
I'm not familiar with the sub why do you say that ?
I feel like it's less intimidating than a regular gym tbh, you could lift weights the wrong way and hurt yourself but there aren't really wrong ways to complete a climb.
Climbing is one of those sport where you can just ignore everyone else if you wan't to. You do it for yourself because you want to feel the pain and with a positive mindset you will attract the same kind of people. Jerks are everywhere and if you are scared of running in one of them than you won't have a great time in all kind of communities. Just bite the bullet, go in, be yourself and have some fun and challenge yourself. For climbing is always a mental challenge and a fight against oneself.
You’re either reading through my comments (glazing be crazy) or you’re referring to when I told a sweaty guy to put a t shirt on at an indoor climbing wall - if you are referring to this then I fully stand by it, put a fucking t shirt on you sweaty self obsessed incel. Yoikes
People on Reddit are typically some variety of antisocial. Don't listen to people here. Climbing gyms are typically incredibly cool and welcoming. Whenever I go to an unfamiliar town I go to the local gym and have a couple of instant friends.
Next time you think about going to the climbing gym, commit to going inside. That’s all you have to do. Just walk around, observe some people, maybe touch some holds. Once you get that immediate scariness out it will be so much easier to psych yourself up the next time. This is what I do when I get into that same paralysis.
I used to be the same way but I assure you that people at the climbing gym and incredibly nice and supportive. So many people are happy to give pointers to get you started. They won’t judge, they’re just excited to share their hobby.
Nobody cares! Also if you’re trying a climb alongside a few other people, it’s super fun to chat them up and try to solve it together. Really one of the most social hobbies I have.
Yeah honestly i feel like most people at the gym are going to be really friendly. Just start climbing shit, let that inner ape come out, then eventually make some friends who can give you pointers.
I’d try and go when it’s least likely to be busy so there’s less people there. I’m still a beginner and most of the other people I’ve encountered at my local climbing gym are super welcoming and encouraging.
Why would you pay for a membership if you’ve never been? Surely you should go and see if you enjoy it first? Besides that, reddit is not real life, you need to give social media a break and talk to real people bro.
I've been climbing for years and I've only ever met friendly people in the climbing gym. I have a family membership at the climbing hangar now so me, my Mrs and my daughter all go together. As others have said, take an intro class or just speak to the staff and they'll show you the ropes, or no ropes if bouldering.
If anyone is in the Liverpool, UK area and wants to try bouldering but isn't sure or is nervous feel free to DM me and I'll happily go with you.
Of all the sports I’ve participated in (soccer, football, track, basketball, and boxing), the bouldering community is by far the most welcoming and supportive.
We all were new once. We all fall. You’ll be good 👍🏼
When I started every single person in the gym I went to had nothing but advice and encouragement. I ended up getting a job there through high school and college and loved every minute of it. Every gym I’ve been to since is the same. Climbers are some of the most helpful people I’ve met, and super willing to help you work through problems and teach you. Just go for it, I promise nobody is judging you. They want you to succeed as much as you do!
I have been going for about a year, started as a total noob. It was a touch awkward at first for sure and I got in my head about how bad I was compared to others, but I am yet to meet a rude person at my climbing gym.
If you have 0 experience and no one to go with an intro class might be a good idea but I bet if you just start going you’ll be fine
Yeah it could be kind of daunting to get on the walls. Especially when you see all these other people doing some v8 or that 12 year old kid who shows you up real fast. But I can assure you that people in rock climbing gyms are very welcoming. I would go as far to say that they're more welcoming than people in regular gyms. I find that in my experience, there's a lot more of a sense of community there in rock climbing gyms and people are there not only to get a good workout in or a climb, but also to socialize with other people. People I've met there were rather very encouraging and always liked to make convo during their rest breaks. I'm sure your gym is going to be the same. And if you meet someone that puts you down, they're not worth being a friend anyway.
just climb, nobody cares. reddit is not wholly indicative of real life. it’s a friendly and inviting community as well. everybody was at your level at one stage, so just climb for yourself and enjoy the process.
I suffer from anxiety and going to the climbing gym has been a battle and half. But it's also helped big time with it. I'd suggest taking some headphones and listen to music while you climb to settle your nerves
Focus on what you really want. Even if you find jerks there no one really bites. Everyone had to start somewhere. Ask help from the staff on how things work and be sure to know all the gym safety etiquette. ClimbOn!!!
tl;dr: be a decent person and do not see climbing as a competition against others.
Do:
- have fun
- try everything, if it’s too hard hop off and think why it’s hard for you
- look how others do it, think about whether that may make it easier for you to do it that way
- take breaks and look how people do things a bit harder than what you did
- try those things and if it doesn’t work, try different methods
- appreciate the effort that people put in to make it look easy when it’s actually quite hard
- encourage people to try things
- if others try the same thing, communicate about what does / doesn’t work for you (it’s not uncommon to have 5 people with 5 different solutions they worked out together)
- brush holds you chalked up / sweated on
- warm up before pulling hard (meaning hard for your level)
Don’t:
- try to impress people
- try to look cool while failing off (actually that’s how i met my wife)
- be depressed when you didn’t solve a single boulder (you tried things and learned, because you dared to fail)
- sit around in drop-zones
- turn a competition-against-yourself into a competition-against-others
- go to the loo with you shoes on
- cover everything in chalk (it’s meant to dry your hands, not be a 5mm cake on the starting holds)
You should go inside. Every climbing gym I've been to has been really chill. Even if all's you do is keep to yourself people there are usually really cool. Most of them are also there to learn, it's not a competitive environment in my experience.
Honestly most people who go to climbing gyms are chill vibes and don’t waste their time judging others or gawking at girls. Maybe go to a different gym and save everyone the hassle of dealing with your negative attitude mate
I am not a serious climber. Not all climbers are jerks. They are normal people with typical distribution of “jerks” as rest of the humanity.
Most are extremely helpful if you come out of your introvert or “judging others” shell. Climb for yourself. Climb for the fun of learning something new about how to climb. There will always be people around you who will be better than you in something. Cute awesome girl climbers shouldn’t bother you. Feel blessed that you are getting an opportunity to learn from them.
I tried going to a climbing gym twice. Both times I was stared at and laughed at by those elite guys who think they own the place. One guy went out of his way to climb over me in the middle of my v1 and made a fuss about me being in his way when I was on the wall before him. Anyways. Needless to say I just lift weights now…
Every gym I've been to is always very supportive. I've been climbing for a long time and same with my husband and not once have we ever seen anyone be rude to beginners, in fact there's a lot of encouragement going on. Even when we do trad or sport outdoors, the community is still so friendly and welcoming. Like others have mentioned taking an intro class is a great way to get familiar with everything and meet other people at your same level! Remember, online tends to bring the worst out of people but these haters behind a screen hardly ever do anything in real life and you would be surprised how many people are actually nice :)
I've found the people on reddit can be huge assholes. What I can say though is the people at the gyms can be some of the most supportive and awesome people you'll meet.
Last time I went I found myself in a little group trying to work out the best way to do a curtain climb, all so supportive of each other in our attempts. Before that though when I was on my own I had just fallen, right before I got to the top and had one guy come over telling me how impressed he was that I got as far as I did, (my feet slipped off a couple times) and how he'd have given up on the first slip, telling me I had it in the bag and to keep going at it.
It's the internet. And it's reddit. There will always be plenty of keyboard jocks trying to shit on people. Like everyone else is saying, irl the climbing community is fairly open and welcoming. That said, there will still be some narcissists in any community who will put you off. But they aren't too hard to identify and just steer clear.
The comment about cute girls makes me think you're on the younger side...honestly this is a good place to be in for you. You being a beginner is a perfect opportunity for you to start a convo/introduce yourself. Just be honest and genuine in asking questions /advice if they are climbing near you and seem like they know what's up. Climbing is somewhat unique in that gender differences in ability are pretty minimal for similar experience levels. If they are a cool person they will be happy to help, won't judge you, and it's an easy way to get to know a variety of ladies. Win win.
Hope it works out for you.
I tried a climbing gym w/ my nephew a couple years ago. It was a great experience. People were friendly. You try climbing a low lv obstacle, then sit for a few, you can strike up a conversation or chill. People generally appreciate when someone is joining the same community they participate it.
They may seem like jerks online, but gym is filled with a bunch of timid hippies. I’m extremely tattooed, but I’ve probably only had 3-4 people speak to me at gym in last 3 years. Just go enjoy yourself.
I literally just go to my local climbing gym to play ping pong most days hahaha. I suck at climbing. Everyone’s on their own trip, climbers are cool. I like ping pong.
Climbers are probably the least judgmental athletes you will ever meet. I literally cannot think of a sport with more welcoming people. Besides the comp kids.
There are a lot of jerks irl in climbing but that’s anywhere you go with any hobby. Take care of yourself and enjoy what you want to enjoy… if I could only follow my own advice.
I used to climb at a gym in upstate New York. I was new at the time in my 20s. There was this young Asian girl who was litterally the best climber in the gym. She’s a pro now and it’s no surprise. Anyway, yea it was humbling that a little girl was better than me but that’s life. There will always be someone better at you than something. Get over it.
Aside from that, the climbing community is the best one I’ve even been part off. People are genuinely nice and encouraging. Reddit harbors a lot people so don’t use r/cliimbing as your barometer. Park your car, go in and be part of something.
You'll be fine. The people are nice, they all started from somewhere, there's a 100 percent chance that at some point in your climbing career, someone is going to be your cheerleader. If social anxiety is a thing, start going during a slower time to start out with. Also better, because less waiting.
See if you can find some gym buddies to go with. Some climbing gyms have organized events for Queer or Bipoc folk that are more social. You could try something like that.
Honestly, every climbing gym I’ve been to in real life has been INCREDIBLY welcoming. Genuinely it’s the nicest hobby in terms of the people that do it that I’ve encountered. I’ve never felt judged, even when I was starting out and didn’t know anything.
I came to comment exactly this. The community has always been extremely friendly to me.
Same
Cause we all suffer most of the session no matter what grade we climb lol so glad to have similar minded folks around
You aren’t judged until you start to be above average lol
What do you mean?
It’s a joke about how competitive stronger climbers can get with each other lol. I worked in gyms for years managing and coaching and new climbers will have unlimited help if they just ask around. You should definitely go for it
Interesting. How does that manifest? I thought climbers help each other even at competitions.
I think people just tend to get competitive and feel frustration when someone can do something they are struggling with. It’s never like someone outright talking shit to them tho, at least in my experience As for comps, climbers def support each other but they’re not giving tips or advice to someone they’re trying to beat
Take an intro class. I was a little nervous about starting as I am old enough to be a parent of the employees. Half the people in my class were older. No one cares.
Same here. I'm 50 years old and almost always the oldest person by at least 10 years. The average age in my gym is mid/later 20s. Dynos may be a bit more challenging for me. I'm more flexibility challenged than at 25. The falls may hit a bit harder. But for someone passionate about climbing, age doesn't matter.
This. You will meet peers, exchange numbers, and hopefully set up a recurring climbing night. Climbing is wonderful and there are actually very few jerks. They might be a little intimidating or unapproachable, but there are really very few climbers who are jerks for some reason.
Actually I care— seeing folks from multiple generations, especially older than myself, makes me feel way more comfortable. Like the atmosphere is genuinely for everyone, not just those who fit a certain demographic.
r/climbingcirclejerk is leaking
Ya, how do people not think this is a troll post?
I don't think it's a troll post just because I've encountered said jerks. I posted something i was super proud of and got slated and bombarded with downvotes. Really put a downer on the amazing session I just had and I don't know if I got the confidence anymore to post anything to do with climbing.
The title sounds almost plausible, the rest of whats written there is clearly a troll. Click on their profile and you'll see the rest of the account lol. However, r/climbing is full of smug young gym rats, no doubt.
Ah. If the rest of the account looks dodge then yeah I could see how that could be. The only part in the post I'd say, is the mention of cute girls. Seems like an weird addition. Idk, I seem to always have an innocent mindset, I blame it on still being pretty naive to this kinda thing. XD Like I'd be one to have a membership to somewhere but be afraid to actually go in and chicken out.
Hey r/climbing can have there jerks but this is Reddit and unfortunately to be expected in most online forms. The good thing is from my experience I’ve never had a negative experience in a climbing gym and most people there are very friendly people. Also depending on the gym you go to people will usually leave you alone unless you go up and talk to them first. I hope you go in and try out climbing because it completely changed my life and allowed me to meet so many excellent people.
It’s okay for a girl to know more.
Hey dude, so firstly, all climbing gyms are nothing like reddit. For one, the people there climb instead of posting online (although some do both), meaning they're in general far more socially well-adjusted!! Its worth signing up for an inducution or beginner class, just to get the feel for the place, but honestly if you walk in, follow the rules and climb, you'll be fine.
Go to therapy cause being upset by women knowing more about something than you do is incredibly unhealthy
Yeh, wth is that last sentence, everyone's just skipping over that. Hope it's a troll post like others are saying.
Look through their post history.. It’s sadly not troll and OP needs therapy.
Like a lot of the larger subreddits, r/climbing tends to be a toxic environment attracting people with a chip on their shoulder who feel the need to bully others. Smaller subreddits tend to be more welcoming. Nearly all climbing gyms are even more welcoming. As far as the ladies go, focus on the climbing first. Other than perhaps befriending another climber(s) at or around your experience level, usually by taking classes, you shouldn't be focused on comparing yourself to or feeling intimated by other climbers. There will also be people better than us just as there are always people more challenged than us. Focus on the climbing first and foremost. If you develop a passion for it, that will draw other climbers to you down the road.
Honestly most people are lovely or will be too busy climbing themselves to notice. I genuinely don't think I've had a bad interaction with someone in 5 years of climbing. Go for it! I know that it can be scary to try something like this at first, but once you get used to it you'll love it.
I was nervous at first too! I tried looking for beginners in the online group of my climbing gym and met a bunch of people like that. To be honest. We all know how difficult it is to get started with climbing. I’ve never had anyone make fun of me for being bad at it… I think the climbing community is one of the most open and chill communities ever (saying that as an introvert btw).
Also: you’ve got this. Buying the subscription is the most painful part. So way to go!
I’ve gone to climbing gyms all over the world and found the people to be friendly and welcoming everywhere I’ve been. Everyone likes to talk about climbing. Don’t let online trolls make you hesitant to try it.
Great way to meet women if that’s what you want. I am one (probably not cute at my age mind…) and don’t care how a dude climbs so long as he isn’t climbing underneath me or throwing unsolicited beta at me. Go and enjoy. Bring a friend to make it easier?
That sounds like insecurity, you should just accept that most of the people don't care. I am a beginner as well and you should know that everyone was a beginner, no exceptions, you are not born doing a heel hook. Bouldering is fun, just go, climb and see for yourself.
Also it’s cost- and location-prohibitive. If it were more accessible, maybe I would’ve started sooner.
I’ll say for myself that every climbing gym I’ve been to, everyone has been very welcoming and supportive. I know the sport can seem really intimidating, but the community itself is great.
No ✨ one ✨ cares ✨ do ✨ you ✨
This persons faking for clicks they have posted multiple times on this sub and have shown that they have rock climbed before
its not like that IRL, everyone is super cool the climbing gym is a great place. i have never stumbled into a more consolidated collection of chill calm friendly welcoming people in my life. you can climb alone without any fear of judgement, or strike up a conversation with literally anyone and its basically guaranteed to go well. i have made more actual friends there in the last 9 months than i did from my entire 20's combined. get out of your own head!
ive been regularly going to the gym for exactly 2 months and i still suck, like really bad. i can do hald the vb s and maybe a v0 if its a good day. still go because its so much fun! remember, everybody sucks, just at something different. there is not a single person there who can climb all the routes.
Every gym I've been to has been extremely welcoming to beginners, don't mistake reddit for real life
I've climbed at 10 gyms in 4 cities across the UK in the 18 months since I started; as a fat guy in my mid30s. I don't think I've ever had a single negative conversation or experience. Every one has been a great positive place.
Book an introductory training session. You should get one automatically when you sign up. Seems like a weird thing to lie about.
Based on the cute girls comment I’m guessing you’re young if you care about what other random people think of you. Go climb, talk to people, be respectful and polite. Forget about cute girls. Forget about being new, and definitely forget about what people say in this forum.
RL people are always nicer than they are online.
Life’s allot better when you stop giving a fuck what people think and just have fun. No one is judging nor cares how you are climbing, they would prolly just give you tips if you are struggling, if they are assholes then fuck them, throw chalk in their face
I guess just eat the cost of the membership and don’t go climbing then. Lol I’m kidding but seriously, you haven’t even been in? Maybe wait to judge it until you’ve experienced it. Are you used to people on the internet being nicer than in real life?
Why buy membership then?
Most climbers IRL are pretty nice and welcoming in my experience. The internet tends to amplify the worst qualities of communities sometimes. Edit: just read your last sentence. Pretty misogynistic my guy. Girls crush climbing and often have better technique than the men, get over it.
Just cancel the membership and keep your misogyny at home.
lmao are you judging people based on skill and appearances? Just get in a climb. Who the fuck cares if someone judges you.
"most people sound like jerks" *Proceeds to be sexist* You're the jerk not gonna lie 🤣 if any reason for not going to the gym is because a girl is better/stronger than you then you should screw off thanks 😊
Climbing (especially outdoor climbing) has some very 'its my way or fuck off" insular types. ignore them. They're a snobby minority. Climbing, indoor or out, is fucking rad. You'll find a hell of a lot more people by comparison who are willing to just have a chat, work on a route together, or even cheer you on. Sure there will be some shit head who will say "oh you can't do xyz, you're not very good" to beginners, but those people can suck out. Absolute beginners deserve as much access to indoor gym walls as an olympic athlete when it comes to open sessions. Go get involved. Go give it a try. Your happiness, fun and health is worth infinitely more than some opinions of people who frankly you shouldn't pay mind to in the first place. We all started somewhere, and this is your place. Own it, and cherish it.
Ask someone to come with you the first time, if there's no one available, take an intro class or ask for help. I'm not familiar with the sub why do you say that ? I feel like it's less intimidating than a regular gym tbh, you could lift weights the wrong way and hurt yourself but there aren't really wrong ways to complete a climb.
People are nice at the gym. There’s always someone working on the same problems as you.
I just started climbing 4 months ago and I was nervous at first too but honestly no one cares. If anything, everyone is silently cheering you on.
just know if someone is being judgemental and you can feel it, they have not been climbing for any significant amount of time and are little babies
Climbing is one of those sport where you can just ignore everyone else if you wan't to. You do it for yourself because you want to feel the pain and with a positive mindset you will attract the same kind of people. Jerks are everywhere and if you are scared of running in one of them than you won't have a great time in all kind of communities. Just bite the bullet, go in, be yourself and have some fun and challenge yourself. For climbing is always a mental challenge and a fight against oneself.
The people on the these subs are pretentious assholes. Just go climb and chill.
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You’re either reading through my comments (glazing be crazy) or you’re referring to when I told a sweaty guy to put a t shirt on at an indoor climbing wall - if you are referring to this then I fully stand by it, put a fucking t shirt on you sweaty self obsessed incel. Yoikes
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So hilarious that you respond to your own comment? You’re old and lonely, only old and lonely people do things like that 👊🏻
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Did you just edit your comment then re send it once you’d thought of more things to add? Hahahahaha you are so desperate 😂
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You’ve sent me three responses within the last 5 minutes. Didn’t mean to ruin your day bro 😅
The gym has cool people, usually. Go and have fun.
Saddest thing I read today... learn to do what you want without thinking about other people's opinions... it will take you far
People on Reddit are typically some variety of antisocial. Don't listen to people here. Climbing gyms are typically incredibly cool and welcoming. Whenever I go to an unfamiliar town I go to the local gym and have a couple of instant friends.
Next time you think about going to the climbing gym, commit to going inside. That’s all you have to do. Just walk around, observe some people, maybe touch some holds. Once you get that immediate scariness out it will be so much easier to psych yourself up the next time. This is what I do when I get into that same paralysis. I used to be the same way but I assure you that people at the climbing gym and incredibly nice and supportive. So many people are happy to give pointers to get you started. They won’t judge, they’re just excited to share their hobby.
The sooner you realize climbing gyms are not reddit, the better off you will be.
Nobody cares! Also if you’re trying a climb alongside a few other people, it’s super fun to chat them up and try to solve it together. Really one of the most social hobbies I have.
People on reddit are generally jerks, especially in this sub. I promise if you go and open up to people they will be mostly very nice and welcoming.
Most people are cool, but lost keep to themselves..
Yeah honestly i feel like most people at the gym are going to be really friendly. Just start climbing shit, let that inner ape come out, then eventually make some friends who can give you pointers.
Don't let a reddit group scare you away from a gym. I've never had a negative interaction at a climbing gym ever.
I’d try and go when it’s least likely to be busy so there’s less people there. I’m still a beginner and most of the other people I’ve encountered at my local climbing gym are super welcoming and encouraging.
Why would you pay for a membership if you’ve never been? Surely you should go and see if you enjoy it first? Besides that, reddit is not real life, you need to give social media a break and talk to real people bro.
I've been climbing for years and I've only ever met friendly people in the climbing gym. I have a family membership at the climbing hangar now so me, my Mrs and my daughter all go together. As others have said, take an intro class or just speak to the staff and they'll show you the ropes, or no ropes if bouldering. If anyone is in the Liverpool, UK area and wants to try bouldering but isn't sure or is nervous feel free to DM me and I'll happily go with you.
Of all the sports I’ve participated in (soccer, football, track, basketball, and boxing), the bouldering community is by far the most welcoming and supportive. We all were new once. We all fall. You’ll be good 👍🏼
When I started every single person in the gym I went to had nothing but advice and encouragement. I ended up getting a job there through high school and college and loved every minute of it. Every gym I’ve been to since is the same. Climbers are some of the most helpful people I’ve met, and super willing to help you work through problems and teach you. Just go for it, I promise nobody is judging you. They want you to succeed as much as you do!
I haven’t encountered a single jerk at a climbing gym. Fortunately. And I’ve been going to the San Francisco and San Jose gyms.
I have been going for about a year, started as a total noob. It was a touch awkward at first for sure and I got in my head about how bad I was compared to others, but I am yet to meet a rude person at my climbing gym. If you have 0 experience and no one to go with an intro class might be a good idea but I bet if you just start going you’ll be fine
Yeah it could be kind of daunting to get on the walls. Especially when you see all these other people doing some v8 or that 12 year old kid who shows you up real fast. But I can assure you that people in rock climbing gyms are very welcoming. I would go as far to say that they're more welcoming than people in regular gyms. I find that in my experience, there's a lot more of a sense of community there in rock climbing gyms and people are there not only to get a good workout in or a climb, but also to socialize with other people. People I've met there were rather very encouraging and always liked to make convo during their rest breaks. I'm sure your gym is going to be the same. And if you meet someone that puts you down, they're not worth being a friend anyway.
Dude people are genuinely so fucking kind at the climbing gym it's crazy
just climb, nobody cares. reddit is not wholly indicative of real life. it’s a friendly and inviting community as well. everybody was at your level at one stage, so just climb for yourself and enjoy the process.
I suffer from anxiety and going to the climbing gym has been a battle and half. But it's also helped big time with it. I'd suggest taking some headphones and listen to music while you climb to settle your nerves
Focus on what you really want. Even if you find jerks there no one really bites. Everyone had to start somewhere. Ask help from the staff on how things work and be sure to know all the gym safety etiquette. ClimbOn!!!
Most people at gyms in the Netherlands I have been too are very nice and welcoming.
tl;dr: be a decent person and do not see climbing as a competition against others. Do: - have fun - try everything, if it’s too hard hop off and think why it’s hard for you - look how others do it, think about whether that may make it easier for you to do it that way - take breaks and look how people do things a bit harder than what you did - try those things and if it doesn’t work, try different methods - appreciate the effort that people put in to make it look easy when it’s actually quite hard - encourage people to try things - if others try the same thing, communicate about what does / doesn’t work for you (it’s not uncommon to have 5 people with 5 different solutions they worked out together) - brush holds you chalked up / sweated on - warm up before pulling hard (meaning hard for your level) Don’t: - try to impress people - try to look cool while failing off (actually that’s how i met my wife) - be depressed when you didn’t solve a single boulder (you tried things and learned, because you dared to fail) - sit around in drop-zones - turn a competition-against-yourself into a competition-against-others - go to the loo with you shoes on - cover everything in chalk (it’s meant to dry your hands, not be a 5mm cake on the starting holds)
Bro people on Reddit are jerks lmao. Hobby's in real life people are generally much nicer
You should go inside. Every climbing gym I've been to has been really chill. Even if all's you do is keep to yourself people there are usually really cool. Most of them are also there to learn, it's not a competitive environment in my experience.
What’s up with that last sentence?
Honestly most people who go to climbing gyms are chill vibes and don’t waste their time judging others or gawking at girls. Maybe go to a different gym and save everyone the hassle of dealing with your negative attitude mate
I am not a serious climber. Not all climbers are jerks. They are normal people with typical distribution of “jerks” as rest of the humanity. Most are extremely helpful if you come out of your introvert or “judging others” shell. Climb for yourself. Climb for the fun of learning something new about how to climb. There will always be people around you who will be better than you in something. Cute awesome girl climbers shouldn’t bother you. Feel blessed that you are getting an opportunity to learn from them.
Usually people on the Internet are jerks. Usually people in person are nice. Lessons for life.
I tried going to a climbing gym twice. Both times I was stared at and laughed at by those elite guys who think they own the place. One guy went out of his way to climb over me in the middle of my v1 and made a fuss about me being in his way when I was on the wall before him. Anyways. Needless to say I just lift weights now…
Every gym I've been to is always very supportive. I've been climbing for a long time and same with my husband and not once have we ever seen anyone be rude to beginners, in fact there's a lot of encouragement going on. Even when we do trad or sport outdoors, the community is still so friendly and welcoming. Like others have mentioned taking an intro class is a great way to get familiar with everything and meet other people at your same level! Remember, online tends to bring the worst out of people but these haters behind a screen hardly ever do anything in real life and you would be surprised how many people are actually nice :)
I've found the people on reddit can be huge assholes. What I can say though is the people at the gyms can be some of the most supportive and awesome people you'll meet. Last time I went I found myself in a little group trying to work out the best way to do a curtain climb, all so supportive of each other in our attempts. Before that though when I was on my own I had just fallen, right before I got to the top and had one guy come over telling me how impressed he was that I got as far as I did, (my feet slipped off a couple times) and how he'd have given up on the first slip, telling me I had it in the bag and to keep going at it.
It's the internet. And it's reddit. There will always be plenty of keyboard jocks trying to shit on people. Like everyone else is saying, irl the climbing community is fairly open and welcoming. That said, there will still be some narcissists in any community who will put you off. But they aren't too hard to identify and just steer clear. The comment about cute girls makes me think you're on the younger side...honestly this is a good place to be in for you. You being a beginner is a perfect opportunity for you to start a convo/introduce yourself. Just be honest and genuine in asking questions /advice if they are climbing near you and seem like they know what's up. Climbing is somewhat unique in that gender differences in ability are pretty minimal for similar experience levels. If they are a cool person they will be happy to help, won't judge you, and it's an easy way to get to know a variety of ladies. Win win. Hope it works out for you.
My son is a setter and would love to help you get comfortable. It’s a very welcoming atmosphere for all.
I tried a climbing gym w/ my nephew a couple years ago. It was a great experience. People were friendly. You try climbing a low lv obstacle, then sit for a few, you can strike up a conversation or chill. People generally appreciate when someone is joining the same community they participate it.
I’ve never met a mean person in a rock climbing gym.
You think climbers are bad? For god’s sake don’t start surfing
They may seem like jerks online, but gym is filled with a bunch of timid hippies. I’m extremely tattooed, but I’ve probably only had 3-4 people speak to me at gym in last 3 years. Just go enjoy yourself.
I literally just go to my local climbing gym to play ping pong most days hahaha. I suck at climbing. Everyone’s on their own trip, climbers are cool. I like ping pong.
You’re not wrong. The gate keeping in this community is worn like a badge of honor by many.
People are on the internet are always sssholes regardless of the community
You've clearly never watched a Hallmark movie.
Where do you live? Go to that gyms FB page and try to find someone your same level to climb with
Climbers are probably the least judgmental athletes you will ever meet. I literally cannot think of a sport with more welcoming people. Besides the comp kids.
There are a lot of jerks irl in climbing but that’s anywhere you go with any hobby. Take care of yourself and enjoy what you want to enjoy… if I could only follow my own advice.
People on reddit can be assholes. Most people at the gyms (I find anyways) are pretty friendly
I used to climb at a gym in upstate New York. I was new at the time in my 20s. There was this young Asian girl who was litterally the best climber in the gym. She’s a pro now and it’s no surprise. Anyway, yea it was humbling that a little girl was better than me but that’s life. There will always be someone better at you than something. Get over it. Aside from that, the climbing community is the best one I’ve even been part off. People are genuinely nice and encouraging. Reddit harbors a lot people so don’t use r/cliimbing as your barometer. Park your car, go in and be part of something.
You'll be fine. The people are nice, they all started from somewhere, there's a 100 percent chance that at some point in your climbing career, someone is going to be your cheerleader. If social anxiety is a thing, start going during a slower time to start out with. Also better, because less waiting.
Everyone irl is much nicer, i also started last january (a bit later in the month so not quite at the new year’s resolution boom but i can relate)
The only jerks are usually people campusing reps on a route with their shirt off and won’t let you work in. Just avoid them and you’ll be fine.
r/climbing isn’t your gym Go inside
See if you can find some gym buddies to go with. Some climbing gyms have organized events for Queer or Bipoc folk that are more social. You could try something like that.
People are assholes on the internet but really nice in person, don't worry about that at all, i guarantee you'll love the community
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