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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Gibbon seeking escape - warning - idotic questions 6-Sep-2007 At 5:04:54 PM zumojugo

Message

This is interesting. There seems to be a great deal of negativity to the idea of going out with the gear
and
learning by your mistakes. Obviously I have already climbed a lot indoors and done a lot of bouldering,
read up about leading, placing pro, setting up a belay and everything else you can usefully read about.
I
know about the safety aspects and things to consider but do people only climb outdoors in this country
when they have been suitably trained by a professiona? I know in the UK most people start climbing
outdoors with friends. Are we in the scouts? Do I need to get someone to show me how to ride a
bicycle
as well. Much higher fatality rate without the proper equipment and approach.

Most details you will only
learn once you've made a few mistakes of your own, as long as you know enough and think enough to
avoid any major mistakes you should avoid any fatal errors. Isn't that why people climb? To learn
mastery over self and something new.

Maybe you're right. Maybe I should go and do a course but when I finish the course I will still have to
rely upon myself and whoever I'm climbing with and if that person is an idiot I'm f&^%d anyway.

If you think through something for yourself you will understand it and know why it is important.
Normally this is a much more effective learning method than being told something. Look at all the
people at Cliffhanger letting people down off the wall with both hands on the gri-gri and the rope
whistling through their hands. If they had considered why you put your hand behind your back rather
than just being told and forgetting then maybe it would be................

I'm so bored of writing this I think I'll just stop!