Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Why are the gyms focussing on toprope? 31-Jan-2008 At 11:59:31 AM dreamingof8a

Message

On 30/01/2008 Sabu wrote:
>Gyms focus on toprope because you can't teach a group of 30 school kids
>how to lead in 15 minutes. Gyms here i believe are designed to give people
>a taste of climbing, these are generally once off type customers and only
>a few are regulars.

Well, you can actually. I've seen it. Apart from that, you don't have to. You need one or two of the teachers to set up the topropes and done.

On 30/01/2008 Rich wrote:
>On 30/01/2008 Cliffhanger wrote:
>
>>Why you ask!? Because the bulk of the customers in gyms paying full price
>>and hiring gear, who aren't paying tight-arse climbers rates are nuffies
>>and beginners who only top rope.
>>
>>By the way, they subsidise your discounted VCC, Uni Student, etc rates!
>
>If there were more lead walls and more lead climbers indoors, then those
>nuffies and beginners would see that as a more natural progression towards
>leading indoors (and lead climbing course fees, equipment purchases and
>memberships).
>
>Someone asked why lead indoors? It 'gets your head in' for leading outdoors,
>feels much more natural than top roping and trains you to find clipping
>positions therefore staying on the wall longer.

I agree

On 31/01/2008 .Macca wrote:
>(Dons flame proof suit)
>
>Technical climbing skills are learnt outdoors by seconding routes, gaining
>an understanding and familiarity with the system and in time taking the
>lead on moderate routes. Using natural pro safely and effectively can ONLY
>be leant that way. Physical and gymnastic ability is enhanced by pulling
>plastic as well as through stretching, weight training and aerobic activities.
>
>
>Leading in a gym is IMHO largely a pointless pose. At best it makes gym
>climbing a bit more interesting. I have seen some of the most egregious
>and aweful examples of lead climber belaying in the gym at Nuna. Belayers
>standing many metres back from the base of the route, leaning back on the
>rope, exaggerated weird belaying technique that speaks more to impressing
>numkies than keeping the leader safe - in short technique that if replicated
>on a trad climb would have the potential to get the leader killed by zippering
>the pitch.

>Whinging about why gyms do not cater for and encourage more lead climbing
>is like a road cyclist asking why gyms can't have rollers instead of stationary
>cycles or a rowing tank instead of ergy machines for rowers. Gym climbing
>is training not a sport (for most of us?). For those who do see lead climbing
>as an end in itself, get past it and go climb a rock.
>
>.Macca

I personally find this a a little bit selfish.

And lead climbing in the gym teaches you how to fall, how to clip, how to move without loosing balance (on toprope it just doesn't matter cos you can't really fall), I think it motivates much more, it trains the endurance (of which you need much more when trad leading), ...