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Wonderful to hear someone like Chris find that experience and publicly announce the purity in indoor climbing as well. I've been climbing fpr 12 years now and somehow i have always felt like the odd ball who says that indoor and outdoor climbing is just as important for me and people shouldn't diss either. Most of my time outdoors i spend on developing new areas also so in that regard in the deep end of outdoor climbing as well. The transformation of indoor climbing away from being a tool to being it's own thing is a really good thing i believe. Board climbing and other training tools have easily filled in the gap of training for outdoor climbing.
Having recently transitioned from solely indoors to equally indoor and outdoor, I totally get what Chris is saying about the outside having more ego. Funny enough, it feels more competitive than comp climbing, which surprised me because I would have expected outdoor grades to be tighter, more delineated since it’s more established, but because of the fact that it’s old the grades are so loose, I honestly feel that it requires more justification for any achievement. There’s been several times I got told “ X isn’t really VX, come to X” whereas indoors, the grades feel more distinct and I can relax more and just enjoy the movement.
I totally agree with Chris here. If it wasn't for indoor climbing gyms I wouldn't have ever started climbing. There are simply no mountains or outdoor boulders in my country. I'd have to travel to other countries in order to do outdoor climbing. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do that at some point, but just being able to go climbing 2x a week in an indoor gym, while having a regular job, is great. Accessibility is very important imo.
Unlike the other person, I don't think Chris is lying or anything, but I think it comes from his view as a Rock Climber who occasionally also climbs in gyms. However, for many people Climbing = Gym Climbing. And I think in many cases, probably for similar reasons outside, the gym breeds ego. You are generally around way more people in the gym than outside and it can be easy to see a hierarchy that forms. There are many out there who climb in say the V6-V8 or 5.12b-513a range, which are objectively not elite grades, but in most gyms, will be on the far-side of the bell curve. But I'm sure we all know at least one person who is in this category who not only acts like they are at the elite end of the sport, looks down on people who climb easier grades or can get really upset when they don't climb something they feel is in a grade they should flash. Just as a few examples. While I also agree with Chris about things outside feeling more "weighty", I also think I feel much freer outside. Not only is just being outside a nicer setting, but you are simply climbing what is there, what the rock gives you, not what a setter at the gym decided was 5.X difficulty. That is where I find the movement more pure and the grades more descriptive than prescriptive.
It's so funny to me to hear my own attitudes described by Chris as perfectly mirrored. I'm entirely a gym climber, where I expect to be able to climb a certain grade, and for me that investment is totally there in reverse. I'm about to go outside climbing for the third time in my life and I have zero expectation of sending my usual gym grades or anything close to them, it'll just be having fun and enjoying nature. I have a feeling the ego investment we tend to get comes with whichever type of climbing we relate to our identity as a climber, and our achievements as a climber. Chris Sharma is of course a legendary outdoor climber, the best in the world for an incredibly long time, and still at the absolutely elite tier into his 40s with a new 9b+ this year. All of which is an entirely rock-centric resume. So it makes total sense to me that coming into gym climbing with less identity investment it feels much less important to climb a certain grade, whereas for me that IS my climbing resume and climbing identity.
@@Jivewired You know, it's funny, when I was writing that I also thought about all the gym climbers who have gone outside and been humbled, but I didn't want to write a novel, so I'm glad you mentioned it too.
@@thenayancat8802 Consider yourself lucky then. Of course there are tons of great people in the climbing world, it'd be ridiculous to act like it's nothing but sunshine and roses.
It's refreshing seeing someone from "the older generation" not being judgemental or close-minded to new things and "trends"! Still It's important to differentiate indoors and the tradition and "purity" of outdoor climbing! I would love to be able to go outdoors more often than few weeks during vacations, or holidays, but at the age of 50, with a family and the usual life obligations, the gym is much more practical! Great interview! 🤟
Depends where you live, and if you travel to climb. In KY, I could do that for probably 9 months of the year. That is, if I didn’t have a job or family 😅
Very valid question, however his reasoning really resonates with my personal experience. When I go climbing outside I put a lot more preassure on myself to complete a climb, while inside it feels lower stakes and thus kinda more fun. I will add however that the rush of completing a project outside is completely unrivaled by anything I've experienced while indoor climbing. Guess it's all about stakes for me, outside climbing is more serious but higher reward, inside is more chill and feels more casual.
@@wabdih I’d say rather with responsibilities. Unless you’re a pro, at some point it gets very difficult (not impossible) to multi-session project hard stuff in the middle of nowhere. In my case now with a newborn, I’ve gained much more appreciation for the gyms nearby
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I absolutely support people who only climb in gyms, if for nothing else than to keep the crowds down at the crag 😂
😂😂😂😂😂😂🐐
congrats man you send 5.8's
Wonderful to hear someone like Chris find that experience and publicly announce the purity in indoor climbing as well. I've been climbing fpr 12 years now and somehow i have always felt like the odd ball who says that indoor and outdoor climbing is just as important for me and people shouldn't diss either. Most of my time outdoors i spend on developing new areas also so in that regard in the deep end of outdoor climbing as well. The transformation of indoor climbing away from being a tool to being it's own thing is a really good thing i believe. Board climbing and other training tools have easily filled in the gap of training for outdoor climbing.
Having recently transitioned from solely indoors to equally indoor and outdoor, I totally get what Chris is saying about the outside having more ego. Funny enough, it feels more competitive than comp climbing, which surprised me because I would have expected outdoor grades to be tighter, more delineated since it’s more established, but because of the fact that it’s old the grades are so loose, I honestly feel that it requires more justification for any achievement. There’s been several times I got told “ X isn’t really VX, come to X” whereas indoors, the grades feel more distinct and I can relax more and just enjoy the movement.
I totally agree with Chris here. If it wasn't for indoor climbing gyms I wouldn't have ever started climbing. There are simply no mountains or outdoor boulders in my country. I'd have to travel to other countries in order to do outdoor climbing. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do that at some point, but just being able to go climbing 2x a week in an indoor gym, while having a regular job, is great. Accessibility is very important imo.
What's the price to climb in gym
What horrible country do you live in ?
Must be the Netherlands
Unlike the other person, I don't think Chris is lying or anything, but I think it comes from his view as a Rock Climber who occasionally also climbs in gyms. However, for many people Climbing = Gym Climbing. And I think in many cases, probably for similar reasons outside, the gym breeds ego.
You are generally around way more people in the gym than outside and it can be easy to see a hierarchy that forms. There are many out there who climb in say the V6-V8 or 5.12b-513a range, which are objectively not elite grades, but in most gyms, will be on the far-side of the bell curve. But I'm sure we all know at least one person who is in this category who not only acts like they are at the elite end of the sport, looks down on people who climb easier grades or can get really upset when they don't climb something they feel is in a grade they should flash. Just as a few examples.
While I also agree with Chris about things outside feeling more "weighty", I also think I feel much freer outside. Not only is just being outside a nicer setting, but you are simply climbing what is there, what the rock gives you, not what a setter at the gym decided was 5.X difficulty. That is where I find the movement more pure and the grades more descriptive than prescriptive.
This is a really well presented perspective
I have never in my life met somebody who climbs v6-8 in a gym and acts "elite", people are insanely helpful to all but the most obnoxious noobies
It's so funny to me to hear my own attitudes described by Chris as perfectly mirrored. I'm entirely a gym climber, where I expect to be able to climb a certain grade, and for me that investment is totally there in reverse. I'm about to go outside climbing for the third time in my life and I have zero expectation of sending my usual gym grades or anything close to them, it'll just be having fun and enjoying nature. I have a feeling the ego investment we tend to get comes with whichever type of climbing we relate to our identity as a climber, and our achievements as a climber. Chris Sharma is of course a legendary outdoor climber, the best in the world for an incredibly long time, and still at the absolutely elite tier into his 40s with a new 9b+ this year. All of which is an entirely rock-centric resume. So it makes total sense to me that coming into gym climbing with less identity investment it feels much less important to climb a certain grade, whereas for me that IS my climbing resume and climbing identity.
@@Jivewired You know, it's funny, when I was writing that I also thought about all the gym climbers who have gone outside and been humbled, but I didn't want to write a novel, so I'm glad you mentioned it too.
@@thenayancat8802 Consider yourself lucky then. Of course there are tons of great people in the climbing world, it'd be ridiculous to act like it's nothing but sunshine and roses.
It's refreshing seeing someone from "the older generation" not being judgemental or close-minded to new things and "trends"! Still It's important to differentiate indoors and the tradition and "purity" of outdoor climbing! I would love to be able to go outdoors more often than few weeks during vacations, or holidays, but at the age of 50, with a family and the usual life obligations, the gym is much more practical! Great interview! 🤟
I just like climbing.
Sharma has climbed so much real rock he’s bored with it.
😂😂
Kinda hard to climb 3 times a week year-round climbing outdoors.
Depends where you live, and if you travel to climb. In KY, I could do that for probably 9 months of the year. That is, if I didn’t have a job or family 😅
Love this guy! He is the best representation of the sport!
If I didn’t have to work full time I would definitely climb outdoors more.
I just like that it looks like Chris is squatting in an empty apartment doling out climbing wisdom.
😂 He had just moved
@thestruggleclimbingshow I'm not here to judge dude.
Love and admire Chris, but is this an honest opinion from the owner of several gyms? 🤔
I think it is. He goes into more depth on the topic in the full podcast interview
Aside from the opinion coming from Chris, what do you think? Do you disagree?
Very valid question, however his reasoning really resonates with my personal experience. When I go climbing outside I put a lot more preassure on myself to complete a climb, while inside it feels lower stakes and thus kinda more fun. I will add however that the rush of completing a project outside is completely unrivaled by anything I've experienced while indoor climbing. Guess it's all about stakes for me, outside climbing is more serious but higher reward, inside is more chill and feels more casual.
usually with age people mellow out. Not surprised by this at all
@@wabdih I’d say rather with responsibilities. Unless you’re a pro, at some point it gets very difficult (not impossible) to multi-session project hard stuff in the middle of nowhere. In my case now with a newborn, I’ve gained much more appreciation for the gyms nearby