Current Events > Currently trying climbing as a sport, and watching this video really shocked me

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://youtu.be/5rqbvdO2KT0?t=497

this is what you call a 'campus', where you climb without using your legs. This guy just did it climbing up a 20-30 meter wall. What a legend

Watching professional rock climbers is amazing. It's like they have real life cheat codes and turn gravity off.

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iirc @GhettoFlip is really into climbing

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I trad climb outdoors

You'll get there, go 2-3 times a week for 6 months and things that feel easy to you will look impossible to non climbers

The strength is unreal.

Ever since I watched Free Solo I have all these climbing videos popping up. Check out Adam Ondra. Guy is nuts.

I guess if you're climbing you already know though

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It's impressive but campusing is kind of stupid. It's one of the worst things you can do to your shoulders, and climbing aptitude revolves around your ability to find/improvise good foot placements.

Campusing is pretty much just a gym climbing thing. Sure, there are boulderers that know good limestone routes to campus as novelty, but when you're climbing at your limit and you aren't 100% familiar with the route outside of reading guidebooks and intel in Mountain Project, there's pretty much never a circumstance you're going to commit to upper body and take your feet out of the equation.

If it didn't outright damage your shoulders I'd say live and let live, but I just roll my eyes when I see people do it most of the time.

What I've learned from people really into climbing is that everyone who doesn't campus really hates everyone who campuses.

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Guide posted...

What I've learned from people really into climbing is that everyone who doesn't campus really hates everyone who campuses.

It seems a bit like the difference between people who compound lift vs people who do ego curls.

Campusing seems like an ego drive, inefficient way to climb. I don't know anything about the sport though, maybe it's a good conditioning exercise.

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pinky0926 posted...

It seems a bit like the difference between people who compound lift vs people who do ego curls.

Campusing seems like an ego drive, inefficient way to climb. I don't know anything about the sport though, maybe it's a good conditioning exercise.

I don't know anything either, but like, I don't see a reason to hate it, either. Seems like one of those nerd things.

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Guide posted...

I don't know anything either, but like, I don't see a reason to hate it, either. Seems like one of those nerd things.

I have no opinion on this but in climbing there are people who are gym climbers specifically and there are outdoor climbers specifically

Except climbing in a gym is like running on a treadmill and climbing outside is like trail running in the mountains. Now imagine the treadmill runners did all kinds of treadmill tricks and records and you, a trail runner were looking on like "wtf is wrong with those people"

Guide posted...

What I've learned from people really into climbing is that everyone who doesn't campus really hates everyone who campuses.

It's amusing how your comment is right below this very example

EnglishBullDoug posted...

It's impressive but campusing is kind of stupid. It's one of the worst things you can do to your shoulders, and climbing aptitude revolves around your ability to find/improvise good foot placements.

Campusing is pretty much just a gym climbing thing. Sure, there are boulderers that know good limestone routes to campus as novelty, but when you're climbing at your limit and you aren't 100% familiar with the route outside of reading guidebooks and intel in Mountain Project, there's pretty much never a circumstance you're going to commit to upper body and take your feet out of the equation.

If it didn't outright damage your shoulders I'd say live and let live, but I just roll my eyes when I see people do it most of the time.

I've literally never had shoulder problems before from campusing or doing pullups or dips or anything so I never understood why people criticize it. Maybe I just have strong shoulders idk

pinky0926 posted...

It seems a bit like the difference between people who compound lift vs people who do ego curls.

Campusing seems like an ego drive, inefficient way to climb. I don't know anything about the sport though, maybe it's a good conditioning exercise.

I find it more of bringing in an additional challenge to the sport. Also yeah I think haters just hate 'cos they're the ones unable to campus (either low upper body strength or just too technique-driven). Once you get to higher grades, a lot climbing routes require mini campuses here and there anyway

There's also two types of climbers, the very technical one who uses legs a lot and the power-driven one.

Tomo Narasaki is one example of a climber who just uses explosive strength to power his way through routes. It won him gold in competitions where this kinda routes benefit him. Adam Ondra meanwhile, got a score of literally 0 in the final round

Imo:

Gym climbing can look p impressive, but as everyone has already mentioned: campusing isnt really an important climbing skill (and it doesnt take as long as you think to get decent at campusing if you are in shape)

Outdoor climbing is a different world that often looks much less impressive but is a lot harder. Rock conditions, general safety, heights, rope management etc makes things way harder

Tbh i always preferred gym climbing
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Yes, TC, campusing is an impressive display of pulling strength, especially for non-climbers. If you ever bring a date or a non-climbing friend to the gym, find an easy roof/overhanging route/problem and campus it.

Kidding. (maybe just half kidding).

EnglishBullDoug posted...

It's impressive but campusing is kind of stupid. It's one of the worst things you can do to your shoulders, and climbing aptitude revolves around your ability to find/improvise good foot placements.

Campusing is pretty much just a gym climbing thing. Sure, there are boulderers that know good limestone routes to campus as novelty, but when you're climbing at your limit and you aren't 100% familiar with the route outside of reading guidebooks and intel in Mountain Project, there's pretty much never a circumstance you're going to commit to upper body and take your feet out of the equation.

If it didn't outright damage your shoulders I'd say live and let live, but I just roll my eyes when I see people do it most of the time.

I don't think this is true. There's nothing dangerous or bad about campusing if you have healthy shoulders, are doing it controlled and engaging your shoulders/scapula, and have the pulling strength for it.

Very few people can do what Magnus is doing there, which is a bunch of controlled one-arm pull ups over a long series of moves. Most people would need to generate momentum with two hands and the catch the next hold with one hand. Where it can be unhealthy is if you can't catch the next hold with enganged scapula. Momentum + unengaged shoulders = big no no.

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Yeah, IDRGAF if you "think it's true" or if you've never hurt yourself before so obviously you will never hurt yourself. (Meanwhile TC is probably in his early 20's)

Placing all your body weight on the tendons supporting your rotator cuff and swinging from hold to hold with no support from your legs causes damage. Over time that WILL turn into an injury.

You don't have to believe me and since you don't campus away.

But there are way more intelligent ways to gradually train your shoulders (IE heavy club swinging, bulgarian bag swings) to gradually train the tendons supporting your shoulders and strengthen that rotational range of motion.

My main issue with it is that I'm at the climbing gym to practice climbing technique. That's what I use when I'm climbing seriously outside. It's a pointless exercise.

I watched some pro climbers channel for a bit where he'd take on bodybuilders, strong men, and mma fighters and stuff in a climbing comp.

It was kinda cool. Even putting on 120lbs in weight vests and ankle weights to match the bodybuilders weight he stoll absolutely smoked him.

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EnglishBullDoug posted...

Yeah, IDRGAF if you "think it's true" or if you've never hurt yourself before so obviously you will never hurt yourself. (Meanwhile TC is probably in his early 20's)

Placing all your body weight on the tendons supporting your rotator cuff and swinging from hold to hold with no support from your legs causes damage. Over time that WILL turn into an injury.

You don't have to believe me and since you don't campus away.

But there are way more intelligent ways to gradually train your shoulders (IE heavy club swinging, bulgarian bag swings) to gradually train the tendons supporting your shoulders and strengthen that rotational range of motion.

My main issue with it is that I'm at the climbing gym to practice climbing technique. That's what I use when I'm climbing seriously outside. It's a pointless exercise.

None of this is true. You'll only damage your shoulders campusing if you're jumping from rung to rung.

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CanuckCowboy posted...

I watched some pro climbers channel for a bit where he'd take on bodybuilders, strong men, and mma fighters and stuff in a climbing comp.

It was kinda cool. Even putting on 120lbs in weight vests and ankle weights to match the bodybuilders weight he stoll absolutely smoked him.

that's why climbing is truly the ultimate sport IMO. It works both your flexibility, strength, technique, endurance (if you're climbing high walls) and strategy in scoping out route betas.
Although one thing climbers lack at is a defined chest, since climbing hardly requires chest muscles

EnglishBullDoug posted...

Yeah, IDRGAF if you "think it's true" or if you've never hurt yourself before so obviously you will never hurt yourself. (Meanwhile TC is probably in his early 20's)

Placing all your body weight on the tendons supporting your rotator cuff and swinging from hold to hold with no support from your legs causes damage. Over time that WILL turn into an injury.

You don't have to believe me and since you don't campus away.

But there are way more intelligent ways to gradually train your shoulders (IE heavy club swinging, bulgarian bag swings) to gradually train the tendons supporting your shoulders and strengthen that rotational range of motion.

My main issue with it is that I'm at the climbing gym to practice climbing technique. That's what I use when I'm climbing seriously outside. It's a pointless exercise.

I disagree with that. Campus boards exist for a reason after all. Campusing trains your upper body strength and more importantly, being able to reach higher through explosive force. I'd say some routes, like roofs turning upside-down back to normal flat side-up can done more easily if you campus it