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Bouldering (indoor climbing) is the most social sport I’ve tried, and I’d highly recommend going on your own as you will find opportunities to meet new people,

by _zaey 1y ago

Bouldering (indoor climbing) is the most social sport I’ve tried, and I’d highly recommend going on your own as you will find opportunities to meet new people, and others will talk to you (as long as you’re not wearing headphones!). Bouldering provides an open space you can move freely in, with no inherent social hierarchy (no tutors, teachers), just people trying varying difficulties of bouldering routes. If someone can do a route you can’t, just ask them for tips, or if someone can’t do a route you can, ask if they want help, or cheer someone on when they do something difficult. Bouldering provides lots of easy conversation starters, and as with all social situations, going on your own and showing vulnerability will always be endearing to others.

profsummergig 1y ago
Is it usually done in natural settings outdoors, or in a sort of gym, indoors?
- tonightstoast 1y ago
  Both! Usually outdoor bouldering is a bit more of an undertaking to get into since you’ll have to travel and bring matts & additional gear. But look up “climbing gym” on google and you should be able to find some if you’re in a reasonably sized metro. Not sure if you’re in the USA but the southwest has a ton of great outdoor bouldering.
- sigmoid10 1y ago
  It ranges from high tech indoor and outdoor gyms with customisable holds all the way to a random rock somewhere in the middle of nature where local guys put a few mats under. If you start going to a gym you'll naturally learn about all the other places very quickly.
- _zaey 1y ago
  In my experience people will start indoors and build experience before heading outdoors. You could ask people in the bouldering gym whether they have any experience with outdoor bouldering and people will start sharing their favourite spots nearby, and might even invite you along. Outdoors requires: - your own climbing shoes - someone with a bouldering mat Whereas you will hire shoes from the bouldering gym as a beginner You won’t need to bring anything to the bouldering gym other than a water bottle and some loose fit clothing
1oooqooq 1y ago
it's like a daycare play space for adults. hopefully with less biting incidents.
FirmwareBurner 1y ago
I can disagree with this take. For one, bouldering is not great if you have a fear of heights or maybe some mobility issues due to a previous injury. It's then a massively painful and risky chore and not a pleasurable activity but requires you to be at 100% health physically and mentally in order to do anything beyond kiddy walls. Otherwise you can fall and injure yourself pretty badly. Granted, that's mostly on you, not the sport but still, it's not a universally approachable sport by everyone by any stretch. At least I never gotten to enjoy it no matter how much I forced myself to based on the hype of those around me and the internet. > with no inherit social hierarchy Not 100% true. This might be your conscious way of wanting to see things, but in reality, all sports especially in male groups are inherently competitive where a clear hierarchy gets formed which leads to either admiration or repulsion based on abilities and results, even if it's just subconsciously, but it is there and everyone is aware of it even if we choose to ignore it for the sake of equality and inclusion. IMHO, team sports like football, handball, volleyball, tennis, ping-pong, various martial arts etc are far better for socializing because you actually have to partner with others and play against others, versus solitary like bouldering. > I’d highly recommend going on your own as you will find opportunities to meet new people, and others will talk to you I feel like this take is 100% based on regional social customs of where you live, and not on the sport. This might be my experience of the German speaking country I moved to but from the locals, nobody here ever starts making conversation to you randomly. People tend to go with their social group and not interact with strangers, while those who go alone tend to want to be left alone to practice and not get interrupted with small talk by other who are there to make friends. Just like the gym, it's definitely not a way to make friends here, since people got here to work out, not have conversations with strangers.
- _zaey 1y ago
  Sorry to hear that’s your experience. I’m staying with my parents this week and I visited the local bouldering gym alone on Wednesday and last night. On Wednesday I met someone called Nelly, and hung out with them for the session. Yesterday I bumped into Nelly with their friends Maddie and Kate and climbed with them. I’m leaving on Sunday so I gave one of them my number and they messaged me to say it was great fun climbing together. Now we might be climbing again this weekend. Granted, I approached them, but all it took was asking Nelly, “How did you find that route?” and asking them for tips. The bouldering gym is what you make it, just hang out and don’t assume people will reject you (which can be a difficult headspace to get out of, but exposure therapy will fix that, and the bouldering gym can be that exposure therapy)
jajko 1y ago
It brings automatically like-minded folks together into same place, I have to agree. I wouldnt expect spontaneous conversations automatically, at least where I go in Europe thats not the case. But maybe it takes just a polite few words, people in Switzerland are very shy and overly respectful of other's private sphere. Headphones for any sort of climbing - please dont do that and politely advise others to refrain from use while climbing, thats 1) frowned upon massively in whole community; 2) increases risk of something bad happening; 3) just a bit too arrogant, one doesnt do that in ie restaurant neither
dwaltrip 1y ago
Pickleball is another great option. I find open-play pickelball to be even more social than bouldering! It's also cheaper. There are courts everywhere these days!

by _zaey 1y ago

profsummergig 1y ago

Is it usually done in natural settings outdoors, or in a sort of gym, indoors?

tonightstoast 1y ago
Both! Usually outdoor bouldering is a bit more of an undertaking to get into since you’ll have to travel and bring matts & additional gear. But look up “climbing gym” on google and you should be able to find some if you’re in a reasonably sized metro. Not sure if you’re in the USA but the southwest has a ton of great outdoor bouldering.
sigmoid10 1y ago
It ranges from high tech indoor and outdoor gyms with customisable holds all the way to a random rock somewhere in the middle of nature where local guys put a few mats under. If you start going to a gym you'll naturally learn about all the other places very quickly.
_zaey 1y ago
In my experience people will start indoors and build experience before heading outdoors. You could ask people in the bouldering gym whether they have any experience with outdoor bouldering and people will start sharing their favourite spots nearby, and might even invite you along. Outdoors requires: - your own climbing shoes - someone with a bouldering mat Whereas you will hire shoes from the bouldering gym as a beginner You won’t need to bring anything to the bouldering gym other than a water bottle and some loose fit clothing

1oooqooq 1y ago

it's like a daycare play space for adults. hopefully with less biting incidents.

FirmwareBurner 1y ago

I can disagree with this take. For one, bouldering is not great if you have a fear of heights or maybe some mobility issues due to a previous injury. It's then a massively painful and risky chore and not a pleasurable activity but requires you to be at 100% health physically and mentally in order to do anything beyond kiddy walls. Otherwise you can fall and injure yourself pretty badly. Granted, that's mostly on you, not the sport but still, it's not a universally approachable sport by everyone by any stretch. At least I never gotten to enjoy it no matter how much I forced myself to based on the hype of those around me and the internet. > with no inherit social hierarchy Not 100% true. This might be your conscious way of wanting to see things, but in reality, all sports especially in male groups are inherently competitive where a clear hierarchy gets formed which leads to either admiration or repulsion based on abilities and results, even if it's just subconsciously, but it is there and everyone is aware of it even if we choose to ignore it for the sake of equality and inclusion. IMHO, team sports like football, handball, volleyball, tennis, ping-pong, various martial arts etc are far better for socializing because you actually have to partner with others and play against others, versus solitary like bouldering. > I’d highly recommend going on your own as you will find opportunities to meet new people, and others will talk to you I feel like this take is 100% based on regional social customs of where you live, and not on the sport. This might be my experience of the German speaking country I moved to but from the locals, nobody here ever starts making conversation to you randomly. People tend to go with their social group and not interact with strangers, while those who go alone tend to want to be left alone to practice and not get interrupted with small talk by other who are there to make friends. Just like the gym, it's definitely not a way to make friends here, since people got here to work out, not have conversations with strangers.

_zaey 1y ago
Sorry to hear that’s your experience. I’m staying with my parents this week and I visited the local bouldering gym alone on Wednesday and last night. On Wednesday I met someone called Nelly, and hung out with them for the session. Yesterday I bumped into Nelly with their friends Maddie and Kate and climbed with them. I’m leaving on Sunday so I gave one of them my number and they messaged me to say it was great fun climbing together. Now we might be climbing again this weekend. Granted, I approached them, but all it took was asking Nelly, “How did you find that route?” and asking them for tips. The bouldering gym is what you make it, just hang out and don’t assume people will reject you (which can be a difficult headspace to get out of, but exposure therapy will fix that, and the bouldering gym can be that exposure therapy)

jajko 1y ago

It brings automatically like-minded folks together into same place, I have to agree. I wouldnt expect spontaneous conversations automatically, at least where I go in Europe thats not the case. But maybe it takes just a polite few words, people in Switzerland are very shy and overly respectful of other's private sphere. Headphones for any sort of climbing - please dont do that and politely advise others to refrain from use while climbing, thats 1) frowned upon massively in whole community; 2) increases risk of something bad happening; 3) just a bit too arrogant, one doesnt do that in ie restaurant neither

dwaltrip 1y ago

Pickleball is another great option. I find open-play pickelball to be even more social than bouldering! It's also cheaper. There are courts everywhere these days!