Habits Are Where It's At

If you want to be hip, get habits.  Please refer to any number of self help books about the importance of habits, how to change them, and why your life will be better for doing so.  Here, let me just make a few points.  

A lot of climbers (let’s not get into the debate of what a climber is, please…) either learn to climb in a gym, or end up spending the majority of their time in the gym training for the opportunities to go outdoors.  Because of this, what we do in the gym is very important in terms of habits.  

I see very experienced climbers who are casual in the gym because it is ‘safer’.  Well, it is safer, and I’m not concerned about them getting injured in the gym.  However, when you end up spending more time in the gym, what you do there becomes habitual. If you don’t build good habits in the gym, then when you are outside and the shit hits the fan, you won’t be able to draw on those habits.  

Perhaps pride gets in the way?  

It’s the classic example of knowing what you should do, but not doing it anyways, because…what?

• You are better than that?
• It takes too long?
• It’s embarrassing to stare at each others crotches?
• You don’t want people to think that you might not know how to climb/tie a knot…let me up on the rock so I can show these other posers how good I am!

I don’t judge people in the gym unless I see them not doing things right.  If they reject the safety advice I try to give them, then they get judged again.  

Do you have to say “on belay, belay on,climbing, climb away?”  No.  But you better be double checking yourself and your partner, and then somehow communicating that you are both ready.  It could be a head nod.  It could be a high five.  It could also be the belay commands.  It depends on your partner and the relationship and experience you have with them.  

If you are still hitting the checklist, and you just have a different way of doing it (that is still safe), then go for it. Build good habits, don't screw up the easy stuff outside!