Where Should My Bouldering Be?

I've been climbing for around 8 months and I've been constantly asking myself, "Am I where I should be at for bouldering?" I just don't know...I want to know if I'm above average, below average or what? Could anyone help me??? I sent my first V3 within a week of first starting to climb in Squamish and almost sent a V4 by the time I left, which was 2 weeks later. Now I'm projecting a boulder that I should get a FA on. Everyone that I've talked to has said it will go V9-V10. I'm only two moves from the top and should get it at my next session. The hardest problem I've sent is a V6+. So where am I???? Am I sitting ok?

Go do a bouldering comp, you'll find out quick :)

Andrew C wrote:Go do a bouldering comp, you'll find out quick :)

That's good advice, but I usually campus V3 in the gym, and haven't even come close to that outside.

below average compared to a chipmunk.

above average compared to a potato.

hope that helps.

"Am I OK?"

Are you having fun? Climbing for numbers can provide immediate satisfaction, no doubt.

The finest and most satisfying boulder problems I've ever done have been ones that I had to work at...hard work. That's what bouldering should be...work.

Sounds like you're doing fine though.

You are above average. But the rock is better than you.

yeah all of those help. i just am kinda of insecure i guess, cuz i want to be a good climber and want people to be able to take me climbing that are really good climbers. and yeah, the funnest thing i've ever done bouldering, is working this V9 boulder. but thanks for the help, i just figured a community of climbers would be able to help me answer my question. thank you.

Dude your awesome, keep us posted, I want to follow your progress!

You are doing really well! But remember you are still going to die :)
Better get after it!

Climb more, worry less.

have you had a probability/statistics class yet conor?

haha your right...i am still gonna die. But I didn't have to take statistics in college, why??? lol.

I think the OP is fishing for compliments.. he knows he's pretty good so he sprays about grades on-line. Spend more time bouldering and having fun than telling people how good you are on-line.

Conor Raney wrote:haha your right...i am still gonna die. But I didn't have to take statistics in college, why??? lol.

was just eluding to that the comparison to the "average" you seek is dependent on what population you are interested in and if is normally distributed, (etc etc >>insert geek-talk<< blah blah blah). you simply asked/cared how you measure up. but to who?

for example. if you were to drop yourself in the middle of Boulder, CO, you would be a dime a dozen. everyone climbs "hard" there, (and they will let you know it.) but drop yourself in the middle of, say, Nebraska, you would be a rock star.

EDIT: as you get older you will realize that there will always be someone that climbs "harder" and always be some one that doesnt, in some way or another. much like Phil's comment above regarding potato and chipmunk. or you will care less.

(and yes, even Sharma.)

Marc-Andre wrote:I think the OP is fishing for compliments.. he knows he's pretty good so he sprays about grades on-line. Spend more time bouldering and having fun than telling people how good you are on-line.

isnt that also what twitter and 8a.nu are for?

First off dude Congrats! It's obvious you've been working hard and if you keep it up you could go far.

Now to potentially piss on your parade a little:

Most importantly ratings are so subjective they don't mean as much as you might think as a beginner climber. There's always more than one way to do a move and each way is a different difficulty for each person. For example there were several cracks in Indian Creek that were down-graded simply because women were sending them easier than men due to their smaller hands, despite the fact that these cracks were rated by one of the best crack climbers ever.

I've also noticed with bouldering it's easy to get good quick but then again a lot of people can climb just as hard of problems when you get to try the same move 50+ times. Plus many climbers tend to get a little over anxious and think that just because they sent one V9 or 5.13a that they're now V9 or 5.13a climbers, which is FAR from the truth.

Personally I quit bouldering as much because I didn't see much point in being able to send a V6 within a few goes, but get completely pumped out on a 5.11a sport climb. Now my goal is to get to where I can climb decent in any form of climbing. To each his own I guess.

P.S. If you can boulder that hard in LCC, UT then you're good! lol

WiledHorse wrote: if you were to drop yourself in the middle of Boulder, CO, you would be a dime a dozen. everyone climbs "hard" there, (and they will let you know it.)

I don't climb hard :(