It is so cool to see more and more women out on the crags these days enjoying sport lead climbing. There are so many strong women climbers today; Ashima Shiraishi, Sasha Digiulian, Lynn Hill, Daila Ojeda, and Alex Puccio – to name a few.
In the past couple of months I have also seen several women climbing groups developing, advertising videos targeting women and even women-only events.
Women climbers can be weak or strong
There are several reasons why women become avid enthusiast of the sport of rock climbing. Some do it because they love it, some do it because they find a sense of accomplishment that helps them become stronger people in their overall life.
Just because you see a woman climbing, does not mean that she started by being a strong person to begin with. Just like in any sport, people like you who choose to rock climb, can spend a lot of time training, practicing, and overcoming certain fears that come with the risk involved in the sport. Managing all these different aspects of the sport is what makes most climbers, better athletes. So you don’t have to be born strong to climb, you just have to work hard on your goals with determination and desire to be successful at it.
Why women choose to climb with other women?
Most women, are naturally born with a nurturing personality. The fact that women were created to multitask, understand, analyze, and nurture children creates a bit of an advantage when communicating and interacting with other women. But this does not necessary mean, you are better off training or climbing with just women.
We asked a few women, why would they choose or prefer to rock climb with other women and here are a few answers:
I am married and my husband does not climb, so it is better for the relationship for me to share my outdoor activities with other women.
I feel more comfortable climbing with women, because they are more supportive of each other.
I don’t have a particular preference. I don’t think there should be a separation of the two, both men and women climbers can motivate each other.
I like climbing with people I know are experienced enough to help me accomplish my goals without having to over worry about whether or not they are being safe. Gender is not a factor for me in this equation.
I think women are more patient. I feel more stress and pressure when climbing with men, vs when I climb with women.
So there you have it. There is not a clear “cookie cutter” answer for what is best. Everyone has different goals, desires and living situations that are particular to their choosing of partners.
Back in the days, women climbers were few and far between. Now a days, I am happy to see more women getting into the sport and more elite women athletes being on sports magazines showing some powerful and kick ass moves.
I recommend you choose your partner(s) wisely. When it comes to sport lead climbing, there are higher risks involved, bigger falls and additional skills required. When you plan your next climbing trip, make sure that you are not just considering gender, but putting a good amount of though into making sure that person or group is being safe. Putting safety first, will put the cherry on the top of a super fun experience.
Climb on!