Who are gym climbers?
Investigating how gym climbers distinguish themselves in their communities.
Overview
This investigation was a practice in collecting and analyzing qualitative data, a vital skill for contextual inquiry in user research. I spent several hours collecting observations in the climbing gym and conducted thirty minute interviews with three individuals in the community. This paper presents findings drawn from this original data in attempt to answer the question:
How do climbers use route difficulty to distinguish themselves in their climbing community?
Literature
I sought out resources to inform my research before I collected any data of my own.
​
Much of the literature surrounding rock climbing focuses on the physiology of climbers and energy expenditure (Billat 1995, Deyhle 2015, Baláš 2017). Other studies recognize the culture that surrounds rock climbing and investigate the mobility of the rock climber lifestyle and attempt to peek behind the curtain at their motivations. Everyday Masculinities and Extreme Sport Male Identity and Rock Climbing is book that encompass many of these ideas, and particularly focuses on the complexity of male rock climber’s identities in relation to their sport (Robinson 2008). This book shared insights that were in line with some of the data I collected. Robinson claims that male climbers value hard work and significant effort in their sport. They feel that to be authentic one must put some work into being proficient, suggesting that how “hard” you climb is related in some capacity to your perceived worth as a climber.
Research
Qualitative data does not lend itself to structured analysis in the way that numbers and figures do. To produce realistic, supported conclusions to my research question, I systematically collected qualitative data and applied specialized qualitative analysis methods to my collected observations.
Field Observation
I visited the University of Washington climbing gym and took jottings of my observations. Directly afterwards, I took these notes and wrote up field notes in prose. Creating an accurate but colorful account of a site is important in the qualitative research field. Your impressions and intuitions capture more about a site than a picture or video can.
​
​
Interviews and Transcripts
I selected three climbers in the University of Washington gym community to interview. Each interview was 25 to 30 minutes long and was conducted from a prepared set of questions. I practiced good interviewing techniques by actively listening and asking follow up questions in addition to my pre-written ones. I recorded and transcribed each interview.
​
​
​
Codebook and Memos
I annotated hard copies of my field notes and my interview transcriptions. I noted recurring themes, instances when intonation mattered, and other thoughts that stood out as I read and re-read each document. Next, I created a "code book", a compilation of themes and ideas that presented themselves across all of my data, and a preliminary interpretation of their significance. I wrote extended memos analyzing three of the most compelling codes.
Findings
I wove my three extended memos into a comprehensive narrative that addressed my research question. By weighing the preponderance of the evidence collected in my study, I was able to produce an academic yet empathetic look into the lives of gym climbers at the University of Washington. Here is an excerpt from the conclusion of my report:
"How hard you can climb is inseparable from gym climbers’ motivations and the way they relate to one another. They build their identity around their ability, and this quantitative representation brings with it all kinds of social repercussions. The number by which you identify yourself is a representation of your achievement, and you can either proudly display it or shield it from potential judgment. Either way, your number—your identity—is always apparent to you, and you can always see how you compare to others. More importantly, however, you can see how you compare to yourself. The progress you have made in the sport is documented in the rating at which you climb and how that changes. Your goals are prescribed by it, your personal benchmarks are recorded in it, and in it you can constantly monitor even the tiniest amounts of progress. Additionally, social interactions surrounding the discussion or comparison of route ratings are integral to forming and belonging to the gym community. The system for measuring route ratings is so specific to the hobby that climbers who can use the jargon automatically earn a brand of authenticity. Although one’s personal interpretation of their grade and progress is important to their climbing career, almost equally as important is their ability to convey their proficiency accurately to other climbers, especially in the terms of climbing. Route ratings are powerful tools in gym climbing. They are tools of comparison and competition as well as measurement and motivation. Above all, they are the basis for gym climber’s identity, providing common ground for a thriving and tight-knit community of hobbyists."