Why Do Rock Climbers Scream?

If you’ve been to a climbing gym, you’ve probably heard climbers scream like a pterosaur as they overcome complex hold sequences. This is common in the sport and professional climbers Chris Sharma and Adam Ondra will be known for their screams as distinctive as their achievements on the rocks.

Shouting while climbing may be silly or just a way to get the attention of the whole gym, but recent research shows that climbers like Sharma and Ondra understand something. Shouting and even swearing at the right moment can improve athletic performance.

So why do hikers scream? Screaming during climbing, also known as “power scream”, has been shown to increase muscle strength when performed during maximum intensity. In other words, screaming when you are under a lot of tension will improve your muscle strength in a short period of time. Shouting can be helpful, but in most gyms  making a lot of noise is considered bad etiquette.

Read on to find out why climbers scream, how power screams increase muscle strength, and the positive and negative aspects of screaming when climbing.

Why do climbers scream when climbing?

 Climbers will typically scream or scream as they climb to help enter certain holds that may require more  or more power. One of the  most famous and best climbers in the world, Adam Ondra screams a lot, especially when climbing on more difficult routes. Screaming while climbing is common for some climbers, especially when transitioning to very difficult routes.

 However, other climbers will scream or yell while climbing to get attention. We saw it with my own eyes. Even on easier routes that  more experienced climbers can do without problems, we have heard  very hype.

 Of course, another reason  you may hear someone screaming or screaming while climbing is that you are injured or stranded. This is more than the time allowed to scream.

The Climber`s  only lets you scream on more difficult routes that require more power or tension. This is called a power cry and can be scientifically proven.

What is Power Scream?

 Many people or athletes in various sports or sports, such as rock climbing, martial arts, weightlifting, and tennis, scream powerfully. You’ll often hear the screams of climbers  when making difficult transitions, the screams of boxers applying maximum force to hit the punching bag, or the screams of tennis players putting more energy into  their swing. Then we  have to ask questions. Do powerful shouts really work?

 Shouting or shouting has been shown to “reinforce maximum voluntary force”. Studies have shown that when an athlete or person screams at maximum strength load, it has the effect of increasing muscle strength (source).

 One study also confirmed the beneficial effects of crying for strength. In a study of 50 martial artists (25 beginners and 25 experts), the holding power was tested under both power  and non-power shouting conditions. Much better performance when using strong shouts (source).

 One study  suggests that breathing (or  holding your breath) at the right time is very important in most sports.

Shouting strengthens muscles?

There is evidence that the power of screaming makes you stronger, but at least  in certain areas it does help, but there is very little research. However, all the studies that have been done show that power creaming is a huge benefit for strength training or athletic performance.

 However, screaming has  been shown to  improve muscle strength in a short time, so a single scream doesn’t necessarily make you stronger in the long run.

Does screaming really help climbing?

 Knowing that Scream has a positive side in terms of  climbing or bouldering, does it still have positives and  negatives? Screaming definitely helps, especially when climbing at full load. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of  screaming while climbing.

The positive side of screaming when climbing the increases the power load to improve performance. We talked about this earlier. Screaming at full power increases your strength.

 No one cares when you go up with a few people. If it’s the few people you know, they probably don’t care how often you scream when you go up.

 The Negatives of Screaming When Climbing

 Poor etiquette, especially when screaming too much in a climbing gym or on a busy rock – this seems obvious, but some climbers don’t seem to understand it. Personally, it doesn’t bother me for someone to shout the essence of the uphill.

 May cause hoarseness. Screaming too much  can damage the voice box. But I think you have to scream  a little bit  to have a big impact on your voice.

Shouting is considered bad climbing etiquette.

 As mentioned, yelling (especially if you do it a lot) annoys many other climbers and is considered bad etiquette. This is especially true when you are on an indoor climb or on a busy rock.

So the question is, can you scream on an indoor climber or on a busy rock? We would say  you only  want to scream for issues that really require you to scream. If you have a route that requires maximum effort, or if you’re on a certain segment of a previously failed climb  and want to climb, it’s time for me and a lot of other climbers to say it’s okay.

 You cannot constantly shout over the walls of every climb or busy rocks, regardless of  difficulty. This is usually a desire for attention, and in doing so the only attention  a climber receives is ridicule and disgust from other climbers.

Climbers who scream while climbing

 There are many professional climbers who scream while climbing to reach their maximum potential, especially in certain parts of the challenge. Here are some of these climbers.

•  Adam Ondra – I wrote a short biography of Adam in my article entitled “The Thirteen Most Famous Climbers of All Time”. You can jump right here.
•  Chris Sharma – I also wrote a short biography of Chris on the same page. You can see it right here.
•  Alex Megos – Alex (or Alexander) Megos is a German  climber and  the first climber  to complete the 9a onsite challenge (click here to learn more about climbing levels and what they mean). Descriptor on Instagram is @alexandermegos.
•  Jonathan Siegrist – Jonathan  climbed up to 5.15a in Boulder, Colorado. Descriptor on Instagram is @jonathansiegrist.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):