Are You a Weekend Warrior or a Dirtbag in Disguise? Decoding Your 'Days Outside' Chart

Imagine looking at a climber's chart. You see two years of steady, predictable bars, then a massive spike in Fall 2023 that dwarfs everything around it. What happened? They quit their job and spent two months living out of their van in Joshua Tree.

This is the power of the Days Outside chart. It’s your climbing autobiography, told in a single glance. It’s not about how hard you climbed, but about the rhythm of your commitment, the evolution of your focus, and the seasons of your passion.

Let's dive into how to read this chart and uncover the stories hidden within your own climbing life.

How to Read the Chart: A Quick Guide

Picture a simple bar graph showing your activity over time.

The Y-Axis (Height): This represents the total number of outdoor climbing days you logged in a given season. Taller bars mean more days out.
The X-Axis (Position): This shows the progression of time, with each bar representing a specific season.
The Colors: Each bar is segmented by color, with each color corresponding to a different climbing discipline (e.g., blue for Sport, green for Bouldering, red for Trad). This helps you see not just how much you climbed, but what you were climbing.

(A quick note on data quality: This chart is a mirror reflecting what you log. If you log both gym and outdoor sessions, be sure to filter for "outdoor" to get the most accurate picture. The more consistently you log, the clearer your story will be.)

What Your Chart Can Tell You: Finding Your Profile

By looking at the patterns in your chart, you can likely identify phases or profiles that describe your climbing journey. Here are a few common ones:

The Weekend Warrior

What it looks like: Picture bars that are consistent and moderately-sized across most seasons. Your activity is a steady, predictable rhythm.
What it means: You've successfully integrated climbing into your life in a sustainable way. This pattern is the backbone of long-term improvement, showing a consistent dedication that avoids burnout.

The Seasonal Crusher

What it looks like: You'll see one or two seasons of the year with dramatically taller bars than the others (e.g., huge bars every Fall, smaller ones in the Spring and Summer).
What it means: You are a master of planning and patience. You likely train hard during the off-seasons to maximize your performance when the conditions are perfect. This chart reveals a highly focused and goal-oriented approach.

The Evolving Specialist

What it looks like: The colors inside your bars shift dramatically over the years. Maybe 2021 was almost entirely green (Bouldering), but by 2024, it's a mix of blue (Sport) and red (Trad).
What it means: This is the profile of a climber who loves to learn. You aren't afraid to dive into a new discipline, expanding your skills and experience. It tells a story of growth and changing interests.

The Dirtbag Phase

What it looks like: An entire year, or a few consecutive seasons, where the bars are exceptionally high—far above your average.
What it means: This is the clear signature of a major life event—a long road trip, a sabbatical, or a period where climbing became your number one priority. It's a snapshot of a time of total immersion in the sport.

The Rest Cycle

What it looks like: A noticeable dip or a completely empty season between periods of high activity.
What it means: This isn't failure; it's a normal part of life. A valley can represent a period of injury recovery, a demanding new job, a growing family, or a necessary mental rest. Recognizing these cycles is key to understanding your long-term, sustainable relationship with climbing.

Putting Your Insights into Action

So, you’ve identified some patterns in your chart. Now what? The goal is to use these insights to inform your future.

If you see a "Rest Cycle" every summer due to heat, plan for it. Instead of feeling guilty about not climbing, proactively schedule a non-climbing vacation or a block of strength training at the gym during that time. Turn a period of low motivation into a period of intentional cross-training.
If you see that your "Trad" color has vanished for two years, but you miss it, take action. Set a specific, small goal to re-engage: "I will do at least one easy trad multi-pitch this season." This prompt from your data can help you reconnect with parts of the sport you love.
Align your activity with your goals. Check if your chart supports your current Climber Archetype (your primary motivation, like being a Performer, Explorer, etc.).
- An Explorer might see a chart that is all one color and decide to plan a trip focused on a new discipline.
- A Performer might realize their "off-season" bars are nearly zero, indicating they could add structured training during those months to better support their peak season.

What This Chart Isn't

It's crucial to understand the limitations of this chart to use it effectively.

It doesn't measure performance. A season with 50 days climbing 5.10 is not inherently "better" or "worse" than a season with 10 days sending 5.13.
It doesn't measure effort or success. This chart only shows that you went outside; it doesn't know if you sent every project or flailed on every warmup.
There is no "good" number. Some climbers get out 150 days a year, others 25. The goal isn't to compare your numbers to others, but to understand your own personal patterns.

If your chart looks sparse because you've only recently started logging, don't worry. Just focus on building a consistent habit from today forward. Over time, your story will emerge.

The Days Outside chart is a powerful tool for self-reflection. It's your personal history, a testament to your commitment, and a guide for your future.

Now, head to the app and check out your own Days Outside chart. What story does it tell you?