# did anyone ever actually have to climb a rope in gym class **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623 "2010-11-05T20:21:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/61 "2010-11-06T15:54:34Z")
Yes, in elementary and middle school in the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/62 "2010-11-06T16:10:00Z")
We were supposed to in my gym classes in junior high and high school. Every day, as part of our warm-ups. I never could do it. Many could, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/63 "2010-11-06T16:16:02Z")
I did in the late 1970s when I was in 6th grade. I never could get to the top. Later in the year the class had to run an obstacle course and you had to climb to the top or give four tries. Like half the class I grabbed the rope and hopped a little 4 times and went on. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/64 "2010-11-06T16:19:38Z")
I did. Elementary and jr. high school in the late 70’s. I was pretty small and wiry and got up to the top with little effort. They left those ropes hanging at the side of the gym all the time, and a lot of kids would scale them during dead times in PE class. In 9th grade there was a brief epidemic of pantsing guys while they were up on the ropes. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/65 "2010-11-06T16:49:30Z")
Rope? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/66 "2010-11-06T17:06:49Z")
We had one in elementary school (late 80’s). I was never any good at it, but some kids were. It was never a big deal if you couldn’t and the only memory of the rope was the one day that some kid moved the mat under the rope and the kid on the rope fell and broke his leg. As in bone sticking out and having to be flown to a hospital 3 hours away for surgery broke. Knowing my gym teacher I wouldn’t be surprized if we had to climb again as soon as the blood was cleaned from the floor. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/67 "2010-11-06T17:09:21Z")
Elementary school through the 1970s, high school in the early 1980s. Never had to climb a rope, and never knew of anyone that did it in real life. Like so many things I saw on television, I thought gym class rope climbing was just some trope or California thing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/68 "2010-11-06T17:15:42Z")
We did it back in junior high and high school. I remember it was impossible for me to do for a long time. Then I watched the kids who could do it and realized there was a technique to it - you had to grip the rope with your legs as well as your arms. After that I was able to do it. It would have been helpful if they had told us this rather than just letting us figure it out on our own if we could. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/69 "2010-11-06T17:18:29Z")
I have vauge memories of this from 2nd or 3rd grade. Early '90s. It abruptly stopped when some kid from the high school fell and ended up paralyzed. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/70 "2010-11-06T18:33:54Z")
We did it in elementary and jr. high in the 70’s. It wasn’t a problem for me at the time. We also got to play real dodgeball, football, and smear-the-queer. In jr. high we also had a peg board. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/71 "2010-11-06T18:39:21Z")
Elementary school in the mid 90’s. We also had a gym with a very dense, hard carpet. Full size basketball gym, with lines painted on and everything. The balls bounced almost as normally as hardwood. I suspect this was some sort of prevention thing for little kids. Still, I’ve never ever seen a gym with hard carpeting before or since. We had a rope. I was a very good athlete - passed the president’s physical fitness test nearly every year when few girls did. But damned if I did not go ANYWHERE on that rope. Boy did I envy kids who could! ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/72 "2010-11-06T18:53:57Z")
I did in elementary and middle school. I am pretty sure it was a part of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test they made us do each year. Edited to add: we also did the Parachute thing someone above asked about. Also square dancing! Yeesh that was a rough one. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/73 "2010-11-06T18:56:11Z")
We had to do it in the early 60s. Some of the kids could do it; I couldn’t even get my feet off the floor. We also had to swim naked. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/74 "2010-11-06T19:19:16Z")
I have no memories of highschool gym. None whatsoever. Should this worry me? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/75 "2010-11-06T19:50:20Z")
Nope, but my mother remembers having to. She hated it. (I graduated in 1996, she graduated in 1966, for what it’s worth) ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/76 "2010-11-06T20:03:39Z")
We did (various times in the early teens); the vast majority did not make it to the top. I for one did not. ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/77 "2010-11-06T20:19:19Z")
Yep, elementary school in Massachusetts in the late 60s. I think we did it in junior high, too. But I remember mostly making it up to the top for the first time in 6th grade. Scared to death of the height, but thrilled I was one of the few girls who made it. Don’t tell me I can’t just 'cause I’m a girl… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/78 "2010-11-06T20:39:52Z")
Plenty of times in Jr high, can’t remember if it was optional or compulsory 'cuz I never would have turned it down. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/79 "2010-11-06T21:08:47Z")
I the 50s and 60s we did it. If you got the rope swinging too badly, you would have to hang on until it settled down. It was easy. i could do it without my feet helping the climbing, just keeping the rope steady. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623/80 "2010-11-06T21:38:48Z")
Yep. We had to do it as part of Field Day when I was in elementary school in the late '70s/early '80s. I was pretty good at it. I got a lot of practice at it though, because the rope was part of the playground and always available for climbing up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-anyone-ever-actually-have-to-climb-a-rope-in-gym-class/559623.md?page=5)