re: Any rock climbers in here?

I'm not the strongest dude in my gym but I'm pulling V5s consistently.

6s are keeping me busy now.

I'm 5'11", 140lbs and 40 years old.

I have a pretty big ape index so I've got that going for me.

I love my donuts. I bring them everywhere.

Last thing -

Bouldering problems are named as such for a reason - you have to solve a problem.

The solution is not always brute strength, grip strength, endurance, big balls or the like.

The solution to the particular problem my be something as simple as a tiny adjustment in body positioning.

So get the beta (secrets) from the other gym rats who have sent the routes by watching, asking and learning.

Happy trails.

I use them anytime. At work at my desk, when I'm bored at home, etc.

I've never had any overuse problems. Your hands and arms will tell you when they've had enough.

quote:

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I climb pretty regularly, and I'm always stunned at the chicks who are good climbers.

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I was hanging out in Camp 4 in '94 when Lynn Hill became the first person to climb the nose free in 24hrs. Changing Corners is a freakin' 5.14! Nobody repeated for 10 more years and a LOT of guys tried. Just the rope management is a serious task when time is so limited.

Women can be just as good on the vast majority of pitches as men. About the only places men have an advantage is on seriously pumpy roofs and then only for the guys with a serious power to weight advantages. Also not as many women are positive on the ape index.


As far as grip strength I always preferred Gripmasters to anything else, because they work each finger individually without having to think about it and works them all at the same time so it takes less time. I suggest you get all three and when you flame out on black move down and keep blowing them out.

I do know some climbers back in the day that swore by the Shaolin sand method.

Today's climbers are much more about adding gym (weight) strength than my era. But then you were likely to find guys smoking weed while on belay on a big wall. One of the best mountaineers I knew personally would smoke unfiltered Camels on 8000 meter peaks.