[Will Hunt]

I'm getting pretty sick of being called "Lanky" while climbing. EVERY time I go down the wall or out cragging it seems someone pipes up and accuses me of having excessive reach which they do not possess. Was accused of this twice last night! I'm not even 6 foot and only have a modest positive ape index. So basically I've thrown the toys firmly out of the pram and come up with a new theory.

Every climber possesses two attributes, their Reach and their Span.
Their Span is the maximum distance they can generate between the fingertips of their left and right hands.
Their Reach is the maximum distance they can reach while using a given set of holds.
A climbers Reach is therefore always equal to (or more often) less than their Span.

A weak climber or one with poor technique may have a larger Span than his stronger, more technical friend but not be able to generate the same amount of Reach from a certain set of holds because they cannot lock off etc as well.

Climbers such as Johnny Dawes and other legendary diminutive masters have proven this with routes like The Very Big And The Very Small etc.


I'm right aren't I.

[SA Chris]

I have got used to it now, and just laugh at shortarses. No idea about theory, but i think it's all swings and roundabouts.

[Fiend]

Stop lanking past moves you bugger  

Edit: you buggerS

[Jaspersharpe]

Fuck the dwarf contingent. I'm only 6ft and yet get grief for being some sort of giant from some people. 

[travs]

Too right you lanky bastard!

[SA Chris]

oh boo hoo. get over it.

So where is the cut off between lanky and not lanky? generally seems to be anyone taller than you are.

[Jaspersharpe]

Too right you lanky bastard!

[mark s]

i've got a massive span and fook all reach.

[a dense loner]

my rational is anyone taller than me is lanky, and anyone shorter is a midget

[Fiend]

The tall know who they are. No weasling out of it.

[a dense loner]

plus anyone bigger than me is too muscular, and anyone smaller than me is too thin

[Fiend]

And anyone grumpier than you??

[Will Hunt]

Is that possible?

[slackline]

Pehaps perceived lankiness is also a function of how muscly you are.

If you're all skin and bones, you're more likely to be perceived as being lanky, but if you've a bit of muscle paunch then less so 

[a dense loner]

is a realist

[cofe]

i wouldn't mind being 2 inches stronger.

[dave]

i wouldn't mind being 2 inches lighter.

[Monolith]

There is a support group you can get help from Will. It's called the Merseyside climbing contingent and consists of members mostly 6ft 2in +. The aforementioned numbers are my vital stats and I'm one of the shorter ones.

[Andy Harris]

I think whilst lankiness is an unquantifiable function of height, reach, skinniness & ungainly movement whilst climbing etc it's as much about how you hold yourself. If you are tall, skinny with long arms but walk straight and climb with grace you're just tall.

John Welford is the same height as me but has a +6 or so span. He always maintained it's only of benefit if you're traversing. Neil B is similar but with an even bigger reach. Foundry Greg had a +12 ape if I remember correctly!

Always thought it would be worth building 2 or 3 boulder problems on a wall but with the holds further apart. That way we could get sml,med & lg climbers to climb all 3 and grade accordingly. That way we'd have a better idea of the impact of height, reach, span on problems and could derive a complicated equation to define how hard an individual had climbed.

[SA Chris]

Always thought it would be worth building 2 or 3 boulder problems on a wall but with the holds further apart. That way we could get sml,med & lg climbers to climb all 3 and grade accordingly. That way we'd have a better idea of the impact of height, reach, span on problems and could derive a complicated equation to define how hard an individual had climbed.

Would said probs be overhanging, vertical or slabby? So many permutations.

[SA Chris]

The tall know who they are.

Oh, I know I'm tall, but am I lanky? By the Harris criteria not, as I walk tall and climb with grace, verve and a veritable panache at all times.

[dave]

Foundry Greg had a +12 ape if I remember correctly!

can he peel bananas with his feet by any chance?

[magpie]

Will, you are fairly lanky, to be fair 

I think whilst lankiness is an unquantifiable function of height, reach, skinniness & ungainly movement whilst climbing etc it's as much about how you hold yourself. If you are tall, skinny with long arms but walk straight and climb with grace you're just tall.

Actually, this is a very good point, I will decide whether you are actually lanky or just tall when I see you in action youth.

[cowboyhat]

Foundry Greg had a +12 ape if I remember correctly!

can he peel bananas with his feet by any chance?

I'm not sure it was +12" but certainly he had extremely long arms. Talented guy.

[Andy F]

I'm getting pretty sick of being called "Lanky" while climbing. EVERY time I go down the wall or out cragging it seems someone pipes up and accuses me of having excessive reach which they do not possess.

I notice no-ones ever accused you of being strong though Will 

Oh, I'm a short arse and never complain if people lank past moves. Honest.