I just read about this chaps recent redpoint of 'Pata Negra' 8c in Rodellar.
He details his training in his blog here: http://bendavison.wordpress.com/category/training/ (http://bendavison.wordpress.com/category/training/)
Nothing revolutionary in terms of training methods but its definately worth a read through.
I'd have to disagree GME: few people were climbing >8A or 8c years ago, and most of those that were could be said to be those with natural talent where climbing was enough for them to get better. There was also the dole culture which allowed people to climb loads. Nowadays your average 7A punter is using the knowledge gleaned from the standardisation of training for climbing to use their limited time effectively. I guess a lot of climbers are now relativity cash rich and time poor so spending a bit of cash to get a plan off a coach which can lead to improvements can be seen as a good investment.
As to the grades and the numbers of people, it really depends what year you are talking about I guess. I remember when there was a list of UK people who had climbed 8A on here in the early 00's and I don't think it got much past 50, these days I couldn't hazard a guess at the number - 400, 500?
Just goes to show that most people know all they need to know in order to make this type of progress, but just need to apply themselves more and in a smarter fashion.
Stubbs- i am afraid we will continue to disagree. If you are time poor/cash rich surely the little time you have would be miles better spent climbing. I am not denying that the other stuff will help but if you don't climb you wont improve at climbing. Plus a good few people did climb in the grades i am talking about, not just one or two super talented individuals and many others with little talent managed to do pretty hard things. We all did what we called training but 99% of the training was climbing.
clearly the lad is quite good but he's not doing any deadlifting. That's going to start to hold him back sooner or later (i predict sooner). Then he's gonna wish he'd been deadlifting all along. 3 years is quick to climb 8c, but that's hell of a lot of deadlifting to catch up on.
We all did what we called training but 99% of the training was climbing.
I suspect you're trying to make a more general point about folk training really scientifically when they haven't actually learnt to use their feet yet!
I think there's a few more Brits climbing 8c/+ now than in Gavs day but not that many more!
I have no idea how many there were back in the day, but I totted up the ascents I could think of at 8c and up by brits this year and came to 19 ascents by 11 climbers... In case anyone finds that interesting
I think there's a few more Brits climbing 8c/+ now than in Gavs day but not that many more!
I have no idea how many there were back in the day, but I totted up the ascents I could think of at 8c and up by brits this year and came to 19 ascents by 11 climbers... In case anyone finds that interesting
I have no idea how many there were back in the day, but I totted up the ascents I could think of at 8c and up by brits this year and came to 19 ascents by 11 climbers... In case anyone finds that interesting
I do find that interesting. Anyone care to take a stab at number of people in the UK bouldering 8A and up? Do people really consider 7B to be average punter level now?
I think there's a few more Brits climbing 8c/+ now than in Gavs day but not that many more!
I have no idea how many there were back in the day, but I totted up the ascents I could think of at 8c and up by brits this year and came to 19 ascents by 11 climbers... In case anyone finds that interesting
Off the top of my head, the obvious potential candidates would be things like surfing, mountain biking etc. where there's a large skill aspect which it's more awkward to 'drill' than sports with more 'set'/repetitive motions (e.g. swimming), and where the 'arena' is non-standardised. However I don't know anything about how those guys train...
Off the top of my head, the obvious potential candidates would be things like surfing, mountain biking etc. where there's a large skill aspect which it's more awkward to 'drill' than sports with more 'set'/repetitive motions (e.g. swimming), and where the 'arena' is non-standardised. However I don't know anything about how those guys train...
I find all the structured, written down, technical training odd for people who are not operating at a high level (>8c .8A) when just doing loads of climbing will have more benefit. People where doing hard stuff of this grade years ago by just climbing and having climbed and trained with some of our top climbers for years i really cant remember seeing any of them being as strict and organised as some of the average 7a climbers these days.
I think it works: ok E6/8a/7B is very far from cutting edge but I doubt many people manage it "just climbing" ~6 hours indoors midweek & getting out @ weekends.
I think it works: ok E6/8a/7B is very far from cutting edge but I doubt many people manage it "just climbing" ~6 hours indoors midweek & getting out @ weekends.
What nonsense, I know tens of cases of people "just climbing" and reaching 7B (and above, up to 8B) without training, myself included.
If your weak on steep fingery stuff, boulder on a steep fingery board, if your crap at slabs, do slabs. etc etc. 1. it works and 2. its miles more fun than hanging off a piece of wood.
What nonsense, I know tens of cases of people "just climbing" and reaching 7B (and above, up to 8B) without training, myself included.
gme - I'm not for one second saying that climbing doesn't have it's place in training, and I'm sure all the stopwatch and notepad brigade are doing a lot of that too (at least I hope so!) Rather that 'just going climbing' will not progress most people as fast as climbing+structured training.
As to the grades and the numbers of people, it really depends what year you are talking about I guess. I remember when there was a list of UK people who had climbed 8A on here in the early 00's and I don't think it got much past 50, these days I couldn't hazard a guess at the number - 400, 500?
Fatdoc: for the sake of reference I found the thread (a lot easier with the google search bar!) it looks to have got to around 100 in 2005. http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,3686.0.html (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,3686.0.html)
As this list was completed later than I thought I reckon ~50 wouldn't be far off for the early 2000's, but that point is moot.
All this, i feel has allowed him to progress so quickly and if he had gone down the route i see a lot of people at the wall following i have no doubt he would be very very strong and very very fit but i don't think he would have climbed anywhere near as well as he has. The gym goers mentality that is appearing at the walls, rather than the old climb as much as you can ideas, will hold people new to climbing back.
You can be as string as you like but if you can't climb you're going to waste it.
I have no idea about all this training nonsense. All I will say is I let Ben climbwith meon the 45 at the works whilst I sat down and drank coffee just before his trip and he looked too much like Adam Lincoln for my liking
Do you not contradict your self by saying a lot of bens rapid improvement can be put down to his prior sporting achievements then stating that someone who bench pressed and deadhung for years couldn't get good at climbing quickly?
I was also stating that someone who ONLY does bench-presses and deadhangs i.e. doesn't spend any time doing movement (the key word) will struggle to improve as quickly.
strawman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man)
"...a type of climber with arms and legs like straw and weighing significantly less than an adult human being who makes a mockery of grading systems based on the average climber. To "attack a straw man" is not hard (or fair) as they are not built for fighting."
strawman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man)
"...a type of climber with arms and legs like straw and weighing significantly less than an adult human being who makes a mockery of grading systems based on the average climber. To "attack a straw man" is not hard (or fair) as they are not built for fighting."