So i'm just too heavy??

[Jen]

Muscular strength and endurance in rock climbers have been primarily measured on the forearm, hand and fingers via dynamometry. When absolute hand strength was assessed, there was little difference between climbers and the general population. When expressed in relation to body mass, elite-level climbers scored significantly higher, highlighting the potential importance of low body mass.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16737345

[conormccarti]

That whole article just confused me am I supposed to be great or shit?

[Jen]

awww....little brain!

[G Mac]

shite!!!

outta practice....like i will be when im on co-op....before my little bouldering wall is built at home ;D

[tony]

mac if you buy all the gear you can climb better.

[thecolm]

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha good auld tony ;D

[jihad]

Theres nothing in that abstract that most climbers don't already know already. Ultimately I think the limits you have as a climber are usually the psychological ones you impose on yourself.
Was in dalkey yesterday, there was a real positve buzz about the place, made me want to be to climb regularly again. Its gonna be a good summer

[thecolm]

Indeed. Irrational fear of falling stops people trying routes at their limit and so hinders improvment. Also a fear of grades. I remember when I started and it was like oh E1 is crazy (its not ;D). If you're told its easy and safe you'll be more inclined to try it.

[Superboy]

Your opinion, you also think climbing without a rope and with less places to put gear is easier/safer.

[harr]

I think Garrian you will find its fact not opinion. Fear of falling stops people trying routes at their limit, of course it does, in most cases its totally irrational, all you would have to do is fall of something at your limit to realise this. Climbing without ropes is physically easier by a long shot, you don’t have to haul a rope or rack making you lighter, you don’t have to waste time putting gear in saving energy and time. But not safer, not sure why you put the two together. Less places to put gear in causes you to concentrate on the climbing and worry about the gear when you have to, thus reducing the amount of time you spend putting in gear a half a meter above your last perfectly good piece. I could go on but I think I have said enough.

As for crazy grades, E1 is safe provided you have confidence in your gear placement this applies to just about everything up to E7ish. Last weekend Colm fell off an E6, probably 5 meters without a scratch, I fell of E5 the weekend before with nothing but a bruised ego and soar belayer. The only thing stopping you climbing these grades is you.

PHs. its all about the power to weight ratio, John Dunne of 80s fame was 13stone and climbed E9, Johnny Dawes also of 80s fame weighed 9 and climbed the same grade but I know who would win in a fight.

[thecolm]

Also... rumors of me climbing without ropes/not bothering to place gear on routes have been greatly exaggerated lol.

e.g. Cillian commenting that it looked as though I'd no gear below me as I did the crux move on a route half way up the wall. In fact I had 7 pieces below me in the space of about 8 metres. If I hadnt corrected him you'd me hearing more stories of supposed maddness

Also, most E2/3/4s have more places for gear than routes I'v see you on

[cillian]

i seem to rememember that one alrigth... Tony was beside me at the time as far as i remeber and he said it looked like it you were with very little gear....

you were too far away so we would not have been able to tell.. Good job with having plenty of gear in.... it was some climb you were on... ;D...

Is Mise Le Meas
C

[Superboy]

Exagerated or not, the idea of encouraging people to jump willy nilly onto higher grades is stupid in my opinion. There's plenty of good climbs at every level even VDiff. Once you're enjoying yourself and pushing yourself mentally and physically while staying safe you're doing it right. There's no need to get a E1 in to prove yourself.

[Superboy]

I don't mean to attack Colm, I'm sorry if I did Colm. Friend? He's the motivator, but you have to admit the guy's fucking bonkers. In a good way.