we suck

[Kimmo]

Everyone Climbs for diffrent reasons & everyone Climbs in the range there happy with.

Look up to who you want, But you better damn well be happy with yourself.

 

Now go Climb !

 

right on (except "everyone Climbs in the range there happy with"; can't assume about anyone else's happiness!).

 

there's no friggin absolute about "improving"; i love ping pong (really) but i'm not into pushing it like i am with climbing, and ain't nothing wrong wit dat.

 

 

[Kimmo]

I dig it

 

Shit man I'm all about training and working hard and making lifestyle sacrifices to get better but giving up eating and drinking beer just to get another letter grade, that's just geh.

 

don't think of it in the first person: for you it's happy homo, but at a certain level, every little thing can make a big difference, and weight is one of the biggest factors (try a route at your rp limit with a 15 pound squash sticking outta yer ass).

 

but again, pushing difficulty at this seemingly obsessive level ain't for everyone.

[Kimmo]

I guess folks don't notice when Haston admits "it's NOT HEALTHY" (emphasis mine). I've got climbing partners in their seventies leading in the 5.10 range, and a couple in their sixties pulling 5.11/12. And how about that Shipman!?!? Guy's broken his neck THREE TIMES, yet at age 62 leads 5.10 trad and WI5! Improvements in technique and equipment allowed Fritz Weissner and Norman Clyde to climb rock at a similar standard in their nineties as they climbed in their thirties! "Jackrabbit" Johanssen broke his leg six weeks before his hundredth birthday yet celebrated that birthday by winning a nordic ski race. Personally, I prefer healthy...

 

it's not like the weight-drop is a permanent chronic situation. i personally think it's healthy to drop weight once in a while to pretty low levels, ie fasting and such. get down to 5% body fat for three weeks. armstrong and jordan seemed pretty healthy to me at 5%, and this was close to their normal %. people seem to want to protect their laziness!

[montypiton]

oops - forgot Ricardo Cassin - but he was a euro, and therefore part of the problem, right? don't know about "protecting...laziness" but from study of bodybuilding, do know that those "professionals" will rip to below 5% for comps, but will not attempt to maintain that level for more than about 48 hours. First thing they do after comp is pig out. Also, personally was once HOSPITALIZED when I inadvertently failed to eat enough over the course of only a three day climbing trip. (Kyle Flick was there, knows the story) I typically maintain between 6% and 10%, but prefer to remain closer to 10%. world's best marathoners prefer to stay closer to 15% & they look pretty skinny. I've had friends who've looked downright emaciated at 18%! a lot depends on natural body type, & that's usually genetic. Whillans was one of the best free climbers in the world for his generation, and the guy LOOKED fat most times. do whatever works for ya.

[Kimmo]

i call a giant BS on your 15% body fat on world class marathoners, at least during competition phases. check yer data on that. they tend closer to elite cyclists (duh, it's a long distance endurance affair where weight matters) at around 5 to 6%.

 

 

what i meant by protecting laziness is that people sometimes get overly alarmed by things outside their comfort zone. eating seems to fall into this. "oh my god, if i don't eat for a day I'll DIE!". i've personally fasted for up to a week straight and felt great, and actually won a climbing contest on the 7th day of a fast once (that one was a 300 cal a day fresh juice fast, not just water like the other).

[Kimmo]

my bad. elite marathoners average 3.3% body fat, per this article.

[Sol]

Gotta say Russ, with all the local scrubbing, rebolting, bolt-chopping, first ascenting, and exploration you been doing, your my hero.

 

I'm sure all those who've partaken in your refurbirshed crags (Hobo Hill, Warrior Wall, etc.) would agree.

 

Can't wait for you to get home and we can start training!

 

 

Edited November 24, 2009 by Sol

[eldiente]

oop world's best marathoners prefer to stay closer to 15% & they look pretty skinny. I've had friends who've looked downright emaciated at 18%!

 

No one that runs a marathon at a competitive level has anywhere near 15% body fat. More like 4%-8%. On the same note, I bet you'd be hard pressed to find an elite (whatever that threshold is) rock climber that has body fat over 10%.

 

Easy test. Go to gym and onsite the hardest route you can. Add 10 pounds to your harness or wear a weight vest and watch how much of a difference it makes. For me, 10 pounds in the weight vest cuts off one full number grade, sometimes even more.

Edited November 24, 2009 by eldiente

[Pete_H]

No one that runs a marathon at a competitive level has anywhere near 15% body fat. More like 4%-8%.

 

I doubt they have to fast like Kimmo to achieve that though.

[Rafe1234]

Americas' granite lines > Euro sport lines.

[Kimmo]

No one that runs a marathon at a competitive level has anywhere near 15% body fat. More like 4%-8%.

 

I doubt they have to fast like Kimmo to achieve that though.

 

my purpose wasn't to lose weight at the time, and yeah i don't think someone who's running 100+ miles a week CAN fast.

[Spore]

Sol, I think its "Hobo Gulch"

 

Lance, You run with a good pack !

[denalidave]

I dig it

 

Shit man I'm all about training and working hard and making lifestyle sacrifices to get better but giving up eating and drinking beer just to get another letter grade, that's just geh.

 

(try a route at your rp limit with a 15 pound squash sticking outta yer ass).

Yes, I've found the hard part (along with the extra weight) is keeping the squash from shooting out of my ass and down onto my belayer. Best to wrap it in velcro and then staple the other side of the velcro to your ass. This technique seems to work best for me, at least out of all the ones I've tried at the crags.

[LostCamKenny]

Easy test. Go to gym and onsite the hardest route you can. Add 10 pounds to your harness or wear a weight vest and watch how much of a difference it makes. For me, 10 pounds in the weight vest cuts off one full number grade, sometimes even more.

 

I might have to start doing this on the Corner...

[Hugh Conway]

Easy test. Go to gym and onsite the hardest route you can. Add 10 pounds to your harness or wear a weight vest and watch how much of a difference it makes. For me, 10 pounds in the weight vest cuts off one full number grade, sometimes even more.

 

I might have to start doing this on the Corner...

 

You'll get more dates on the corner with a squash sticking out of your ass

[Kimmo]

Yes, I've found the hard part (along with the extra weight) is keeping the squash from shooting out of my ass and down onto my belayer. Best to wrap it in velcro and then staple the other side of the velcro to your ass. This technique seems to work best for me, at least out of all the ones I've tried at the crags.

 

your methodology is indicative of an "on your ass" strategy; proper protocol indicates an "in your ass" approach.

[Kimmo]

Also, personally was once HOSPITALIZED when I inadvertently failed to eat enough over the course of only a three day climbing trip. (Kyle Flick was there, knows the story) I typically maintain between 6% and 10%, but prefer to remain closer to 10%. world's best marathoners prefer to stay closer to 15% & they look pretty skinny. I've had friends who've looked downright emaciated at 18%! a lot depends on natural body type, & that's usually genetic. Whillans was one of the best free climbers in the world for his generation, and the guy LOOKED fat most times. do whatever works for ya.

 

two things, besides the already mentioned:

 

1. i doubt you were hospitalized for anything related to malnutrition; perhaps hypoglycemia?

 

2. sure, do whatever works for ya, but being fat ain't gonna work for ya. i'd say it's a rarity (has it been done?) for anyone over 10% rp'ing 5.14. 5.13? sure, you can drink your beer and generally be a slob, but shit, it's 5.13, which is probably like running a 5:30 mile. it would barely get you on a high school varsity climbing team (if there was such a thing).

[Pete_H]

You talk in such extremes. Having a beer or three and eating food doesn't make one a fat slob. For the most part its not going to effect your climbing performance, especially if you do cardiovascular activities like running, skiing, or biking in addition to climbing.

 

I guess its cool to respect Haston's focus but I think its cooler if you can crank hard and not be as anal.

[montypiton]

funny: when I was running competitively (forty years ago), I was routinely running miles under 5 minutes, and just barely lettered at my high-school. been climbing since that same time, and hardest I've ever pulled was 12a. gotta say I'm not really interested in 5.13 sport climbing. I'm much happier with the capacity to climb 5.10-11 trad in alpine boots and a pack. Too many guys my age have trouble walking even a mile.

 

correct: my kidneys stopped working - Doctors at two different clinics told me that I had been metabolizing my own muscle tissue for fuel. They and two other MDs who are regular climbing partners suggested this might be less likely to occur if I carried a bit more bodyfat. that was when I cut "squat centuries" from my training regimen. I have yet to meet anyone else, anywhere, any age, who could step into the power cage in a weight room, put a load equal to their bodyweight on their shoulders, and perform a single set of 100 strict form squats, nonstop. At the time of my kidney-failure episode, I weighed about 190 lbs, and was doing my "squat century" with a 235 lb load at age 51. It had taken me six years of targeted training to achieve a "squat century" carrying a load equal to my bodyweight.

 

re: the "easy test" mentioned above - I routinely used a nearly identical tactic to train for climbing at altitude. In the days before rock gyms existed in the US, I would attempt to repeat routes that had felt near my limit in rock shoes and no pack, while wearing mountaineering boots and carrying a pack. I climbed up to 5.11 in Galibier Superguides, and reached a point where I pretty much couldn't climb anything in rock shoes and no pack that I couldn't also climb in mountaineering boots with up to about a 30 lb pack. I'd heartily agree this is an excellent training practice for alpinists & expedition climbers. In January of 1990, my partners and I strayed off route on the French South Face Route on Aconcagua, and I comfortably led a corner pitch of 5.9 stemming @ 17000' wearing first-generation Kastinger double plastic boots and a pack weighing between thirty and forty lbs. My companions, both 5.11 trad climbers - one fell several times following, while the other followed the pitch on tension. Both routinely trained at a 5-minute-mile pace on runs of up to ten miles. I didn't run with them, because the best pace I have ever been able to carry on a run that long is about 7-minute-mile.

 

And I agree, fasting on occasion is a great health maintenance tool. And on occasion, I will fast for up to a week. But I confirmed many years ago that I personally am physically incapable of fasting and training hard at the same time for a multi-day period.

[rocketparrotlet]

funny: when I was running competitively (forty years ago), I was routinely running miles under 5 minutes, and just barely lettered at my high-school. been climbing since that same time, and hardest I've ever pulled was 12a. gotta say I'm not really interested in 5.13 sport climbing. I'm much happier with the capacity to climb 5.10-11 trad in alpine boots and a pack. Too many guys my age have trouble walking even a mile.

 

correct: my kidneys stopped working - Doctors at two different clinics told me that I had been metabolizing my own muscle tissue for fuel. They and two other MDs who are regular climbing partners suggested this might be less likely to occur if I carried a bit more bodyfat. that was when I cut "squat centuries" from my training regimen. I have yet to meet anyone else, anywhere, any age, who could step into the power cage in a weight room, put a load equal to their bodyweight on their shoulders, and perform a single set of 100 strict form squats, nonstop. At the time of my kidney-failure episode, I weighed about 190 lbs, and was doing my "squat century" with a 235 lb load at age 51. It had taken me six years of targeted training to achieve a "squat century" carrying a load equal to my bodyweight.

 

re: the "easy test" mentioned above - I routinely used a nearly identical tactic to train for climbing at altitude. In the days before rock gyms existed in the US, I would attempt to repeat routes that had felt near my limit in rock shoes and no pack, while wearing mountaineering boots and carrying a pack. I climbed up to 5.11 in Galibier Superguides, and reached a point where I pretty much couldn't climb anything in rock shoes and no pack that I couldn't also climb in mountaineering boots with up to about a 30 lb pack. I'd heartily agree this is an excellent training practice for alpinists & expedition climbers. In January of 1990, my partners and I strayed off route on the French South Face Route on Aconcagua, and I comfortably led a corner pitch of 5.9 stemming @ 17000' wearing first-generation Kastinger double plastic boots and a pack weighing between thirty and forty lbs. My companions, both 5.11 trad climbers - one fell several times following, while the other followed the pitch on tension. Both routinely trained at a 5-minute-mile pace on runs of up to ten miles. I didn't run with them, because the best pace I have ever been able to carry on a run that long is about 7-minute-mile.

 

And I agree, fasting on occasion is a great health maintenance tool. And on occasion, I will fast for up to a week. But I confirmed many years ago that I personally am physically incapable of fasting and training hard at the same time for a multi-day period.

 

That is hardcore.

 

-Mark

[pope]

more from haston.

 

 

Training

 

 

“Train hard, rest, don’t eat. It’s a power to weight thing. In fact it’s a weight to powerful fingers thing. It’s not rocket science. Laurence went from F6a to F8a+. Any man or woman can climb F8a within a year in my opinion. All they have to do is everything in their power to do that and not get injured.”

 

 

rest of interview:

 

linky link

[rocketparrotlet]

"Everyone can climb 8a in a year?"

 

Ridiculous. Maybe if you lived on the crags and had personal trainers to push you along, but not everyone can make such a jump under normal circumstances.

 

-Mark

[denalidave]

You talk in such extremes. Having a beer or three and eating food doesn't make one a fat slob. For the most part its not going to effect your climbing performance, especially if you do cardiovascular activities like running, skiing, or biking in addition to climbing.

 

I guess its cool to respect Haston's focus but I think its cooler if you can crank hard and not be as anal.

I like your old avitar of the Fat Albert dude. At least I think that was you?

[Kimmo]

funny: when I was running competitively (forty years ago), I was routinely running miles under 5 minutes, and just barely lettered at my high-school. been climbing since that same time, and hardest I've ever pulled was 12a. gotta say I'm not really interested in 5.13 sport climbing. I'm much happier with the capacity to climb 5.10-11 trad in alpine boots and a pack. Too many guys my age have trouble walking even a mile.

 

correct: my kidneys stopped working - Doctors at two different clinics told me that I had been metabolizing my own muscle tissue for fuel. They and two other MDs who are regular climbing partners suggested this might be less likely to occur if I carried a bit more bodyfat. that was when I cut "squat centuries" from my training regimen. I have yet to meet anyone else, anywhere, any age, who could step into the power cage in a weight room, put a load equal to their bodyweight on their shoulders, and perform a single set of 100 strict form squats, nonstop. At the time of my kidney-failure episode, I weighed about 190 lbs, and was doing my "squat century" with a 235 lb load at age 51. It had taken me six years of targeted training to achieve a "squat century" carrying a load equal to my bodyweight.

 

re: the "easy test" mentioned above - I routinely used a nearly identical tactic to train for climbing at altitude. In the days before rock gyms existed in the US, I would attempt/to repeat routes that had felt near my limit in rock shoes a;ack. I climbed up to 5.11 in Galibier Superguides, and reached a point where I pretty much couldn't climb anything in rock shoes and no pack that I couldn't also climb in mountaineering boots with up to about a 30 lb pack. I'd heartily agree this is an excellent training practice for alpinists & expedition climbers. In January of 1990, my partners and I strayed off route on the French South Face Route on Aconcagua, and I comfortably led a corner pitch of 5.9 stemming @ 17000' wearing first-generation Kastinger double plastic boots and a pack weighing between thirty and forty lbs. My companions, both 5.11 trad climbers - one fell several times following, while the other followed the pitch on tension. Both routinely trained at a 5-minute-mile pace on runs of up to ten miles. I didn't run with them, because the best pace I have ever been able to carry on a run that long is about 7-minute-mile.

 

And I agree, fasting on occasion is a great health maintenance tool. And on occasion, I will fast for up to a week. But I confirmed many years ago that I personally am physically incapable of fasting and training hard at the same time for a multi-day period.

 

woazers. century squats. that sounds ridiculously hard.

 

yeah i don't know, the 5.13 varsity comment was rather spontaneous, but imagine if you would have had the same coaching and training in climbing as you did in running. i imagine you would have climbed 5.13 after two or three years?

[Kimmo]

"Everyone can climb 8a in a year?"

 

Ridiculous. Maybe if you lived on the crags and had personal trainers to push you along, but not everyone can make such a jump under normal circumstances.

 

-Mark

 

he did say that with complete commitment he thinks anyone could. i don't know if i agree with him....but maybe.