Fat guys who climb hard.

I'm the largest climber I know who regularly climbs. I see people my size climb but not often and I rarely see them at the crag more than once. That is just my experience.

Eric Coffman 6 ft 4 200 lbs leading "itchy flutterby" 5.11b

i don't know anyone in the 190-200 lbs range who climbs super hard, but i know a lot in the 180ish range who climb v9 or 10 and 13+.

Why do I love Climbing.

When I'm lean and fit I can climb near my limit.

When I'm fat and out of shape I can climb near my limit.

I find climbing most challenging and most rewarding when I'm near my limit. I'll spare you the grades but a few years ago I was climbing and training a bunch. I was the fittest and leanest I had been in ten years and weighed 190, climbed the hardest routes I've ever done. I loved the rock. I loved the mountain. I wanted to hug the mountain.

Then, work, knee surgery, and life happened. I stopped working out, climbed very little and put on twenty pounds. Today, I weigh 210, climb near my limit which is several grades lower than two years ago and I love the rock, I love the mountain,I want to hug the mountain.

Eric Coffman wrote:I'm the largest climber I know who regularly climbs. I see people my size climb but not often and I rarely see them at the crag more than once. That is just my experience.

You must hang out at sport crags only. I crap bigger than you.

Great post Greg.

I love climbing no matter the grade, but this year is the first year I have actually gotten weaker. I don't care how much better I get each year, I just want to get better. Luckily there's still a few months left in 2012.

Greg it has been to long brother! Where have you been? Your Halloween costume is still my favorite (tried to dig up a climbing photo of you wearing this but no luck:(

I knew I recognized you from somewhere Greg!

I think I hauled you up this one Greg if I'm not mistaken?? Remember Sidewinder in Jtree me freezing at the top while you struggled up with your ample girth keeping you warm. First and last time I used a 3 to 1 z
but I'm glad I knew how!!

Eric Coffman leading "sidewinder" 5.10b joshua tree

Eric Coffman wrote:I think I hauled you up this one Greg if I'm not mistaken?? Remember Sidewinder in Jtree me freezing at the top while you struggled up with your ample girth keeping you warm. First and last time I used a 3 to 1 z but I'm glad I knew how!!

Here it is bitch. Thanks for hauling my fast ass.

Happy Halloween

Grand props on the "Irish Wench" climbing costume!

I'm roughly 190-200 and have climbed mid-11's before I tore my meniscus, but I can definitely climb harder than that, and will once I'm fully recovered. I don't think I've been below 190 since I started climbing 2-3 years ago.

I'm mostly muscle and don't think I could drop below 185 without some serious re-working, so I train harder for climbing :)

chufftard wrote: lmao! weight doesn't matter nearly as much as percentage body fat. you can be 6'2" and weigh over 200' and climb really hard (Loskot, Nalle) if you have a lot of muscle.

Every climber I've ever met has seemed way smaller in person than on film. 6'2 and 200lbs would look like a giant next to the typical pro climber. I'd like to know where you're getting these numbers!

Here are two examples that are documented:

Nick Duttle - 5'11 3/4" and 169-175lbs, or in another article, 175-180.
dpmclimbing.com/articles/vi…
edition.pagesuite-professio…

Nick sent Esperanza (V14 crimps) at that weight, which I think is incredibly impressive.

Toni Lamprecht:
188cm (6'2")
80-90kg (176-200 lbs)
arcteryx.com/Athlete.aspx?E…

For reference...
Adam Ondra (5'11.5", 130lbs)
baurock.ru/interview2/ondra…

Magnus Midtboe (looks large-ish in videos): (5'8.5", 150lbs)
magnusmidtboe.com/about-me/

Two points:
OP is talking about 190 - 200 lbs, AND climbing .13+
Doing anything at or under 180 does not qualify.
Being 190 - 200 and climbing 5.11 does not either.
Steve Petro and John Long both climbed hard and weighed over 190, but I'm not sure about the .13+ part. Do not know them personally.

I'm surprised my handicap idea didn't get some run. If I pull down a hard crux, I required a significantly higher amount of strength to do that than most of you flyweights.

I have always been around 200. Never broke into 5.12, although I tried for a while. I have seen bigger guys climb harder, but I think genetics comes into play with finger and shoulder strength. Pulled tendons suck... Never seen someone my size pull 5.13 except on video.
Here is me failing on 11d. Every time I got close I would end up with 'overuse injuries'.

At hueco playing on the jug routes.

Never pulled harder than v4 either, and it was rare to see someone my size climbing at all. It does occur though. There is some Boulder guy that is huge, and climbs barefoot out there really hard. forget his name though. It can happen, but one needs exceptionally strong joints and resting skills.
Really hard climbing is for skinny little people that starve themselves!

sheik yer bouti

hueco1

is 5.11 even a warmup for people who climb hard? probably not.

I'm 6' and fluctuate between 182 and 190. I've climbed v8 at my 'Christmas weight,' though my best sends tend to happen when I'm a little lighter.

That being said, v7+ and 5.13+ are moderate for bouldering and sport climbing. No one is going to become famous for climbing these grades.

But how would that be affected by age? A clyesdale/athena AND over 60? My suspicion would be the incidence of injury would be higher.

I have TR'ed a 5.10 at 210lbs. I like El Tigre's idea, you scrawny little sportos don't have a clue what it is like pulling 210lbs through a roof section.

Now I have dropped a bit of weight, down to 185. Still can't climb 5.13. But I climb hard in my head!

El Tigre wrote:Two points: OP is talking about 190 - 200 lbs, AND climbing .13+ Doing anything at or under 180 does not qualify. Being 190 - 200 and climbing 5.11 does not either. Steve Petro and John Long both climbed hard and weighed over 190, but I'm not sure about the .13+ part. Do not know them personally. I'm surprised my handicap idea didn't get some run. If I pull down a hard crux, I required a significantly higher amount of strength to do that than most of you flyweights.

Petro over 190? You must not know the guy. He did climb 13+, but closer to 150, I'd say.

Since we gauge success on some trumped-up numbers matrix, we really aren't too far from golf. If I ever get some free time, I'm writing up par-based scorecards for the home area with a weight/handicap chart.

I was prowling in the 220 range in this video, and could still do 5.12 problems I had wired when I was as heavy as 240. It is about technic and good footwork to climb fat!!!

vimeo.com/23744926