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Fat guys who climb hard.

Original Post
Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

Stepped on the scale yesterday and it rang up 198. Good god. That's like 30 pounds above my ideal weight for climbing. I'm still able to climb around V5, but certainly I'm about two grades off from my personal bests, and forget certain problems that require extreme finess on tiny holds.

Got me thinking. Who here weighs over 190-200 and is able to climb, let's say, V7+ or 5.13+. Not talking onsight, just two or three sessions for the send. Can it be done?? Any famous climbers who are this heavy and crushing?

Peter Franzen · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,730

Klem Loskot always seemed to be on the bigger end of the spectrum. He isn't fat of course, but I would guess that he is in the 190-200lb range.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

Nothing tastes as good as sending feels.

Burton Lindquist · · Madison, WI · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 4,215

Johnny Dawes! Brit hard man climber who likes his plate full at dinner time!

Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115
Jon Moen wrote:Nothing tastes as good as sending feels.
Beer sure comes close though.
FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

This thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning beefy Don Whilans.

Rogerlarock Mix · · Nedsterdam, Colorado · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 5

If we're going to pick on Brits that are beefy and climb hard there has to be mention of John Dunne. Burly man that sends burly routes.

DB Cee · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined May 2007 · Points: 146

Jon...you and I both know that Nutella tastes way better than any route sent in Rifle. Don't lie.

slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103
Burt Lindquist wrote:Johnny Dawes! Brit hard man climber who likes his plate full at dinner time!
johnny dawes? are you sure you're not thinking of john dunne? i don't remember dawes being that big. john dunne is the obvious choice. hard scary runout 5.14 at 220+ lbs. even his RP's were scared.
Burton Lindquist · · Madison, WI · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 4,215

Whoops!

Slim your correct. I was meaning to indicate Johnny Dunne.

My bad.. was typing too quick from my desk at work and F''''d that up...

steve edwards · · SLC, UT · Joined May 2004 · Points: 645

Unfortunately most of these claims are exaggerated, weight wise. Lots of 200+ climb 5.13. Not too many 5.14 though that will undoubtably change as 5.14 because less close to the limit.

Dunne was huge, sometimes, but he famously lost heaps of weight for his sends--like 30-40 pounds!--and was nowhere near 200 for his hard routes.

Loskot is bigger than most, so he's rad, but I'll bet he's never eclipsed 2 bills either and certainly not when climbing his hardest routes. Nalle's probably 140 soaking wet. Sharma's actually the biggest climber I know at the top of the sport climbing game currently.

I think it was Stevie Haston who said something like sport climbing wasn't interesting because all that mattered was how good you could get at not eating.

MountainManny · · Idaho Springs · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 820
Rob Gordon wrote: Beer sure comes close though.
....Or in the case of being +30>
Bacon would seem more likely
Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115
MountainManny wrote: ....Or in the case of being +30> Bacon would seem more likely
Haha. No. It's the beer. I probably average an extra 5000 calories a week in beer.

The other factors are I stopped playing rugby for a while, so my cardio went down and so did my metabolism. I used to eat probably 30-50 percent more than I do now, but I just burn way less now. Also stopped being a vegetarian, so my muscles all got way bigger. Unfortunately my legs and ass naturally get bigger than my upper body.
Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Saw a guy who must have been 240 and 5'9", belaying a guy who was also near 220. Leading smoothly on 5.10 is pretty impressive in my opinion. I was doubtful they could get off the ground when I saw them in Muir Valley, RRG last week.

Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235
Russ Walling wrote:Since when is 200+ fat? Everyone I know is 200+ and they all climb (that would be lead "trad") at least 5.10. Anything under 200lbs is cheating unless you are an 8a.nu posterchild
It all depends on height and frame obviously, but I would think that most people over 200 are overweight.
Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

Just had an epiphany: for every 5 lbs. over 190 you get a letter grade handicap. At 210 that goes straight to a letter per pound.
Since we all *basically* have the same fingers, it makes sense if you're pulling an extra 40 up on each hand. I'm gonna roll with that from now on. It also means I climbed a .12B yesterday

pfwein Weinberg · · Boulder, CO · Joined May 2006 · Points: 71
Russ Walling wrote:Since when is 200+ fat? Everyone I know is 200+ and they all climb (that would be lead "trad") at least 5.10. Anything under 200lbs is cheating unless you are an 8a.nu posterchild
Must be some lovely ladies in that crew!
skeeter · · Lakewood CA · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 10

I got married last December and am up 30lbs (191 and consider myself fat), affects my climbing when I'm on the wall dreaming about bacon.

Dylan Colon · · Eugene, OR · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 491

What about Dean Potter among the bigger climbers (not fat though, by any stretch). I believe that in First Ascent Steph Davis remarks that catching a 190 lb Dean Potter as he takes a 50 footer isn't that fun.

Stephen Nance · · Boulder, CO · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 385

huge difference between V7 climbing and 5.13+ climbing..... I am 6'6 200 lbs, and sent my first V10 this summer, however my best on a rope is 8a....(13b)... 13+ is no joke...

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Blake Cash wrote:Jon...you and I both know that Nutella tastes way better than any route sent in Rifle. Don't lie.
Truth. I recently spent an afternoon in the Arsenal doing zero climbing, and instead opted to sit around and enjoy my favorite new fat kid snack: Nutella on animal crackers.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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