Is 195 too heavy to climb "hard?"

Totally self indulgent thread that might interest the heavier folks here, who I'd love to especially hear from, but any feedback would be great. I'm 6 foot even, if that matters. I'd love to know how many people here are "heavy" and also "climbing "hard," or if I should accept that 195 is pretty damn heavy for a climber, and I should be fairly satisfied with where I've been and where I'm at. I also tend to blow a tendon once a year, and it's dawned on me that maybe trying to climb at my limit at 195 is related, hmmm. 

As for what "hard" means, it's all relative, but: I first redpointed 12a sport outside after 3 years of climbing - in 2002, when I was 27 and weighed 175 - and I've plateaued ever since even as I've gained about a pound a year so that at 47 I weigh 195. I recently put up two 12a sport routes as FAs (people who climb the grade have validated the ratings, one was a former toprope only 12a from the late 80s that I legit-bolted), primarily because I was motivated. But I don't lead much harder than mid 11, though i usually send them first go. I also still boulder V4/5 outside. So I know I more or less climb as hard as I did at 175 pounds even at 195. But I doubt I could do so at 215. 

So, am I underachieving and just looking for an excuse? I'd love to heard from some 195 or more climbers that are sending 5.13/14, that would really motivate me to chase grades maybe one least time. Or am I already overachieving and really ought to just focus on not blowing tendons so often? Finally, it's true that i only climb for fun, and i never "train," so I totally get that if I want to climb harder, I have to train - but that's not my question. I'm just curious about how hard the heavier climbers are climbing!

Edit to add: 1) I'm aware of heavy outliers/pro climbers like John Dunne or Klem Losokot, and the fact there may be pro climbers who weigh over 195 - in fact, are there any???  and 2) I also know harder climbing is possible through training, but I'm just interested in hearing about the experience of everyday non-pro heavier climbers, and not the genetic freaks and exceptions out there. But maybe the heavier climbers who climb hard also all train hard? (A radical notion, I know)

Edited again: stoked to hear about my larger body type fellows sending hard and staying injury free!

If you’re willing to spend $5 on Patreon, you can listen to the follow-up with Emil Abrahamsson on the Nugget podcast about his recent weight gain. Iirc he’s about 185 and climbs V14 or 15.

John Dunne climbed a 9a and a 8c+ back when those were the top of the standard. People that knew him told me that he would fluctuate between about 180 and 230. He would trim down for his hardest sends. 

I mean people called me disgusting for eating so many ice cream sandwiches and I have sent 75 5.12s in the last 3 years and a 13. I  was 190 for a bit but now I am 185  (at 6’3’’). Not quite at your weight specifications but I don’t think I have ever been belayed by someone heavier than me.

I'm 190, 5'11" and 5.12a sport is about what I can project. Granted, a lot of that weight is in my legs from cycling, running, which I still do. The total weight gain from climbing was around 15lbs.

Hard sometimes to find partners I want to subject to being sucked into the first bolt (esp. indoors). Trad. I'm a lot more conservative.

My weight typically stays around 215 at 6'3. (Sometimes I am up to 220, sometimes around 210 but rarely get much lower than that). I cant climb 13/14 but I am working my 2nd 12c, plus regularly climb in the low 12 range. Is that "hard climbing" - I have no idea but its challenging and fun to me. 

I find that finger strength was holding me back with my weight so I spent a lot of time on that which I felt really beneficial. No matter how much I work on steep endurance routes they always seem challenging...And yes I get a fantastic catch all the time. Its impossible to hard catch me unless your my buddy who weighs 230 and can climb 5.12. 

I bet you could chase the grade of 5.13 maybe harder if you picked the right one. Like for me, I know a steep long endurance route would be a lot more work compared to a route with stacked boulder problems separated by good rest.

Go get it.  

Jon Glassburg is around 195 climbing v13/14. I've never been lower than 185 and hover around 190. I've climbed mid range 5.12 and max boulder between v8/v10. I've had a couple finger injuries but mostly because I didn't warm up or had taken time off and didn't give my body time to get back into climbing. If you don't do anything for "training" you are definitely opening yourself up to more injury potential. I'm by no means a training person but consistent climbing (with variety you cannot project all the time), and little preventative maintenance should take of things. Getting enough rest is also huge, especially as we age (I'm 38). 

Long Ranger wrote:

Hard sometimes to find partners I want to subject to being sucked into the first bolt (esp. indoors). 

Get Edelrid Ohm.

My occasional gym  climber partner is ~220lb, I am ~145lb, no problems catching him using Ohm. His wife ~100lb, his more regular partner, no problems catching him using Ohm. He says catches are good, I don't think he is trying to be polite. The highest I went up was probably ~4-5ft for a decent fall.

As any new device, there is a bit of learning curve to Ohm, I, as much lighter belayer, had to adjust my positioning during belaying.

https://edelrid.com/us-en/sport/belay-devices/ohm

EpicTV video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKkK3jPGvwk 

 BTW - even though trad climbers are using Ohm for trad climbing and haven't died yet, their YGDs are guaranteed.

I'm a bit larger in height and weight than the puppy man above and I have a similar sport climbing resume. You're looking for excuses here. At your height a there is probably a healthy lower weight that is more efficient for climbing but that isn't the thing keeping you from climbing 12+/13-. If you rarely try routes more than once then find a 12b/c that you like and commit to trying it 5 or more times. You might surprise yourself. My guess is that you just haven't developed the skills to climb harder routes because you haven't tried enough hard-for-you routes.

Regarding finger injuries, for whatever reason I only seem to injure my A3/A4 pulleys and I have yet to have a catastrophic finger injury (knock on wood). Weight is a risk for more finger injuries but it isn't a death sentence. Hydration, listening to your body, limiting number of attempts on crimpy climbing are a few controllable factors that will influence your injury risk.

amarius wrote:

Get Edelrid Ohm.

On my list to buy for sure (and I see it's on the special site for industry peeps). Appreciate you sharing your positive experiences.

Over 2 bills here.  Don't climb hard.  

To your question, I would venture a guess that if you are in the 200 ballpark and climbing harder than 5.12 you are training your ass off and climbing is likely the primary focus.

Onsighting 11's is dope though... before I had an injury a few years back that was really my jam and I would say there is loads of fun to be had so fuggit.

As a 6 2” person who’s weight can go up and down from 175 to 240. All I can say is this: you definitely climb harder at 175 with less stress on your bod. I have had a few accidents that put me in a cast for 6 months. The weight just piles up quickly, no?
I think you know your “sweet spot” aim for that, train hard and have fun.

But to answer your question. Yes weight matters.

So, I just noticed that the OP does not train or project, but has climbed .12- and v6 multiple times. He is also 47, an age where I and others have generally started to notice age related performance decline. Because OP does not project, I assume that those .12- routes were 2nd goes, flashes or onsights, meaning that the corresponding max redpoint grade should be .13-.  In my humble opinion, unless one is a genetic freak, climbing mid 5.13 and harder, or flashing 5.12+ for that matter, does indeed require projecting and training.  I really don’t see weight being an issue here unless OP wants to climb at even higher standards. 

I don’t think so. I’m close to the heaviest I’ve ever been following having a baby* (190/6’0”) and I honestly feel the strongest I’ve ever been. Just nabbed a quick session at the gym yesterday and matched career bests in strength exercises: one-arm pull-up, 1-4-7 campus, and a one-arm hang on a medium campus rung. If I could get outside, I know I could send V9/10 at the moment. The strength is there, just not the time, despite the weight.

It DEFINITELY helps to be lighter. No doubt in my mind when you’re in our BMI range. But it might not be possible, frankly. If you're at a higher body fat percentage, then yeah, there's a pretty straightforward path to losing it. But if you're already pretty lean and muscular it's going to be a hell of a slog and potentially risky. I think it's better to just focus on getting stronger and fitter in the body you have and letting the cards fall how they fall.

FWIW in bouldering, at least, you can make up for a lot of it by getting strong: hard bouldering, practice and training on a spray wall, and a bit of gym training (especially fingers and shoulders/chest). As someone else mentioned, flexibility/mobility (especially hips) is a massive force multiplier for a tall, heavy person, moreso I think than for a light one.

* alright, technically she had the baby 

I had a buddy who weighed that much.  He was solid muscle.  And he could climb hard.

related thread: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/116353549/climbing-hard-at-200lbs

also, be careful taking any of Trevor's (Puppy Love's) statements at face value - when he's not gleefully trolling, he's a little fast and loose with the accuracy of his statements... I'm 6'3", 210 +/-15 lbs, and belayed Trevor back in 2019. I remember him being a bit shorter and smaller than me. I could be wrong... but I would be surprised if those biostats Trevor gave are entirely accurate.

All the same - definitely possible to send 5.13/V-Hard while near 200lbs. Don't waste your time trying to stay light/get lighter. Focus on getting stronger and avoiding injuries due to overtraining/dehydrated/fatigued/malnourished/did-something-dumb.

https://www.climbing.com/people/confessions-of-a-weight-obsessed-climber/

Also: hard to overstate the value-add of a semi-regular yoga routine. opens doors. better balance and stability, breath and mind control, isometric strength, yada yada.  I recommend exploring yoga with the mind of a scientist/sports psychologist. If the woo-woo spiritualism stuff works for you, cool, but the actual physiological science of yoga practice is where the practically useful knowledge is.

Before my last major injury being hit by a car I was just getting into mid .12 sport climbing and low .11s trad.
I'm 6'5 200-205 now, but then was 185ish and my body felt the best around that weight.
Was I a hard climber? To some. Am I a hard climber now? not by comparison.
But that doesnt matter, its your hardest grade, no one else's. As long as you're having a good time and working towards your best thats really the important thing IMO.

Lots of examples of elite 190+ climbers sending v14 and harder but that might not be the most relatable.    I am nowhere close to elite but I did multiple 5.13s last year, and v11 boulders weighing in at 192 at the heaviest.    Biggest thing for me is being mindful of the load that puts on my fingers, and trying extra hard to avoid injury, I just can’t crimp hard every session for more than a few months in a row

In my late 40’s I hovered between 187-192 lbs 9% body fat and I could do a pull-up with 80lbs strapped to my waist .  I never felt my weight was an issue

Princess Puppy Lovr wrote:

I mean people called me disgusting for eating so many ice cream sandwiches and I have sent 75 5.12s in the last 3 years and a 13. I  was 190 for a bit but now I am 185  (at 6’3’’). Not quite at your weight specifications but I don’t think I have ever been belayed by someone heavier than me.

That’s not why people call you disgusting…..

I’m 5’9” with 0 ape and weigh 185. Im certainly the heaviest climber I know for my height to weight, and also the strongest climber I know for my height to weight. I’ve climbed 12d trad and done lots of scary headpointing. I boulder v9 consistently and could push harder if I bouldered more often. I could also climb harder routes, into the hard 13s if I wasn’t on a massive pyramid building scheme. 

A lot of spray, but point being your weight should not be a limiting factor.