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Post by Chris W on Sept 8, 2018 20:11:17 GMT -7
So I just finished reading Revelations by Jerry Moffatt (or should I say Jeremy?). It's quite the book; just jammed pack with interesting information. I'll probably have to read it again to get a better grip on the characters and sequence of events in his life. Thank goodness Niall Grimes helped him write it.
What do you think of the volume of training he did? The book makes it seem like he spent most of his day, every day, training, either bouldering, climbing routes, campusing, or working on his home wall. I'd love to see a log of exactly what he did; makes me question how much (or little) I train.
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Post by jetjackson on Sept 9, 2018 17:15:22 GMT -7
I just ordered the book on Amazon - will let you know what I think.
I've been listening to a lot of enormocasts lately on my weekly return trip to the Grampians, about 6 hours each weekend. A lot of interviews with professional climbers, and what always strikes me is the sheer amount of time they spend climbing. Particularly the interviews with the climbers who have come out of competing in their youth, who talk about the grind of managing training around study.
I think it's completely viable to train Full Time if you have minimal other commitments. Naturally you would need to lead into it. But when you can - take a 2 hour nap at lunch, and then 8 hours sleep at night - I think it's more feasible to train and climb for say 5 days a week. For those of us with jobs/families and other stressors, that's not really going to be that easy.
What else did Mofffat have going on in his life? Children? a job?
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Post by Chris W on Sept 10, 2018 2:17:28 GMT -7
The only thing Moffatt had going on in his life was climbing, up until he decided he was done. He was extremely dedicated.
His diet [early on] was atrocious , which I thought was interesting as well.
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Post by Chris W on Sept 17, 2018 16:25:39 GMT -7
I see this has generated a lively discussion.
If anyone is interested, I think it's a good read and worth checking out. You could ask for it for Christmas.
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Post by MarkAnderson on Sept 17, 2018 17:20:55 GMT -7
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Post by MarkAnderson on Sept 17, 2018 17:33:09 GMT -7
What do you think of the volume of training he did? . I think he’s a great cautionary tale for the rest of us. He spent most of his prime years injured. In the early 80s, he was several letter grades ahead of the rest of the world, literally onsighting the projects of the best climbers in France, Germany and the US. Then he was injured, for years, and by the time he was back everyone had caught up to and surpassed him. It’s really amazing he was able to catch back up, but he only did that after he learned to train properly, with rest days, etc. Did you read the part about meeting Bachar and learning about rest and easy days in Joshua Tree? |
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Post by Chris W on Sept 17, 2018 19:53:53 GMT -7
 Well... at least now I don't have to ask about other books.... Regarding Joshua Tree, it seems like Jerry's idea of rest still involved a lot of climbing, just easier climbing. It sounds like Bachar's ideas on nutrition rubbed off on him a bit also. I don't know how he survived on the diet he had in his early years. I wonder if he would still be climbing today if he had learned to take better care of himself. It's clear that, regardless of his methods, he worked VERY hard.
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Post by MarkAnderson on Sept 17, 2018 20:42:16 GMT -7
I don't think he stopped climbing because of injuries. He just wasn't the best anymore, and he wasn't interested in being 'just another guy.' For him it was about being the best. I admire the way he moved on and found success in other parts of his life.
He definitely worked hard, which is something we can all learn from. A lot of guys in his era screwed around much of the time. He seemed pretty locked in on his goals.
Anyway, you should probably read Statement, which is the authorized biography of Ben Moon. It's not written by Moon, and so it's not nearly as good. Much less personal, but it gives you the facts.
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Post by Chris W on Sept 18, 2018 19:49:53 GMT -7
he wasn't interested in being 'just another guy.' I admire the way he moved on and found success in other parts of his life. I was pretty impressed with how well he seems to have done for himself after climbing. I was expecting, after reading the first part of the book, that he would be a bum when he was done, but it seems the dedication he brought to his climbing carried over into other parts of his life. It's good to see that he's healthy and happy. I've wondered how I will deal with my eventual (and inevitable) physical decline. Fortunately, I feel like it's still a long way off, even though I'm considered past my prime at the tender age of 35. I'll admit that one of the things I love about climbing is the struggle to (and knowledge that I can) improve. I'll look into the Ben Moon book. BTW, looks like my copy of Revelations was signed by Jerry. Pretty cool, ordered it on Amazon. |
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Post by jetjackson on Sept 18, 2018 21:54:08 GMT -7
he wasn't interested in being 'just another guy.' I admire the way he moved on and found success in other parts of his life. I've wondered how I will deal with my eventual (and inevitable) physical decline. Fortunately, I feel like it's still a long way off, even though I'm considered past my prime at the tender age of 35. I'll admit that one of the things I love about climbing is the struggle to (and knowledge that I can) improve. I feel like I'm only just getting started at 34  Seriously though, my main climbing partner is in his mid 50s and is projecting 5.12+ with me. Another guy we climb with 59, just hit his hardest climb - a 5.12d down here. Another friend of theirs is in his early 60s and climbed his hardest routes 2 x 5.13b's in the last year - not endurance fests either - short, bouldery stuff. Then there is Malcom Matheson (HB) - who is still putting up insanely hard stuff. Last year he put up a 5.13c trad route - and he placed all the gear on lead, as is his prerogative. I think he's in his 60s. (https://www.thecrag.com/climbing/australia/grampians/the-lost-world/route/634804650) These are just guys in my local area - I think that they are everywhere, it's just that they don't have big social media profiles. Lee Sheftel, and Chuck Odette are a couple of more famous US names that come to mind. |
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Post by cozisco on Sept 19, 2018 10:34:11 GMT -7
I've wondered how I will deal with my eventual (and inevitable) physical decline. Fortunately, I feel like it's still a long way off, even though I'm considered past my prime at the tender age of 35. I'll admit that one of the things I love about climbing is the struggle to (and knowledge that I can) improve. I think there are so many mental and technical aspects to climbing your best that your "lifetime climbing peak" is often way beyond your "lifetime physical peak". And I think that's especially true for those of us who aren't climbing 5.14+. Even on the physical aspect alone, plenty of climbers report getting stronger well into their mid-40s.
I'm working so hard to improve my physical fitness that I get excited every time I discover a gap in my technique, redpoint strategy or mental preparation -- it's a quick and easy way to improve. At the same time though, I almost want to save some of those discoveries for my 50s and 60s once my strength declines.
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Post by MarkAnderson on Sept 19, 2018 13:58:46 GMT -7
I think the timing of your lifetime peak depends a lot on your level. Jerry was climbing 14c/V13 with early 90s knowledge and technology, so there wasn't really a lot of room left for him to improve. There's a big difference between reaching a lifetime peak at 60 when that peak is 13a vs 15a.
That said, a lot of these numbers are in our head. We still don't know what the absolute limit is, so in 30 years people may look back and think its silly that I thought there was a substantial difference between 13a and 15a.
Anyway, in my experience, the crux with aging is more likely maintaining mental focus/motivation than maintaining/improving physical abilities. I think that's why most of these geezer success stories come from single dude van-lifers with no kids. Physically I'm better than ever at 41, but I'd rather play with my kids than hang out at a road cut polishing up the latest gnar linkup. I think Jerry saw that better than most and wanted to focus on family and business. He chose to bow out rather than fade away, which I respect even if I end up choosing the fadeaway. To each his own.
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Post by Chris W on Sept 19, 2018 17:41:33 GMT -7
There's a big difference between reaching a lifetime peak at 60 when that peak is 13a vs 15a. Haha! I noticed that. I'm up to 4 kids now and continuing to climb harder (minus the butt kicking I got today on my project). That's the good thing about needing as much rest as I do. I hang out with the kids on my rest days, which far outnumber my climbing days. That's a great way to put it. |
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richb
Junior Member
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Post by richb on Sept 21, 2018 13:11:28 GMT -7
You guys have piqued my curiosity and I will definitely pick up the book soon. I'm confused though - did he really drop climbing abruptly? He was still a big name in '98 when I started climbing, the year Hard Grit came out featuring him as 'just one of the guys' pushing the limits in that film, long after he was no longer the best in the world.
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Post by jetjackson on Sept 23, 2018 9:46:43 GMT -7
Yeah - 5.13a/b is definitely different to lifetime goal grades in the 5.14+ range. However, the people I'm referencing here in the gramps have children and full time jobs - they are certainly not dirtbags with unlimited free time. Sure Lee Sheftel and Chuck Odette are examples of people with a bit more time on their hands - Lee without children, and Chuck I think has children, but lives the van life now - not 100% sure though.
As you say, everyone's experience is different. I spent a lot of my 20s up to now really establishing myself in business. So I might be in the position by my 40s where I could retire from that and focus exclusively on family and climbing. I.e. the other way round it seems from what you're saying Jerry has done it. It will go both ways though, I will never climb as hard as what I would have had I started climbing in my early 20s and focussed significantly on it, due to obviously aging and physical performance. Conversely, I would not have done as well as I have in business, had I started now, due to what I see with the corporate world preferencing youth for the typical career tracks.
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