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Post by MarkAnderson on Apr 17, 2015 8:50:13 GMT -7
Johnnny Dawes is perhaps the most technically skilled and innovative climber of all time. His film Stone Monkey is among the best climbing films ever made and illustrates his uncanny ability to move in three dimensions. If you get the Climbing.com email blast you may have seen this remarkable video about Johnny Dawes' no-handed climbing. If you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth the watch!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB-makVoIPU
There a many things I love about this, besides the jaw-dropping skill involved. I love that he thinks it's lame ("naf?!") and wants it to stay that way. I love the way he toddles along the ledges like Charlie Chaplin. My favorite thing is how out of shape he is, yet he's still having fun and finding a way to stay engaged. The first climbing film I ever saw was Moving Over Stone, which features a great interview with Peter Croft in which he says climbing is all about pushing against your personal limit, and if some day his limit is 5.8, he'll try to really push toward 5.8, and maybe try to do a bunch of 5.6 pitches in a day. [sic]
For as long as I can remember I've only been really happy when I'm climbing at my best, or training really hard toward that end. That mentality has brought me a lot of success, but I know I can't keep it up forever. I expect to struggle mightily when I inevitably reach the point where my performance begins to decline despite my best efforts. I think it would be extremely tempting to just quit completely, and move on to golf or something (which JB Tribout actually did). I really admire climbers who have figured out how to enjoy the sport after their physical gifts have faded. I hope I discover the ability to age gracefully someday, and my hat is off to those who have.
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Post by slimshaky on Apr 17, 2015 9:23:48 GMT -7
you often hear basketball coaches/players/analysts talk about 'baskeball IQ'. when it comes to climbing, johnny dawes is in the newton/einstein arena. he is an absolute genius when it comes to understanding climbing. he is also funny as hell.
this looks like it would be a good rest day activity.
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Post by joev9 on Apr 17, 2015 9:25:33 GMT -7
He is an interesting guy, for sure. My favorite quote was his comparison of no hands climbing to collecting stamps, something about being happy being boring...
At the first gym I climbed at there was a slab and we used set some no hand routes. I recall being pretty good at it and being one of the only ones in the gym who could make it all the way up. I remember it being pretty fun and requiring intense concentration as you had to keep your balance at all times. After watching this, I might try to no hand some boulder problems next time I go out, just for the heck of it...
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Post by jessebruni on Apr 17, 2015 9:44:18 GMT -7
Haha, that was a great video. I always practice this on the way in and out of our crag but it's a lot easier and can be done in approach shoes so probably more like 4th class terrain.
Mark, I'm pretty sure you've got a lot of years of hard climbing left in you before you move to something like this. I'm sure 14d is just around the corner.
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Post by Chris W on Apr 17, 2015 17:31:37 GMT -7
I thought you just did a 14d, Siberian express
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Post by MarkAnderson on Apr 18, 2015 7:34:59 GMT -7
I thought you just did a 14d, Siberian express I graded Siberian Express 14c. I've never been on a confirmed 14d but I doubt SE is that hard. |
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Post by Carl0s on Aug 7, 2015 16:45:19 GMT -7
From what I have learned from "The Rock Warriors Way", "Maximum Climbing" and "The Vertical Mind" is that the technical side of climbing is limitless. My fingers get so sore from climbing and training, but my mind seems to never get tired of reading, visualization training, and dreaming about climbing. Keep practicing technique!
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