Individual progress, is, well, "individual", and there are many variables that contribute, but is there some kind of scale like, "after climbing for 'X' amount of time, you should be able to this rating"?

Oh, and yes, route ratings are subjective too, this I understand. Just looking for some kind of general guideline.

Thanks in advance!

Genetics (let's face it, some people are just mutants)

Individual progress, is, well, "individual", and there are many variables that contribute, but is there some kind of scale like, "after climbing for 'X' amount of time, you should be able to this rating"?

Let me ask - if there were a standard for progress, would you measure your own performance against it? And would that affect your level of happiness vis-a-vis climbing?

Yes, I would.

I'm a human performance junkie, and I train differently than every single climber I've talked to, in person or online. So, not only do I want to excel in climbing, but I want to be able to test and track my training methods. If I'm not getting the results I "should" be getting, I know I need to change something. That's all.

Also, let's not overlook my 10 years in organized sports where performance is always judged and compared to that of my peers. Some habits die hard. :-p

Individual progress, is, well, "individual", and there are many variables that contribute, but is there some kind of scale like, "after climbing for 'X' amount of time, you should be able to this rating"?

Oh, and yes, route ratings are subjective too, this I understand. Just looking for some kind of general guideline.

Thanks in advance!

Just take you'r time.. you have plenty of it. Most people i meet as new climbers seem to be at on avg 5.9 climbers. You should work your way up the letters one at a time. If you spend around 18 months per letter you should reach 12.a in around 15 years give or take. That is steady progress, jay can confirm.

That's a long time to reach five twelve. Of the people I know who have or can climb 5.12 none of them took that long to get there. Also, it's not a linear progression.

Given no (or limited) injury, weekly training and a couple weekends a month outdoors, (and starting at leading 5.8) 5.10a should come within the first year. 5.11a should come in the next two years and 12a another two to three years after that. As said above though it will all depend on the individual, but that's been my general observation over the years for progression.

For some it can take two years to reach 5.12, others may never get there given their motivation levels.

Do you have any idea what so ever how perfect that reply was? . You made my day, really.

YASE !

what should a new person do if their forearms are so tired at the end of two hours of indoor climbing that they cant close them or open them anymore? i mean i typically get so worn out that i cant grip anything. then i get in my car and after about ten minutes i have the ability to grip my steering wheel to drive. i am 215lbs and have powerlifted and done bodybuilding(natural) for years. i can do really heavy pullups with weight and pulldowns its like i just dont have stamina in my grip strength.

what should a new person do if their forearms are so tired at the end of two hours of indoor climbing that they cant close them or open them anymore? i mean i typically get so worn out that i cant grip anything. then i get in my car and after about ten minutes i have the ability to grip my steering wheel to drive. i am 215lbs and have powerlifted and done bodybuilding(natural) for years. i can do really heavy pullups with weight and pulldowns its like i just dont have stamina in my grip strength.

Feel free to test and track your performance and if you are bold enough then post it here.

Anyone who says "I train differently" is begging to be asked how. So how?

And lastly, if you want to judge your performance against your peers then enter a climbing competition.

I'm a full-time electrical engineer and do personal training on the side. So, 3 days are spent in a traditional gym, usually 1 day mountain biking, and only 1 or 2 days climbing, either indoor or out. The days I'm in the gym, I focus on grip training using traditional implements and specific grip training implements, though, none of them are specific to climbing.

I fully expect most of you to call bs on the routes I've climbed, and that's fine, but even I know that I'm nowhere near ready for a climbing comp. lol

However, if I can continue to progress as fast as I have, which I know could slow or come to a stop, I wouldn't count it out. I looooooove competition.

I started 5 months ago indoors. Since then I have led a 5.10a outdoors, a 70' 5.9- outdoors (tallest single pitch in MN), and top-roped a 5.11a outdoors.


I'm a full-time electrical engineer and do personal training on the side. So, 3 days are spent in a traditional gym, usually 1 day mountain biking, and only 1 or 2 days climbing, either indoor or out. The days I'm in the gym, I focus on grip training using traditional implements and specific grip training implements, though, none of them are specific to climbing.


I fully expect most of you to call bs on the routes I've climbed, and that's fine, but even I know that I'm nowhere near ready for a climbing comp. lol

However, if I can continue to progress as fast as I have, which I know could slow or come to a stop, I wouldn't count it out. I looooooove competition.

^ Which is exactly why asked since you say that, and others say it'll take 15 years to get to a 5.12. lol

Thanks to all that have answered!

Dave,

First of all, outstanding progress! I've only been climbing for about 3 and a half months, but I know a lot of climbers and your progress does seem extraordinary. That is, the people I've met that have been climbing for less than a year are not climbing as hard as you. In my opinion, your climbing accomplishments are certainly not normal for how long you've been climbing. I'm sure you've worked hard, but apparently you also have a favorable predisposition for this sport. Congratulations.

I wanted to ask you something. On this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCJOlkurhdY
The route is for the holds marked with neon yellow tape. Yet, I see you use a number of holds that are off (have no tape on them at all). In the gyms I've been to, you are not allowed to use holds that have no tape on them for any route. Is there some reason these holds were on for this particular climb?

Nice job, nevertheless!

PS > Admit it, you started this thread to brag.

Errr .... 5.11?

I should possibly move to that area to boost my climbing grade bragging rights.

Errr .... 5.11?

I should possibly move to that area to boost my climbing grade bragging rights.

5.11+... 5.9... what's the difference?

As for the route, if you pause the video at the beginning, it says "smearing is on". Meaning, I can use the wall to press my hands and feet against when there are no holds available. With that in mind, any of the holds I did use were definitely marked yellow.

Quite an interesting route. At 0:38 it looked like you could have kept right hand on the lower hold to push off and stop body swinging over, then swapped feet and then right foot to share with the right hand hold. Instead of doing a pull up.

Just trying to help, not meant in a bad way.

Also at 1:40 (sorry for this ;p can't help it). You ''may'' have been able to lay off to the left and get hip in, then you would have been able to get your right foot to where your right hand was and then shared your right hand with your left. Then rock over and completely miss out the knee drop (that looked hard).

Yes, im going to shut up now.. sorry.

Well, hope jay got it. I really tried on that one .