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punkclimber52
May 7, 2004, 7:10 AM
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So here's the question...how much does height make a difference in climbing? Is it better to be tall or short?
I'm about 6'4", pretty tall for a climber. And my partner is about 5'11". Every now and then he'll say that he is limited because of his height and that is why he might not be able to accomplish a certain route. I'll admit that on alot of tougher climbs my reach allows me to skip harder sections as i can reach the next bomber hold, where he isn't as fortunate and must find an alternative approach. But don't shorter climbers have better balance and center of gravity though? How much does this play into things?
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cbeltrano
May 7, 2004, 7:18 AM
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been discussed many many times....... and i believe the answer is always a big fat no with references to highly skilled and very short pros......
height is used more as an excuse...... had a partner that was a good 3 or 4 inches shorter than me who could outclimb me in many.... probably most..... situations
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reno
May 7, 2004, 11:39 AM
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I find it can be helpful to have a long reach (I'm 6'5",) and longer steps.
However, I also find that I tend to skip holds from time to time, and on technical, sequency routes, this puts me out of position later in the route, making for greater difficulty.
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littlebrother
May 7, 2004, 2:20 PM
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I am about 6'1", but I have really long arms and legs. I have found that on some routes and some problems some friends of mine who are shorter can climb the sequences easily because they are shorter. However, it just makes things more interesting for me because its something I have work to send.
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mountainchick82
May 7, 2004, 2:37 PM
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Yeah it does! On some things anyway...
I'm 5'2" on a good day and there are some routes that I have to really think my way through to accomplish. Especially at the gym when the setting of the routes is subjective to the person making them. But, outside I always find a solution.
But cbeltrano is right. Lynn Hill was my height and she freed the nose so its all on how you go about it mentally.
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boltdude
May 7, 2004, 2:37 PM
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Random features tend to even things out - some moves are crunchy, some are reachy. Height can make the difference between doing a particular move and not, but so can finger/hand size in cracks, body size in chimneys, etc.
However, huge reaches are more obviously easy for tall people than the idea that weird scrunchy moves are easy for short people.
The one place where height makes a huge difference is sport routes. Really short people often just can't reach the clips from the stances. A friend of mine simply refuses to climb sport since she can't reach the clips. She doesn't seem to have trouble clipping bolts on runout trad routes in Tuolumne, but that has a lot to do with the particular bolt positions you get hand drilling on lead vs. rap bolting.
Of course, a lot of shorter folks have solved the sport problem with "extendo" draws allowing a few extra inches of reach to clip the bolt, there was even a tip in one of the magazines about how to create your own.
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mountainchick82
May 7, 2004, 2:40 PM
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I don't know about that one boltdude...I may be short and climb sport but I never would use longer draws just to be able to clip a bolt. Short people may have to think of a different way to do things and it might take a few more moves to get to the bolt but just because you can't clip the bolt shouldn't prevent you from doing that type of climbing. I haven't had any trouble or found any spots where I was just too short. You compensate for your body type.
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roc-dude
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May 7, 2004, 2:41 PM
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In my experience, I feel shorter climber are better climber. Tall climbers tend to use their height to reach and grab bigger hold above, where as shorter climbers use their feet better and learn to use smaller intermitted holds. As the route grades go up and footwork becomes more important the short climber will excel in most cases where the taller climber will have technique problems. Some routes tend to be more for short people when the good feet and hand run close together. Tall people can get tightly bunch up and not make the following moves. Routes with good hand but spaced far apart are easier for tall people.
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shank
May 7, 2004, 3:09 PM
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I don't think being tall is better or worse. Some routes are easier for tall people, and some are easier for short people, it all works out in then end.
What does suck is the extra weight us tall people have to carry up the routes. :(
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jeffstephan
May 7, 2004, 3:38 PM
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short people get to climb more :wink:
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johnnyslimane
May 7, 2004, 3:47 PM
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It just depends on the route. On reachy routes, of course height can be an advantage, but can be a disadvantage on routes where you need to squeeze in tight (like on roofs or steeper overhangs) I'm 6'2" and consistently get out climbed by climbers shorter than I am and never hear them complain about a move being too hard b/c of their height. Quite the contrary, in fact. They actually the kind who say things like, "that move has to be hard when you are tall" on many routes. Granted they all climbing 5.12 and 5.13 while I only can do 5.10's. Oh well...
john
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jt512
May 7, 2004, 4:11 PM
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In reply to: The one place where height makes a huge difference is sport routes. Really short people often just can't reach the clips from the stances. A friend of mine simply refuses to climb sport since she can't reach the clips.... Of course, a lot of shorter folks have solved the sport problem with "extendo" draws allowing a few extra inches of reach to clip the bolt, there was even a tip in one of the magazines about how to create your own.
Most short sport climbers just climb up higher to make the clips, though I agree it is frustrating to know that the FAist made the clip from the comfy, lower stance.
-Jay
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punkclimber52
May 7, 2004, 4:23 PM
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roc-dude wrote
In reply to: In my experience, I feel shorter climber are better climber. Tall climbers tend to use their height to reach and grab bigger hold above, where as shorter climbers use their feet better and learn to use smaller intermitted holds. As the route grades go up and footwork becomes more important the short climber will excel in most cases where the taller climber will have technique problems. Some routes tend to be more for short people when the good feet and hand run close together. Tall people can get tightly bunch up and not make the following moves. Routes with good hand but spaced far apart are easier for tall people.
When i climb in the gym, there are some problems where because of my reach i can skip certain holds, and that caused me not to develop the best technique, so on a couple routes i decided not to use the hold i was able to reach to bypass the problem. This caused me to have to figure out the problem from a short person perspective. My partner got a kick out of it and it really helped me get better from the technical side of climbing.
I can totally see how being tall has made me lazy and kept me from learning good technique as fast as i could have. But like everyone says, both sides have their trade offs.
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shakylegs
May 7, 2004, 4:23 PM
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Your friend, who's 5'11", is complaining about being too short?!?
Someone should punch him in the back of the head.
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micronut
May 7, 2004, 4:29 PM
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there was an article on 8a.nu a few years ago about boulder grades. They had numbers and equations to figure out the actual forces involved in climbing certain problems with different body dimensions. One thing I remember, being tall, is that they said .10c crimping for a short dude is like .11b crimping for a tall guy.
But anyway, being tall has drawbacks, like on harder, steeper routes where you must bring the feet really high for the next move. Kinda like a sit down start in bouldering. My main partner is 5'11" or so, and he has a much easier time with this type of move than I do.
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artm
May 7, 2004, 4:32 PM
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In reply to: Most short sport climbers just climb up higher to make the clips, though I agree it is frustrating to know that the FAist made the clip from the comfy, lower stance. -Jay
YOU ain't short Jay.
But you are correct, I often make clips with bad feet/good handholds or good feet/bad handholds. Many times it's easier to climb up past the obvious clipping stance (for you giganto people) to a better one (for me) and clip around waist level.
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boulderitechic
May 7, 2004, 4:36 PM
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Hey- you were a noob once too ya know. :wink:
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p_grandbois
May 7, 2004, 4:36 PM
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Different heights different talents, like anything else. I find everything evens out.
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jt512
May 7, 2004, 4:40 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Most short sport climbers just climb up higher to make the clips, though I agree it is frustrating to know that the FAist made the clip from the comfy, lower stance. -Jay Peeshaawww YOU ain't short Jay.
For some reason, Art, everyone except you thinks I am.
-Jay
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bandidopeco
May 7, 2004, 5:10 PM
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taller = better reach
shorter = better physics (good for pull ups and moves where your hands are closer to your feet)
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sidewaysmaster
May 7, 2004, 5:19 PM
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I have been using extended stiff draws to clip for many years. I don't find it so much of a problem on sport, but on trad where the only hold may be the one everyone else clips from they are almost mandatory. I have a friend who fell 60 feet because she couldn't reach a bolt. So don't look down on a useful tool just because you haven't discovered the need yet.
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robmcc
May 7, 2004, 5:49 PM
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I don't think height makes a difference, but I do think reach does.
Why am I drawing this distinction?
One of my climbing partners is 4" taller than me. I used to think he was able to pull some moves I couldn't because his height gave him an advantage. I stopped believing this the day we compared our reach. His is 1" farther than mine.
I kinda miss that excuse.
Rob
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kaylinr
May 7, 2004, 6:13 PM
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Height CAN be an advantage, but it isn't always. As a few posts have mentioned, extra reach can somtimes make one lazy and miss out on good technique.
That being said, you can always improve your balance, strength, footwork, technique, etc.; but you can't change your height. I think this gives taller climber's a high potential that they don't always reach (ironic right?).
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alpnclmbr1
May 7, 2004, 6:23 PM
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I read a study somewhere that said there was not much of a correlation between height and ability until you get to 5.14 where the correlation is much higher. I guess what this means is that the difference between a thirteen and a fourteen is often the distance between the holds.
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roseraie
May 7, 2004, 6:57 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: Most short sport climbers just climb up higher to make the clips, though I agree it is frustrating to know that the FAist made the clip from the comfy, lower stance. -Jay Peeshaawww YOU ain't short Jay. For some reason, Art, everyone except you thinks I am.
What are you talking about? You're DEFINITELY not short. You use your height to your advantage all the time. It's those few extra inches that make you able to climb harder than me. ;)
If *I* was 5'7"...
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