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Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 18, 2006 - 12:00pm PT
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Largo writes:
"Ed Berry had the greatest strength to weight ratio of any climber I ever saw. He could pull down on anything--and always with style and class."
Who else?
I add Mike Waugh. aside from always under rating cracks... Mike in his attempt to onsight Father Figure climbed to the crux, pulled to his WAIST and held it for a bit, repeated on and off for about ten minutes before coming off. are you kidding?
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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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May 18, 2006 - 12:03pm PT
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Josune Bezeriatu
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Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 18, 2006 - 12:07pm PT
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strongest fingers? maybe Finuco.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Same place as you, man...... (WB)
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May 18, 2006 - 12:09pm PT
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Buttfukelman, hands down. Best name too.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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May 18, 2006 - 12:17pm PT
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I think the coffee I made this morning is a pretty good contender for strength to weight.
As for climbers, hard to not mention Sharma. Although he's gotten a bit heavier since he was 14, he still has "contact strength" beyond my immagination. And that spaghetti noodle that climbed The Fly (David Graham) has to also be on the list.
On the opposite side of the scale, isn't it John Dunn who looks like a linebacker that climbs 5.14 (but in English grade)?
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yo
climber
I'm so over it
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May 18, 2006 - 12:19pm PT
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Whillans
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Wade Icey
Social climber
the EPC
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May 18, 2006 - 12:24pm PT
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Olde E
O' course
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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May 18, 2006 - 12:26pm PT
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Are we talking today, or in their prime?
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Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 18, 2006 - 12:39pm PT
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not strongest, just skinniest, Hidetaka Suzuki.
Rolly polly climbing partners? come on, Not in their prime but in their 40's Randy, Greg Bender 250-260 and Phil Warrender 220 sleeping up routes skinny parties ahead of them backed off of. Phil can't remember the name of the route, "at Joshua Tree it's all a big brown grainy and sometimes decomposing blur."
Brett Maurer, he was never light, but so strong it was sick.
most flexible? Patrick Edgeclinger.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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May 18, 2006 - 12:48pm PT
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John Gill, John Bachar, John Long(except he weight a ton)Rob Raker, Warren Harding, Mari Gingery, Lynny Hill, Maria Cranor, Roy the boy McClennahan, Valeri Rozov.
Peace
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scuffy b
climber
Chalet Neva-Care
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May 18, 2006 - 12:55pm PT
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Altman? Yaniro? DB?
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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May 22, 2006 - 06:05pm PT
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some kid
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nb3000
Gym climber
Oakland, CA.
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May 22, 2006 - 06:41pm PT
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That I've seen in person - Dave Altman
factor in his age and its like, holy sh!t
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rockermike
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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May 22, 2006 - 09:39pm PT
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Related question: how much is raw strength important in climbing hard?
I'm a 5.9 trad climber (on a good weekend) and weigh about 20 lbs more than my high school gymnast weight (30 some years ago). Do I need to lose weight to climb harder, or get stronger, or just climb more. I use the weight as an excuse but maybe its just that.
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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May 22, 2006 - 10:20pm PT
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Use your feet better.
Climbing alot is good for this.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 22, 2006 - 10:44pm PT
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i was on, well, around the comp circuit last couple years.
there is this guy nells, or "nellie". 'dude trains and climbs in or near a silo, mostly all plastic and i've seen him out pull (not outclass) sharma at comps. usually has a headband hangin' down over his eyes.
fun guy to watch, lot of devil may care attitude.
(kind of like me, devil may care, trotting out gym/plastic reference here onto super tweako, bwahahaha).
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Robb
Social climber
Flathead Valley, Montana
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May 23, 2006 - 12:57am PT
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Ed Berry (Barry?)- at that time no doubt. ( At that time I could pull a few one finger,one arms-came in one day & put me to shame ).
Dave Altman- human mantle machine ( Indian Rock )
PS Thanks Dave, thought I was REALLY climbing 'til I watched you there!!!
JB- Was up & coming at the time, more than surpassed w/ time!!!
Today..... who knows?
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matty
Big Wall climber
Valencia, CA
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May 23, 2006 - 01:11am PT
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Holloway, duh.
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Dragon with Matches
climber
Bamboo Grove
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May 23, 2006 - 03:49am PT
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Guts is better than strength any day, in fighting or climbing.
The lightweight skinny guys with tiger's hearts for balls are the best to watch climb, or have on your side if a dispute goes beyond posturing.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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May 23, 2006 - 05:19am PT
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I'm not in contention - never was, either - but I do have a simple test:
Those 1/2" wide door trim things you see in a typical house are pretty good for seeing if you're up to pulling down. Basically, you pull down on the door frame, and see if you go up. My personal best is five, clearing the edge with my chin.
I did a ladder of twenty-odd rungs, 3/4" wide nailed onto a 2x12 plank tied to a tree, with my feet sliding alongside the plank, at a party. The "dood, whoa" was flowing that night. Nobody else tried the ladder by standing on the rungs after that.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Same place as you, man...... (WB)
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May 23, 2006 - 11:52am PT
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I rember that shiitalker Tarbuster hanging on the doorjamb, with one hand, locked off at 90degrees and reading a book while telling us young-uns that "we were nuthin" back in the day.
Door jamb pullups are a dark ages secret. Knew guys who would do 10 sets of 10 on the minute with substancial weight hanging from their waist... for a warm-up before going to workout.
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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May 23, 2006 - 12:15pm PT
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Dave Altman - multiple one arm chins and two arm weighted chins (130+ lbs).
German Wing (Mexico) - saw him do a set of five two arm chins with 135 lbs. no problem for a warm-up! Multiple one arm chins easy.
Beat Kammerlander - reportedly can do chins by "palming" opposite sides of a parrallel wood beam (palms facing each other on opposing sides of the beam).
Jim Holloway - front levers forever (30 seconds +, perfect form).
John Gill - the master! One arm front lever, butterfly mount on still rings! hmmmm...
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Wade Icey
Social climber
the EPC
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May 23, 2006 - 12:33pm PT
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The Iron monkey (D. Schultz) is/was always pretty strong and he often reffered to Dave Altman as 'the world's strongest man."
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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May 23, 2006 - 12:47pm PT
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Used to work out with Altman all the time. I have to say he had the greatest strength to weight ratio of anyone I've ever worked out with.. Even Ed Barry was in awe of Altman's power - we all were!
Once I went climbing in Josh with a kid from Canada who could do over 20 one arm chins! Truly insane - he was climbing with his gym coach who was training him to break the world one arm chin record. Anyone remember this guy?
Moffatt had some of the strongest fingers I've seen. One arm fingertip hangs on a 3/4" edge for 1 min. 10 sec. ! I've seen Dave Graham bouldering lately - I'd say his crimp power is the most impressive I've ever witnessed personally. I've heard stories of Murray (sp? - the famous boulderer) having some pretty wicked crimp power as well.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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May 23, 2006 - 01:04pm PT
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I was on a feild trip w/ one of my classes the other day at the Berkeley Aquatic Park. Some of the guys in the class were having a "man contest" at the pull up bar, and I was teasing them that if I entered, I'd win. (I can't do that many...but I would have beat them.)
Anyway, who should wander a long shortly after the conclusion of the man contest, but Dave in his de rigeur tank top. I said, "Hey, class, this is Dave. He can do more pull ups than anyone!" After he had passed, they were all gushing, "Wow! How do you know that guy? He's so ripped!" They didn't even get to see him do his pull ups.
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nb3000
Gym climber
Oakland, CA.
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May 23, 2006 - 01:42pm PT
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The thing about Altman is, hes so short. Built like a garden gnome ... that can rip a phone book in half.
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roy
Social climber
New Zealand -> Santa Barbara
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May 23, 2006 - 03:38pm PT
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Hey Tom of SLO,
I tried this once in a location close to you - the "Showboat" room of the Madonna Inn. I didn't go up, but the entire door frame came down. Hasty repairs were made after the group stopped rolling around the floor in laughter.
Check that door first!
Cheers,
Roy
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pFranzen
Boulder climber
Portland, OR
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May 23, 2006 - 04:19pm PT
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Check out John Gill's page here for some impressive pullup records:
http://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/Chinups.html
Don't forget Klem Loskot on the other end of the scale! I feel sorry for his fingers-- he's built like a linebacker.
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pFranzen
Boulder climber
Portland, OR
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May 23, 2006 - 04:21pm PT
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"I didn't go up, but the entire door frame came down. Hasty repairs were made after the group stopped rolling around the floor in laughter."
Haha. A friend of mine had the brilliant idea of putting a hangboard up above his door in the dorms at CU. Watching it rip out of the plaster and seeing him fall flat on his ass covered in plaster dust still holding on to the hangboard was downright hillarious.
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susan peplow
climber
Winner of Diet Challenge!!!
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May 23, 2006 - 05:12pm PT
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My hero....
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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May 23, 2006 - 05:27pm PT
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Captan Caveman (already mentioned)
Mark Smedly
Chris Raypole had it going, more contact than pullup strength though
and since Sue opened the door, my hero,
and this guy can sing!
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susan peplow
climber
Winner of Diet Challenge!!!
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May 23, 2006 - 07:03pm PT
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We should mention Chris in the thread about taking time off from climbing. That boy can still climb right off (or from under) the couch. Amazing!
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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May 23, 2006 - 07:15pm PT
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 23, 2006 - 07:27pm PT
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oh yeah, dick cilley shot putting an entire boulder.
forgot about that.
one strong pup.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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May 23, 2006 - 07:36pm PT
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Buzzzzzzz, tilt wrong!
dig the gams, man!
Insighteful interpretation, wrong player.
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rockermike
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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May 23, 2006 - 07:49pm PT
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my question above still stands? How important is extreme strength to high level climbing? Maybe put another way, who is the greatest climber who can't/couldn't do a one arm pull-up?
Any under-developed climbing stars out there? My guess is there are some women climbers who have relatively low pull-up thresholds.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 23, 2006 - 08:15pm PT
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diana hunter (rip) was reputed to be anable to do a full bona fide pull up.
she mastered eldo 10/11's a wee bit of a way's back.
billy roos, who dated her as much confirmed this when i asked him, as it is part of the lore and inquiring minds have a need...
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nb3000
Gym climber
Oakland, CA.
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May 23, 2006 - 08:16pm PT
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I'm a n00b compared to some of the goats on here, so I could be way off base ...
I'd say a person can climb up to 5.12's without any formal strength training. Proper technique and the strength/endurance built naturally just thru climbing will get you far. But if you wanna see 5.13 and beyond you're going to need training of some kind.
Most climbers benefit from fat loss more than they do from absolute strength gains.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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May 23, 2006 - 11:23pm PT
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Another thing is you can't totally revamp your basic explosive strength quotient--it has to do with fast twitch fibers which can be increased only so much. Endurance training can work wonders, however.
But I agree that loosing weight is probably the quickest path to more strength, providing you're already working out. I always felt my strongest after three months of starving in the Trench, or after an expedition or a few walls. But my set point was always around 210 so I couldn't stay light for long.
Because the thinner, ligher folk have such a weight-to-strength advantage, they will always shine most brightly on bouldering and sport routes. I think for most, once you're above about 155 or 160 lbs (tops), it's a game of diminishing returns.
JL
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hashbro
Trad climber
Not in Southern California
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May 23, 2006 - 11:50pm PT
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On that note I recall the day that Dave Altman followed me on the Gripper (10 b) at Arch Rock in the Valley in 77' or 78'.
Dave had a very hard time on the route, though he could do multiple one-arm pullups; I could not do a single one arm myself.
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pyro
Trad climber
Ventura
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May 24, 2006 - 07:42am PT
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#99 wayne gretzky
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Blight
Social climber
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May 24, 2006 - 08:44am PT
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malcolm smith.
super human.
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WBraun
climber
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May 24, 2006 - 11:11am PT
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Jack Lalane?
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NinjaChimp
climber
Davis, CA
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May 24, 2006 - 01:25pm PT
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There's a guy from the south named James Litz that is all tendons, skinny as hell and can crimp a shadow. If you've ever seen him climb you know what I mean.
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scuffy b
climber
Chalet Neva-Care
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May 24, 2006 - 07:52pm PT
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Yo Spencer
Altman followed me up English Breakfast in 77.
Watching him do the crux I couldn't tell that it
was any harder than 5.6.
You may not recall, but we met at the red schoolhouse
election day 76. Climbed a little in the Valley.
Glad you're still around!! Steve m
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jwmatney
Gym climber
Clayton,CA
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Feb 23, 2016 - 02:33pm PT
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I came across this old posting about strength to weight ratio. It was great reading the nice things people had to say about my cousin, Dave Altman.
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cintune
climber
Ollin Arageed Space
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Feb 23, 2016 - 02:41pm PT
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Today it's all kids, for obvious reasons. Ashima Shiraishi, Cameron Hörst, etc. A whole new generation of little mutant sending machines.
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