@@ninjapacquiao15 Hello hello. No, you can be a climber at any grade. For me, if you are putting in the time and effort to get stronger and better in climbing, then to me you are a climber. I can't define what you are and what you are not. I am sorry about the confusion.
OK, dude: - impeccable editing - highly informative content - diverse perspectives - introducing me to new & interesting people to follow This is amazing!
Hope you enjoyed this series and let me know what you think! If you liked it give it a like and a share! For people who are used to the metric units - when I talk about height 5'7'' = 170cm, 5'2'' = 157cm, 5'9'' = 175cm, 5'3.5'' = 161cm
This is one of my favorite videos of yours! One thing editing-wise I'd recommend is putting the names of the climbers underneath the clips of them climbing, just so it's a bit more clear for people like me who can't remember American names for 10 seconds, let alone Japanese ones lol
Thanks for the video and great content over the last months. It's very inspiring :-) Could it be possible to have the equivalency of grades when possible ? (Eg. V7-V8 here) because there is so much tables from outside/inside/Bouldering/sport climbing... That I'm a bit lost to compare 😅 Thanks again !
@@bastouflette2552 I'll make sure to put Font grades as well as V scale grades in the future! Sometimes I forget to put other measuring systems since I'm so used to the ones here in America. Our schooling system made it hard for citizens here to remember that Metric is standard haha
@@AlbertOkay thanks for taking into consideration :-) as you get more and more views from abroad, it's a nice touch for us Greetings from France & keep crushing !
I think Alex Megos recently said: When you have 5 grades in Europe for a bouldering gym and you go to Japan, you have the same 5 grades but two harder ones on top.
I think you really hit the nail on head when you talk about the how American climbing gyms are focused on profit/fitness rather than the actual climbing progression as seen in Japanese gyms. Its a bummer but thats the reality!
Eh...too many sports are too accessible in the USA. Plus, the country is huge! Being a profit business is the only way that any climbing gym could stay open! Japan has less choice in sports they can compete internationally in. Then you have how limited space is in Japan, especially in cities. It would take an entire gym or field for basketball/soccer...yet only two teams can play at once. While with climbing, many can all use the facilities at once. Plus, you can improve on your own
The biggest difference though is the mentality japanese take towards climbing seeking to get better instead of just getting active. If you are climbing with a goal to actively get better, how your gym grades matters less.
I'm British but a Tokyo resident. And my local gym is B-PUMP in Ogikubo (mentioned in the video.) The route-setting is absolutely fantastic at all grades, and it's a pleasure to watch the guys setting new problems. Interestingly, there are almost never any problems that involve a reach that smaller climbers cannot send. And actually, height can be a disadvantage, or that's my excuse. Grading here definitely reflects the Japanese culture of trying hard in ones chosen activity, and I've seen many foreign climbers struggle well below their usual grade. One day I watched Janja fall off 4th Kyu (around v3.) That's why national team members train here, and the gym often has international teams and world-class individuals training too. As I'm a stiff mid-fifties boulderer, Japanese problems can indeed be a challenge, but one can only admire the quality of routes.
@@katsumasaueno8610 I usually go at around 1pm on weekday afternoons. My next visit will probably be Tuesday, 11th (depending on work). It's possible to meet on Monday evenings too.
I was initially a bit skeptical when you raised the idea of Kaizen since many people tend to use the concept without giving much explanation. But you took the effort to try to explain how the idea is manifested in how Japanese climbers train in real life! Thank you for providing an analysis that showcases the real hard work that Japanese climbers are doing instead of simplifying/exotifying them:)
Hey that's me at 7:00! Amazingly informative video. Thanks for taking the time to edit this. If anyone reading ever goes to B-Pump, you're in for a treat.
The guy in his late 40s is especially inspirational to me, as I didn't start climbing til last year (I'm 39). I never had regular access to a gym til 2020
Just went climbing for the first time yesterday. Got inspired by your videos. The dude at the facility said I did well since i got some yellows, whatever that means.
@@jenfineran Thanks :) . Going back in 2 weeks. As soon as my hands heal XD. Lost like a square inch patch of skin on one of my fingers and got quite a few other blisters. I only looked at the grade of one of the ones I did, I think it was 5c or 5d . something like that. I'm happy that I lasted the entire hour, my forearms have never felt that sore before ....
Thanks so much for going out and climbing! If there's anything I want to do with this channel is to get people out there and climbing. This seriously made my day hearing how much of a beast you were yesterday climbing! Go out there and keep crushing it!
@@AlbertOkay Thanks :) . The instructor at the gym knew your channel. I mentioned that the Beta Break series got me interested in climbing and he was on it right away! Everyone in the community online and in person seem super friendly. I even ordered some grip tools and some other stuff to practice how to grip better as an addition to my workout. Are there any good videos online about exercises which help with climbing? I noticed that my biggest issue was knowing how to tension myself when i had to start a boulder in an awkward position. When doing normal ascents my biggest issue was that I wasn't thinking horizontally enough and I was too greedy when it came to ascending.
I love the subtle shade thrown at touchstone when they start talking about business models that aim to soften grades to bring more people in. They keep on clips at cliffs the whole time. XD
Your videos are exceptional man. And the outros are the best I've ever seen. Damn, these last words, they are so well chosen and round up the videos so nicely. :)
I love this channel. I struggled to "see" myself or the many climber friends I have in the U.S. (Midwesterners) described in this video, though. So, a core difference you seem to identify is the Japanese drive to devote all things into climbing whereas in the U.S. people do it for fitness. I'm not sure I understand what that means... It could be taken as trite, like a jog is equitable to a climbing session for U.S. climbers. Maybe some folks see that, but climbing, I think, appeals to a lot of qualities that are decidedly not mindless, not mindless like lifting or jogging or cycling, etc. Not mindless like general fitness. Many of the climbers I know who combine yoga, climbing, and maybe some endurance sport or calisthenics (instead of just climbing to become a better climber) tend to embrace a mindset of "all things are connected, all things conspire to benefit the others, all these intentional activities make me a more patient and peaceful and strong and flexible human." It's like the parable of the fox and the porcupine - one improves by digging deep while the other improves by jumping from thing to thing, but always moving forward. Maybe that's what you mean? To understand Japanese climbers better, I would love to more thoroughly understand U.S. climbing. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the video.
I agree with that, although the idea that lifting is mindless isn't correct, I think America's issue in regard to fitness and hobbies in general is that social media has created a culture of clout and exposure, so going to the climbing gym is less about building an effective climbing skillset or even fitness, vs making content for your friend group or followers to see how cool your life is. Every sport and hobby has mindless people in it that do it for others to see, and not their own benefit; climbing, lifting, music, anything. Where Japan culturally passes the US in regards to climbing is the dedication, the regular time actually practicing. Americans can definitely learn from kaizen, but there's aspects of climbing that Japanese climbers can learn from Americans too. I'm new to climbing though so I can't say what they are yet though 😉
I'm super excited for the rest of this series. This episode was really well done. I can definitely see some of that continuous improvement in this channel. I've just recently started climbing more seriously and this channel has been my favorite thing to watch. Keep up the good work, Albert!
really enjoyed this video, was interesting to hear about their perspectives and how they approach climbing. looking forward to the future climbing styles!
I have met a few of the Japanese climbers because I know their current head trainer and they are all really hardworking. But what really stood out to me is that while training they constantly push eacht other to make problems even harder and to find a lot of different ways to complete each boulder. This is exactly what you showed in the video! Anyways I loved your beta break series and this series is probably going to be just as fun to watch!
as an American, i dont really agree with the whole "Americans just climb for a workout" thing. for me it is really to have a fun time and get better, and getting fitter is just a side affect. although i did just start climbing more seriously about a year ago, so maybe as i get more advanced it will change.
Nice video, Love B-Pump too!!! I think there are 2 main factors to why the average Japanese climber climbs so well. The sheer volume of indoor and outdoor climbing locations available, coupled with the fact that the traditional Japanese diet naturally leads to minimal body fat - meaning it's far easier to stick to the wall.
I agree with both of those! Their diet is definitely one of the healthiest in the world. They have also such a strong sense of work ethic which is why they generally do well in everything they do!
Fun fact that I just noticed (maybe just a coincidence then) : The word kaisen is the exact opposite of zenkai, which is the word that describes the power buff of sayans in dragonball when they nearly die
Impressive information on the Japanese climbing culture. Mahalos 🤙🏽 Also, I met Rob Ueno recently without really knowing who he is until I just saw him in your video just now👍🏽
@@AlbertOkay You have no idea how much this has impacted my climbing in my past few sessions! I'm so glad to have chanced upon your video. Hoping for more content like these. Keep it up!
Amazing, amazing video.. I was waiting for a video that would tackle this exact subject and you surpassed all my expectations. Amazing editing. The one thing I would like to hear your opinion about is the relationship between climbers. For instance, on the north face japan's videos you can see how they talk with each other - how they feel on a problem, how their body behaves, what they think they are doing wrong - and they discuss it among themselves. I never see that in european climbers. There is always the mentality "oh, just pull harder" , "not strong enough". In japanese climbers you can see they are students of movement on the wall to the extreme, and they help each other in a different way. I don't know if I made any sense.. V7 - v8 is the average? Damn :O
Thanks for the awesome content! Really good insight about the "secret" behind Japanese winning streak. I think Udo and your video about the Japan team really supplement one another. Speaking about Chibatore "animal flow" type of exercises, I think it's getting more popular now. Adopted by Udo (German), William (French) , and Pablo (Spain). Each practice shares similarities and differences depending their target.
I absolutely love these series you’re putting out!! One suggestion I can give, when comparing two climbs at the same time, maybe highlight one of the videos and darken the other out and vice versa? I find that I try to keep up looking at both of them, switching too quickly that I don’t catch what’s happening in neither of the videos and end up going back multiple times. Just a suggestion! :)
Japanese gyms are amazing! Although rather confusing if you're not used to such dense setting. I found being 6'6" I could just reach through or just break a lot of tough problems that should have been too hard for me really. I guess there's even less of an expectation there that us tall guys are going to show up.
Louis Talbot I’m happy that you had an amazing time in Japan! Hahaha it’s very true that we do not expect someone of your height to be climbing at our gyms. In our setting team the tallest person is 183cm, so I think around 6’2”? I’m the third tallest and I’m only 5’8-9”.
Hey Albert! Thanks for the great video (as always). But please, PLEASE, do something with *audio levels*: the voices in the interview are very quite and then the loud music hits you, so I have to constantly change the volume. I really like the content of your videos and want to continue to watch them but, man, my ears are bleeding.
As an American, I find my gym special because all the regulars at my gym go there to be better at climbing and it's a huge part of their life. I'm a freshmen in high school and all I do is climb. Like that's my life. I go directly from school to the gym and stay there for at least four hours every single day and the sport never leaves my mind
this is so interesting!!! i work at a climbing gym and i always learn so much from your videos. i'll have to look more into japanese setting for some setting inspiration
Step 1: Set hand-foot match heel hooks Step 2: Put the worse footholds you can find and move them one or two bolts closer to handholds Step 3: Put all the holds backwards and make every move dynamic Step 4: Force people to match on shit crimps Step 5: Set painful campus moves on shit crimps and pockets Step 6: Make the final move a scary dyno Source: I live in Japan and help my local gym set sometimes
I love the format, and I think this intro is really well thought through. Nice vid! One wish for the future: sometimes I get a bit lost in your videos. When you show two climbers next to each other and want to compare a certain move or so, I often find myself not knowing which move you mean or even at which side I have to look. It would be really helpful if 1) you'd label the videos, e.g. which side is which climber. I am not so familiar with the climbing scene that I always can tell 2) you'd somehow show me which video you are talking about at every specific moment. E.g. by blurring or pausing the other video, or color code them somehow. Ottherwise, keep going! :)
What an insightful, great video, thanks so much!! (Just one thing - Robert's voice is low and a bit difficult to hear compare to the rest of the audio, could you turn it up a bit please? )
Super interesting video. I climbed in the U.K. for a couple years before moving to taiwan and I have climbed there since. Not only is there a disparity between climbing grades at lower levels, I would say the styles in general are quite different, especially when it comes to big bouldery holds. I injured my a2 earlier on this year and I was still able to climb 50% of routes up to v4 without any particularly fingery moves. However, when I went back to U.K. for a few weeks, anything above v1 required some crimping or finger strength, so I couldn’t climb at all. Also, when the Japanese route settings come over and set in the gyms in Taiwan, everything becomes a grade harder than what we’re used to here lol. Also I feel there are way more female climbers in taiwan compared to U.K. Taiwan does have its differences to Japan though, gyms are a little bigger and some have space for campus boards, moonboards etc.
Yaassss! True hope & inspiration at any age! Akira Waku-V15/16 at 48? 😲🤘Frantically went to find more info about this after your EPIC video!!!🙏 So many awesome contrasts in Japanese climber & US. Maybe this is why I struggle with the American style approach to climbing (structure, regimented almost robotic training- one method for everyone) vs train/climb as yourself (Japanese)? Awesome interview with @Katsumasa Robert Ueno. Having climbed in Japan a few years ago, B-Pump is definitely great (and popular), but all the gyms are awesome. Magnus did a YT vid of “worst rated” gym in Tokyo and it was epic for him. Agree with Robert, too that grade setting is harder as I struggled at 4 gyms, but so loved the learning. Because of my time there, I started to change a little more to static & technical climbing (with much more to go). I’m going to write a novel. 😂 So much gratefulness to YOU, Albert, near tears bcoz of this video. As I approach my 52nd birthday in 2 weeks, whether I get to double digit grades or not, I know now that it is more potentially attainable climbing my style and I will keep crushing - my style. 🙇♂️
I climbed at adsumum gym in kyoto 3 years ago for a month. I was a complete beginner then (3 months in). I was used to climbing 6a at my home gym so fairly confident in my skill obviously :D During my stay i climbed one 5+ and struggled on most 5. It was quite humbling. I blame it on my long nordic limbs
First time ever going to a climbing gym was at B-Pump Ogikubo. Have now been climbing in US gyms for about 2 months and I can safely say that grading was MUCH harder in Japan. I was maxing out at v1+ with a select couple v2s if they suited me and now climbing in the US can do many of the V2s in my local gym and a handful of v3s. There was also a lot more ridiculously strong people in Japan compared to the US
Thank you for having me!
Thanks so much for being a part of this awesome first episdoe!
So anyone who doesn’t climb V7 or V8 isn’t a climber yet?
@@ninjapacquiao15 Hello hello. No, you can be a climber at any grade. For me, if you are putting in the time and effort to get stronger and better in climbing, then to me you are a climber. I can't define what you are and what you are not. I am sorry about the confusion.
You spoke allot of facts thanks for the different perspective, now I wanna come climb some gyms in japan!
@Katsumasa Ueno thank you for taking the time to share your insights and knowledge with all of us.
OK, dude:
- impeccable editing
- highly informative content
- diverse perspectives
- introducing me to new & interesting people to follow
This is amazing!
yeah every single one of his videos are insane
?
Hope you enjoyed this series and let me know what you think! If you liked it give it a like and a share!
For people who are used to the metric units - when I talk about height 5'7'' = 170cm, 5'2'' = 157cm, 5'9'' = 175cm, 5'3.5'' = 161cm
This is one of my favorite videos of yours! One thing editing-wise I'd recommend is putting the names of the climbers underneath the clips of them climbing, just so it's a bit more clear for people like me who can't remember American names for 10 seconds, let alone Japanese ones lol
Thanks for the video and great content over the last months. It's very inspiring :-)
Could it be possible to have the equivalency of grades when possible ? (Eg. V7-V8 here) because there is so much tables from outside/inside/Bouldering/sport climbing... That I'm a bit lost to compare 😅 Thanks again !
@@bastouflette2552 I'll make sure to put Font grades as well as V scale grades in the future! Sometimes I forget to put other measuring systems since I'm so used to the ones here in America. Our schooling system made it hard for citizens here to remember that Metric is standard haha
@@AlbertOkay thanks for taking into consideration :-) as you get more and more views from abroad, it's a nice touch for us
Greetings from France & keep crushing !
Literally everyone except Americans
I think Alex Megos recently said:
When you have 5 grades in Europe for a bouldering gym and you go to Japan, you have the same 5 grades but two harder ones on top.
I think you really hit the nail on head when you talk about the how American climbing gyms are focused on profit/fitness rather than the actual climbing progression as seen in Japanese gyms. Its a bummer but thats the reality!
Eh...too many sports are too accessible in the USA. Plus, the country is huge! Being a profit business is the only way that any climbing gym could stay open!
Japan has less choice in sports they can compete internationally in. Then you have how limited space is in Japan, especially in cities. It would take an entire gym or field for basketball/soccer...yet only two teams can play at once. While with climbing, many can all use the facilities at once. Plus, you can improve on your own
I once seen some amrican kids story where he climbs a V7 which woud be around V5- in Hungary. Now I understand why.
Then you should open a gym and not worry about profits
The biggest difference though is the mentality japanese take towards climbing seeking to get better instead of just getting active. If you are climbing with a goal to actively get better, how your gym grades matters less.
That's not the gym, that's just the mentality, you can have the mentality of progressing or just to workout.
This is one of the best produced, insightful, and enjoyable climbing videos I've watched i a while. More of this series please!!!!
Thank you Charlie! More to come in the future!
Yet another start to a great series!
Pumped for a new series! Great job, as always, Albert.
Yoo thanks dude! Hope you enjoyed it!
I'm British but a Tokyo resident. And my local gym is B-PUMP in Ogikubo (mentioned in the video.) The route-setting is absolutely fantastic at all grades, and it's a pleasure to watch the guys setting new problems. Interestingly, there are almost never any problems that involve a reach that smaller climbers cannot send. And actually, height can be a disadvantage, or that's my excuse. Grading here definitely reflects the Japanese culture of trying hard in ones chosen activity, and I've seen many foreign climbers struggle well below their usual grade. One day I watched Janja fall off 4th Kyu (around v3.) That's why national team members train here, and the gym often has international teams and world-class individuals training too. As I'm a stiff mid-fifties boulderer, Japanese problems can indeed be a challenge, but one can only admire the quality of routes.
Hello!
I would love to climb with you and hear what you think about the setting. Is there a day/time where we can have a session?
@@katsumasaueno8610 I usually go at around 1pm on weekday afternoons. My next visit will probably be Tuesday, 11th (depending on work). It's possible to meet on Monday evenings too.
I was initially a bit skeptical when you raised the idea of Kaizen since many people tend to use the concept without giving much explanation. But you took the effort to try to explain how the idea is manifested in how Japanese climbers train in real life! Thank you for providing an analysis that showcases the real hard work that Japanese climbers are doing instead of simplifying/exotifying them:)
Great mini documentary! Idea for next one: Magnus Midtbo Climbing Style - No t-shirt, No warm up, Chalk and go
Haha, maybe one day in the future!
Magnus is such a boring climber tbh.
Awesome video Albert! Looking forward to more of these :-)
Yo thanks Emil! Would love to talk Swedish power with you one day and climb with you to see your insane power!
@@AlbertOkay haha I'm happy to hear that. Anytime! :D
tfw when i've been pronouncing your name "albert O.K." all this time
I feel dumb...
I'm still going to pronounce his name as "Albert O.K" lol
Hey that's me at 7:00! Amazingly informative video. Thanks for taking the time to edit this. If anyone reading ever goes to B-Pump, you're in for a treat.
Absolutely love the concept for this series! Coming from a skate background, style is everything.
STYLE FIRST!
Love all of the information packed in here, I think I got a lot out of this video. Excited for the next in the series!!
Many more episodes to come out in the future!
hats off for taking on a more challenging and ambitious topic, really informative interviews
The guy in his late 40s is especially inspirational to me, as I didn't start climbing til last year (I'm 39). I never had regular access to a gym til 2020
Your videos are getting better and better. This is one if the best videos on getting better at climbing I've ever seen on RUclips.
Friendship with "Beta Break" over, now "Climbing Styles" is my new best friend
Oh wow, I remember seeing you crush at all the summit gyms. Glad to see you're making videos now!
Just went climbing for the first time yesterday. Got inspired by your videos. The dude at the facility said I did well since i got some yellows, whatever that means.
Unseal that’s awesome welcome to the community if you go back you might want to ask what grads the yellow climbs are
@@jenfineran Thanks :) . Going back in 2 weeks. As soon as my hands heal XD. Lost like a square inch patch of skin on one of my fingers and got quite a few other blisters. I only looked at the grade of one of the ones I did, I think it was 5c or 5d . something like that. I'm happy that I lasted the entire hour, my forearms have never felt that sore before ....
Thanks so much for going out and climbing! If there's anything I want to do with this channel is to get people out there and climbing. This seriously made my day hearing how much of a beast you were yesterday climbing! Go out there and keep crushing it!
@@AlbertOkay Thanks :) . The instructor at the gym knew your channel. I mentioned that the Beta Break series got me interested in climbing and he was on it right away!
Everyone in the community online and in person seem super friendly. I even ordered some grip tools and some other stuff to practice how to grip better as an addition to my workout.
Are there any good videos online about exercises which help with climbing?
I noticed that my biggest issue was knowing how to tension myself when i had to start a boulder in an awkward position. When doing normal ascents my biggest issue was that I wasn't thinking horizontally enough and I was too greedy when it came to ascending.
@@Unseal Welcome to the family! I remember last summer when I started climbing. My forearms were completely dead for the next 2-3 days, fun times.
I love the subtle shade thrown at touchstone when they start talking about business models that aim to soften grades to bring more people in. They keep on clips at cliffs the whole time. XD
Haha we didn't mean it as shade, I think the owners would agree what we said that it's the business model it is.
Your videos are exceptional man. And the outros are the best I've ever seen. Damn, these last words, they are so well chosen and round up the videos so nicely. :)
The quality and creativity impresses ne everytime i watch your videos. My deepest respect for you Work, keep crushing!
I love this channel. I struggled to "see" myself or the many climber friends I have in the U.S. (Midwesterners) described in this video, though. So, a core difference you seem to identify is the Japanese drive to devote all things into climbing whereas in the U.S. people do it for fitness. I'm not sure I understand what that means... It could be taken as trite, like a jog is equitable to a climbing session for U.S. climbers. Maybe some folks see that, but climbing, I think, appeals to a lot of qualities that are decidedly not mindless, not mindless like lifting or jogging or cycling, etc. Not mindless like general fitness. Many of the climbers I know who combine yoga, climbing, and maybe some endurance sport or calisthenics (instead of just climbing to become a better climber) tend to embrace a mindset of "all things are connected, all things conspire to benefit the others, all these intentional activities make me a more patient and peaceful and strong and flexible human." It's like the parable of the fox and the porcupine - one improves by digging deep while the other improves by jumping from thing to thing, but always moving forward. Maybe that's what you mean? To understand Japanese climbers better, I would love to more thoroughly understand U.S. climbing. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the video.
I agree with that, although the idea that lifting is mindless isn't correct, I think America's issue in regard to fitness and hobbies in general is that social media has created a culture of clout and exposure, so going to the climbing gym is less about building an effective climbing skillset or even fitness, vs making content for your friend group or followers to see how cool your life is.
Every sport and hobby has mindless people in it that do it for others to see, and not their own benefit; climbing, lifting, music, anything.
Where Japan culturally passes the US in regards to climbing is the dedication, the regular time actually practicing. Americans can definitely learn from kaizen, but there's aspects of climbing that Japanese climbers can learn from Americans too. I'm new to climbing though so I can't say what they are yet though 😉
I'm super excited for the rest of this series. This episode was really well done. I can definitely see some of that continuous improvement in this channel. I've just recently started climbing more seriously and this channel has been my favorite thing to watch. Keep up the good work, Albert!
Heck yes! Hope you're crushing it out there on the walls!
What a great video Albert. I guess it is the best introduction to your channel.
I'm a nurse and every time I see the grid backgrounds you use I think I'm looking at an ECG strip! Love your videos, big fan
Such an enjoyable video style :) can’t wait for the rest of the series!!! Yet another banger!!
ILY NABEEL
Nice video, but I definitely need to know what the hell is going on in Slovenia. They must be putting something in the water.
So much quality on this channel
Needs at least 500ksubs
Already absolutely obsessed with this new series - worth the wait!
Somebody knows who is on 13:43!
Great video btw :)
Thank you for making great videos with insightful content! It is really interesting how Japan's mindset is set on perfecting one thing.
really enjoyed this video, was interesting to hear about their perspectives and how they approach climbing. looking forward to the future climbing styles!
Consistently putting out top tier stuff, bravo
Thank you! :)
"You already have everything you need." *Looks down at lack of abs*
I have met a few of the Japanese climbers because I know their current head trainer and they are all really hardworking. But what really stood out to me is that while training they constantly push eacht other to make problems even harder and to find a lot of different ways to complete each boulder. This is exactly what you showed in the video! Anyways I loved your beta break series and this series is probably going to be just as fun to watch!
Mannn your editing style is crazy! Great work
Love to watch this!! Thanks to provide high quality video
Thanks for the high quality comment! :)
as an American, i dont really agree with the whole "Americans just climb for a workout" thing. for me it is really to have a fun time and get better, and getting fitter is just a side affect. although i did just start climbing more seriously about a year ago, so maybe as i get more advanced it will change.
This is quality content - excited for the next few episodes!
Thanks Derrick, can't wait to make more!
This was an insanely good video Albert. I'm really glad I found your channel!
Nice video, Love B-Pump too!!! I think there are 2 main factors to why the average Japanese climber climbs so well. The sheer volume of indoor and outdoor climbing locations available, coupled with the fact that the traditional Japanese diet naturally leads to minimal body fat - meaning it's far easier to stick to the wall.
I agree with both of those! Their diet is definitely one of the healthiest in the world. They have also such a strong sense of work ethic which is why they generally do well in everything they do!
Fun fact that I just noticed (maybe just a coincidence then) : The word kaisen is the exact opposite of zenkai, which is the word that describes the power buff of sayans in dragonball when they nearly die
Another quality video! Looking forward to episode 2.
This was great and very informational! Thanks for making this video and looking forward to the next one!
Impressive information on the Japanese climbing culture. Mahalos 🤙🏽 Also, I met Rob Ueno recently without really knowing who he is until I just saw him in your video just now👍🏽
You are killing it Albert, nice work and stay healthy!
Thank you RiccoB!
@@AlbertOkay I climbed my first v5 yesterday, and frankly I am sure your videos have something to do with it ;) Keep on crushing it!
very insightful video thanks man
Honestly, a HUGE thank you for making this video. I think what I really needed to up the standard of my climbing is the japanese philosophy of Kaizen.
It's a great philosophy to have and can lead to so much success!
@@AlbertOkay You have no idea how much this has impacted my climbing in my past few sessions! I'm so glad to have chanced upon your video. Hoping for more content like these. Keep it up!
@@Vinnehfied Heck yeah, I hope you progress well in your future climbing journey!
Yo your content keeps getting better! Stoked for this series man, nice job.
Amazing, amazing video.. I was waiting for a video that would tackle this exact subject and you surpassed all my expectations. Amazing editing. The one thing I would like to hear your opinion about is the relationship between climbers. For instance, on the north face japan's videos you can see how they talk with each other - how they feel on a problem, how their body behaves, what they think they are doing wrong - and they discuss it among themselves. I never see that in european climbers. There is always the mentality "oh, just pull harder" , "not strong enough". In japanese climbers you can see they are students of movement on the wall to the extreme, and they help each other in a different way. I don't know if I made any sense.. V7 - v8 is the average? Damn :O
I'm really enjoying your videos and learning a lot in the process! Thanks!
What a video! Definitely going to watch it a few more times to appreciate it and take in all the information ☺️
Thanks so much, hope you learn a lot!
Albert Ok, you are inspiring! Great immersive vid
Thanks for the awesome content! Really good insight about the "secret" behind Japanese winning streak. I think Udo and your video about the Japan team really supplement one another.
Speaking about Chibatore "animal flow" type of exercises, I think it's getting more popular now. Adopted by Udo (German), William (French) , and Pablo (Spain). Each practice shares similarities and differences depending their target.
you're channel is amazing motivation. Thankyou
Thanks so much Patrick, hope you train safe and hard out there!
I absolutely love these series you’re putting out!! One suggestion I can give, when comparing two climbs at the same time, maybe highlight one of the videos and darken the other out and vice versa? I find that I try to keep up looking at both of them, switching too quickly that I don’t catch what’s happening in neither of the videos and end up going back multiple times. Just a suggestion! :)
Can't agree more!
Felt like I was watching a Vox video! Super impressive quality!
Awesome video ! Loved the concept and you gave us such a detailed explanation, it was awesome !
Japanese gyms are amazing! Although rather confusing if you're not used to such dense setting. I found being 6'6" I could just reach through or just break a lot of tough problems that should have been too hard for me really. I guess there's even less of an expectation there that us tall guys are going to show up.
Louis Talbot I’m happy that you had an amazing time in Japan! Hahaha it’s very true that we do not expect someone of your height to be climbing at our gyms. In our setting team the tallest person is 183cm, so I think around 6’2”? I’m the third tallest and I’m only 5’8-9”.
Katsumasa Ueno 183 is just 6. At 6.6 I’m sure OP is breaking beta pretty much everywhere
Pooya Hatami oh true, whoops I did math wrong haha
I love this! I’m 5’2” and now obsessed with hip mobility
Thanks for pronouncing your last name. It's been 'okay' in my head
Killing the outro music game, looking forward to what this series brings!
Yoo thanks for the music appreciation :)
love love love this video
Great job man! I'm really enjoying your videos.
Wow. loved this! Great work!!
Amazing video! There should be more people covering this type of topics👌🏻
What a great video, how much information and how much motivation there is in this video
Hey Albert! Thanks for the great video (as always). But please, PLEASE, do something with *audio levels*: the voices in the interview are very quite and then the loud music hits you, so I have to constantly change the volume. I really like the content of your videos and want to continue to watch them but, man, my ears are bleeding.
the wall at 12:40 looks like something i would absolutly love to have in my garage
100% yes
Fantastic informative video, thank you.
Loving all of the videos as of recent!
Thanks Ryan!
Dope video! Really love the idea and the analysis of climbing on this channel lately!
Thank you Denis!
Your intros always go so hard- I love it!
Thanks for the intro appreciation :)
As an American, I find my gym special because all the regulars at my gym go there to be better at climbing and it's a huge part of their life. I'm a freshmen in high school and all I do is climb. Like that's my life. I go directly from school to the gym and stay there for at least four hours every single day and the sport never leaves my mind
You're Albert "Oak"!? I thought you were Albert "Okay"... now I know haha.
It's okay to say Ok or Ok Ok? Haha
Great video, awesome stuff!
this is so interesting!!! i work at a climbing gym and i always learn so much from your videos. i'll have to look more into japanese setting for some setting inspiration
Step 1: Set hand-foot match heel hooks
Step 2: Put the worse footholds you can find and move them one or two bolts closer to handholds
Step 3: Put all the holds backwards and make every move dynamic
Step 4: Force people to match on shit crimps
Step 5: Set painful campus moves on shit crimps and pockets
Step 6: Make the final move a scary dyno
Source: I live in Japan and help my local gym set sometimes
I love the format, and I think this intro is really well thought through. Nice vid!
One wish for the future: sometimes I get a bit lost in your videos. When you show two climbers next to each other and want to compare a certain move or so, I often find myself not knowing which move you mean or even at which side I have to look. It would be really helpful if
1) you'd label the videos, e.g. which side is which climber. I am not so familiar with the climbing scene that I always can tell
2) you'd somehow show me which video you are talking about at every specific moment. E.g. by blurring or pausing the other video, or color code them somehow.
Ottherwise, keep going! :)
Good work man! excited to see where this goes :)
"those climbs are there for the climbers" nearly made me cry in joy that I can now consider myself a climber
Fun fact, kaizen is a word that is used to describe improvement process in the 6sigma jargon.
Great one. Thanks
Excellent! Thank you
Super. Really enjoyed it.
Thanks Ian!
wo wo, such a good content in this video, epic work. THANKS
Thank you so much!
What an insightful, great video, thanks so much!! (Just one thing - Robert's voice is low and a bit difficult to hear compare to the rest of the audio, could you turn it up a bit please? )
Great stuff. Thank you.
Great video again :)
3:40 He looks incredible for 40's
great stuff! would love for you to do a deep dive into chibatore his moves seem crazy
I'm definitely going to try and talk to him in the future, as well as Udini. Both great movement masterminds.
Super interesting video. I climbed in the U.K. for a couple years before moving to taiwan and I have climbed there since. Not only is there a disparity between climbing grades at lower levels, I would say the styles in general are quite different, especially when it comes to big bouldery holds. I injured my a2 earlier on this year and I was still able to climb 50% of routes up to v4 without any particularly fingery moves. However, when I went back to U.K. for a few weeks, anything above v1 required some crimping or finger strength, so I couldn’t climb at all.
Also, when the Japanese route settings come over and set in the gyms in Taiwan, everything becomes a grade harder than what we’re used to here lol. Also I feel there are way more female climbers in taiwan compared to U.K.
Taiwan does have its differences to Japan though, gyms are a little bigger and some have space for campus boards, moonboards etc.
Yaassss! True hope & inspiration at any age! Akira Waku-V15/16 at 48? 😲🤘Frantically went to find more info about this after your EPIC video!!!🙏 So many awesome contrasts in Japanese climber & US. Maybe this is why I struggle with the American style approach to climbing (structure, regimented almost robotic training- one method for everyone) vs train/climb as yourself (Japanese)? Awesome interview with @Katsumasa Robert Ueno. Having climbed in Japan a few years ago, B-Pump is definitely great (and popular), but all the gyms are awesome. Magnus did a YT vid of “worst rated” gym in Tokyo and it was epic for him. Agree with Robert, too that grade setting is harder as I struggled at 4 gyms, but so loved the learning. Because of my time there, I started to change a little more to static & technical climbing (with much more to go). I’m going to write a novel. 😂 So much gratefulness to YOU, Albert, near tears bcoz of this video. As I approach my 52nd birthday in 2 weeks, whether I get to double digit grades or not, I know now that it is more potentially attainable climbing my style and I will keep crushing - my style. 🙇♂️
Love this omg
Thanks for the comment!
I climbed at adsumum gym in kyoto 3 years ago for a month. I was a complete beginner then (3 months in). I was used to climbing 6a at my home gym so fairly confident in my skill obviously :D During my stay i climbed one 5+ and struggled on most 5. It was quite humbling. I blame it on my long nordic limbs
how isn't this channel more popular??
First time ever going to a climbing gym was at B-Pump Ogikubo. Have now been climbing in US gyms for about 2 months and I can safely say that grading was MUCH harder in Japan. I was maxing out at v1+ with a select couple v2s if they suited me and now climbing in the US can do many of the V2s in my local gym and a handful of v3s. There was also a lot more ridiculously strong people in Japan compared to the US