100 hours of practice: What bouldering grade?
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
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After spending 100 hours at the climbing wall on roped climbs, I thought it'd be interesting to see what level I'd be at the bouldering gym. I'm going to make a full bouldering video so please comment below what grade I should aim for.
Thanks to Block10 in Dundee for allowing me to film. Pay them a visit if you are in the area and want a challenge.
www.block10.co/
/ block10_bouldering
Thumbnail, camera work, emotional support: @Kim_Norrie
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What bouldering grade should I aim for? My plan is to do an additional 50 hours of practice at the bouldering gym. V4? V5? V6?!
i'm not sure mike
V5
I think V4 or V5 is a good goal. There's also plenty of good climbing youtubers out there so there might be some that are interested in helping if you want to progress further.
International Championship level ;)
v6 all or nothing
This is awesome Mike! Do I smell a Magnus Midtbø collab coming? 👀 H.
One can only hope :)
Hopefully he can teach him to calk uo before climbing
Didn't expect to see you here. What a surprise.
Yes pleaaaase
a nerdforge comment about magnus mitbo on mike body channel, I have to admit that's not a crossover I could have imagined hahaha
As a fellow boulderer here, my fingers cry when seeing your foot placement hahaha, hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to your improvments :)
Shut up
Mike your foot placement was actually quite good. Certainly phenomenal for a beginner. You had good intuition as far as placing your feet to generate counter pressure and keep tension. You were smearing quite well and did some good footswaps. Of course it could have been more efficient, and switching from the sides of the foot to straight on toe placements comes with time.
Yep, just needs to switch onto his big toes in almost all situations and he'll find every grade feels a step easier. Beginners regularly try to make up for weak toes by using the balls of their feet instead, when actually consciously using & building up the strength in their toes will open up so many doors.
On that orange boulder I was desperate. Climbing shoes are so not made for stepping sideways. Using your toes is pretty natural.
I was just about to comment about how I knew he'd start struggling around the v3 range just because of how he was using his feet, using your big toes/the tips of your feet rather than the side is something that the boulders teach YOU one way or another
Mike should now do 100 hours of jumping from high places😂❤
AKA Parkour.
Rip knees
The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 💖
A FELLOW DRIP ENTHUSIAST
also yes
Or just from 3 feet
I have a weird experience with bouldering. When I was in the equivalent of middle school, we had a yearly "project week" where lessons stop and we could choose to do various activities spread over those five days instead. One year, there was the option to go bouldering with my chemistry teacher as the supervisor.
Now, it seems incredibly obvious in hindsight, but it didn't occour to anyone that my chemistry teacher would participate, we just expected him to play babysitter, so we were all quite surprised when he flew up several walls. He was actually really skilled, he was probably better at bouldering than at teaching chemistry.
Though to be clear, most of us thought he wasn't a very good teacher. He also once made us watch some random documentary and _fell asleep_ while it was playing.
...you later discover that this teacher was Chris Sharma on break from Yosemite.
The classic "i teach so i can put in the most minimal amount of time into a job, so i can focus on my hobby" approach
Teachers that put on random documentaries and leave the room or fall asleep are the best though
I think a good goal would be to aim for "all V4s" instead of like one V5 or V6 that really suits your body and style. Way more impressive to master all styles of climbing and being able to climb all boulders on a certain grade than it is to have done one V7 but still struggling with a lot of V5s.
Couldn't agree more. Branching out and working different styles will help one break out of the Grade ceiling. Also trying different betas on problems that you've already climbed is a great way to expand on the technique that you have available. I've climbed one V8, keep on sending mate!
Tell that to Dwoods when he fails V6 Comp slab hahaha
100%
Totally agree
Maybe flash 3 v4s
Mike, you've got a lot of strengths as a boulderer. Your grip strength is solid, body positioning is solid, endurance is solid, and you're doing very challenging climbs. Your main weakness is footwork. Climbing shoes are designed to get you to move on the toes, sometimes just the TIPS of your toes. Getting good at that will make a world of difference with time.
Edit: I've been watching your videos for the longest time, so I'm super glad you're into climbing. Hope you continue to progress and have fun!!!
couldnt have said it better
I was about to comment that but here it is!
I imagine about 6000 people already left this comment on the first climbing video, lol
i absolutly agree
looked like he was just doing the super straight forward slab, was hoping he'd vary on a 45 or underhang
If you find yourself scrolling through the comments looking for climbing tips, here's a few:
1. Don't be afraid to cross your arms! You will find very often that a "cross" makes the problem much easier. There were a few examples in this video.
2. Don't always try to go up the wall as directly as possible. Sometimes you need to stay low and move horizontally (traverse) to get to an easier way up.
3. Don't leave your feet behind. If you get too stretched out its much harder to generate leverage and pull your feet up.
4. As you know - feet are really important. You should honestly fuss MORE over foot placement than hand placement. Use your toes rather than your whole foot, so you can pivot side to side as you move across the wall. And drop your heels low so that your forefoot gets as much surface area in contact with the hold as possible.
5. Flag like your life depends on it. Use your free leg (if you have one) to stabalise yourself against the wall when you reach out for a hold. You should be thinking about doing this for almost every single move. In my experience this single technique is the biggest thing that separates beginners from intermediates.
Happy climbing! :D
Thanks for the tips! What do you mean with 'flag'?
Falling is a huge technique to bouldering… every climber should know how fall properly for a long life in climbing.
@@69PlzBitch Basically take the foot which isn't bearing weight and use it to counter-balance and/or position your body as you make a move. It can make a massive difference and is a good example where good technique can be more important than outright strength
These are some awesome tips! If I were to add anything, I’d emphasize the staying low part: aiming to keep your arms straight in between moves will almost always do you good. If you don’t, then you’ll be wasting a lot of muscle strength contracting your arms. As above, happy climbing y’all!
i think point 3 depends a lot on morphology and climbing style. learning to put tension on low feet is very important for overhang climbing. Low feet can turn an impossible hold into something that can be held marginally.
The biggest limiting factor here is footwork to me. I'm only climbing at V4 after half a year, and what everyone hammers home to you is TOES. Planting the side of your shoe feels "safe", but it locks you into a bad placement, while using your toe allows your to pivot into an ideal position that supports the rest of your movement.
I'm sure you're well on your way to boosting past V5 or V6 with some research, and beyond with some coaching. So I really look forward to seeing your success :)
There are a other techniques to help you progress like dead pointing. Doing some basic exercises can also help A lot. You don't even need to do a heavy workout just a few reps of basic calisthenics excercises. I definitely recommend working on finger strength. Hang boarding is a good way to but you can also use one of those weird little hand squeezer thing. Something I'll do is just find a ledge and kind of pull on it to work out my fingers. Which you can do even without any equipment.
@@TheGumbyGuy if you're starting from zero hangboarding isn't really recommended until around 8-12 month mark, but it definitely depends how much/hard you do and how much research you've done about it, considering the risks of injury with it. As someone with height fright that's broken into V4 in 3,5 months, hangboarding really isn't necessary to achieve V4-V5, as long as you work on technique, preferably also watch technique videos if you don't have anyone to ask. But doing simple exercises like scapula raises and pullups on a bar or on the biggest holds on a campusboard, or jugs on hangboards does help both with strength and technique.
@@perdishaugen2974 I didn't start hangboarding until I was climbing V5s pretty comfortably.
Even on crimpy V5s I've never had any finger injuries although I was aware of the risks and being mindful of how much crimping I was doing.
At least for me personally I think around V6-7 the really crimpy stuff starts getting pretty painful, so I've started specifically training my fingers in the hopes that I can break into that range. That seems to be the level where finger training will start to become practically useful.
@@isaakvandaalen3899 yeah that sounds pretty sensible and accurate from my beginner standpoint, I'm still a long way from fingerboarding😅. Good luck with it man :)
This is amazing, can't wait to see a collab with Magnus some day.
I would say V5-V6 would be definitely very impressive
I've been bouldering once a week for about a year and a bit- I did my first V5 a few months ago. I think you should aim for V5, would be a very impressive goal
@@victortripp4721 Yeah when I started bouldering, I did twice a week, and got to v4 in half a year, but the reason I said v5-v6 is because Mike has a lot more time since it's his "job" so he might get there a lot faster because of his dedication. So we'll see :D
@@8o8inSquares There's still a limit in just how much bouldering you can really do in a week, even if you have endless time to dedicate to it. Poor guy will have absolutely no skin left if he tries to spend 10+ hours per week bouldering right off the bat having not really done it before. Would also be really easy to end up with a pulley injury.
Why is everyone talking about Magnus, did he specifically mention him or something?
There are many more climbing youtubers besides Magnus, and some would be probably better suited for a colab like this (Louis Parkinson for example).
Impressive but not realistic, unless its a very soft v5
Hey Mike, don't often leave comments but I just wanted to say your last climbing video had really inspired me to get back in shape by using bouldering as a medium (yes I know the last video was not bouldering). I have tried other methods to get in shape, but with bouldering I have really been having a blast these past couple weeks and ever so slowly getting a little more fit each day. Now I feel motivated to work out just so that I can do harder bouldering problems, it's an exciting cycle that I'm eager to continue, and I have you and Magnus to thank for that completely. Thanks for inspiring me to pick up this amazing sport!
I love the fact that you've transitioned from this project-based skill acquiring to showing the journey of learning more advanced skills. I kinda liked your previous style but was rather entertaining for me than educational. I'll be here more often ; )
Morning Mike, just some sort tips.
1. Really focus on your foot work, be like a ballerina, stay on your toes, right now you tend to like the inside of your foot or the outside, but not the toes. Get on your toes as much as possible will really help you pivot your weight when moving.
2. Learn to fall [Down climb if possible] so you are comfortable falling off the wall, makes uncertain moves easier.
3. Do some grip/finger strength exercises when you are going from V3-4, this can really help you :)
4. There are normally bigger leaps from grades which make that grading system kinda bad, having set 1,2,3,4+ is easier so focus less on the grade and more on the type of climb :) Was it foot focused? Slopers, crimps, jugs, some heel hooks? focus on which climbs you really suck at, then keep practices them
This is seriously impressive. I do rock climbing and bouldering for general fitness reasons but it’s amazing how good you can get at something if you hone all focus on to it
Same! started during covid, build my own chaos wall/ceiling in my basement!
@@rogerelzenga4465 wow . Haven’t gone that far but good for you man 😂
@@ebs2883 Its ghetto af but i love it :D also i think im overtraining myself... because im slowly becoming spiderman >.>
@@rogerelzenga4465 Wow was that your first introduction to climbing? By building your own spray wall on your own during lockdown and going for it? Because if so that's freaking awesome wow.
@@Nightwishmaster My inspiration was a Doc/movie The Dawn Wall, for me that looked like the pinnacle of human excellence, the holds they use was mind blowing, the struggle they endured, it created a mind-bug, "how far could i go if i put my mind to it"...
I had a hardly used basement, and with the lockdown i saw a way to make it...2 walls and the ceiling are filled with shaped wooden holds from small ass crimps to monkey bar jugs, held up with heavy dude construction kit (the ones that require you to be 400kg or more to pull it off)
ive been training for 3 years on it now, never stepped a foot in a gym, i have NO IDEA about how grading works... so one day im just going to blow everyones mind ;)
5:28 now let’s play the “is this audio from bouldering or their first time” game
That footplacement gives me a headache but other than that goof job, I love your static and controlled climbing style. Also the Boulders look insanely hard for their grades
Was looking for this. my exact thought, it looks super sandbagged
Coming from 13+ years of competitive climbing/bouldering experience, I have some advice for Mike.
1. The MOST IMPORTANT without a doubt is injury prevention. More specifically your finger pulleys. If you feel any pain/soreness in fingers a day after a bouldering session, which worsens when you apply pressure on the palm side of the fingers, your finger pulleys are likely injured and you NEED TO REST at least 4-5 days. This gives the ligament time to heal and strengthen similar to muscles. This is especially true for bouldering due to its intense nature, and I cannot tell you the number of people who have partially torn their pulleys just because they couldn't wait a few days to rest. I know you have a upload schedule to meet but resting for a few days beats being injured and unable to climb for weeks or even months.
2. Experiment with chalk and different shoes. Softer/stiffer shoes benefit you in different ways and your problem with smaller footholds may be due to having shoes that are too soft. (Not accounting for proper technique and foot placement). If you can bear with the discomfort, try and size down your shoes also as they allow you to generate more force when stepping on smaller footholds. On the other hand softer shoes lets you achieve more friction which is useful for smearing on walls and big holds. For chalk, different chalks suits different people depending on your skin type and amount of palm sweat generated. Play around with different chalks and shoes and you might find that you can climb a full grade higher because of it. :)
3. Learn proper techniques and foot placements. There are countless videos online that teaches you the fundamental of climbing within minutes and they would benefit you greatly especially when your goal is to try and improve as fast as you can. Proper hip, shoulder, foot and hand placements can determine whether you finish a boulder and not being able to even start it.
I hope you see this and good luck with your journey! I hope to see you achieve a V5-6 when your video comes out :)
I really agree. It's great to push grades and see how far you can get and how fast you can do it (and it makes good videos). But try to stay safe and work on the basic techniques. Nothing is worse than getting injured, and good technique makes climbing not only easier, but also more fun
On the orange at 10 minutes in your shoes look to be folding back at the end which could mean they're too big
Hi Mike! Great job, looking very strong! Just a friendly tip from a guy who has been climbing for just about a year, I would recommend you focussing on footwork during your climbs. Try to place your toes on the footholds, no matter how big the hold is. This grants free turning of that foot and also better mobility in the hips, wich I think will spike your results whether you are bouldering, toproping or leadclimbing! I would love to see more climbing content in the future, its an amazing sprt after all. Thanks for everything!
It would be really enjoyable to see you climb with some others that are slightly along in bouldering grades. There's a lot of things that I see (working out beta, foot placement, general movement) that I think is *really* hard to pin down and learn as a solo climber. Just having someone else to work through a problem with makes an absolutely huge bit of difference, even at the highest level of climbing.
Lookin good! With over 10 years experience and having done v11, all I can say is be careful and don’t get chronically injured!
You're going to have to build up a lot of strength for the next tiers Mike, but absolutely amazing progress! It's honestly harder then you might think doing V3-V4. I really hope you go as far as you want to go.
It's so weird to be reminded of the very beginner's (the first few courses of the video) problems in bouldering, because i'm so used to just jumping of 6 m slopes by now that i completely forgot how confused i was at the start.
You are an icon. You push yourself to do the best you can in everything you try and I appreciate it so much. What an inspiration!
You seemed to end up at the grade I expected with some prior top rope climbing. I only go bouldering a handful of times per year, but my climbing friends always show me how small body position tweaks with hips and waist movement can sometimes be the key to completing a problem or not. I’m excited to see how you progress in this type of climbing. Once you get some more experience I’d like to see you try some real outdoor bouldering where you bring your own pad that folds onto a backpack. I’ve been once with my climbing friend to Castlerock state park in Northern California and it’s very different from indoor bouldering/climbing. I bet there are some spots up where you are, or over in France.
I love when people talk with a drink in their Hand. Somehow, it makes them seem super relaxed yet super professional at the same time. Just me?
I just watched the climbing video and now this appeared on my homepage.
your first vid on climbing got me into bouldering, this is perfect motivation!
Same here
This video helped inspire me to go bouldering for the first time! Had my first go yesterday and I can’t wait to head back again!!!
Hey Mike, I've been following you for a very long time and i really enjoy your concept !
As a climber myself I love those Bouldering / climbing videos, keep practicing and enjoy it :)
Just a quick thing, please be careful while climbing with a watch (or anything really like jewlery or else) your might damage your watch and/or the holds, but mostly you could get harmed pretty badly (especially with rings or necklace but still).
Anyway keep it going and thanks a lot for all those years !
as someone who's started with bouldering, I'd never have thought it would be much different to top rope climbing... loving the climbing vids, motivating me to get to my local gym, such a great, chilled out sport which I hope to improve in over the coming months :)
this and your last video have totally inspired me to try out climbing! cant’t wait to hit the walls next weekend!
climbing is great! let us know how your first session went!
This is really interesting to watch. As a V7/8 boulderer, I've only ever climbed 7b top rope and usually only get 7a/7a+. The fact that you've done 6c shows just how different the disciplines are!
Didn't see anyone else mention this but I would definitely work and practice on falls and falling technique. I used to work at a rock gym and have seen some gnarly injuries from people hesitant or uncomfortable falling. Don't just practice to failure, practice FOR FAILURE. An injury will set you back more than anything else. It'll make you more comfortable and focused going for the tough moves if you k iw you can fall and not get hurt. Climbing is definitely part a mental game.
I went climbing for the first time with two of my friends last Sunday. We were there for 3 and half hours, and had completely used up all our energy. I'm still sore, but it was definitely not the last time. Thanks for getting me into this sport.
Watching you try this climbing style, it was obvious to me what the first 100 hours have done for your stamina, your core strength and muscle development. Your arms under stress look like Bruce Lee in fighting mode! 💪
Awesome job!! It is worth mentioning that the color of the holds does not decide the grade, but rather the tape that is on the holds themselves. Keep up the great work!
Bouldering is my primary hobby. HECK YES to the brushing joke. 😂😂
This video series is the best thing anyone's ever done in Dundee
Tips: There's this one habit that you have to get out of, dont stop yourself from climbing routes because of the grade, if you see a fun or intresting route go for it. And yes you will struggle but thats why its called a boulder *problem* you have to figure it out. You limmet yourself a lot when your mind keeps telling you, you can't climb that because of the grade, so dont even look at the climb what like of want to climb 😊
Just realized that my local bouldering place sucks. This gym looks amazing!
Looking forward to the upcoming video, Mike.
I was yelling "hell yeah dude!" while you sent the first yellow route. Great sends!
First learn to fall (and share what you learn with us so everyone can learn), then aim for V6. You'll need to learn lots of technique to finish V6, so I think it'd be good to show that process
I agree that he does need to learn to fall, and get very comfortable with it. Its super easy, sharing his process would be good for those who havent climbed, but his climbing down is the absolute right thing to do. If you can climb down do, saves your joints.
Im mildly supprissed if the gym didn't teach him how to fall. (Maybe because he has climbing experience from top rope it was shluffed off) Every bouldering gym I've been to, if it your first bouldering session with them, runs you through the orientation: basics on etiquette in their gym and checking if you know how to fall correctly.
I was surprised nobody in this gym taught him how to fall. The gym I go to require you to sign a discharge, and they always teach newcomers how you should always try to land on your feet with bent legs then roll on your back in a single move.
You definitely progressed a bunch man!! The more you boulder, and climb in general, the more confident you’ll become in yourself and you’re body positioning.
Mike’s terminology
jugs=big bouldery things
Sloppers = slippery blobby ball things
Crimps= microscopic things
A Gaston= MEGA PULL
I easily see you becoming a consistent V5 climber. Your technique is good and you’re strong man 💪🏼 good luck!!
Watching this really shows the skill level Magnus has. Good effort Mike!
Then happy doggo makes the video though!
You should definitely learn how to fall first.
Hi Mike! First of all welcome to bouldering, we are excited to see you grow!
In relation to your request for us to tell you what grade to aim for, we can definitely make suggestions (My personal opinion is that you at least TRY a V6 and aim to send a handful of V5's)
But my other point I would like to make is that Climbing Grades are really not that important in my opinion. They do indeed serve as a general benchmark but as you have seen, there are SO many styles of routes thanks to excellent route setting and a huge variation of holds.
As someone who has been bouldering for years, there is an understanding that you cannot outclimb bad technique. What I would LOVE to see is you spending time with someone in your next video who can coach you through important techniques that are going to UNLOCK potential you never knew you had! We wanna see heelhooks, toehooks, dynos, better footwork and learning to read routes!
Many people have listed Magnus Midtbø as some to collab with, especially since climbing popularity has exploded since 2020, however time with any seasoned coach/climber would be great too.
We also look forward to perhaps your first ever lead climbing experience video, which takes the cake for probably the most difficult form of climbing (subjectively) on the planet aside from free soloing.
Do check out Adam Ondra's RUclips channel, he is widely known as the best lead/outdoor climber on the planet and the video production that goes into his work on his channel is industry leading.
I also recommend you check out his video of "Silence" which is the hardest graded lead climb on the planet at 9C+, just to truly get a sense of what very few people on the planet are capable of.
All the best!
your unwillingness to jump 6 feet down to a soft mat is hilarious
As someone who knew what bouldering was beforehand, that cleaning montage was hilarious
It’s kinda weird seeing the red x on the screen whenever he falls, because as a boulder we falling is just so normal, and I don’t see it as a failure.
bro you look great. climbing is a life savior.
I'm really curious to know/see what Magnus Mitbo could coach you too, or help improve you with. he's done plenty of collab climbs with people you wouldn't expect to be climbing as of late, and your learning progression system might be some interesting content for the both of you.
Happy to see someone get bit by the biuldering bug :) I look forward to seeing you do higher grades for the first time :)
Awesome, well done! I'm happy that at some point someone told you about downclimbing jugs :D Bouldering will definitely improve you climbing massively!
This is kinda amazing because I saw your pull video in like 2018, and it kinda inspired me to rock climb up until now. So to you you climb is kinda funny
Keep going Mike, you're not far away from freesoloing with Alex Honnold!!! Keep up the great progress!!
Outdoor v4 would be a great goal. It would also give you and those new to climbing a taste of what the sport is really about! Train indoor, crush outside!
i started bouldering and i think it helped my climbing overall because it taught me techniques before taking on top rope
V6 is the point where climbing starts to get very demanding on technique and strength (at least for me). It would be amazing to see you achieve this grade, but you would likely have to get some dedicated coaching to do it in a reasonable timeframe.
IM SMILING SO MUCH! I LOVE BOULDERING ITS MY CHILDHOOD. I haven't been able to since I moved this year which makes me really sad so seeing somebody else learning and enjoying and scared of the falls. Keep it hope I hope you love it as much as I do.
getting over your fear of falling is key for bouldering, pushing yourself away from the wall and bending your knees as you land is key
Really nice to watch your journey through the sweet pains of climbing, you have the best approach, try really hard and have fun! You are also know where to improve, 10:00 onward placing just the toe and pushing is a tricky but important piece of foot tecnique that is painfully slow to unlock. Warming up by traversing on progressively smaller footholds sped up the process for me. Looking forward to see you crush!
you look good man, the training is paying off. keep at it
I'm really glad you didn't just jump on and start climbing V5 and V6 after a couple months of climbing. I would have cried. I've been working at this a lot longer than you have, and your progress is very good!
I think the most comparable indoor benchmarks are on the Moonboard or the Kilter Board. You could see if your Bouldering Gym got one of those, they work a little like spray walls with light indicators for which hold you are supposed to use in which route. Then you select a set of holds for a route in the app on your smartphone and the holds get marked on the wall.
There is a wide selection of routes in the app and the ones with many reviews are pretty accurate in terms of Grades compared to outdoor Bouldering, which imo is the purest and (dont quote me on that) original form of Bouldering.
Although the style is very limited (mosty big dynamic moves in a big overhang and really tough on the fingers).
Anyways, love your climbing and bouldering content, been doing both for years and enjoy seeing the process of starting from scratch immensly.
Excuse my english, I think there are some mistakes here and there, stoked to see where your climbing journey is headed!
Came down here to offer some constructive feedback about foot placement but everyone's got that covered already haha. Loved the video Mike! Stoked for the next
Was in Dundee and popped in to Block10 for a bit. Thanks for the recommendation.
Also, thanks for the motivation to send that yellow you'd tried. I got there eventually!
Lookin good!!! The black holds near every bouldering route are down climbs so you can more easily get most of the way back down!
Welcome to the climbing family bro
Climbing back down is a good way to double your wall time, good for practice 🤘
This was really cool man, just got in to bouldering a little over a month ago and loving it. Keen to see you progress 😎
Such a great video!!
This is just amazing. I love climbing and seeing all this new people inmersing themselves in such an awesome sport, it just makes my day
I am incredibly excited about this series!! I've been watching your channel for years and I will continue to do so, especially if you keep uploading climbing-related stuff!!!!!
It was great seeing your commentary sound like a beginner climber, even though you actually climb really well. I wouldve believed it if you'd said you werent struggling. And honestly, think you could send a v6. Some v6s ive done were almost just ladder crimps going all the way up which feels like top rope.
Recently got into bouldering, it’s great fun and a good workout
Those are the newest climbing shoes I've ever seen 🤣Great work though, keep at it!
Remember, foot work is key in bouldering. you always want to try to use the tip of your foot on foot holds as its more stable and provides more leeway when doing dynos. keep up the good work Mike!
Mike it is really awesome to see you dip your toes into sports climbing and bouldering! I have been doing it myself for the past 6 years and it is still one of my favourite sports. Here are some tips: In general, try to focus more on proper foot placement. You should aim to use your toes as much as possible when stepping on a hold. This makes it easier to rotate your feet giving you better mobility on the wall. Also experiment with the difference of dropping your heels down low when standing on slabby holds versus keeping your heels above your toes, you should notice the first option gives you much more grip. Finally it might be worth getting some separate bouldering oriented shoes. These will be better suited toward bouldering, with softer and more rubber allowing better grip and easier toe/heel-hooks. Make sure to get advice from someone who knows what to look for in a bouldering shoe. They will probably give some discomfort at first, but it's normal to take of your bouldering shoes during a session. Having 2 pairs of shoes will also make them last you longer :) I wish you lots of fun climbing and look forward to future videos about it.
Mike got the climbing bug!! Lol welcome to the fold dude, I wish you lots of chalk in your future
Welcome to bouldering! It’s awesome. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Also don’t get too wrapped up in grades, they are important but also very subjective.
Also don’t get discouraged if your journey through the grades slows down. From personal experience it is way harder to go from V4 to V6 than V1-V3, and I’ve spent the better part of the last 5 years to go from V7-V10. The gap between grades gets larger the higher you go, but it’s so rewarding!
Looking forward to more videos 👊
Yes!! He did it!! Awesome Mike
Mike truly has super human perseverance
yes! so happy you did boulkdering
My fav bit is on the slab where your feet are in a good position when you look at them but as soon as you look away your ankles get lazy, droop and you slide off the wall.
Hey Mike! Super awesome to see you getting into climbing. I definitely remember when I first got hooked.
For bouldering grades, I'd say for a beginner a v5-ish climb would be a great benchmark (depending on what gym you're going to- some grade harder and some grade easier.) v5 was definitely a landmark for me when I first started, as it was proof that I had gotten a good handle on climbing techniques.
Most levels after this point really rely on the increase of strength (whether that be forearm/bicep or finger,) and less so on critical fundamental climbing techniques.
Seriously though, it's so wonderful seeing someone get addicted to climbing. It's a wonderful way of getting a full-body exercise, and I've always found it much more satisfying than typical exercise, such as weight lifting- especially when you finally complete an incredibly hard project you've been working on for a while.
Wishing you all the best from Texas,
Miles
Honestly bouldering is so great because it also helps you improve at rope climbing. You gain a lot more technique, you improve your dynamic movement, and increase your max strength. Improving your max strength leads to more stamina on rope climbs because every move will only take 30% of your max strength instead of 70% for example.
Great start and glad you caught the climbing bug. Excited to see more!
Hey Mike, i was excited to see you start to climb. I've been an on and off climber for ~10 years now. The "off" usually as a result of injuries or being too busy at work. At my peak I was climbing V6+ and 5.12+ - not great, but nothing to sneeze at.
Climbing is about not only muscle strength, but tendon and ligament strength. Building your ligament strength takes SERIOUS time - years, not months. Understand that damaging your soft tissue results in SERIOUS down time, as well.
If your gym has coaches, i'd strongly recommend talking to them. Progressing quickly seems like a fun task, but please be smart about it! No one wants to see you injuring yourself! The higher grades typically require VERY strong hands (muscle AND ligament strength).
Reach out to the Wide Boyz! they're a wealth of knowledge and have a kickass channel!
Really enjoyed this one. I started bouldering a little over a year ago and has been a very fulfilling hobby. Nice job on those V3’s. Flagging and drop-knee become very helpful at this stage.
Other than aiming for a V5
Try to find routes that have these nice sets!:
1. Coordination
2. Heel/Toe Hook
3. Dynos
4. Gaston
5. Pinch
Awesome video, I'm looking forward to part 2! There's so much overlap with bouldering grades so don't be put off from trying harder grades. You'll find some V5's easier than some V3's so just try whatever you think looks cool and don't be put off by high grade numbers (:
respect for trying this. I have tried bouldering and I could not get as far as you did.
Totally irrelevant comment here but I just appreciate how calmly he speaks to the camera
Awesome, was at block 10 today
Thanks a lot! Now im addicted to bouldering
Very solid grade for the first time bouldering, plus PHENOMENAL endurance compared to most beginner boulderers. Sounds about right given your top rope training.
"Ooh these are slippy, - oh, these holes man -- oh this is better"
"Oof, I've never held anything like that in my life"
"Hooh, these ball things are weird"
Along with plenty of manly grunting.
-Mike Boyd, 2023
from only 100 hours, that is super impressive!!!
more pls youre pretty good for a "starter " i can defenitively see youre gifted at learning very quick as in youre other vidoes aswell good luck