In The Rock Climber's Training Manual, the Anderson brothers recommend that climbers be generally fit, with 10 percent body fat for men and 20 percent for women. At 5'7” and 158 pounds, the upper end of a healthy BMI, I'd need to drop 28 pounds, or roughly 18 percent of my body weight, to get close to a 20 BMI.
Do you need to be strong to be a climber
You don't need a strong upper body to rock climb, but you will find, in developing your technique, you will gain upper body strength if you continue to climb. So you don't need it, but you'll get it.
What is considered a beginner climber
From 5.0 to 5.7 is considered easy – most people start here. From 5.8 to 5.10 is considered intermediate – people who start to understand how rock climbing works will be here. From 5.11 to 5.12 is considered hard – this is where most rock climbers are considered good.
What grade is the average climber
Most people seem to climb < 6A (beginners). Then you have the 2nd group which is mostly the more dedicated people who climb 6A-7B. And then there's this small group which do extremely difficult stuff as well.
How are climbers so skinny
What is the easiest climber to grow
Why are climbers not muscular
Does weight matter in climbing
At what age do climbers peak
What are the 4 levels of climbing difficulty
What is the lifespan of a climber
Do climbers live longer
What problems do climbers face
Should climbers train pull-ups
Do climbers need strong legs