Are You Stronger Than The Average Climber?

Are You Stronger Than The Average Climber?

Are you curious about how strong the average climber is at different grades? Well, wonder no more because we’ve asked climbers at the wall to get the scoop. In this article, we’ll be focusing on one strength metric: pull-up strength. Specifically, we’re measuring the number of body-weight pull-ups that climbers can do in one consecutive effort. We’ll be revealing the average number of pull-ups climbers are doing for V4, V8, and the golden grade, V11.

The Great Pull-Up Debate

First up, we asked climbers how many bodyweight pull-ups they think the average V4 climber is doing. There was a lot of variation in responses, but the average guess was between 8 to 10 for men and 4 to 5 for women. However, the actual average for men is 11 to 12 and for women, it’s 6 to 7+. So, it turns out that most climbers were underestimating the strength of V4 climbers.

Moving on to V7, the average guess for men was 5, and for women, it was 8. However, the actual average is 16 to 17+ for men and 10+ for women. So, it seems that climbers were once again underestimating the strength required for this grade.

The Golden Grade: V11

Finally, we come to the grade that many climbers dream of achieving, V11. The average guess for the number of pull-ups for men was 20-25 and for women, it was 10. However, the actual average for men is 20, and for women, it’s 12. So, it seems that climbers were once again underestimating the strength required for this grade.

It’s not all about pull-up strength

It’s important to note that pull-up strength is just one metric of climbing strength. Climbers also use their lower body, technique, and flexibility to reach higher grades. For example, women tend to be more flexible and technical, and therefore rely less on upper body strength than men.

In conclusion, it seems that climbers may be underestimating the amount of pull-up strength required to climb at certain grades. But, remember that this is just one metric of strength, and there are so many other metrics that contribute to climbing success.