Volume Hangover Biochemistry

[Mark Rippetoe]

Since I have bouldered at about the same level of difficulty as Rob Miller, it appears you just suggested he may not be a talented climber. Would you propose that is why he hasn't climbed harder? I mean that as a serious question. No sarcasm or anything like that.

You mistake my statement as a criticism. I have already explained that strength cannot be infinitely improved in the absence of muscular mass increase. I am merely pointing out that talent provides sufficient explanation for our limitations in most sports, if strength improvement is not possible or even helpful, as you imply above.

[spiderman]

I think strength improvement is possible. I think it is helpful for climbing as long as strength to weight ratio is increasing. That's why I'm training with a barbell when almost all climbers do not. That is why I've allowed myself to gain weight based on barbell training. Like Rob wrote, I cannot change the hand I was dealt. I have to make the most of it. For example, I cannot change my levers and tendon attachment points (which are part of "talent".) That is my original reason for turning to strength training as something I can improve.