↑ Contents · Contents · Ch 2 →
Chapters: Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6
VO2 Max
VO2 Max calculation formula: 15.3 x (MHR/RHR)
VO2Max: Perhaps The Best Indicator Of Fitness — And Life Expectancy VO2 max — the maximum rate at which your body can consume oxygen during intense exercise — is one of the strongest predictors of both athletic performance and long-term survival. This article explains why cardiologists and longevity researchers treat it as the gold-standard fitness metric. Improving VO2 max through training can meaningfully extend healthy lifespan. worldcrunch.com — https://worldcrunch.com/culture-society/vo2max-health-life-expectancy
VO2 Max Charts and Submaximal Testing Reference tables linking VO2 max values to fitness categories by age and sex, with a submaximal treadmill protocol for estimating VO2 max without maximal effort. These resources help track cardiovascular fitness progress over time without needing a lab test. runninforsweets.com · marathonhandbook.com
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) The MET system quantifies the energy cost of physical activities relative to rest, with 1 MET equalling seated rest. This Wikipedia reference article explains how METs are used to calculate caloric expenditure and prescription of exercise intensity across clinical and research contexts. Wikipedia
Alan Couzens: 60 MET-hours/week reduces death risk 40–60% Elite endurance coach Alan Couzens summarizes epidemiological data showing that accumulating roughly 60 MET-hours per week of physical activity is associated with dramatically reduced all-cause mortality. The tweet frames practical training volume targets in terms of real longevity impact.
Is Hard Exercise the Formula for Longevity? Peter Attia Thinks So. Peter Attia argues that “Centenarian Decathlon” thinking — training now to perform specific physical tasks in your 80s and 90s — requires much higher exercise intensity and volume than conventional guidelines suggest. The piece covers zone 2 training, VO2 max, and strength as the four pillars of his longevity protocol. www.outsideonline.com — https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/peter-attia-longevity/
93 Years Old With 80% Muscle Mass — Richard Morgan Richard Morgan, a four-time world indoor rowing champion who began serious training at age 73, maintains exceptional lean muscle mass and VO2 max at 93. His case is studied as a model of what is achievable with consistent resistance and cardiovascular training started late in life. (search “Richard Morgan 93 rowing 80% muscle” on YouTube)
How to STOP Age-Related Muscle Loss / Sarcopenia Sarcopenia — the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength with aging — begins in the 30s and accelerates after 60. This video covers resistance training frequency, protein intake, and hormonal factors needed to counteract sarcopenia and maintain functional strength through older age. (search title on YouTube)
Climbing
Resources
Bouldering Grades (topbouldering.com) Reference site explaining the V-scale and Fontainebleau grading systems for bouldering, with grade conversion tables and discussion of how grades vary between gyms and outdoor crags. Essential reading before planning a training progression or interpreting outdoor boulder ratings. https://topbouldering.com/
Bouldering Training 101 (99boulders.com) Comprehensive beginner-to-intermediate training guide for bouldering: technique fundamentals, finger strength development, footwork, and mental game. 99boulders is a well-curated resource with structured training advice for climbers plateauing at early grades. https://99boulders.com/
Training: Perfect Pull-Ups for Climbing Strength (climbing.com) Pull-up variations and programming tailored specifically to climbing demands — weighted hangs, archer pull-ups, and scapular engagement. The guide connects upper body pulling strength to real climbing performance rather than treating pull-ups as isolated gym exercises. https://www.climbing.com/
10 Techniques for Climbing Overhangs — Gripped Magazine Overhang climbing requires different movement patterns than vertical climbing: hip turnout, heel hooks, drop knees, and generating momentum. These ten technique cues address the core movement skills needed to stay on steep terrain without excessive arm fatigue. https://gripped.com/indoor-climbing/10-techniques-for-climbing-overhangs/
Training for Rock Climbing (uphillathlete.com) Uphill Athlete applies mountain endurance training methodology to rock climbing, emphasizing aerobic base building, periodization, and injury prevention. Their approach draws from alpine and trail running science and challenges the purely fingerboard-centric training culture in climbing. https://uphillathlete.com/
Antagonist Training Climbing (improve-climbing.com) Climbing heavily loads pushing muscles (fingers, wrists, elbow extensors) in an antagonist role while primarily training pulling; this article explains the antagonist exercises — push-ups, dips, wrist extensions — needed to prevent the muscular imbalances that cause climbing-related injuries. improve-climbing.com
Hangboard FAQ (rockclimberstrainingmanual.com) Answers common beginner questions about hangboard training: when to start, minimum edge depth, protocols (max hangs vs repeaters), and recovery between sessions. Sets realistic expectations for finger strength gains and injury risk management. rockclimberstrainingmanual.com
Stop Plateauing V4-5 (Catalyst Climbing, YouTube) Catalyst Climbing addresses the specific plateau many gym climbers hit around V4–V5: the transition from technique-limited to strength-limited climbing. The video offers diagnostic frameworks and targeted training prescriptions for breaking through this common sticking point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6IC9qIOOCQ
Not Consistently Climbing V3s (YouTube) A frank video for climbers struggling to consistently send V3 problems, analyzing whether the issue is technique, power, footwork, or route-reading. Offers practical drills and mindset shifts for building reliable performance at lower grades before pushing harder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQLUctOpdw
International Climbing Grade Conversion (mec.ca) Grade conversion table mapping Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) to French, UIAA, Australian, and British trad grades. Indispensable when traveling to climb in a country using a different grading convention, or when comparing difficulty across route styles. mec.ca
Rock Climbing Grades Guide (rockclimbingguru.com) In-depth explanation of how climbing grades work: the history, subjectivity, sandbagging culture, and practical implications for route selection. Covers both sport and trad grading and helps climbers calibrate expectations across different climbing areas. rockclimbingguru.com
Is Climbing 5.11 Good? (ascentionism.com) Contextualizes what reaching 5.11 sport climbing grade means relative to the overall climbing population, gym climber baseline, and elite performance. Useful for understanding where one stands in the larger climbing community. ascentionism.com
World’s Hardest Boulder Problems (99boulders.com) Overview of the hardest established boulder problems in the world, from V15 to V17, with profiles of the climbers who have attempted or established them. Covers problems like Burden of Dreams, Return of the Sleepwalker, and Alphane. 99boulders.com
Climbing History (climbing-history.org, Elias Iagnemma) Historical account of rock climbing’s development from Victorian mountaineering through free climbing, sport climbing, and competition climbing. Traces the evolution of ethics, equipment, and grade standards that shaped modern climbing culture. climbing-history.org
Scarpa Instinct Lace Review (outdoorgearlab.com) Expert review of the Scarpa Instinct Lace climbing shoe: fit, sensitivity, edging performance, and comparison to competitors. The Instinct Lace is popular among climbers seeking a balance between slipper-like sensitivity and lace-up precision on technical faces. www.outdoorgearlab.com — https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/climbing-shoes/scarpa-instinct-lace
La Sportiva Solution Comp Review (outdoorgearlab.com) Review of La Sportiva’s flagship competition and overhanging-terrain shoe: the aggressive downturn, rubber quality, and suitability for steep indoor and outdoor bouldering. The Solution Comp is the preferred choice of many professional competition climbers. www.outdoorgearlab.com — https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/climbing-shoes/la-sportiva-solution-comp
La Sportiva Katana Lace Review (outdoorgearlab.com) Review of the Katana Lace: a moderate-downturn all-arounder well-suited to intermediate climbers transitioning from beginner shoes. Analysis covers edging, smearing, and all-day comfort for multi-pitch or gym sessions. www.outdoorgearlab.com — https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/climbing-shoes/la-sportiva-katana-lace
Climbing Destinations Bay Area (bayarea.com) Guide to rock climbing areas accessible from the San Francisco Bay Area: Castle Rock, Indian Rock, Mission Cliffs, and regional crags. Includes grade ranges, approach notes, and seasonal considerations for local climbers. bayarea.com
How to Return to Climbing After an ACL Tear (climbing.com) Structured return-to-climbing protocol for athletes recovering from ACL injury, covering quad strength milestones, plyometric readiness tests, and managing fear of reinjury. Emphasizes that climbing can actually be resumed before return to running or jumping sports. https://www.climbing.com/skills/how-to-rehab-an-acl-tear-for-climbing/
Climbing News
Ryuichi Murai: Burden of Dreams V17 Progress (Gripped) Coverage of Japanese climber Ryuichi Murai’s attempts on Daniel Woods’s proposed V17 boulder problem Burden of Dreams in Finland. The problem sits at the frontier of human bouldering performance and its eventual consensus grade will mark a landmark in the sport. Gripped Magazine
James Pearson Repeats Bernd Zangerl Highball News of British climber James Pearson making a notable repeat of a Bernd Zangerl highball problem, noteworthy for its seriousness — a fall from the top moves could be fatal. Highball bouldering sits at the intersection of technical difficulty and mental composure under risk.
Alex Honnold Vegetarian Diet (YouTube) Alex Honnold, best known for free-soloing El Capitan, discusses his plant-based diet and how he fuels high-output climbing on a vegetarian regimen. The video touches on protein intake, meal planning, and performance outcomes relevant for athlete nutrition generally.
Adam Ondra: Climbing Challenge (YouTube) Adam Ondra — world’s top sport climber — takes on a climbing challenge that tests specific aspects of technique, power endurance, or route-reading under the lens of structured video content. Ondra’s channel offers unusually detailed technical analysis of elite climbing movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sIeG6P8g10
Climbing on Absolute Limit — Chicken Nose 9a+ (Adam Ondra, YouTube) Adam Ondra’s video documenting his process on a 9a+ (5.15b) route: the physical and mental toll, the sequences, and his approach to projecting routes at the limit of human performance. A masterclass in elite sport climbing methodology and self-analysis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2kKAQ-KgKk
10 Hardest Routes Alex Megos Has Climbed — Gripped Profile of Alex Megos’s hardest ascents, including his seminal 9c first ascent Bibliographie and multiple 9b+ routes. Megos is notable for his speed of redpoint — frequently establishing quick ascents of the hardest routes with minimal time on route. https://gripped.com/profiles/10-hardest-routes-alex-megos-has-climbed/
Free Climber Scaled Grease-Covered Dubai Crane News story about a free climber who unknowingly scaled a 1,200-foot Dubai crane that had been coated in grease as a deterrent, completing the ascent regardless. A striking example of the combination of grip strength, improvisation, and risk tolerance in urban free climbing. https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/youtube/free-climber-climbed-crane-covered-grease-dubai-384735-20240701
Broad Peak First Winter Ascent (AAC) Coverage of the historic first winter ascent of Broad Peak (8,047m), one of the fourteen 8000-meter peaks, completing the challenge that culminated with K2’s winter ascent in 2021. The American Alpine Club article documents the team, conditions, and significance of the achievement. American Alpine Club
This is One of the Best Films on Alpinism Ever — Nuptse South Face (Gripped) Gripped’s review or coverage of an alpinism film documenting the Nuptse south face — an extremely serious technical route above the Khumbu Icefall. Considered a landmark in alpine film for its cinematic quality and the severity of the objective. Gripped Magazine
Mountains We Have Never Climbed (BBC) BBC documentary or article about the remaining unclimbed peaks and faces in the Himalaya and Karakoram — objectives that are logistically, technically, or politically inaccessible. Surveys the frontier of what is still unknown in high-altitude mountaineering. BBC