About: Chris

I'm 26 years old, originally from Durban, South Africa and I'm currently residing in Southampton, UK. I've been climbing for approximately 4 years, 99.9% of which, has been bouldering.

I was immediately drawn to bouldering mainly due to my irrational fear of heights, not trusting people to drop me to my death, not needing to rely on a partner to climb, not knowing how to put on a harness and tying a figure of 8 knot (far too complicated for a simpleton like me!).

I then fell in love with bouldering due to the simplicity, freedom of movement and lack of restraint, associated with it. Bouldering is also very sociable and I've met so many good friends through this medium. The quintessential reason would be POWER...however with power comes great responsibility...

My first acquaintance with power was met after 6 months of bouldering when I could perform 1 armed lock offs. 3 months later I could do this with an extra 5kgs. After a year of climbing I had reached V6 territory and felt invincible! I thought I could now go from V6 - V11 in the next 6 months...of course it was possible. Or so I thought!

So started the classic, "8A/V11+ Boulderers need only apply" (see links at the bottom of the page, makes for classic reading!), forums on www.UKClimbing.com. It started off innocent enough. I wanted to know what those climbers had endured and what training schedule they implemented, so I could attain this level of bouldering. Somehow...I ended up stating I would like to get to V11, from V6, in the next 6 months...BIG mistake! Let's say it caused quite a stir! I then ended up getting injured which set my training back...not good.

The next 18 months can be condensed into getting injured, decreasing training intensity, being healed, increasing training intensity, consolidating at V8 then getting injured again just before a trip to Albarracin, Spain! I was so disappointed, as I was climbing at a very hard level at that point (around V9) and wanted to test myself in Albarracin...I would have to go injured and out of shape...I had no idea that this trip would change my perceptions and become a blessing in disguise...

Video:

FireFight V8 (FA) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W331yuStn7w
Ope in Hell SS V8+ (FA) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9BV5JiPzHk
Guy Fawkes (Grade to be confirmed) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6UqbCGm-KI


8A/V11+ Boulderers need only apply:

Part 1) http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=276010&v=1#x4111083
Part 2) http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=283592&v=1#x4208057
Part 3) http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=298865&v=1#x4429982