Adam Ondra #38: What is the best body type for climbing?

ČESKÉ TITULKY JSOU DOSTUPNÉ V NASTAVENÍ VIDEA
What is the best body type for climbing? Tall or short? Skinny or muscular?
We dig into this a little bit more and try to answer it in the new episode.
Credits:
Story by
ADAM ONDRA
Directed by
LACO KORBEL
Camera
PAVEL KLEMENT
Archive Footage
POSING PRODUCTIONS
VOJTĚCH LIČKO
JAKUB FABIAN
ADAM ONDRA ARCHIVE
Post Production
ADAM LIGOCKI
Production
JAKUB PÍNA
Executive Producer
PAVEL BLAŽEK
© 2019 AO Production s.r.o.
#climbing #bodytype #secret #anatomy #sport #apeindex #bouldering #speed #olympics

[@mirthfulmiasma]

TLDR: it’s the neck

[@fredjackson9925]

This made me die 😂

[@plasmaastronaut]

it counts as an extra limb, like an elephant's trunk. footholds, handholds and chin/mouth holds. Seriously that freak neck, it must weigh a stone. Are there muscles in it that help in body tension? Or if its dead weight then he could have surgery to get half of it removed, then being 5kg lighter he could do a 9c+

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

It makes onsight easier.

[@ItachiGT]

You might be joking, but actually there might be some bio-mechanical advantages to a long and strong neck when climbing. This should be analyzed....because that's what sets Ondra apart from others.

[@polkawillneverdie2159]

@Ariolimax C. and to build up momentum ;)

[@AlbertMXG]

"I did my first 8b+ at the age of 11".... Ok bye

[@AndrewGMusician]

kiros15 😂

[@OllieDraws]

IKR! Like wtf!

[@nene1523]

I cracked as well...right there 🤣🤣

[@S.C.-wo8hq]

He was a phenom.

[@sjts9466]

Ashima a 9a

[@definitelynotclickbait8283]

"I wasn't very powerful" proceeds to climb 9a

[@laputahh]

Einari Ihalainen definitely not clickbait 9a+ to be specific at age 13 like wtff

[@RSTANKER33]

Lollll

[@08Shade80]

Technique and finger strength goes a long way

[@livix_1166]

technique ma dude its not just about strengh

[@pepmv]

Andrew Pedrycz Age 15, still impresive as fuck, but there is a difference

[@noohairdontcare]

The difference in his physical appearance between just standing there and flexing on a route is astonishing

[@philipmeisterl]

NoSox RubyRox basically 0 fat but also not a lot of muscle mass

[@Cacuna]

Most skinny people are like that

[@DTB1752]

@@philipmeisterl i am 100 fat and also not a lot of muscle mass

[@curryascocarrasco4829]

His hands/fingers are thicc

[@alexbrewton4166]

he looks like such a goober just standing there😂 but when he climbs it’s like wtf

[@HeretiCflow]

I've recently started bouldering and I can tell you one thing: Fat with T-Rex arms is not it!

[@MarkSmith-hq4rr]

You made my day

[@pluggothesluggo5509]

funfact: t-rex arms are actually a meter long and could are actually pretty good for grappling

[@humanimal5527]

Hey bro hope you've stuck with climbing! You don't have to be the best in the gym to stay healthy and have a great time doing so!

[@unknownentity524]

🤣😂🤣 quality

[@chipper442]

I appreciate the laugh this morning. Keep digging, you’ll figure a way around those issues. Have a great day.

[@haydennichole5428]

“The height is mostly just my long neck,” I was not expecting that. In short...we have our answer.

[@RackwitzG]

He can hook his chin in a hold to rest his arms.

[@santiagosalcedo7909]

After 8 min.... Yes, I do have a long neck.

[@Tom-yp7sj]

we've all been waiting for it

[@jacobsack]

@@Tom-yp7sj he finally admits it

[@christophh9477]

To be fair if you had a normal neck you would score high on the ape index...

[@forkevbot]

Adam ape index: +1 Adam ape index adjusting for neck: +21

[@Mornepin]

In all seriousness, he could have a +10 lmao

[@floatyseagull9472]

Dude has the body of a 5’10-5’11 guy

[@gc99289]

@@floatyseagull9472 Guy is 5'11, but neck is extra 2'' over normal.

[@bigbirdmusic8199]

@@gc99289 6'1"

[@themeatpopsicle]

Good to know Adam has been yelling on hard moves since he was like, 10

[@MinecraftEAT]

yeah, but he was climbing 8b+ (5.14a) when he was that age

[@ih8tusernam3s]

That's the real secret, climbing through puberty is the common denominator.

[@forkevbot]

This was the comment I was looking for lol.

[@ozapenguin]

What is the best neck length for climbing?

[@lukacerjak9750]

His.

[@nickbedford]

Adam's advantage is he can see the holds above the overhang using his long neck.

[@glenn8459]

The longer the better

[@user-xr9zm3zr8v]

That’s the comment I’m looking for

[@nichtsistkostenlos6565]

If your neck isn't at least half a meter, I don't even know why you'd bother climbing.

[@stephantom8237]

I was worried this video might be depressing (I’m 5’6” with a -3 ape index) but turns out it was inspiring. There really are advantages and disadvantages for so many body types and features, and it’s all about finding ways to work with the body you have. I’ve heard this from other climbers before but it’s great to have another breakdown of the ways this is true from such a knowledgeable source. Thanks for the video!

[@firstnamelastname6071]

Don't worry, I'm 5'1, female, with a -.5 ape index. I literally can't fathom how people can have an ape index of +11 like Kai Harada, they must've dragged their arms under their feet 💀

[@JerryGarciaPOBox]

5'1" male here. While obviously there are going to be limitations(I know I'm never going to dunk a basketball), but I've learned not to focus on it in whatever I do. As an offshore commercial fisherman I would spend 15+ hrs a day on my tiptoes which is exhausting but never held me back. On the other hand I spent a few years building & repairing transmission lines w/some steel work mixed in(old electrical towers and cell towers). That was something that my height really hurt me. Steel was fine. Loved it & was quite good. Climbing huge creosote soaked wooden transmission poles was fine until I was up & supported by my spikes & trying to operate gas powered drills w/three+ foot long bits. I would have to get my body nearly horizontal(not cool w/spikes & old wood) just to get enough distance to bring the tip of the bit to the face of the pole. That placed the body of the drill right by my face. They frequently jam w/immense power & you don't want your face anywhere near it. God I hated those drills. In most cases it's all about learning to get the most out of your body type & to know what your limitations are.

[@note9707]

@@firstnamelastname6071 I’m 5’6 with a +8in ape index,and I can almost touch my knees standing up straight. I have a weird build

[@JerrafurOscar]

@@firstnamelastname6071 Just wanted to note that Harada's ape is 11 cm, so that's about +4.5". Still a big difference, but not as horrifyingly.

[@jeksewnoleeray1020]

rise up short kings

[@dakiblabla]

So ape index and giraffe index :)

[@R1ProductionMai]

Wow I was fascinated that you climbed your first 8b+ when you were 11 years old. Really strong. Keep the series going, love these type of climbing videos

[@DustyGus]

I learned some things about myself. 1. I have good climbing hands 2. Being short isn't so bad. (I'm 5'3") 3. Short limbs aren't so bad, either 4. This is the ideal male body. You may not like it, but this is what peak male performance looks like.

[@leokaporetto5781]

I remember being a bit discouraged from climbing because I’m 5’5, and thought lanky guys would automatically just be better at climbing. But, I have small strong hands and feet, with nice big thumbs that are good for pinching holds, so, in reality I have more strengths than I thought! Sadly I don’t have the neck benefit haha

[@firstnamelastname6071]

I needed this, thanks. I'm a 5'1 female with a -.5 wing span

[@A99Diaz]

Every body type will be better for some types of routes. Maybe short people have better stability and equilibrium, and even more explosiveness because of the lighter load. Girls have better flexibility. IMO, tall people only have an advantage when the holds are far away enough so that short people have to jump whereas tall people can just reach easily.

[@wisewigga7129]

there is no ideal body

[@tomislavterek5544]

im 192 cm tall with 114kg and doing fine-ish :) Could get few kilograms off tho hehe

[@Sean-mc4iq]

For such a skinny guy, his fingers are incredibly thick

[@scottessery100]

wow what hands

[@jordanpresnell4697]

From rock climbing

[@KSSyu13]

Thicc

[@rosspetersen4434]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@ItsNikoHIMself]

@Jesse Pinkman ?? He id 186cm tall and weighs 71kg. He IS skinny.

[@suchasreallife]

Rumor has it Adam wears the same size climbing shoes as when he first started climbing

[@MobscastBlackOut]

I love how he says his grip strength hasn't increased since he was 7 as he can hang for about the same time. If the average seven year old weighs about 50 lbs and he could hang for X seconds at that weight he wouldn't be able to hang at the average adult weight of 196 lbs what so ever. Now that he is an adult and can hang for X seconds at this weight is a giant strength increase compared to before as he is technically 4x stronger.

[@lukehoward3407]

Yeah technically you're right, but what he's saying is his strength to bodyweight ratio has pretty much stayed at the same level.

[@mutex1024]

Climbers don't care about absolute strength, so there units of strength are normalized to their body weight.

[@forkevbot]

Its also funny because he said he couldn't do the campus board very well before he won the bouldering world championship at 17 but now is a master lol to me that sounds like progress. Maybe his weakness was his arms and not his grip which would be weird considering how well he could boulder lol

[@PinkiesBrain]

@drew13600 That was one of my first thoughts too- but in the end i doubt that he had arm thick fingers with 7 years like he has now....

[@markkealy4417]

that really doesn't matter though, relative strength is the name of the game for him

[@jordantaylor3907]

Adam I loved you're video.thank you for the tips..youre climbing has really inspired me.i just climed my first v 9 boulder problem at the climbing gym.please post more Adam! Great job.

[@farvertex]

Thank you for bringing so much culture, interest and excitement to the climbing game.

[@arkhust6775]

This video is amazingly informative, thank you for all the work that was put into it, i really learned a lot from it :)

[@darkexcalibur87]

This made me feel better about being a short climber. Thanks Adam!

[@tarbarik9754]

loving those videos! thanks man! This what going in depth into sport really means!

[@S.C.-wo8hq]

"What's the best body type for climbing?" Adam: "Yes."

[@zarrowthehorse]

Cringe

[@thanasis-_-]

@@zarrowthehorse yes

[@jamiewells698]

Keep up the great work Adam! Love from the UK

[@uremawifenowdave]

Excellent video introducing a complex subject.

[@itsclements06]

This reminds me of a problem, I did with my dad a while back. The start meant that u had to push yourself into the wall and under a overhang. My dad struggled with it because he was really squashed and couldn't find space to reach with hi arms whereas I am samller so I found it easier to get under that overhang and then move enough to shift my weight and reach the next boulder. This just goes to show that u don't have to be tall and strong and have a wide arm span to do boulders easily and it's about figuring out how to use ur body as an advantage.

[@mileswandered8289]

Enjoyed the video! Thanks for making it Adam :)

[@TitchPunk]

I have no words except : best combing video ever! I learnt so much, thank you thank you thank you

[@Anna-yj5jo]

Another great video! Thank you Adam and to your team. Looking forward to future videos

[@smuir6104]

I like your evaluation, and honest answers.

[@gerlee04]

A M A Z I N G ! ! ! 8b+ with 11 👏 STUNNING! Very interesting post. All the best for the future. Greetings from Salzburg

[@canal-nz1xn]

This guy is the true spirit of sports. Even though beeing one of the bests (if not the best) he keeps humble.

[@climberdad]

7:03 + is the answer everyone is looking for and I love it! I say this alot but now I get to say Adam Ondra said it!

[@tuffythumper6676]

You're so cool and your videos are very interesting ! Hi from France :) Good luck for all your competitions, keep enjoy them !

[@droodpoto]

Hey, it was a good video there. Really interesting, about muscle and how you can benefite frome your own body type. Hope to see other video like this one. I really enjoyed it. Keep climing and having fun.

[@kathmoon1540]

thank you, that was very informative 👍🏼

[@chipper442]

Adam, it’s off topic, but I really dug your TENDON Rope video. Some great info. The climb at the beginning was clutch. Thank you.

[@bobthemadmonkey]

the first look at those fingers made me physically recoil

[@SilencedButNotForgotten]

Yeah, they are destroyed hahah

[@bizmonkey007]

Years of climbing will do that

[@3DxPOD]

@@SilencedButNotForgotten destroyed... I think you mean improved. If he were making a video game character, he maxed out his neck length and whatever was left went into the fingers.

[@uliniedermair2148]

Great episode! Thanks!

[@3alozano]

These videos are full of useful information and so funny. Like watching Superman explaining he doesn't fly very well

[@meieb2572]

I am 14 and my height is 158 cm My friends always laugh at me when I put my feet at the same height as my stomach, but now I can tell them that I am not crazy!

[@qu2409]

Meie B wait im 14 and 1,65! Crazy

[@Carlos-cm5si]

Fucking oompa loompa...

[@meieb2572]

@@Carlos-cm5si thank you

[@benjigardner651]

Meie B I’ve got stupidly long legs and a smaller upper body so getting my feet up to my stomach is probably near impossible for me

[@are3287]

@@Carlos-cm5si Wow you called a child short you totally got them Too bad they'll probably end up taller than you goblin.

[@elenchanted9904]

Best body type: A L L N E C K

[@philipfahy9658]

Thanks Adam for making me feel better about my negative ape index!

[@veratagge9869]

Thanx a lot for this great video! Much luck in Tokio, great master! 👍👏

[@BareMinimumTacticus]

I was shocked at 8b+ at 11 but a few moments later he's topping 9a+ at 15 lol. How is he still considered human that is just insane

[@elodave]

Came here looking for this comment. Mad ting ennit

[@sanyo_neezy]

Very inspiring conclusion :)

[@rockclimbing3844]

Thanks for a great video!!

[@olivieraudouin8684]

Excellent video !!!

[@mystyboarder910]

I have a + 2" index. It's really easy for lock offs and big reaches but definitely a disadvantage for other styles.

[@truepietro]

Grate video! Nice to see Schubert and McColl always in finals: legths really does not matter! 😅

[@RegisRobert38]

01:30 So much meme material.

[@jwest8330]

haha had to laugh so hard when i watched it again

[@sebastianbaezacontreras9365]

Like 01:29, 01:31 or 01:35

[@forkevbot]

This was one of the most unintentionally funny videos I've seen.

[@Dushaful]

@@jwest8330 loooool

[@rdtarcade7644]

you know sometimes you just got to go for the pinkie

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

I am the same size as Adam if you remove 3 cm of neck. I only climb 8b. Must be the neck sure!

[@AW-po7jr]

Very interesting, Thank you

[@mortzon5681]

I like how objective adam is.

[@gpn962]

Interesting video. Thanks

[@teamneverlost]

Answer: E.T. - The Extra Testicle

[@jonnes__4657]

Very interesting subject! If you stop training hard, the muscles loose water and you are leighter, hmmm... I have much bigger hands, now I understand my disandvantage. I have nearly the same body height and a bit more weight. I have to transfer more weight into muscles. My wing-span is + 1" but Tomoa Narasaki or Kai Harada has +4", WOW! .

[@erikbakker1639]

Im always intriged how routesetters find ways to cater for both tall and small people. But i guess its also a bit like Adam says, find your own way.

[@kingsed91]

Not in my gym then

[@vladreushev6566]

Nice video! First time found sth like this

[@FU0C0]

What's his giraffe index?

[@hydenshribby]

+20cm

[@TribunalxWarrior]

yes.

[@morkovija]

Noticed that Adam rushes to the starting holds first - is that a personal ritual?=)

[@ThumbsUP-ThumbsDOWN]

I wonder how Adam Ondra compares to Alex Megos in terms of grip strength, height and just raw power. It would be interesting to see these two climbing together and comparing their techniques for the purpose of a video like this one.

[@ricky4214]

i loved climbing when I was a kid, i could hang by my finger tips no problem, but now i'm wide shouldered and bulky with hands that are definitely not large and my fingers will not take me hanging on them, so my feet stay on the ground these days

[@julesthouzet4725]

Sean McColl, short and very dynamic and Adam Ondra, tall and more static... They're both on the overall lead podium this year 👍 Thers's not ONE perfect body !

[@tomek7522]

I climbed for 6 years and trough videos of adam, alex and magnus im thinking about to try it again bcs i was pretty good at it, like i climbed 7b with 14yrs of age, and my proportions are pretty good i think now with 1.80m tall and 191cm wingspan with 71kg

[@nickjason4480]

I'm 6'0 and my armspan in 6'6. I'm currently hovering 155lbs. Like Ondra said being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is a key to your personal success. I always find myself working on my flexibility on boulders where my long limbs are not optimal ahaha.

[@curiosidadesdegenis]

Amazing

[@billygowhoop]

I can't stop looking at how long his neck is.

[@john-carlosynostroza]

Twice as long as standard

[@3DxPOD]

I hadn't noticed.

[@CVVLin]

My boi Adam finna win gold

[@bobobububu]

I don't know anything about climbing, but somehow I'm still very skeptical about this video. While obviously, every body type has its pros and cons, I tend to believe that somebody type would give a bigger advantage on average. It will be interesting to see the world champions / Olympic games winners in 10-20 years (when the sport will be an Olympic sport for a while) to see if indeed we have a wide diversity of body types among top athletes.

[@KickMinecraftPL]

I starred bouldering 2 months ago, and i really like it, finally my body is perfect for something i like. I weight 72kg, i’m 194 cm in height and my arm span is 205cm.

[@hansmeier4211]

Best climbing channel :)

[@leeklu5117]

Nice Video👌

[@poweroftea4508]

Dakujem

[@oash6041]

Jesus Christ, Adam’s finger strength is so insane that his fingers look like a Mickey Mouse glove. That’s some goals

[@holliswilliams8426]

imagine if he slapped you

[@oash6041]

@@holliswilliams8426 I would literally die

[@conjj17]

Can you increase your finger thickness from climbing? Has anyone experienced this?

[@oash6041]

@@conjj17 yes, over time, it’s kinda expected to happen usually

[@divyansh6574]

Great guy

[@JAKOB1977]

Very good videos.

[@Macks_Mustermann]

thats what i like about climbing, it doesnt matter what kind of body you have.

[@tommygun80127]

I wonder how climbing at such a young age influenced Ondra's body during the developmental years.

[@tomriddle2257]

I also have a large head and I thought it’s a major disadvantage, but it can be used for balance.

[@Kavriel]

Nice video.

[@robertnewell4054]

70 -72 kg is still quite light, especially at AO hight.

[@Kavriel]

It is, though people are way too fat. We've gotten used to an average body that is quite fat, which is not very natural or healthy.

[@robertnewell4054]

@Kavriel .......... true, but Adam is an Ectomorph & is just built thin. Compare him to the legendary John”One Tonne” Dunne. Adam arguably has THE BUILD for today’s Sport Climbing

[@Mike-oz4cv]

That’s a BMI of 20.5, right in the normal weight range.

[@robertnewell4054]

@ Michael K ...... BMI, as it’s been propagated by MetLife, is bullshite. Compare him to another world class athletes Kyle Dake, Freestyle World Champ. IMO Alex Ondra arguably has “a perfect” build for today’s Sport Climbing

[@Kavriel]

@@Mike-oz4cv BMI is BS

[@lavente5253]

6:34 it's gonna be a new meme soon

[@antichamaleon4339]

It already is! :) ("ondrasneck" on IG)

[@luciatrstanova8911]

@@antichamaleon4339 couldnt find it🥺

[@CheezePro]

I love you so much, keep yelling at the rock for me (:

[@Proud_Troll]

I'm 178 in height, and 182 in wing span. My hands are pretty average in length at 197 mm. (But mildly short in width.) My weight is at the moment 65.8 kilograms. Some would say I'm skinny, and lack muscle, because I'm skinny, and I lack muscle.

[@doposud]

you have wings ? lucky guy

[@Proud_Troll]

@@doposud Lol

[@DydraLIVE]

I have an Ape Index of -6 ( 176 cm wingspan to 183 height ). I do have some problem with reaching holds with low placed legs... so a lot more foot placement for me I guess.

[@cheyennehammonds2331]

I have a -1" reach, 5'7". I got a ways to go in terms of figuring out what works best for my body.

[@davidmartin7163]

The last time I was 158 pounds (72 kilos) was about 19 years ago. Now I weigh 190 pounds (86 kilos). Hopefully I can lose 20 pounds or so on this keto diet and improve my climbing.

[@leoingson]

Very similar here: Right now 90kg, want to go back to 80kg. Age 48, gaining weight started at 40. How old are you?

[@are3287]

I'm 84kg rn and the last time I was 72kg was about 16 months ago. ...I started going to the gym then lol.

[@kickmonlee3390]

@6:32 he admits that its mostly his long neck

[@blank6972]

Finally talking about the neck!

[@zainethepoet]

3:48 I hear this differently after having watched Caroline's "Lighter" documentary.

[@anderszimmerman2428]

more height = more weight because of the amount of bone in your body. I'm a 6'8 climber. It's basically impossible for me to ever get below 185lbs (84 kilos). 200 lbs (91 kilos) is where I'm at while being incredibly toned down, and at this point still considered underweight.

[@cheznikos]

He's definitely not a strenght mutant. But his technique and overall mental game is just very superior to the other guys. Genius in terms of climbing IQ. One day there might be a strength mutant with his climbing iq and we'll probably see 10a then.

[@j.l.5966]

cheznikos Magnus Mitbo with Adam’s climbing IQ would be quite a force to reckon with.

[@are3287]

He's far from his strength limit, he might just need to focus on general climbing strength training

[@lifeasaliquorstoreclerk7611]

I climb at 5’11 211 lbs very strong at 23 but I’m not speed climbing I need much rest when I can with my holds but with my weight but I can use my arms and strength better it’s a loss return thing

[@snowkracker]

At first I thought this dude was just some skinny kid when I saw him in a competition video. But now I see he’s got some serious muscle tone.

[@vladimirkraus1438]

I am too heavy to be a climber and I have severe fear of heights... So why I am even watching this? :) The answer is: because it is super interesting video and Adam is an amazing sportsman!

[@xXChipsAndGravyXx]

Im 6ft, but am built like a damn trex (shirt arms and legs, all my height is in my torso. Its really frustrating because in my head feels like so much of my weight is in my torso instead of my arms and legs so they have to work to shift a relatively unused mass around. But i cant change who i am, and am happy just climbing for the fitness, not the number i can achieve

[@ashhodson2063]

Strong hands, precise feet and a positive power to weight ratio

[@toca7348]

Fuck yeah! Best advice from best in the world!

[@ginafourie4733]

When you have fingers so small that a 2 finger pocket fits 3 fingers