Aidan Roberts on V18 Projects & Human Potential

[@phillewis3108]

I can’t imagine anyone ever climbing a 30 foot roof of plain plate glass, so there has to be *some* limit! But I agree with Aidan.. I think there’s a way to go yet. 35 years ago, I thought what Ben and Jerry were doing couldn’t be bettered, and look where the top guys are now!

[@aidanloeser4890]

I love hearing Aidan talk about vulnerability

[@MohamedAshraf-fw1dc]

It’s a magical experience when a move that seems completely conceptual becomes seemingly plausible - during the initial period, it feels like it simply isn’t mechanically possible and then it’s like you suddenly unlocked an entire roster of unused muscle fiber and body mechanics….during that single moment, where it felt like you were able to accomplish 10% of the move rather than the 7% you’ve grown acutely familiar with throughout all the failures

[@ArchibaldVonSkip]

Aidan's son, Aidan Jr, will obviously be the one to first climb V20/9B+.

[@anbeli1691]

interesting toughts, great vid, hope v17 isnt the ceiling!

[@andersemilbeuchert8088]

There will always be surmountable increments (as these are infinitely granular) - evolution is a thing, epigenetics has a huge influence, training science is still extremely young, etc, etc, etc

[@ejl74]

Dope!

[@wdwdHenry9022]

Meditation before climbing is a life changer

[@vancestanfield]

Think about this. Somebody hung on 1.5mm. The holds on Burden Of Dreams are 13-15mm. Sure the moves INSANE and the positioning is crazy, but we know both is possible. Eventually somebody will be able to do both and that will be much crazier than v17

[@Android480]

People have been competing in every sport imaginable, for thousands of years. Someone always breaks the record. It’s naïve to assume climbing will be different. The gene pool is always mixing, the environment is always changing, and people are always discovering new techniques.

[@stefslyfe]

The ceiling is peoples willingness to accept and admit that there isn’t one. As long as downgrading permeates climbing, grades won’t be pushed and the human potential won’t be reached. Be willing to admit that you’re fucking good and you’re climbing harder grades than those who have come before you and climbing will continue to advance

[@elremito]

Sure thing, and if we want it hard enough we will eventually be able to fly and climbing will become irrelevant!

[@phillewis3108]

Downgrading a climb doesn’t actually make it easier, though…

[@addohm]

If pushing the maximum limits out become a better paid sport, you can bet your nuts that we'll see new grades real fast. Right now it's only the passionate that prevail.

[@LostinYTblackhole]

Ya no. You say the passionate are the only ones who prevail, and paying others would push the limits, but if you pay someone to do a job that they don’t like will they be better than the person who does it with passion? The answer is no.

[@withoutwithin]

@@LostinYTblackhole I think the points are that A) there are many passionate people that have had to give it up for a conventional career outside of being a climber rather than rolling that dice, and B) there are potentially passionate people that aren’t exposed to climbing to begin with due to less money and exposure compared to other sports.

[@LostinYTblackhole]

@@withoutwithin the thing is, the best climbers in the world are the ones who have been climbing since they were 3 years old. By around the age of 14 they will already be sending some of the hardest routes in the world. To be the best climber, and to push the limits of climbing, you have to start young. And by the time you grow up you’ll have the passion for climbing so that even if you don’t get paid you’ll continue to do it. Now of course you’ll probably get sponsored at that point so it’s kind of redundant. The fact is paying people to get into climbing when they’re 20 years old will not push the limits of climbing. It’s only the people who dedicate their lives to it no matter the cost that will push the limits. And the people that do that will most definitely get sponsored early on. And yes I agree, but that goes for every sport. There’s probably some kid in Africa, Philippines, Alaska, wherever it may be, there most definitely someone who has the perfect genetics for climbing but doesn’t have any exposure to it. That’s just an unfortunate fact of all sports. There’s definitely someone who could rival Michael Jordan and Lebron James in basketball that probably never has picked up a basketball before. But again, paying more money might give it more exposer, but you’ll only understand money when your 16+ years old which is to late. Climbing will never be like basketball or football where kids see all these players driving exotic cars and living a luxury lifestyle, that’s what most kids see and want, the one who become great don’t really care bout that stuff, they do it cuz they love the sport. So yes I think climbing should see better pay, the people who dedicate their lives to this should be able to afford the luxury of doing what they want and going wherever to climb. But I don’t think it will push the limits to climbing. Especially since climbing is such a hippie lifestyle, the truly passionate people really don’t care bout most this stuff. I mean look at Alex Honnald, dude is the embodiment of a climber who pushed the limits and even when he got the money he didn’t even know what to do with it. He still lives like a hobo😂

[@keennanvisga9741]

Yes sir, our potential is governed by the mind

[@elremito]

Physics might have something to say about this…

[@keennanvisga9741]

@@elremito Let me know when full human potential has been reached and we can talk then

[@lucast89]

@@elremito I am curious to know

[@La0bouchere]

​@@keennanvisga9741 The logic is very simple. Take the bench press for example: - Assume there is no limit, as you claim - If that were true, a human will eventually be able to bench press 1 billion pounds - Human bones cannot physically support 1 billion pounds - Therefore there must be a limit to the physical ability of a human to bench press. Climbing is more complex, but you can create a similar argument for any aspect of it. eg, human fingers can't hold holds that are 0.5mm thick.

[@rdtarcade7644]

i think there is most likely a human potential but i dont think it will ever be reached, just because of genetics: there is probably a optimal genetic configuration for climbing but even if all humans on the planet were only into climbing there would most likely never be a human with that exact configuration

[@KezzadawG]

To built on that, each climb would have an ideal configuration based on moves etc. So one climbs ideal size is not going to be ideal on the next.

[@suki355]

Imagine if climbing is popular as NBA. It's only reached such a small # of people. V20 coming

[@sloperparks]

That's a fantastic point I've never thought about and I guarantee most overlook. Climbing is a growing sport, but it's still extremely small relative to what other sports are out there. Then when you consider a large portion of the climbers that do exist rarely/never go outside on real rock, but instead stick to indoor climbing only, it becomes quite interesting to think about how far the sport could get pushed if it had a much larger pool of players.

[@suki355]

​@@sloperparks it JUST made the olympics... and they had the format all wrong. Potential for growth is kinda unknown at this point.. gyms are popping up a lot more so we should see the next generation of climbers # grow soon. v17 will be the new 14s.

[@christophh9477]

So the first move is the hardest move he's ever done. Nalle, Will, Shawn all having a really hard time with the move and all 4 of them are V17 climbers. But he rates the move at v13/14??? So a boulderer that can climb V13/14 should be able to do just that move? I think not. Classic british sandbagging 😂