Alex Puccio vs. Akiyo Noguchi | Compare and Contrast

[@ThitoO]

Akiyo is really precise on her placement and balance. She even took multiple attempts at touching the holds to find the best possible way to hold it. I also think that she tries to use her legs as much as possible where Alex is using a lot of her upper body strength. From a pure aesthestic perspective, I really prefer Akiyo's style. Great video tho, must be pretty hard to find good material to work on in the first place, and then the edit is a lot of work ... but still great concept ! Thanks !

[@OnBouldering]

Good point about the footwork. Akiyo uses her legs to push more than Alex. Alex likes to pull, and she does that even with her legs (through her frequent heel hooks).

[@NotQuiteFirst]

That was great. Definitely want to see more content in this series! It was really interesting to see a move by move direct comparison, not something I have seen anywhere else

[@carolscab]

I liked the video. The biggest overall difference between those two good climbers is that Noguchi is more often looking to create a pivoting line between one of the hands (often the highest one) and the opposite foot. Then she uses the "free foot" to start and direct the movement of the body to help the moving hand reach where she wants to. This pivoting makes her look moving more swiftly and need less strength than Alex uses here. Bear in mind that Noguchi still has the same style, but Alex has evolved quite a lot through the last 4 years. Also Noguchi's flexibility helps her to step out and establish a good base of support when reaching for the yellow volume. This provides her with more controlled balance and less strain for the upper limbs. I don't think that the video is too long, but using some lines and arrows would help the viewer to better understand the climbing. The subject is super-interesting and this was a good first try. Give it some time and you will be the expert! Thanks for this vid!

[@OnBouldering]

Really good analysis! Nothing like having a pro coach around :D It is very true that Alex has evolved a lot, she's a more complete climber than she was in 2013. Thanks for the comment Carlos!

[@simonlecuyer2766]

More comparisons videos like this one please ! Very interesting, it's the kind of climbing videos I hoped to see before !

[@luizsilva2042]

I liked it so much! The video and the narration were in a very good speed to realize the differences and follow the movs. Good job!

[@sevs802]

Really nice video, thanks for taking the time and effort to break it down so thoroughly. I noticed something interesting - in the move to the first grey volume Akiyo has a much easier time because she has already moved her center of mass to the right by using the flag/bicycle move with her feet on the lower volume. Alex’s weight is centered more left and makes the move more physical, requiring her to slap up the volume to hit the hold. In general, Akiyo used her center of mass more effectively to make the moves at least appear easier.

[@OnBouldering]

Yes, that move at the bottom is the biggest difference. Alex was much more out of balance and the move was riskier, but it worked. Akiyo tried to find a way to put her legs to work (she's also taller).

[@TheBestNameEverPt2]

Would love to see mor of this, your commentary and your pausing and going back to show specifics makes this much more interesting than a simple side by side video.

[@SteveMoore1969]

Thank you for spending all this time creating an interesting video. Time flew by. It felt a lot shorter than 9mins

[@emurray100]

Big thumbs up on the comparison! It was awesome!

[@mrFred489]

This was very interesting! I don't mind the longer videos.

[@Cloudensation]

This is amazing. Like others said, this is the kind of video I always hoped to see. Great job and effort!

[@shps90060505]

Great video of comparing two bouldering styles!

[@climberlad2]

Great analysis! On the move from the right sidepull to the grey volume, you can see how their body morphology affects their climbing style. When Alex move up, her right leg is almost fully extended while heel hooking with her left leg, whereas Akiyo’s left leg has some slight bend, and even reaches past the hold. Alex probably could have used the same beta as Akiyo, but she definitely used the safer beta given her strength. Would love to see a comparison video of Janja and Shauna!

[@OnBouldering]

Really good point! I didn't think of checking their height or weight. I'll try to add that to the next one. BTW, according to Wikipedia Akiyo is taller (165 cm |5 ft 5 in vs 1.57 m | 5 ft 2 in), matching your observation, while Alex is heavier (53 kg | 117 lb vs 49 kg | 108 lb).

[@OnBouldering]

So... was this too much? Once I started noticing differences it was hard to stop... but I managed to miss some, like how Alex compressed the yellow volume using the undercling to make the transition to the red volume easier (2:40).

[@michalifabian9646]

OnBouldering definitely not too much! I really enjoyed this video.

[@seppstarthebest]

no, very well done!

[@ivohunink]

I liked it a lot!

[@9ZombieBird9]

It was a great video, really enjoyed it!

[@loujetlag]

Just discovered this. Excellent, thanks! Reminds me of Neil Gresham’s Masterclass videos...

[@chrisanthonissen17]

Yes, more please! This was great, Noguchi grace vs. Puccio power!

[@luisespinoza2929]

Excelente idea! Comparar escaladores de estilos diferentes en un solo Boulder da una visión muy interesante!

[@ParadigmMine]

I think you nailed it. Alex is a powerful climber while Akiyo is more of a precision climber. I love your Sunday Ascends. Look forward to it every week. Our time is so valuable that I don't want you to waste yours. But this was one of the best comparison videos I have watched. If you enjoy the work, maybe you can produce these intermittently. And most likely, like an avid climber, your proficiency will improve. Regardless, very well done.

[@OnBouldering]

Sure, the next episode will be faster to make. But this one took a looooong time! Thanks for those nice words!

[@kchatziko]

Awesome video! Not sure what is the "almost drop knee" you are referring to at 7:38. The fact that Akiyo's left knee drops slightly while the right foot crosses? Looks quite different than a typical drop knee (where a knee turns inwards while the same hand reaches for a hold).

[@OnBouldering]

Actually, I was talking about the right knee. From 7:38 on, if the next hand hold was to the left of the wall, that would probably had been a drop knee, but since she's reaching to the right, that knee stays high, it doesn't really drop.

[@randiperdiana8733]

Kostas Chatzikokolakis akiyo is nice movement

[@johnyb147]

Keep up the good work and content!

[@TheMichealaw]

Great video. Thank u

[@dha1493]

I think to possibly make the videos shorter you could show the climbers sending the problem without any edits or voice over at first. Then get into the side by side edits and voice over. With that said I really like this video and would love to see a series. Despite your hesitance I think you have a pretty good understanding of what the climbers are doing differently. If this series continues it could be cool to have a climbing coach do the voice over section at some point! Keep it up!

[@OnBouldering]

Having a coach as a guest would be great! Perhaps in the future, good idea!

[@captainmonkeyshine2750]

Yeah, I liked it as well and I am looking forward to more videos like that :) Maybe Udo would be a great guest ;D

[@tonyt765]

Detail is very interesting!

[@Kylling1000]

Great content. ¡Enhorabuena!

[@kkmyfriend1]

hey that's great work. Would love to hear more about how body weight is supported by a body part in a position, and what is then required for the next transition.

[@knallhardt]

Mille gracie for the videos. I like and appreciating them very much

[@henryritterpusch5116]

I would be willing to argue that Akiyo moved with much more confidence and efficiency than Alex. Although Alex did her moves faster, she did hesitate more and clearly relied on strength to a greater extent than Akiyo. This is seen through the body positions chosen during the movements made by each climber, as Alex stayed very square to the wall, which requires much more strength to move, and Akiyo twisted and opened up her body when it needed to be opened. In addition to this I don't think that Akiyo hesitated at all, as she moved confidently directly to each hold that she chose to grab. Her beginning sequence was more likely to be experience over hesitation, as she decided to get a better understanding of the movement and the holds before committing (often a safer option) which would show insecurity in some, but the fact that each hold she chose to grab she his straight on reveals only experience and climbing intelligence. At 2:45 in the video, we see Alex grab the volume to take a look for the hold, which is her sole hesitation on the boulder I believe, every other small move was a calculated micro-adjustment.

[@OnBouldering]

I think sometimes it looks like Akiyo "hesitates" when she's just considering different options. It's not so much that she's insecure but just that she wants to pick the best option.

[@badi95]

I think you should also discuss the height differences which would have an impact on how they send the route.

[@OnBouldering]

Yes, that's a good idea. I'll add that in future episodes. In my reply to 4L, I mention their height and weight.

[@constanceelaine3909]

Indeed! Being a short climber myself, my first thought was: Alex finds short people beta! She uses her feet to keep herself high on the wall and the holds within reach. It's really hard to constantly be stretched to your limit and hold body tension. But Alex also has incredibly impressive upper body strength and coordination. I disagree with the comments that she isn't as precise as Noguchi. You have to be be precise to climb at that level. Akyio is very elegant in her climbing style and always a pleasure to watch. I love both of these super stars.

[@quentinl.9072]

I think akiyo would be a better lead climber, she has a much better balance and she is more relaxed than Alex. We may see that during next Olympics, will see.

[@OnBouldering]

Akiyo already is a great lead climber. Every season she does several lead world cups. She's been in many finals and has won 7 medals!.

[@tobiasthiel5291]

First of all I liked this clip very much; your effort paid off. I think you wouldn't have to narrate every move they're doing, since some things like "now she places a heel hook" are obvious. I think you should rather just point out things like: "Akiyo positions her centre of gravity below the holds to create balance while Alex creates more tension between her points of contact". At least this is how I would describe it. Btw I think both styles are very valuable and every climber should experiment with both of them. It could be a great exercise to choose a problem and then say, "I'll first climb it like Akiyo would climb it and then like Alex would."

[@OnBouldering]

Thanks for the feedback! I think in this problem they were too relaxed, it was quite easy for them. Perhaps on a harder problem, they would be forced to climb more similarly.

[@arccazz]

Really like this kind of an analysis. Possibly for a conclusion it might be good to mention how much raw physical power each beta requires vs being more technical. And also it might be a possibility to review multiple climbers, not just 2 in future videos. Just throwing thoughts out there, see what works best.

[@OnBouldering]

With more than 2 climbers the video would have been 15min long! :D The point about how much power each beta requires is interesting. In this case I think for the bottom part Puccio's beta is clearly more powerful but from that point on I think both are pretty similar.

[@arccazz]

As we all know, KZbin rewards longer view times. :)

[@horstzwei]

How do you know all the problems climber climbed in Worldcups? That's crazy... you are a climbing library. I really enjoy your videos. Thumbs up!

[@OnBouldering]

Na, I just have a ton of clips recorded throughout the years. And now and then when I need a video I take a look.

[@reddrift3022]

Alex Puccio is more strength based and utilises a heel hook more than standard foot placement as a lot of the time although less precise allows more weight to be placed (she lacks in foot placement so compensates). As for her movement, it is dodgy is some areas, with her centre of gravity being in awkward positions, but once again compensates with strong grabs, like the cross over. Akiyo on the other hand tries very hard to conserve strength, keeping her arms straight as much as possible (unlike Alex), tests holds to make sure she has a stable grip (compensates for not having the strength), and uses more advanced foot moves to allow very well placed centre of gravity, making balance, as well as reaching up easier. Overall they both end up about the same, but Akiyo shows more finesse while Alex utilizes her dominant strength to make riskier plays.

[@xyzNexus]

I liked the side by side comparison.

[@AusVersehen]

I like your comparison very much! Just a little detail: I noticed three times when you mixed up toe hooks and heel hooks. Calling it one while it being the other. Other times you called them correctly, so maybe it just were brain farts. ^^

[@OnBouldering]

Brain farts all the way. In the hojer vs McColl video I said foothold instead of just foot (when talking about the body part) several times. My brain farts a lot.

[@Bodoczky]

Awesome! I'd like to hear some different music than the one you use all in your videos!

[@OnBouldering]

It's the OnBouldering Theme! Can't get enought of it!

[@damianozanardini]

Great video! Just a question: I see that some of the guys commenting here are using the word "beta"... what does this mean in this context? It does not seem to me to be the "beta" you can find on wiki about climbing. Thanks a lot!

[@OnBouldering]

Really good question. It is that same term you can find on Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_(climbing). Beta is quite a broad term, it can refer to almost any kind of information about a climb. Usually, when discussing a given problem, we use it to talk about to how a given sequence is solved. More or less the description, move by move of how to climb a given sequence. So we can say things like "Puccio used a more powerful beta" (meaning "What Puccio did, her solution, was more powerful") or "I needed to use the tall-guy beta for this problem" (meaning "Since I'm a tall guy, doing what the shorter guys usually do didn't work for me, so I did something different that suits talls guys better").

[@damianozanardini]

Thanks!

[@kockarthur7976]

Although Puccio's moves may have been riskier and more inefficient, I think her style is more badass. Her style has been curated by her experiences crushing some of the hardest outdoor boulder problems, which require so much pulling strength and hand technique. Most of all, they require patience - lots and lots of attempts. There is no such thing as doing it in a non-risky way, because you have so many attempts that it doesn't matter if you fall on a move.

[@Gullshunter]

Other comments have some good points. Would like to add that it would be nice if you also showed other climber climb the problem. No need to analyze those other climber but just to show them climb. It would be nice so that it would give us an opportunity to also do our own analysis by looking at how those climber uses some part of each of the analysed climber.

[@OnBouldering]

That's a pretty good idea. Just show the climbers and see what you guys come up with. What I will probably do next time is show the climbers without any commentary, and ask people to just observe and try to find the differences (perhaps even leaving a comment already). And then I will do the step by step breakdown.

[@javiersanchezsuarez4461]

I think Alex would have not failed in the first long movement even if the volume hold would have been worse. It seems an easy lock off for her. In my opinion, she made the best possible decision for her climbing style going directly for the volume hold. She is not as tall as Akiyo, she has not as much flexibility and by doing this she keeps momentum by rapidly raising her foot up. The next movement she could have done it a bit more dinamically, maybe the left food did not help a lot. Anyway, nice video, keep them coming.

[@1sogar]

Very good video! Only with your detailed vidoe, I realized how much better akiyos beta is. At least in my opinion ;)

[@ichomann2]

Great video! Thanks! Am I wrong or are you throwing out toes hook and heel hook as the same words? I think that's not correct 😊

[@OnBouldering]

haha you are not wrong. I don't know what happened to my mouth. I was editing it and thinking "wtf, that's not a toehook!". I'm surprised that you are the first to point it out :D

[@Drinkyoghurt]

A mix between Alex's ability to just go for it mixed with Akiyo's skill would be the best of both worlds. Akiyo climbs great, but she really climbs "like a girl". Not trying to be derogatory, but most female climbers I know do not like taking risks and also don't really like dynos. Alex climbs more like a guy. Mostly powerful moves and she makes the moves as if she's already climbed the problem before and knows where the holds are and how to get to them. It works well on boulder problems, but the powerful moves won't really get you far up a route. I'm not saying they suck, obviously they don't, but even world class athletes have things they can work on.

[@OnBouldering]

I think part of the "two worlds" thing is due to the fact that this problem was a bit easy. So they were able to climb it pretty much however they wanted. In a harder problem perhaps we would see the "two worlds" converging.

[@curlyfryactual]

I didn't like Alex's Dyno in the beginning, because that's a lot of spent power, and I myself try to climb with an emphasis on body position like Akiyo, but I liked Alex's heel hooks much more, from the perspective the video is shot in they look best for stability purposes. Alex's ability to condense the climb into 3-4 fewer moves than Akiyo is also captivating. Subjectively, I prefer how Alex solved the problem, but objectively I lean more towards Akiyo's style.

[@OnBouldering]

Good observation about the number of moves, I'll try to add that to the next one

[@seppstarthebest]

first: i've been in a climbing gym 10 times in my life with friends who do it more regularly and i've been watching boulder events regularly since 5 years... so that's my expertise ;) ... it was actually a fight between those two that got me sucked into! the list i made in my head before you started talking goes: alex is an incredibly powerful jackass, very likely to jump/take dynos where others don't even see them, campusing on holds other climbers don't even manage to stick with their feet on, overall very confident, but also not hesitant to take a totally different approach in the next try, if she fell off - summed up: very entertaining to watch... may i say she is a bit like the jan hoyer of female climbing? ;) akiyo seems to look at the boulders almost from a lead climbing perspective like putting a lot of thought into before she starts "ok, the setters want us to jump here, 30% chance of sticking or bring us in this super power consuming position - let's see how i can get around this controlling the whole climb and consume much less energy than everyone else" her long expierience in the world cup series and her extreme flexibility (she sometimes puts her feet where hands were supposed to be) contribute to this approach - summed up: she takes much less risk, but that doesn't make it less interesting to watch. her style is very aesthetic and after she finished you might think "yeah, if someone made a climbing lesson video on this specific boulder it would look just like this." ...does she ever have injuries by the way? alex has had several since i watch bouldering, can't remember anything about akiyo!? i think miho has some great years ahead - with the physique of alex and akiyo as a teacher... and all the other great japanese climbers... does anyone else have the feeling that the rise of tamoa has had at least a little impact on akiyo, maybe the entire japanese team - his dynamic and fluent moves seem to also have infected the others a bit.

[@OnBouldering]

Great comment! But I'd say that Jan is the Alex Puccio of male climbing :P

[@seppstarthebest]

i think i could agree on that - alex is so great though being very small :D

[@GourmetBurrito]

It might be helpful for these breakdowns if you have a timer on each side. Especially with all the pauses and switching climbers, it might make it easier to talk about and compare

[@Colin_Barnes]

i like your honest addition at the end there :) i really really like this type comparison vid. sorry :P

[@OnBouldering]

oh noes... lots of positive comments, 98% like/dislike rate... I'm gonna have to make another one...

[@randiperdiana8733]

Akiyo more efficiency at 3:47 alex powerfull at 2:39 , I think akiyo was better

[@johntuttle9544]

Alex will climb the hardest problem of her life when she climbs like Akiyo. Power is good but Alex has to learn not to waste it.

[@OnBouldering]

I wouldn't call it wasting in this case, it got the work done. Also, she has grown a lot as a climber since 2013.

[@Ravenousyouth]

the height diff shouodnt be overlooked

[@stevendern2543]

Power/Precision

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

To me Alex looked more secure and confident, despite Akiyo getting more push off her feet.

[@TannerForrest]

I like this style of video, but the voiceover seemed to distract from the climbing and it would have been nice to see them compared on 6 to 10 different climbs. Maybe a little bit more volume on some nice non-distracting (but still climbing music lol) would have made for a great video, in my opinion. I think you should try a couple more of these videos to see if both you and the audience like the format and for you to develop a good system for making them. Cheers!

[@OnBouldering]

A comparison on several problems would be interesting, but the goal is not to show how Akiyo and Alex are different regarding climbing style, but just to show how a given problem can be approached in different ways depending on the climber. But I take note of your idea, sounds like a ton of work but it may be worthwhile.

[@emurray100]

I liked the voiceover

[@acth1319]

Two different bodies for a climber. Akiyo is very slim, while Alex is pure power and strength. They have to climb differently for that reason.

[@jsyangca]

Skip to 2:20 if you actually want to see people climbing

[@OnBouldering]

But don't do it if you wanna see my lovely face! And who doesn't!