Finger boards, Systematic training, Running, Nutrition, Weight lifting and 10 weeks programs etc, run by a trainer with a calendar and a stop watch. Why is it that almost all the best rock climbers and boulderers in the world have not followed a specific training regime, and yet, the coaches and the media say that this is the trick? Now even Chris Sharma has said that he might try it. Could this take him to 9c and would he already have done a 9c+ if he had started as a teenager? Surely, there is no downside for Sharma to start experimenting and most people who achieved World Cup podiums, apart from Adam Ondra, have earned it through systematic training. Furthermore, many of us live in poor climate and rock conditions and for some personalities structured training is the only right thing to do. The best way, however, to become the #1 rock climber or boulderer in the world is to climb outside as much as possible, "training" technically, tactically, physically and always going "a muerte". It does not matter how much indoor physical capacity you have gained, following strict systematic schedules. Doing the hardest ascents comes down to having challenged yourself mentally sticking "impossible" moves millions of times and just keep going... This has been my training philosophy for 25 years and I am writing it again, to counter-balance all the coaches and media who claim the opposite. Go for an holistic approach guided by adrenaline, beauty, community and training knowledge, like the best guys out there and the ones having most fun. (c)

During the last ten years we have seen an extreme development when it comes to the number of boulderers, Boulder problems, gyms, training facilities and training theories. At the same time, the female and the youngsters have pushed several grades up and in fact getting closer to the male, who show limited progress. Why do we not see more progress in male Bouldering with all these improved preconditions including videos, chalk, shoes and crash pads? Bouldering did become a sport about 20 years ago with great development during the first ten years but then it more or less stopped. Could one of the possible explanations be that some 8C's actually deserve the 8C+ grade?

Marius Morstad, who has been supporting the shoe industry with innovations for 25 years, hopes that the barefoot climber, Charles Albert, will inspire producers to take the next step. "Make the shoes softer, use sticky rubber all over the shoes and make them fit the foot without to much tension, use thinner rands and soles and look for ways to support the big toe without take away sensitive. This will accelerate and facilitate a natural evolution in climbing as a sport, the moves are there now and a new generation of climbers also, the future is already her." The production knowledge is already there. It is just a matter of cost versus demand. La Sportiva has pushed it with the no edge concept where sales have been low but are picking up and also their athletes have been able to cutomize mid-soles etc. With more climbers making the sport more commercial, and possibly Olympic medals to compete for, he thinks that the new generation of specialized shoes and prices are soon to come. It will start with guys like Adam Ondra getting custom-made shoes making him able to climb harder. In most of the other sports there is a huge price difference but until now this almost does not exist in climbing. Once the climbers are ready to pay Euro 400 for shoes that could sometimes make them climb one grader harder, they will start being produced.

Clayton Reagan has done his first 9a, I, Me and You in Texas. It was put up by Rupesh Chhagan as an 8c but later three guys have given it 9a. It is supposed to be an 8B+ linking a 7c+. "Had to use Vinny's liquid chalk to grab these little crimps. I didn't expect so much to do about a little route in Texas, but it is nice to see so much support from the community. Happy to put this one behind me. It is nice to think I still have a few year of competitive play left in these old bones. On to the next! I've been climbing 5.14 since the late 90's so I'd like to think this is the natural progress. I will be 37 in May. If my math is correct, I should be climbing 9a+ by the time I'm 40 right? Seems to be working for Ben Moon and Peyton Manning. "

Based on 1 100+ unique votes from the poll "Best Climbing Ropes?" we can see that there are three winning brands and then three runner-ups. In comparison to a similar poll from 2013, we can see that Beal is getting lower positions and that Mammut, Petzl and Tendon have made a great increase. 21 % Sterling (24 % in a similar poll 2013) 19 % Beal (26) 18 % Mammut (12) 13 % Edelrid (10) 12 % Tendon (8) 11 % Petzl (4) 5 % Other: Roca mentioned most often (16)

carl dawson, a 7c+ climber at the age of 65, has published a long article with great pictures describing the recent development in Peloponnese. Unless you're "in the know", most climbers link Greece with Kalymnos, although with the recent book Best of Greece: Sport Cimbing, the secret is out... there's more to climb in Greece than that busy little island in the Aegean Sea! The Peloponnese (that big 'lump' of mainland Greece down in the south) has seen a lot of activity with climbers from Patras, who kept quietly putting up seriously hard lines for some time. However, the emphasis has now swung quite clearly to the East coast of the Peloponnese, to the winter destination of Leonidio, the fabulous tufas of Kyparissi, and to Zobolo, Monemvasia and Nafplio. So get the flights booked to Athens now!"

James Webb has done his 36th flash of an 8A+ or harder Boulder by Bleu sacré in Fontainebleau, which is actually considered to be an 8B by most of climbers. Without his personal grades, the best flash boulderer in the world would have done almost 50 8A+ to 8B+. In the 8a ranking game, James has been more or less #1 the last five years and in fact, his trend diagram has been pointing steadily upwards for the last ten years.

Fanatic Climbing reports that kevin LOPATA has done Jour de Chasse 8C (B+) which Jan Hojer has put up. Last month, Kevin did his first 8C, Misti. "This Wednesday, I succeed in my current project "Jour de chasse" 8C, very hard compared to the other testpiece of the Opium boulder "Mécanique élémentaire". The crux is to go up with the famous undercling of Narcotic to the slopers at the lip at the boulder. You need a very strong body tension for holding the final jug. Wonderful and so physical."

Planet Mountain reports that Tom Ballard has done the FA of A Line Above the Sky at Tomorrow's World in Dolomites, suggesting the first D15 in the world for it. "This is the hardest bit of climbing I have ever done. There are some very big ‘shouldery’ moves, and then you must just keep going for close to 50 metres!" Thanks to Riky Felderer/CAMP for the picture. You can follow him on Instagram, @rikyfelderer