UKC

What exactly is the "ape index". How do you calculate it? I think mine must be fairly positive. Not that it does me any good as I still climb s&!t. What ape index do other UKCers have?

In reply to alexrp: I have gravel rash on my knuckles

In reply to Glyn Jones:

Ouch! Is it gravel rash (or who did you hit)?

In reply to alexrp: its the difference between your height and the distance from fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched.im 5'7,my wingspan is 5'8 so my ape index is known as +1 i.e. my wingspan is 1" bigger than my height.

think most climbers are 0 to +3

In reply to alexrp: Measure your span across from tip of finger to tip of opposite finger. Now divide that by your height - positive then your reach is more than your height and you are a gibbon!

In reply to Glyn Jones & beast of ackworth

Just a mo. I'll grab a tape measure.

In reply to alexrp: couldnt resist mesauring, Im +4

In reply to tonanf:

same ere +4

In reply to tonanf: monkeyboy!

In reply to Dave Murphy: Monkeyboy!

+1!

Somthimg strangely sinister about measuring parts of your bhody and posting results online though!

In reply to alexrp: it is indeed a peculiar behaviour.

In reply to alexrp:


especially if you are the original poster llf

In reply to Glyn Jones:



but climb like a pig, summat is up?

In reply to tonanf:

What and climbing cliffs isn't??

In reply to alexrp:

-6"

its one of my many excuses

In reply to alexrp:

6' 3" tall, +3 ape index, so absolute span 6' 6".

HD.

In reply to hugedyno: Mines +4 as well.

In reply to Flaming_climber: And damn it. Im only 5'11. But i do have a 6'3 reach.

In reply to alexrp:

Best (most accurate) and easiest way to measure - lie on floor, feet against wall, get somebody to mark top of your head. Turn 90 degrees and lie on front so your arm span covers the area where your body was. The difference between the previous mark, and where your fingertips reach, in inches, is your ape index. If arm span is longer it's positive, if height is longer it's negative.

Most people are slightly positive.

I'm +4.

Keep 'em coming. Is there any correlation btween ape index and best onsight?

In reply to alexrp: +3.5 !! that must be from carrying my beer home from the off license!
either that or landing on my head too much

In reply to alexrp:


wouldnt say relationship between that and onsight but the better climber tend to have apes of +3 or larger.the ideal climber would have short legs(for high steps) and long arms.well ive got short legs so thats a start but only a 5'7" wingspan which isnt as good but i cant use that as an excuse.

In reply to beastofackworth:

I have a feeling that the high ape index = good climber theory falls apart as you get taller. At 6'4" any extra arm length that I need to tuck in on scrunchy moves is a negative rather than a positive IMO ;(

In reply to alexrp:
Are you sure its span DIVIDED by height and not span MINUS height? If so then I need to do a recalculation.

In reply to Will Hunt: course its span minus heigh if you divided it it would be a silly number

im a +3 , but my bro is a +4.5 !
if only he was a climber !

In reply to alexrp:

I'm +8 inches

Someone else on here usually pops up with +7

Best thing is it gives you more room to move your feet around on overhanging rock

In reply to alexrp:

mine's +6"

In reply to Ian Hill:

Rich Mayfield is +7

I am +5 but still a crap climber.

Sam :0)

In reply to alexrp: +8, +6, +7, +5

Bunch of mutants!!!

walking around with sore knuckles all the time...











Sorry, just jealous.

+1

In reply to alexrp:

just reading and found a post "i'm only 5'11"

id kill to be 5'11.

im 5'3 and ape of 0

In reply to cider nut:


Blooming albatross!

In reply to Fiend:
Ape index 0 but 6'1"

In reply to soveda:

I think Ste Mac's Ape index is 0 and he seems to get by okay.

;-P
HD.

In reply to hugedyno:
Nah, he must have gecko pads on his fingers then ;*)

In reply to alexrp: I'm 5" with AP of +3 & 1/8....bring it on!

In reply to timjones:

I guess I'm lucky then as I'm 5'9 with an ape of only 0 but have a short torso and long limbs. So for my hight have a disproportionate reach and can fold up when hand and foot holds get close together.