UKC

How do you work out your ape index?

What ape index has any one got on RT and does is actually
effect your climbing ability?

In reply to NIGBEE:

Arm span minus height. A plus number is positive ape index. Mine is plus 3 - helps hang on to girlfriend - and little else, as long levers require more effort in some situations. You can reach that out-of-sight hold but not make it work as well as a short-arse.

In reply to Jonny b good:
As a short arse I'd sooner be able to reach the hold. So much more satisfying than not being able to reach it at all it feel. The lever/arm will get stronger, my arms sadly won't get longer.

In reply to NIGBEE:

Gibbon Boy here - + 4

Pisses people off a treat

the levers argument doesn't actually hold water as if your arms are longer the distance between the joint and the muscle insertion will be longer than for someone with short arms, meaning that even though the hold has greater leverage on the arm for tall people, the muscle has greater leverage on the arm too. hence tall people can pull just as hard as short ones. the real disadvantage of being tall is not being able to get into bunched positions happen i reckon.

In reply to the domesticated ape: I've heard a fair argument that actually height isn't an issue for climbers. It's just a lot more obvious if you can't do a move because you can't reach a hold than if you can't do a move because your levers are too long or whatever.

In reply to NIGBEE:

Good god, I seem to have an ape index of 5 1/2. I never knew that. What with that, and a body mass index of 22, I should be a v v good climber, shouldn't I? So what's the catch? Well I have a Bottle Factor Index that varies between -1 and -10, though on some rare, memorable days it has occasionally udged into positive figures.

In reply to the domesticated ape:

'Appen you're right, but I know routes that short arsed mates can do easier than I, mainly because I can't curl up under roofs like what they can - and I need some excuse. And having a bottle factor something like Gordon's is alas also a disadvantage.

All I can say to the others is that a young friend about 8" shorter (and no remarks, thanks) could always levitate to those holds I felt sure would forever remain out of his grasp without copious applications of tight rope - someone else whose parents were not married!

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: I agree bottle matters most! It's the stopper in most cases.