In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Firstly no need to apologise for making assumptions, its not as if I haven't made some in order to comment about the book in question.
Background: I'll take it from the beginning, started climbing in the north east at an indoor wall, got a good trad apprenticeship with a great climber who i respect and appreciate greatly, as well as a fair few other people, climbed lots indoors and out mainly in the county and peak. Moved to sheffield 3yrs ago this being my fourth. I trained in the woodie (RIP) with people of varying ability (however enjoyed training with each and every person equally) and now train with some extremely talented climbers (a lot of who excel at trad as well as sport and bouldering) but also with some people I've known for ages who are not operating at the top end of the grades. Even sometimes with my dad who only started a year or two ago. I guess all of thise has been over 10 ish years? with a fair few road trips and mispent summers thrown in.
I can see that it may be easy to become blinkered regarding this but I struggle to believe that anyone who is trying to push themselves can make the leap from vs/Hvs to E4 with just some tactical changes, if thats the case then this person has been massively underachieving (or operating well within the comfort zone), (maybe the fact is I am unwilling to accept that there are that many people out there who do not push themselves to excel?)
My opinions above stem from knowing a lot of people who employ correct rest, hydration, route selection etc. and to the best of my knowledge have never been taught or read sportclimbing+, all of which appears to be just common sense.