For the "Old Timers"

[Underwor]

I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Beddes climb in the old International Jamboree a couple times. I think he could have passed most squirrels on a race across a wide spread tree.

 

[Blair Glenn]

Great haircuts, skipped through a little, but Bob at 32 minutes had some technique.

 

[Blair Glenn]

Bob Hunter was "the man" back then and won all the competitions. He could hit the bell 40 feet up in less than 10 seconds. My best time was 22 seconds and I thought I was good!

 

[Burnham]

There's this vid too, may be of interest re rope climbing. This guy is an absolute savage re sport rock climbing/body weight strength etc.

Holy hell that's hard, climbing with only hand/arm strength. I wouldn't mind giving it a try. My rope expense would be much lower, and I wouldn't need a crane :^D

It is interesting to see how his technique completely disregards use of his footlocked lower body strength. I cannot figure that out. Why not stand up before each re-grip and pull? Am I missing something...or is he?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

He ran into a problem footlocking with the weight of the rope under him as he progressed.

 

[Burnham]

Nossir, Stephen...he wasn't using his legs from the first go at ground level. Look at the start.

And besides...rope weight makes it easier to get a solid footlock. Harder to pull it into position and set it, but once set, it's SET. To stand up on a footlock like that is the easiest advance one can have. He does not do that.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Indeed, depending on his arms more. Missed that.
I think i would have found it awkward trying to foot lock that thick of rope personally. But i suck at foot lock.

 

[gf beranek]

bac n the day, unsecured foot lock, 40 ft, was a state requirement for the tree crews. My how things have changed.

 

[lxskllr]

What's the use case for an unsecured footlock? You get up the tree, then?? Was freeclimbing and pruning how things were done back in the day?

 

[Burnham]

Yup.

 

[Tree09]

Weeds out the guys who wouldn't be able to handle it right on the spot

 

[pantheraba]

Messed with footlocking some a few days ago...showing Hayden a bit...I generally let the arms pull some while the legs push:

 

[Marc-Antoine]

The best I ever did is 10' with a 1" 3 strands rope, and barely 5' with my climbing rope. Glorious result.
Luckily, mechanical ascenders are at the rescue.

 

[Tree09]

I tried it once at a climbing seminar with some line clearance guys, and predictably made myself look like an idiot. But then i pulled out a ropewalker setup and looked slightly less dumb, especially because none of the non instructors ever had seen one before

 

[biggun]

There's this vid too, may be of interest re rope climbing. This guy is an absolute savage re sport rock climbing/body weight strength etc.

Cory, Magnus is a very good friend of one of my mates out here. We have been on the piss with him a few times.

I will rephrase that, as he wasnt drinking at the time as he was competing on the international circuit. We were proper pissed though.

Magnus is a very nice guy.

 

[Underwor]

First footlock demo I saw was in about '88 with Don Blair at a Illinois ISA Workshop at Morton Arboretum in Lisle. He was just starting to use the 3 wrap Prussic to secure himself on way up. He did demo the on rope rest. I just learned enough to demonstrate for my students when I was teaching. Dave and the guys out west (Sam Noonan) were several years ahead of the Midwest in adopting this technique.

 

[cory]

Cory, Magnus is a very good friend of one of my mates out here. We have been on the piss with him a few times.

I will rephrase that, as he wasnt drinking at the time as he was competing on the international circuit. We were proper pissed though.

Magnus is a very nice guy.

Wow that is so cool. I don't watch all his vids but everyone I watch is excellent. As a climber and athlete he is obviously a one in a million savage. And of course the best part is that he seems like a cool person, good sense of humor and very down to earth and humble despite his immense skills.

My son and I are big fans.

You ever see the vid where he climbs all over a kitchen table?

 

[Jed]

Man, this is an awsome thread. Thanks Prof. Underwood, in particular. Wow.

No I haven't seen that vid. I'm gonna go back to page one and watch it now. Thanks all.

Man, Gary... just watched your vid. That was really cool, sir.

 

[biggun]

Wow that is so cool. I don't watch all his vids but everyone I watch is excellent. As a climber and athlete he is obviously a one in a million savage. And of course the best part is that he seems like a cool person, good sense of humor and very down to earth and humble despite his immense skills.

My son and I are big fans.

You ever see the vid where he climbs all over a kitchen table?

Cory, I don’t think I have seen the table. I have seen one with a chair.

One night we were out drinking in Oslo, there was slot of us and Magnus ended up joining us. As I said he stayed sober.

Luke, a particularly loose Aussie who was working with us at the time Spoke to Magnus to find out why he wasn’t drinking.

Anyway, Luke announces that as Magnus was gonna stay sober, it would suits him down to the ground as that night he was gonna be a travelling rock star from down under and Magnus was his agent.
Magnus went along with it and by the end of the night he was approaching loads of pretty girls to see if they wanted their pictures take with a rock legend. Basically being the best wingman known to man and Introducing Luke to some lovely ladies.
Pretty funny to watch.

 

[cory]

Ha good stuff!!

Magnus' handshake must be the stuff of legend. Over the years, there've been like 5 people who I've shook hands with that when i did it, you could feel the power. 4 of the 5 were big guys and none of them were trying hard- that's the point, they have so much strength that is just shines through in the casual grip of their handshake. 3 of them were landscapers, one was a tree guy, and one was an Olympic wrestler and full back for Penn State. Strength on Magnus' level is just awe inspiring

 

[biggun]

Did you see his video where he tested the American Ninja Warrior course? He did one of the obstacles and snapped the bars, the jagged edge cutting him on the eyebrow?

 

[cory]

Didn't see it but that is insane. Who breaks bars?????

 

[Underwor]

Our current leader on this site, Lumberjack may hold the record for a handshake of legend. I forgot to warn one of my lady students when I introduced him in Milwaukee at TCI Expo. She remarked about it several times after. It is a good firm grip!!!

 

[Blair Glenn]

It really doesn't seem that long ago to me. Looking back and knowing what we now know, it may look like a callous disregard of safety, but it was just the way it was. Unsecured footlocking, splitting the rope to rest and free climbing a tree to set your line, were just a day-in day-out activity.

We had a huge old walnut tree at our old equipment yard. There was a limb at about 30' that I would have the guys practice on after work. We also had a pull up bar and the competition between us all was making us strong. Keeping really fit was a big part of being in this business. It does go back to my rock climbing background.

 

[Blair Glenn]

Messed with footlocking some a few days ago...showing Hayden a bit...I generally let the arms pull some while the legs push:

Nice to see you teaching the young one. Most kids these days are not interested