10,000 hours?

[JR]

In the book Outliers there is a chapter that Malcolm Gladwell talks about how many hours go into making anyone an expert in his or her field. He came up with 10,000 hours. He suggest there are no natural born anythings. Mozart, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Einstien or whoever had a life filled with practice that led up to their success.

So what would this look like for a climber? 10,000 hours?

13 year old goes to the gym 5 days a week till they are 20 years old.

20 year old climbs in the gym 3 days a week and climbs on most weekends till they are 30.

Do you think this 10,000 hour theory applies to climbing?

[woman]

No, not necessarily.

Look at the old crusty traddies who have spent every weekend since the Greatful Dead started touring struggling up 5.9 cracks.

While climbing and excuse-making are inherently related, being an expert in one does not make you an expert in the other.

[512OW]

I do, but not for everyone, as woman implies.

I also think those hours need to be spread out amongst different types of rock, varied styles of climbing, and must be used wisely. You can't just spend 10,000 hours in the gym or at the crag and be an expert.

[Evan]

You could, on the other hand, understand very little about climbing and send a much harder grade than the "old crusty traddies" might. Everyone has seen it.

I would agree with the 10,000; though its inherintly subjective because its an arbitrary number. A true expert at climbing per se would be an expert at bouldering, sport, trad, big walls, etc. In my opinion, and that would take a lot of time, maybe more than 10,000 at today's pace to still be the expert. Tommy Caldwell comes to mind, sure to have passed 10,000.

Of course, "expert" is relative too because Einstein said that he had serious problems with math. Yet, you can train a 16 year old (or less?) to climb 5.14. And just as 512OW says, doing it on one route or in the gym doesn't make you an expert.

[Meadows]

I believe "expert" typically applies to knowledge, not physical ability.

But you are right ... even the endowed have to train.

[Saxman]

I think that is dead on IF, and this is a big IF, the person is pushing for being an expert with dedicated training, research, and possibly even having a trainer. I think people are not looking at Gladwell's time accurately. There are a lot of musicians who play for 10,000 hours and are not experts because they quit trying to push themselves. The experts he mentioned were also highly driven.

[rhunt]

It's subjective in how you define expert, so no it doesn't apply until we can agree on what/who is an expert climber. It's too easy to say an expert climber is someone who climbs in the 5.14+ range. I agree with Meadows, expert has more to do with know knowledge and I would add experience.

[Saxman]

From Merriam-Webster:

2: having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience

I would say climbing qualifies in both skill and knowledge.

[pigsteak]

I have logged 10,000 hours easily on sport routes, and am going to climb my first technical 14teener this weekend. hope it translates.

[rhunt]

Pigsteak this isn't a launch pad for you to spray, but have a good weekend mr expert climber.