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psst: wanna buy some steroids? 1-Dec-2005 At 4:09:22 PM raff32

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Now why do i feel like im being baited here??

Took you a few days to try and find something to throw at me after the ball shrinkage dig though mate, im disappointed.....

I believe I spoke to the benefits and downsides of gear for climbing in my post, but if you want specifics id be more than happy to oblige mate.

When I first started climbing I had alot of trouble getting up 16's, by the time I finished here in melb I was getting up 19s after a few gos. When I first arrived at tonsai I climbed 6a's for the first few days, until I hooked up with some french guys who were staying at the same bungalows as me. Thanks to them I kinda got thrown in at the deep end and started leading 6a's and 6a+'s the next day. Im not sure what made the difference in my climbing, the gear or the fact that I was pushed and motivated so hard. By the time I left four months later I had onsighted 2 6c's and was projecting a 7a+ with a little bit of success. As i said I think that the fact that I had to climb so much quicker to avoid getting pumped helped me to learn to just keep moving no matter what. I doubt that you would find a picture of me in the dictionary under technique in a hurry, but at least the gear kinda kept the fear at bay a little and made it a little easier to push on through.

So in a toss up between adoption by chain smoking frogs or a body full of hormones, I would tend to think that the french connection would be the most valuable asset.

Oh and as for me showing up to the gym buff, I dont think my body type (back then anyway) is exactly the type found the most attractive in climbers circles, from what I could gather it is more the skinny cut blokes that pull all the chicks anyway mate, I always felt like bit of a freak amongst the shirtless mafia at my local gym