I'm not the fittest chap in the world, but I'm pretty strong. I climb a minimum of twice a week, and before I started college I used to work out daily too. Now I'm in a better job with more free time, I can go back to it.
Instead of going back to my free weights, I've joined a gym. There's a few reasons, the main one being my strength. When I was lifting free weights every day, there was a number of exercises I couldn't do, namely bench pressing (hard without a bench to properly work the pecs), and one arm row - I broke a few slats in my old bunk trying to do that. Plus its quite hard to find dumbells heavy enough. I had two 25kg sets that I was putting together so I could curl 30kg.
And why? I'm happy with my build, despite being obese. I weigh 280lbs but according to the doctor I don't actually need to worry about my weight, because its all pretty lean. I can do pull ups, run reasonable distances and climb well. But I still want to be stronger and heavier, I climb using raw power and technique instead of agility, which works great for me and one of my mates (we are both the same weight, and as good as the climbers in our group that are athletic and 10 stone)
Amusingly over the weekend my mum asked my what I weigh. I told her, 19ish stone, and she told me I need to lose weight, as I looked better when I was 15 stone (18 years old). I was seriously ill having not eaten properly in three months and was suffering with muscular atrophy, which is why I've got a whacking great big scar across my shoulder - it dislocated because there was fuck all muscle holding it in, and had to be taped in place for almost a year, before it went again and they decided to cut it open and start again.
Climbing can be a high impact sport and this level you need to be strong. At 15 stone and 18 years old I got an injury that needed a £1,600 4-hour operation, 3 years of physio (which I'm still doing) and nearly cost me my arm.
So when my mum said I should be 15 stone, which is my 'ideal' weigh, according to the doctors, I tend not to listen.
See, as a climber we work on power-weight ratio. Its okay to be really fucking heavy, as long as you can lift it. Likewise, you can be light and wiry.
All that happens is when I train, I get heavier. I've been this weight for a few years now and I'm climbing at my peak. In the past where I've lost weight I've just got weaker. Like when I went down to 15 stone I could hardly manage a grade 3. Then as my weight picked up my grade picked up (after I'd had my operation, obviously), and seeing as before I was starved I weighed 17 stone and I was climbing a 5, then when I was 18 stone that went up to 6a, then I went back down to 16 stone and I was climbing pathetically, now I'm back at the sort of weight I feel happy with I'm hovering around the 6c/7a mark. I think to crack the grade 7s I'm going to need a lot more power, and with that will come weight.
I'm not just joining one gym. I'm getting casual use membership at all the local ones, that way wherever I'm working I can go and do a bit on the way home. Then if I climb three times a week too, I'll get there.
With the plans for the summer, and the amount of training I'm doing (which is increasing), I get the feeling I'm going to go well past 20 stone.
I remember the day I bought the two 25kg sets, actually. I explained the the guy in the local shop instead of buying extra weights and putting them on the bar its cheaper just to buy a second set. He picked up the two sets with help from his colleague, and said "Do you need help loading these into your car?" Erm, I've just told you I have to lump two 25kg sets together, and my old set is rusted through, so I am planning on lifting them again when I get home, so I think I'll be fine.