Bouldering, Pierre Allain and John Gill
The Art of Climbing – Bouldering History and Philosophy
Jul 7, 2009
Bouldering has now evolved away from rock climbing so far that it deserves a room of its own! Many practitioners advocate it as the purest form of rock climbing, more concerned with the actual movement of climbing and intensity of the 'moment' rather than the traditional experience of mountaineering. It has its own skills, historical heroes and terminology.
Definition of Bouldering
Bouldering can be defined as short sequences of un-roped rock climbing which focus on technique, ability and even physical impossibility as the core philosophy. Seeking the limits of human physicality without the obvious threat of long falls allows the boulderer to explore the choreography and athleticism within climbing, leading many to discover a Zen-like consciousness within a traditional sporting activity.
Many climbers now climb solely within the discipline of bouldering, seeking out large boulders or 'blocs' and applying their gym-trained strength to working out the 'boulder problems' that the rock walls and overhangs present to the climber. Using a minimal kit consisting of rock-shoes, crash-pad, chalk and brushes (for cleaning dusty holds and improving friction), the boulderer attempts to work out a sequence of moves through maybe only a handful of small holds to reach the top of the boulder or jumping-off while still possible. Hence the climber is more concerned with the movement of the climb rather than the exposure.
Bouldering Terminology and Grading
Boulderers talk in a strange lexicon of 'Egyptians', 'slopers', 'crimpers', 'flagging', 'hooking', 'gastons' and 'dynos' – going so far as to identify the differing features of handholds and yoga-like positions required within the climb. They even have their own grading systems for the difficulty of each problem. In the U.S. this is the 'V-Grade' system from V0 to V16 (currently the highest) and in Europe the 'Font' grading system (shortened from the area 'Fontainebleau') travels upwards in a-b-c steps such as Font 6a, 6b, 6c, 7a, 7b, 7c... continuing to the heady heights of the 'impossible' grade of Font 9a!
Bouldering History – Pierre Allain and John Gill
Two of the most respected gurus of the discipline developed bouldering in the1930s and the 1950s respectively, on different continents: Pierre Allain in France and John Gill in the USA. In the '30s bouldering in Europe was still very much considered training for the Alps and the sometime technical difficulties of longer Alpine routes. Pierre Allain however, found bouldering so engrossing in the forest of Fontainebleau that he even developed special rubber-soled boots which allowed him to utilize smaller and smoother footholds on the sandstone blocks, where climbing, he famously said, 'is a game that impassions us in and of itself' (Alpinisme et Competition, 1947).
While Allain developed bouldering into an art throughout the '30s and '40s a young American gymnast at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, was beginning to wonder if he could not apply his strengths to rock climbing. John Gill was a young mathematician with incredible physical strength and a dynamic approach to bouldering, often jumping between distant holds and using his impressive 'contact strength' to cling to the rock. He pushed standards up to V9 in the 1950s (two decades ahead of his time) and today people still find his boulder problems both mentally and physically demanding. He developed a great sense of economy and Zen-like composure in his movement – a kind of mathematical purity – and sought to communicate his idea that bouldering should be 'a personal challenge, a path of accomplishment – of enlightenment even' (from Stone Play – The Art of Bouldering, 2007).
Bouldering Online
John Gill's website includes essays and photographs about his life, philosophy and the complete history of bouldering. Since the 'golden age of bouldering' of Allain and Gill, the sport has now become the most practised form of rock climbing, being so simple and attractive to beginners and experts alike. It requires little training or technical knowledge, and can be described as 'instant climbing'. Almost every country has rock suitable for bouldering so type 'bouldering' and a country's name into a search engine.There is in most cases a dedicated website detailing local places where boulderers can practise the art and Zen of climbing!
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