John Gill (climber)

John Gill ( born 1937 ) is an American athlete who is considered the father of modern bouldering.

John Gill began in 1955, to climb small rocks and saw this initially as pure training opportunity for its real sports, gymnastics rings. He managed, however, by continuous building up his muscles and his climbing ability, 1961, the route " Thimble " (9 - ) erstzubegehen. He also led a separate rating scale for his climbing problems, which B scale, which quickly fell back into oblivion. However, what the climbing strongly influenced, were the dynamic movements that used John Gill in his first intense bouldering. John Gill is often called the "Father of modern bouldering ", which says much about its importance and influence in today's climbing scene.

In particular, he coined the bouldering in the U.S. since he was about his sporting achievements also able to reflect on his bouldering and to provide a theoretical superstructure. Sports Historically significant is his article "The art of bouldering ", which appeared in the American Alpine Journal 1969. Another contemporary document represents the black and white film "The silent climber " from 1976, which illustrates the dynamics of the Gillschen bouldering. John Gill bouldering looked not only as a pure sport, but felt it was a kind of self-discovery. He was of the opinion that every climber would have to find his "way". For him, the bouldering provided an opportunity to get to know his own limitations. In his living as a university professor of mathematics, he approached the bouldering as a mathematical proof.