I tried SPEED CLIMBING with NO experience 

A HUGE thank you to Matthew Fall for his time and keeping me alive. I have now 100% got the climbing bug 😁

Awesome having you up in Edinburgh - I'm looking forward to our rematch in 6 months time ;)

Mark you are hilarious and the fact you have hubris for your abilities but are still humble enough to poke fun at yourself is comedic perfection. Stretching yourself athletically and being willing to be humbled is a critical component to physical fitness over all.

As a newbie to fitness who's on my way down from 238lbs (down to 196), and whose sport of choice is climbing, this is just as inspirational as any of the other videos. To find myself better at something than Mark Lewis, whose cardio game and Hyrox competitions are some of my own goals, is hugely motivating. It just shows you how far you can come in a year. Thanks man. No better training than some humble pie.

Just wanna let you know that today I completed my first 5k because you have inspired me through your videos. Thank you for setting me on this journey.

For anyone wondering how hard it is for someone more experienced, I've been climbing 12 years, and I'm relatively explosive for a climber. I once spent 15 minutes just trying to do the two moves in the 'Tomoa Skip' (13:42), and simply couldn't. I couldn't really even get close. I was in ~V9 (7c) climbing shape at the time.

I love how positive Matthew was the entire time. Great video. Five stars. Would recommend to a friend.

I love your 'It cant be that hard' attitude That is the exact attitude that had me trying 'Extreme Yoga' for my first time. It is that hard!

Man, I love your content. Always so fun, unique, and refreshing

I am actually so excited for this😂 something totally different to anything you've done before. Love the vids and the naivety😂

You looked totally out of your comfort zone but did it anyway. Hats off to you!

‘Touching the Void’ You’re a good sport Mark. That 5 degree slant gives me vertigo just thinking about it. Good effort big man!

I’ve been following this channel and Mark’s journey because of all the great running inspiration. I am also a climber and I know how difficult it is to climb that speed wall. It’s a huge challenge even for intermediate climbers. I’d say you’re gonna smash this goal in 6 months, Mark.

Adding holds is like having the Wally rails up at the bowling alley 😂

Netflix should give you a series Mark, you are great at this. I put my back out picking up a screwdriver up this morning. I was not wearing a harness. I know. Classic me.

Thanks Mark. This made me laugh a lot and was a real eye opener to just how elite these athletes are 😮

This cheered me right up after a long day.. great work!

It's really interesting to see you at the beginner level, Obviously you have a great base so I'm intrigued to see how you progress in climbing. As your very tall I hope your flexible! will need it! Look forwards to seeing some more climbing.

So much technique involved in this it's so much harder than people think. Climbing is alot more about your feet than the average person realises. You use your feet to mitigate the strain on your arms, climbing dynamically, basically hopping off your feet to half the motion and power required to do the moves making it easier, more fluid and faster. Get back in the climbing gym more regularly now they are open, as soon as you understand these fundamentals you will be reaching the top of this route all day. Love your channel BTW came for the running content stayed for the bants, also as a climber this video cracked me up, I admire your optimism

Nice one Mark, just started climbing myself will be interesting to compare notes on how far we both get in 6 months. Bear in mind though that I look like the financial controller version of you ten years ago so you have a head start on strength and agility 🙃 thanks for the inspiration to push harder.

I hope Mark is half way to Edinburgh! 6 months is up!

Excellent 👌 great video Mark, glad you didn’t take to long to post again,,,

This is crazy, Mark! It looks so easy from the outside...just grab the hold and pull yourself up!! Wow. Great video.

Entertaining as always!

I climb at Ratho, it took me 6 months of trying to get to the top of that wall, and I've only managed it once! I totally understand your pain!

As someone who climbs for few years now, I almost shat my pants when you said, you're going to have a race with Matt at the end :D I would be madly impressed if you had done the full climb without ever realy climbing. Even at 80kgs. Still, probably above average for a newby ;]

Mark and Matthew, brilliant and hilarious best ever great chemistry you guys 👍👏

Good vid- something different. I watched the speed climbing champs last year- totally awesome. I had a shot on a wall last year- arms were pumped after 5 minutes- good fun.

Love this video and the channel. Never fail to laugh out loud while watching. So funny

I admire your guts to give this a go. You've just done the equivalent of having never ridden a motorbike and wondering why your lap times aren't the same as Valentino Rossi. Can't wait for the next 'learning' edition.

Very good concept of videos max! It helps people realise how amazing these athletes are!!! TV doesn’t show the reality of it. Think of 2.45 in high jump for example!!! It sounds doable until you check it on the wall of your house or apartment! Your grit and humility are so cool too see… keep uploading this kind of videos… You didn’t wear your Watch Ultra? Scared to break it? Because you had a good training session. Matthew Fall, I thought it was a joke first!

Can't wait for part 2

Cheers for the video mate

Great Vid 👌🏾. Someone may have already mentioned it but that film you were trying to remember was called Vertical Limit 👊🏾

This was great fun to watch! It just shows different sports need different types of fitness to specialize. My husband is the rock climber, I prefer ice climbing... I can just blaze my own trail. 😆

I’ve tried that same speed wall up in Edinburgh… got about 2/3rds up through I was in pretty good climbing shape at the time. It really gives an appreciation for the difficulty involved!

Ive been climbing for about 6 months and knew you would struggle just getting up the wall, but very cool video nonetheless. Cant wait to see the follow up in 6 months.

The Father Ted reference was a welcome surprise 😂 great video

"That can't be hard" is the opposite of what I thought when I saw Speed-Climbing on TV.

You have a woman's hand me lord! Great video Mark. Been climbing for years but never tried the speed climbing. Also live in Edinburgh with Ratho being my favourite hotspot. If I'd known you were there i would've came and said hi. You'd have your first non-English groupie 😅

I absolutely do not enjoy climbing, however I thoroughly enjoyed watching your attempts.... 😁👏👏 The 'kid' definitely makes it look easy 😂👌

PLEASE TO MORE CLIMBING STUFF OMG

Great video! Can't wait for the rematch. Would love to see you take on an pro triathlete - how fast does a pro triathlete race a sprint tri or something like that. Or how about Team above average takes on Team Charles Barclay?

Been climbing for 5 years and just started learning speed. I can't imagine trying this day 1. I respect the bravado. Still, sub 25 seconds week 1, I'm quite happy with my early attempts.

This was great. I think more climbing content would be brilliant. Fits your remit of doing things that you're not intuitively suited to. Get to a bouldering wall next! No faff with rope, easier to film, and a clear grading scale if you want to be above average. I'd guess being able to climb V4 would put you above most. Most climbing gyms have comp sets every few weeks too, so you could always do one of them so you would be able to compare scores. Plus, loads of cool climbing RU-vidrs for similar collabs (Hannah Morris bouldering, Louis Parkinson, bouldering bobat, jump to mind).

I am so here for the Mark Lewis rock climbing arc

Vertical Limit is a good action movie with climbing.

16:31 that's what he said!

More climbing please!

😂😂😂 no idea what you said after 6.11 as I was laughing so hard 😂😂

The Dawn Wall is a must watch

Looking forward to see how you do after you get some climbing training under your belt. Using the Tomoa skip may not be the best move for you. I’d recommend using hold 4 like Danyil Boldyrev or going from hold 3 to hold 5 like Ludovico Fossali does. Cheers!

Mark " That Mt Everest looks like a cheeky little hill, wont be that hard "!

This is a great video to use if someone wants to know what speed climing is about. When one only sees the pros compete, it is not nearly obvious how hard the route is. I've been bouldering the last year 1-3 times a week (after starting shortly before my 45th birthday) and am very happy to be able to reach the top of that route at all (in ca. 1:50 min). Your enthousiasm for sports, trying new things and challenging yourself is inspiring.

I was laughing so hard at the beginning xD "This looks easy" - it came back so quickly xD I´m a pretty good climber and its alway when somebody makes it look easy than its probably hard ^^

This is so cool.

That point about the kilometre pace he's going up the wall is actually amazing. Never even thought of it that way. Also, Matthew comes across as very sweet, even though it's weird seeing Mark so inexperienced at something.

MORE CLIMBING!!!!

Mark, you missed an opportunity here to make your own cliffhanger shot! 😉 But otherwise top entertainment as always.

Any type of bodyweight exercise which requires explosive power is challenging the heavier you are. You did well and yes speed climbing or even regular rock climbing is exhausting as some part of the body must be kept under tension through the climb and most people are not used to that.

Mark - really enjoyed that. However, there's no substitute for the real thing. Get yersel ootside and on a nice Scottish hill. You'll never look back. Cheers, Drew

I did some rock climbing a week ago, and afterwards my forearms felt like lead!

I want to see you try out regular non speed climbing!

"Yeah, that's the problem, it's the chalk" - Mark Lewis 😆

Didn't expect to see a fellow LUBE climber on this channel!

I tried roxk wall gym climbing one time. I got terrified like 2 feet off the ground and decided it was much better doing activities already on the ground!!!!

Going to miss this when I can't watch it on the big TV in my living room😢😢😢

Almost time for a race

17:28 Don't forget Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Please apply for the new series of SAS who dares wins filming this summer

Yet the Ninja remains....unmentioned, taunting or better haunting, us all.

Given his English accent he definitely is thinking 'what the f am I doing I'm Scotland'

............that 6 month mark is coming up Mark.

Looks fun if your not scared of heights. Looking forward to seeing you get to the top. "My hips want to sit down.." :) Made my first ever 5 mile run this week. Thanks for the inspiration Mark.

The phrase "they make it look easy" exists for a reason.

I suggest you try some bouldering. There's no time element for the casual climber and it's heaps of fun.

That's a brilliant name for a climber. xD

Word of warning Mark, he's the only climber I've ever seen who can squat his own bodyweight, there are no leg days on a climbers calendar

Love a bit of Father Ted!

You should try Brazilian jiu jutsu. Not many things as tiring as grappeling with someone who knows what they are doing.

If it's any consolation, I've been climbing and bouldering for over a decade and I'd be nearly as crap as you if I tried speed climbing. Good job, honestly.

good video

Get yourself a fingerboard for the garage, there is the delightfully named Beastmaster 1000, which sounds right up your street.

Okay that was hilarious

Whats next, a hill climb Mark Lewis vs Andrew Feather?

So ironic an ACE climber is called "Fall" :)

A bit more cliffhanger. 😂

Vertical Limit is the movie

I saw Eric Noya (spanish speed climber) training on a speed wall once. It is absurd. Oh and did you mean Vertical limit?

I've climbed for over 20 years (bouldering not speed] and still can't do this in less than 30 secs. 6secs.... good luck chuck!! I'd reccomend training those specific moves for the speed wall. General climbing training might not be as helpful as you expect. Most climbing is about stability and effciency, not speed and power.

I'm waiting for you to try synchronised swimming.... it cant be that hard, its just swimming and fannying around with your feet in the air.....🤣

The relative size of his quads and hands is telling where the secret to this lies.

18:44 "and their recovery, goodness knows how many times longer." Well, since you wondered out loud, I'm in my first week of C25K. 8 intervals of a minute, 1m30 recovery inbetween, 5 minutes warm up and cool down on either side. Bear in mind, warm up, recovery and intervals are WALKING!. Took 28:30, 355 net kcal burned, and according to Garmin, 55 hours recovery.

Speed climbing is a hard discipline as it requires a huge amount of explosive movement ON TOP OF already having a good degree of ‘normal’ climbing ability. To give it a go with as little climbing experience as you have is always going to be hard so fair play

How sore were your forearms the day after (and the day after that)? I used to go to the gym regularly; I took up bouldering 6 years ago and I can still remember the first few weeks being at work the next day being unable to use the keyboard. I warn everyone I take bouldering before they start that they're not going to be able to work like normal the next day.

Love the way Adam Ondra's always open about how he struggles using body parts he's not used to, like when he was crack climbing in Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall's cellar. Kind of gives you the idea that it's completely understandable that your arms would get destroyed climbing when you're not used to it. That's totally normal.

Do climbers directly work their forearms or do they just get stronger from repeated climbing?

I didn't know there was such a thing as speed climbing

Not sure is you were being facetious or not but if you are keen to do more climbing I’d recommend checking out self-coached climber by Hague and Hunter. I think if you learn good technique you will be an excellent climber

This is probably the one sport where your weight hurts you the most. Speed climbing definitely isn’t designed for someone who weighs 100+ Kilos or 200+ lbs.