Chancellor climbs way to strength, leaner physique
St. Louis Business Journal
December 31, 2010
By Evan Binns
David Chancellor, a die-hard rock climber and entrepreneur, spends every chance he gets scaling sandstone and granite bluffs or boulders throughout the Midwest.
It's a regimen that dates back 15 years, when Chancellor, now 30, first went climbing with his uncle. "I was instantly hooked," he said.
Now, climbing is not only the business owner's passion -- one that has landed him spots in magazines GQ and Sports Illustrated -- but also his way to stay "lean and toned."
Chancellor, along with his brother, Daniel, owns So iLL Inc., a manufacturing company that produces climbing holds and other products for customers such as Mountain Equipment Corp. (the REI of Canada), Backcountry.com and Saint Louis University's climbing wall.
"It is by far the most fun way to get in shape and stay fit," he said.
When he's not climbing or bouldering outdoors, Chancellor trains on a homemade climbing wall in a buddy's basement. The wall is a 60-degree overhanging surface (practically upside-down) studded with handholds, or small grips, that resemble the edge of a door jam. Chancellor said he maneuvers different routes on the climbing wall to help improve his body tension and increase power for more difficult outdoor climbs. While he also lifts weights, Chancellor said the gym work is meant to prevent overuse injuries to shoulders and rotator cuffs, among other areas, more than to bulk up. The key to climbing is having a good strength-to-weight ratio, said Chancellor, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds.
Depending on which muscles he wants to target, Chancellor will climb with a weighted vest or do leg lifts and pull-ups while hanging from gymnastic rings. He also switches among 20 variations of abdominal exercises to strengthen his core. "The stomach is the missing link between upper and lower body," he said.
Chancellor said his fitness routine has improved his endurance, muscle and tendon strength and increased his overall fitness level.
Chancellor trains year-round, changing the venue depending on the weather. He said difficult outdoor climbing is best performed in cold weather (30-40 degrees) and low humidity. "This helps increase the friction," he said. When summer weather hits, Chancellor heads to the nearest lake for deep water soloing. "This is where we climb (without ropes) on cliffs that average 30 to 50 feet in height over deep water. The climber starts from the boat and begins scaling the bluff," he said. When the climber finishes scaling the rock wall, he or she falls back into the water. "It's one of the most pure forms of the sport," he said.
A person can outfit himself with climbing gear -- shoes, a harness, rope and carabiners -- for about $300. However, a minimalist could climb for free, Chancellor said. "I have seen people climbing before without any shoes."
