Moving The Needle: How An Average Climber Can Do The Hardest Route In The World

by Dave MacLeod, Deziree Wilson (editor), Dave Cuthbertson (foreword)

How can an average climber do the hardest route in the world? Dave MacLeod wasn’t even the best among his fellow rock climbers in Glasgow, until a sequence of key decisions and influences catalysed his progression from an unremarkable intermediate to one of the best all-round climbers in the world. Dave shows that much of his advantage came from easily trainable skills or behavioural traits that could be replicated by any climber.

Moving the Needle is a story of the ups and downs of a struggle to answer a deep curiosity and its side effect of making the first ascent of Rhapsody at Dumbarton Rock, then the hardest trad climb in the world and the first to earn the grade of E11. Through an autobiographical exploration of his apprenticeship as a climber, the book is intended to function as a guide to transform your own climbing. Moving the Needle is beautifully illustrated with 143 photographs, with a foreword by Dave Cuthbertson, and edited by Deziree Wilson.

Genres: Climbing

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2024

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I began to wish. All I want is to be on the other side of that bulge. As soon as I articulated this in my mind, it made no sense. What is on the other side of that bulge? It's all the things I looked forward to getting away from: the trudge off the Ben and back to Glasgow, to connections with people I struggled to make. To a restlessness that would send me right back here to some other piece of ice on this mountain. Modern culture often presented reward and comfort as the purpose of life, sport included. Is that really my role? Climbing, just to get to the top, with discomfort and risk just the Faustian bargain to be endured along the way?"

[Tim Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Well written great photos and gives a good glimpse into Dave's early life.

[Анна Шляхова · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, it was quite interesting to follow the path of an ELITE climber with all his struggles and insights. At least the ones he shared with us. It was tough to get through the pages, especially the first half of the book. And, I think, the problem is that Dave has focused on kinda process of establishing himself as a climber rather than just on his life.

The second was the question that constantly spun in my head: Why the heck did he manage to describe himself as an average climber? Also, I can relate to that as he has come from a disadvantaged neighborhood of Glasgow and was bullied as a kid. Such experience can last long. He actually said this himself:

“Whereas conflict between people made me feel lost and tempted to withdraw, misadventuous on mountains had the opposite effect. I was beginning to understand the limits of this game, and I found myself wanting to get closer to the edge.”

So, climbing has a deeply healing effect on him.

“A powerful antagonist to depression was simply climbing itself. … It was more than a source of acute enjoyment; it was also an immensely powerful therapy that could dissolve the darkest thoughts.”

Another reason why he determined himself as an average climber was a lack of power and strength at the beginning, what is quite typical at that phase. But it’s trainable. Jerry Moffatt, which mindset seems to me to be the quite opposite, said in his book ‘Revalations’ the next thing: “He had the most amazing motivation and desire, and even though people say natural talent is important, I think it's desire that gets result.”

And I would say also some kind of a ‘super power’ to lean against. Dave defined his like this: “The curiosity itself was the reward.” For him it was the curiosity of movement…

“The combination of hard moves and attention to detail in movement technique is impossible to substitute.”

“I was always focused on ways to minimise force and find every subtlety in a movement to get more weight on my feet.”

…and a scientific approach:

“As it turned out, the primary value of scientific training, at least for me, was in getting the basics right. … The strategy was simply to abandon short-term thinking and approach training as if building a foundation, not a peak.”

[Kamil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read a few books written by climbers, my expectations were that I will enjoy it OK, but not much more. Having known Dave's work, I expected so many tangents and, honestly, rambling. Not at all any of that. What a great book! Just like the free solo (you know - the movie) - it is so well done, edited, so personal, so to the point, I would comfortably recommend it to anyone interest in, well, being a thoughtful person.
A friend of mine described Dave a while ago as a radiant soul. That is exactly how it felt, while reading the book. It was painful to finish. since I have spent the last few days mostly looking forward to hearing more from Dave. Not that many climbing tips, since those can be summed up in three sentences - which also is the point. Instead, such a personal account, great humor, cultural insight, crystallized opinions and lots of excellent, just excellent writing. Dave's reading of the book is just perfect as well. I know for a fact, that I will come back to the book, and buy the next one on the first day it comes out - sorry for the pressure there, Dave.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and often poignant look inside MacLeod's mind as he talks at length of the journey he took from humble beginnings to E11. It's worth watching his first ascent of Rhapsody to truly understand how outrageous the route is - but whilst he might see himself as average, it's clear that this is far from an average accomplishment. As usual, a great read throughout.

[Shane Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written autobiography that, along with being a thoroughly entertaining read, serves as a detailed case study to learn from. I enjoyed his persistent introspection and vulnerability which gave me clarity in what the road really looked like for him to get where he got.

[Borja Revuelta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply love Dave MacLeod, what else can I say? Brilliant book, good balance of climbing and the portrayal of working class life in Glasgow. I don't know, I simply really enjoyed reading it.

[David Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well thought out and written. As you would expect from Dave Macleod.

[Tamara Covacevich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure winner for Boardman Tasker this year! The narrative, the pictures... So many good thoughts in here (not a surprise now that we learn how much time the author spent drinking tea by his window!)

[umut · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite climbing autobiography so far. The journey and progressin of Dave is interesting to read but the books also gives a good glimpse of, existing as a decent guy in ghetto Glasgow.

[Marcos · Rating 3 out of 5]

A life of dedication.