Tag Archives: rope climbing world records

Alicia Weber’s Rise to Rope Climbing and the Gator Nation’s Sport Tradition

By: Weber Way to Wellness Reporter
August 4, 2012

Letter Winning UF runner, Alicia Weber’s rise to rope climbing came accidently at the University of Florida after Alicia graduated. Wouldn’t that be the only natural place to rise in sports considering the Univerisity of Florida’s tradition of producing champion athletes and Olympians?

The University of Florida has an 8m rope that sits beside the track stadium. Rope Climbing is part of the conditioning in many sports and while at University of Florida, Alicia trained in rope climbing to help with her running. Alicia said, “I climbed the rope and didn’t think much about the sport of rope climbing. In fact, I didn’t know there was a sport!!”

The accidental moment came on Oct 14, 2009, when Alicia climbed the rope casually in L-position to shoot a strength video for VideoTeasing as her character – Aussie Amanda. Alicia posted a snippet of the video on youtube as shown below and the responses were huge! Alicia said, “I had all kinds of people writing to me saying that I went faster than world record, while holding a rigid L position when all that is required is the much easier version of the arms only legs dangling rope climb. I was told competitive L-position climbing was abandonded in late 1800’s and the only competitive format is arms only rope climbing. ”

Alicia’s famous video that caused her to Rise to Rope Climbing World Records

Alicia then became acquainted with the sport of rope climbing, and of course, she decided to go for more world records! Alicia got a 22ft Outdoor Climbing Rope and in 2011 she set a half dozen arms only speed climbing records with the Book of Alternative Records and then in 2012, Alicia expanded into setting records with the rigid L position arms only climbs and longer arms only endurance rope climbs with RecordSetter World Records.

If only rope climbing was still an Olympic sport, Alicia would be going for Gold and joining the other 145+ Letter Winning Gator Athletes that have competed in the Olympics, which makes UF the top school for producing Olympians.

During the 2012 London Olympics, Ryan Lochte’s 5th and final medal (silver medal) won in the 200IM marks UF’s 100th Olympic medal won by a Gator Letter Winning Athlete. UF letter winning swimmer, Elizabeth Beisel then took the 101st medal won by a Gator letter winner when she won the bronze medal in the 200m Backstroke (her 2nd individual medal won at Olympics).

Every Olympic year, the Florida Gators keep increasing the # of Olympians and # of medals won. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, if the University of Florida (known as Gator Nation) was recognized by the International Olympic Committe as a real nation, it would have tied for 18th for total medals earned in those games!

In 2012, the Gator Nation has a record 37 Gator Athletes competing in the London Games. The two biggest sports represented by Gator Nation are swimming (23 athletes) and track (10 athletes), although fewer athletes are in the other sports (i.e. basketball, tennis, and soccer) they are very strong in everything!

The Gator Nation has reached over 100 Olympic medals won by Letter Winners as of this 2012 London Olympics and starting the medal count when UF won their first medal back in Mexico City 1968 Olympics. They have produced many world records too (maybe too many to keep track of..).

Alicia Weber may not have been born in time to be an Olympian in Rope Climbing (1932 Last Olympics with Rope Climbing), but she CAN be counted in the world record count for the Letter Winning Athletes that have set world records representing Gator Nation.

Alicia Weber alone has set and held over 150 official world records and she should soon see on the radar her BIG 200th world record in strength and endurance!

One thing is certain, the Gator Nation brings their “A Game” and attracts the most determined and dedicated athletes into their sports programs and the results are letter winners that go on to become great champions in life and in sports!

Alicia Weber has preventative health and physical fitness programs for all ages and ability levels in Central Florida and can be reached at Awinningway@gmail.com

END OF REPORT

Rope Climbing Removed from Olympics, But Sport is Still ALIVE!

BY: Weber Way to Wellness Reporter

If rope climbing was still an Olympic sport, Alicia Weber (multiple Rope Climbing World Record Holder) would be hauling in gold medals for Team USA!!

Rope climbing was contended in the Olympics first in the late 1800’s with the event that is Alicia’s specialty – L position arms only rope climbing. However, given the level of difficulty and too few competitors, the event was changed to arms only rope climbing with legs dangling in 1904 and remained that way thru the 1932 Olympics and then rope climbing was removed all together starting in the 1936 Olympics.

Alicia Weber is one of the few competitors still tackling rope climbing where she has amassed a dozen world records between the Record Books (Book of Alternative Records and RecordSetter World Records).

I ask Alicia what is her motivation to keep rope climbing. Alicia says, “It is very challenging and I like challenges. I get bored with the same old athletic events and rope climbing offers a twist to sports and builds great physical fitness.”

Alicia broke her L-Position Arms Only 12ft Rope Climb record by nearly a full second during the London Olympics. Alicia says, “I got excited watching the Olympics and thought about what it would be like if I was around in the late 1800’s – early 1900’s and could go for Olympic gold – that motivated me to blow away the world record!”

Alicia re-set the 12ft L-Position Rope Climb record that starts in seated position in a time of 3.96 seconds on July 31, 2012. In comparison, female gymnasts take an Elite Physical Fitness Abilities Test and their best in a similar L position climb has been 4.99 seconds and Alicia’s former record for the event was 4.8 seconds.

In Alicia describing her excitement of the physical fitness challenges rope climbing offers, she attempted a totally new type of record combining running with arms only speed rope climbing for the Ultimate Cardio/Strength Workout!

On August 3, 2012, in the Florida 90 degree heat, Alicia attempted the first ever 1500m run with 96ft Arms Only Rope Climb. Alicia climbs 12ft arms only after every other 100m and starts in a seated position and does this for a total of 8 climbs during her 1500m run. She completed the effort in a new benchmark of 7 minutes and 18 seconds.

Alicia Completes 1500m Run with 96ft Arms Only Rope Climb for new record.

With the many physical fitness challenges Alicia tests with rope climbing and her re-setting of world records in speed rope climbing, Alicia is keeping the sport of rope climbing ALIVE and well!

Alicia Weber is an advocate on Physical Fitness and is an exercise instructor and can be reached at Awinningway@gmail.com

END OF REPORT

Alicia’s Record Roundup Report for March 1 – 9, 2012

By: Weber Way to Wellness Reporter Click here to visit JD Productions.



Click for Alicia's Strength Feat Shows at VideoTeasing
Click for Alicia's Exclusive Strength Feat Shows at VideoTeasing.com

Alicia being a Pisces is known to swirl around in different directions. Alicia particularly swirls around in different directions in extreme strength and stamina disciplines.  This early March 2012, Alicia shows her varying strength abilities with some very unique and arduous world records.  We will take a look at Alicia’s new Record Setter World Records from March 1 -9 below:

On March 1, 2012, Alicia competes with the men for strength world records on RecordSetter.com and re-set the Most Consecutive One Armed Knuckle Pushup on Concrete.  Alicia sets new record with 44.  Former record was 34 by Derrick Clark.

Alicia Breaking One Armed Knuckle Pushup on Concrete

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nQ4X0XiT8k

On March 5-6, 2012, Alicia set two new challenging pull-up world records that test grip strength specifically in addition to the upper body as these records were set using a 10-inch thick bar.

Alicia doing 11 Around the World Pull-Ups on 10-inch thick bar with 10lbs Medicine Ball Held Between Legs for Record

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9WnuzWqTlw

Alicia doing 205 Pull-ups in 30 minutes 3 in 1 Challenge on 10-inch Thick Bar

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCIjERdEIK8

Finally, on March 9, 2012, Alicia achieved the highest height climbed in 1 minute with arms only nonstop climbing!  Alicia climbed 32.46 meters (106.5 ft) in 1 minute with arms only with no rest.  Alicia’s rope climbing day continued as she then set speed records in the fastest L-Position arms only climb for 12ft in 4.80 seconds followed by the fastest time in L-Position with 10lbs ankle weights for the 12ft arms only climb in 8.95 seconds.

Alicia climbing highest height in 1 minute nonstop with arms only – 32.46 meters

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyN5Rwt7mhk

Alicia’s Arms Only L-Position Climb in 4.80 seconds

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTuneYuE9Uw

Alicia’s Arms Only L-Position Climb with 10lbs Ankle Weights 8.95 seconds

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyRu9Y_zruM

Now, I ask Alicia which of these records stand out for her as being the most difficult. Alicia replies, “Each one has its own unique element of difficulty.  They have their own kind of mental and physical toughness.  It is hard to say which is the most difficult.  They were all very difficult as they were the first times I set all these records in these categories.”

END OF REPORT