While we’ve got you

Our expert answers a few quickies

How long before the bottom of a climb should I have a gel? This varies greatly from one person to the next: some people respond within three to four minutes; others need more like 15. You need to experiment.

To be a better climber should I lose weight or build muscle? Both. Losing weight is counterproductive for both health and performance if you lose muscle mass. Instead, work on having a better balance of body composition – more muscle, less excess body fat.

Do compression tights speed up recovery? Yes. Quite how much difference they make for the average person is a bigger question, but they do help.