John Gill began mountain and rock climbing in 1953 as a traditional climber. By the mid-1950s he had begun to specialize in very short, acrobatic routes on outcrops and boulders, establishing problems in the 1950s and early 1960s considerably harder than those existing at the time. Being a gymnast and thinking of climbing as an extension of gymnastics rather than hiking, in the mid-1950s he introduced the use of gymnastic chalk into American rock climbing. The use of chalk then spread internationally throughout the climbing world. At the same time he introduced controlled dynamics, recommending it as a technique of choice, as well as one of necessity. According to Alpinist magazine, "his introduction of chalk and dynamic movement marked the beginning of modern climbing in America." Gill's climbing style showed the influence of formal gymnastics. He emphasized form and grace of motion over simple efficiency, the cornerstone of contemporary climbing. His performances, as recorded on film taken when he was forty, demonstrate straight lines and minimal contact with the rock. He preferred an application of strength and sometimes avoided efficient moves like the heel hook, which he considered unaesthetic. Gill's approach to bouldering – artistic style being on par with difficulty – was rarely followed by climbers of his generation and is considered unusual today, difficulty remaining paramount. He also practiced bouldering as a form of moving meditation. Although certainly not the first serious boulderer — his notable predecessors include Oscar Eckenstein and Pierre Allain — Gill was probably the first climber in the history of rock climbing to make bouldering his primary specialty and to advocate acceptance of bouldering as a legitimate sport in its own right. His focus on bouldering and the high difficulty level climbs he established inspired a number of traditional climbers to take a more serious view of the sport, which, for the most part had been seen merely as training for longer roped climbs. After retiring, Gill spent several years researching the origins of rock climbing, particularly bouldering. He also compiled a chronicle of bodyweight feats associated with climbing. These results, along with a history of gymnastic rope climbing, may be found on his website. Gill received the 2008 American Alpine Club's Robert & Miriam Underhill Award for outstanding climbing achievement.
Early climbs
In the Tetons, in 1958, John Gill climbed a short route on Baxter's Pinnacle that lies in the 5.10 realm, before that grade was formally recognized — one of the first to be done in America. By the end of the 1950s, Gill had reached what would now be considered V9 levels on a few eliminate boulder problems.. Two of his problems on Red Cross Rock in the Tetons — a V8 in 1957 and a V9 in 1959 — set new standards of bouldering difficulty. And his 1961 route on a steep face of a small granite spire named the Thimble — an unrehearsed and unroped 30-foot 5.12a free-solo climb — is considered one of the great classics of modern climbing, and — if considered a climb — may well be the first at the 5.12 grade. Gill climbed the route without the benefit of modern climbing shoes, significantly increasing the difficulty of the climb.
"B" Grading system
In the 1950s, John Gill introduced a very early – if not the first – grading system specifically designed for bouldering and not restricted to a particular area. The system,, had two subjective levels of difficulty, and one objective level, and was predicated on prevailing and future standards attained in traditional rock climbing. The introduction of sport climbing some twenty years later and more intense competition weakened the philosophical underpinnings of the three-tiered structure, although climbers such as Jim Holloway adopted personal three-level systems similar to Gill's. Today, Gill's B-system is rarely used, abandoned in favor of open-ended grading systems such as the V-scale.
Gymnastics and strength exercises
As an amateur gymnast in the 1950s, 6'2" and 180 pounds, Gill specialized in the competitive rope climb and the still rings, achieving a time of 3.4 seconds for the 20' rope climb and accomplishing a number of difficult stunts on the rings, including inverted and olympic crosses, giant swings, and slow pulls from hang to handstand. He also engaged in what are now called bodyweight exercises similar to gymnastics, achieving seven one-arm pullups with the right arm and five with the left, several one-finger one-arm pullups, one-arm pullups carrying twenty pounds, one-arm pullups on a one-half inch ledge, and one-arm front levers.
