Last winter, in a sport dominated by Europeans, was the only North American to attain a top 15 world ranking on the Ice Climbing World Tour. But McArthur might be best known for the massive training structure聽called the Machine聽that he built in his backyard in Cranbrook, British Columbia. McArthur talked with聽国产吃瓜黑料聽about why the Euros are so damn good, what he learned from聽Rocky 4, and the sacrifices he refuses to make.
国产吃瓜黑料: Tell us about the Machine.
McArthur: The arch is 35 feet high, and the bouldering wall is about 16 feet high by 35 feet wide. And then there鈥檚 a bouldering cave that鈥檚 about 20 feet high. The arch itself is built out of two-by-eights and two-by-twelves, and then 3/4-inch plywood. And about a bajillion T-nuts. As far as routes and holds go, everything is replaceable. There are probably eight different routes on the arch and more than 50 problems聽in the bouldering cave.
Is it true the Machine has聽taken on a life of its own?
Yeah, instead of replacing, I just keep building. I鈥檓 currently building a third leg to the arch. It鈥檚 going to start to look like spider legs. I want to have all the angles鈥攙ertical, steep, and super steep. I鈥檝e got a 50-degree wall, a 25, and a 35. Now I want to build a 45-degree wall. It鈥檒l be about 40 feet of 40-degree wall. That鈥檚 the goal聽anyway. My wife looks at me and shakes her head. I take that as the go-ahead.
And the聽main goal of the structure is to replicate the conditions of聽actual World Cup venues?
Exactly. Having that ability to mimic actual competition is a necessity. Until last year, my structure was the only structure in North America. I鈥檝e always had a structure, but it was never what it is right now. It was just a bouldering cave. And you can get by with it, but it鈥檚 really, really hard to mimic World Cup competition with a bouldering cave.
The level of competition was an eye-opener for you.
Yeah, when I first started competing, it was a different level that I expected. It鈥檚 a whole 鈥檔other world, basically. I was a bit naive to the level that鈥檚 actually out there. I thought, I鈥檓 pretty good in North America, and then I got my butt absolutely kicked.
Why are the Euros so damn good?
I鈥檓 not sure, but one thing I noticed is that North America is full of distractions. Over in Europe, it seems as though people just live simpler. And then, two, the way they train. The Russians are fairly dominant in the sport. They鈥檝e just figured our how to train better.
What does 鈥渢raining better鈥 mean?
Have you ever watch Rocky 4? It takes place in Russia? There鈥檚 so much truth to how that was depicted. Like, they鈥檙e on machines. They don鈥檛 show emotion. They go until they bleed. I鈥檝e had to transform my commitment to training to match that level.
And that鈥檚 why you built the Machine, right?
Yeah. One hundred percent. The entire Russian national team, whether they鈥檙e from Moscow or Siberia, they all have structures to train on.
How did you go about building it?
A few years ago, I remember waking up at three a.m. with a vision in my head of what to build. I drew this picture up and told my wife, ah, I鈥檓 going to build this in the backyard. And she was like鈥 sure. I lined up all the materials, and I had my friend who鈥檚 a carpenter tell me, 鈥淲ell, you should build it like this. Because if you make it according your drawings, you鈥檙e going to kill yourself.鈥澛燬o I spent the next three months building this machine in the backyard. And it worked, which is cool.
And the main advantage is that you can train and compete at a very high level and still spend time with your family.
Definitely. That was the whole purpose from the start. Climbing in general is a very selfish sport. It鈥檚 all about you. You have partners, and you have a belayer, but overall it鈥檚 all about you. Because my goals involve so much training, there was a huge chunk of time that was taken away. With the Machine, it has literally enabled me to hang with my family, put the kids to bed, hang with my wife for an hour, go outside, train for two hours, and then come back inside and hang with my wife before bed. If my wife needs me, I鈥檓 there.
The Machine lets you have it both ways.
Yeah, it鈥檚 really cool in that sense. I鈥檓 sure you鈥檙e aware, in the climbing world鈥擨 guess in any world, really鈥攖here鈥檚 a lot of sacrifice. And I鈥檝e always told my wife聽I鈥檓 going to go after this one hundred percent. But I will not sacrifice my family for it.
For more information about Gord, including training tips and聽his favorite gear picks, as well as more videos and stories about the rest of Outdoor Research鈥檚 team of ambassadors, visit OR鈥檚聽.