I am an exercise physiologist and climbing coach based in Toronto, Ontario. I use repeatable strength, power, and endurance tests to add objective context to what athletes and coaches observe on the wall.
Exercise Physiologist • Climbing Escalade Canada Project Experience • Toronto, ON
Ben’s approach is grounded in academic training, published climbing research, documented testing procedures, and practical coaching experience.
University of Guelph
Completed in the Human Performance and Health Research Laboratory, with research on blood-flow-restriction training and climbing performance.
High-Performance Sport
Experience supporting high-performance athletes and contributing to Climbing Escalade Canada projects, including RBC Training Ground athlete selection.
Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC)
Presented at the 2024 High Performance Competition and contributed to CEC projects, including RBC Training Ground athlete selection.
Climbing Performance Research
Co-author of peer-reviewed studies on World Cup bouldering time management and blood-flow-restriction training in climbers.
Read the original studies behind Ben's work in bouldering tactics and climbing physiology.
Analyzed attempt, rest, and climbing-time patterns in World Cup bouldering finals to identify practical competition-strategy insights.
Examined whether adding blood-flow-restriction training improved climbing performance and physiological outcomes beyond climbing training alone.
Climbing performance reflects physical, technical, tactical, and psychological factors. Testing focuses on measurable physical qualities—strength, power, and endurance—without pretending that one number explains performance.
Testing and training are selected around the demands of the athlete’s climbing discipline, experience, goals, and available training time.
Physical testing measures specific qualities; it does not explain every climbing outcome by itself. Results are interpreted alongside technical performance, tactics, training history, and the athlete’s goals.
Rate of force development describes how quickly force rises from a steady baseline. Ben may assess the force-time slope or force reached at defined points such as 100 and 200 milliseconds.
Repeat testing shows whether the intended physical quality changed. A check-up can support training decisions, but performance testing is not a medical diagnosis or a guarantee of injury prevention.
Equipment and procedures vary by package. Consistent setup, clear instructions, and repeatable test conditions matter as much as the device itself.
Tindeq is specified for the basic procedure and Phidgets equipment for specialized package testing.
Standardized attachments are used for finger-strength and ring-pull trials in a controlled body position.
Measures movement speed on a pull-up bar, 20mm edge, and 10mm edge.
Assesses general lower-body power using a GymAware device or a wall-mounted measuring tape, depending on the package.
Travel is free when testing takes place at Hogtown Bouldering. Ben also travels to other facilities in the GTA and Southern Ontario using the published travel rates.
Ben previously coached at Boulder Parc and Up The Bloc and continues to work with climbers, coaches, teams, and parents.
Fill out our assessment form and I'll reach out if you're a fit.