Chalk Talk Climbing Podcast

On quarter-life crisis', how he is preparing for the upcoming World Cup circuit, and his recent bouldering trip to Puerto Rico

Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes

• How he left climbing for a 'real job' and realized that it was no life for him
• The journey from 4 years of no climbing to pulling V13
• What drives him to compete in climbing competitions
• How his IFSC World Cup experience in Toronto last year helped him to succeed in Vail
• The difference in experience and ability of the competitors from ABS Open to World Cups
• His competition strategy for success
• His plans for attending all five World Cups this year in 4 countries
• How he is preparing to be on the top of his game
• And his recent trip to Puerto Rico to climb on and develop boulders

• Josh Larson's website - www.Thepushtosend.com
• Cold House Media

https://vimeo.com/121601986

https://vimeo.com/117706963

Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Takl Climbing Podcast on iTunes!

On the origins of the Red Rock Rendezvous, what to expect, and why events like this are so important to the climbing community...

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

The Red Rock Rendezvous is one of the nation's largest climbing festivals. During the 3 day event, climbers of all abilities can take clinics from top athletes in the sport. Phil Bridgers is the event coordinator and deals with just about every aspect of this event directly. In this episode, he shares his experience and hopes for the coming Red Rock Rendezvous on March 27th-29th, 2015.

• The origins of the Red Rock Rendezvous
• Why Paul Fish of Mountain Gear and Dennis Gafvert of The North Face wanted to create a climbing festival
• An explanation of the festivities at the RRR: Clinics, Food, Beer, Music, etc...
• How they are monitoring the festival's impact on the area and minimizing any negative repercussions
• The athletes and climbers teaching the clinics include: Hans Florine, Alex Johnson, Chris Schulte, Peter Croft, and more
• How to plan your weekend if you are attending
• And which athlete can't stay out of the photo booth

• Red Rock Rendezvous Facebook Page

On frequent first ascents, what V16 really means, and plans for his biggest bouldering adventure yet!

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes

Paul Robinson is one of the world's best boulderers. If you didn't know that already, you better get schooled because this guy has put down countless numbers of the world's hardest boulder problems. He has opened up bouldering areas and fought to push climbing's limits around the globe. In this episode, Paul Robinson discusses why he does it and what the future has in store for him.

• His trip and highlights from climbing in the Dirty South
• Traveling woes and excitement
• Why seeking and sending new lines is so important to him
• Gaining the vision to see new lines on unclimbed rock
• Putting down 50+ FA's last Summer in South Africa and all its future potential
• The responsibility and plight of the First Ascensionist to provide accurate grades and sweet names
• Why a lot of FA's tend to get downgraded
• Advice from Carlo Traversi on grading FA's
• Is V16 a thing yet?
• Thinking back on his most memorable sends
• The big trip he's planning that will result in total world domination (hint: South Africa, Australia, Europe, Oman, Bolivia, Argentina, China, Norway, Alaska, and on....and on... and...)

• Paul's Website
• Prana*
• Asana*
• Evolv*
• Cliff Bar*
• Petzl*
• Soill*
• JTree*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNTBQ7bIUIc

http://youtu.be/y2Hi08n5BNk

Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk Climbing Podcast on iTunes!

On the science of bad habits, fear and stress management on the wall, and training the brain game for the vertical world

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

Don McGrath is a climber and author of Vertical Mind, 50 Athletes Over 50, The Five Climbing Mindsets, and his blog at Masterrockclimber.com. In his newest book, Vertical Mind, Don McGrath and his co-author Jeff Ellison seek to understand fear, doubt, and how to break the bad habits that we learn as climbers. There's a lot of science and research that went into this book and it is a great read for anyone looking to master their vertical mind.

• What spurred his interest in training the brain for climbing
• How schemas and scripts write habit into our climbing
• How those habits can ultimately hurt us and hold us back
• How to create productive scripts in our climbing
• The fear of falling and the fear of failing
• Methods for dealing with fear
• Stress management on the wall
• How to recognize our own bad habits
• How to be a better climbing partner through 'co-creative coaching'
• How to coach significant others without ending up in the doghouse
• What exactly is a flow state and how to attain it

• Don's website and blog - masterrockclimber.com
• The Vertical Mind book website
• Vertical Mind Facebook Page

On how to diagnose, prevent, and recover properly from climbing's most notorious injuries, cross-training for climbing and its benefits, and researching a fledgling sport.

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

• Why doctors default to telling you to "take time off" when you have an injury
• The anatomy and physiology of the parts we injure
• How safe climbing is compared to other popular sports
• How most injuries can be prevented before they become an issue
• Why some people get injured more than others
• What you can do beyond just 'listening to your body' to stay injury-free
• Self-care tools and how to use them
• How much you should rely on taping to heal or support injuries
• Diagnosing a pulley tear
• Cross training for climbing: yoga and CrossFit
• Tips for athletes competing in this week's upcoming ABS open and youth bouldering competition in Madison, Wisconsin

• Climbing Injuries Solved Book website

On Portrero Chico, climbing photography, and the freelance life.

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

Alton Richardson is a badass. This guy rolls around with a camera and captures everything climbing. From shimmering sunsets over sexy crags to super sends from some of the sickest ascensionists, this guy captures it all. Whether it's still life or video, Alton Richardson is there and prepared. He has worked for RAB, La Sportiva, Climbing Magazine, and has even started his own regional climbing magazine for California. (It's pretty cool, too!) Listen to this episode to learn a bit about how Alton Richardson gets the shots that stir the pot and what he looks to accomplish with them!

• Starting California Climber, a quarterly magazine with co-founder Dean Flemming
• Being on assignment in Chattanooga, Tennessee as a photographer, videographer, and gear tester
• The freelance life
• How he manages his time as a freelancer and stays ahead of the game
• Planning shots
• Cultivating relationships with media outlets for future work
• Traveling on assignment to Potrero Chico, Mexico, and the tragedy that happened
• Techniques for shooting climbing
• What he likes photographing the most...and it's not what you think

• Alton Richardson's Photography website

On routesetting as a growing career, what makes a good routesetter for commercial and competition routesetting, and the inevitable fate of career routesetters

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

Bret Johnston grew up in climbing gyms. Before Bret was born, his father built the first climbing gym in America. It was called Vertical Club, est. 1987. It makes sense then that Bret would come to work most of his life in a climbing gym and, with routesetting piquing his interest, find a career working for one of the best climbing gym operators in the country.

Bret Johnston is now the Director of Routesetting operations for all three of Planet Granite's gyms and manages 19 routesetters. Along with that, Bret sets for multiple events throughout the year including chief-ing this year's USAC Division1 competition in Reno, NV.

• Growing up in climbing gyms
• His new position as Director of Routesetting of Planet Granite
• Routesetting as a career in the expanding industry
• The importance of skilled routesetters in the climbing gym
• What makes a good routesetter
• Cultivating new talent
• Gym grades and setting on the softer side
• The fate of career routesetters
• What goes into planning a high-level competition
• The hardest part about setting competitions
• Advice for routesetters trying to get into professional-level competition routesetting

On hold shaping, moving from basement to business, and always trying to move Element Climbing into the future.

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

Dave Filkins is the creator, original shaper, and owner of the ever-expanding Element Climbing. His hold company began in the basement of his house and grew until the space could no longer sustain what would eventually grow into Element Climbing. Since he moved out of that basement, Element Climbing has been growing and growing. David and his wife have since devoted their full attention to the growth and development of the hold company.

David is set on making Element Holds a titan in the industry and is always looking for new ways to expand and innovate. In this episode, we get into how he took Element Climbing from basement to blockbuster and beyond.

• How he stumbled into hold shaping
• Going from shaping holds in the basement to a full-blown company
• The pitfalls and mistakes of early shaping
• How he begins the process of shaping
• Making the jump from a basement business to a full-grown operation
• Building a successful company in a unique industry
• How to keep the inventory fresh in a sea of holds
• And the new innovations for Element Climbing

• Element Climbing Website
• Element's Facebook Page ('Like' them!)

On the glory days of Bishop, developing in and around the Sierras, and how climbing has changed with age...

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

Dustin Sabo is a good friend of mine. He basically taught me everything I know about climbing and routesetting. His efforts, however, extend far beyond what he has done for me alone. Dustin was a part of the growth of bouldering in Bishop, CA in the mid-'90s. During this time he nabbed the first ascent of many Bishop classics including Acid Wash (V10), Enter the Dragon (V10), Moon Raker (V9), and a handful of others. Dustin was also key in the development of Tahoe bouldering. Along with friends such as Brian Sweeney (Episode 3) and Ty Fairbairn, Dustin helped open up popular northern California destinations such as Castle Peak, The Sierra Buttes, and South Lake Tahoe. He has also set for ABS youth nationals and currently is the head routesetter and head coach at High Altitude Fitness located in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, NV.

*Also, just a little disclosure, this episode is explicit! It may not be suitable for impressionable minors who will be inspired to run away to far-off distant bouldering lands and listen to punk rock, drink, and send FA's. There may have been a little wine involved in the recording of this episode. It's a little rambly. I hope you enjoy it.*

• How Dustin got into climbing
• Growing up in the era of Sierra sport climbing
• Learning from the likes of Dan Osman
• The growth of bouldering in the Bishop area
• First Ascent rivalries and the gentleman's clause that solved it
• The Advent of highballs and how it has changed the landscape of bouldering in Bishop
• The Legend of 'Enter the Dragon' (V10)
• Being a steward of climbing areas when there are so many people accessing them
• Developing Castle Peak, Tahoe, and the Sierra Buttes
• The responsibility of development
• How climbing has changed for him as he gets older

On Summiting Everest, traveling 300 miles overland to the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia, and learning to suffer...

Listen in the player at the top of the page or find us on iTunes!

Emily Harrington is a climber for the North Face and La Sportiva. She has been climbing since she was a little girl and has since been a five-time National Champion, a two-time North American Champion, has podium-ed in multiple World Cup events, climbed Everest, and was part of a recent National Geographic expedition to Myanmar. Emily Harrington is one of those types of people who likes to get her hands in just about everything. She sport climbs, trad climbs, ice climbs, and alpines.

It takes a lot of gusto to gun as hard as she does, and in this episode, we find out what is behind that tenacious drive and what Emily Harrington has planned for pushing her limits in the future.

• Her experience of summiting Mt Everest
• What it meant to her to ascend the highest peak on Earth
• The inspiration behind her most recent expedition to Myanmar to climb the highest peak in Southeast Asia
• The culture and landscape of modern Myanmar (Burma)
• How she prepared mentally and physically for the Myanmar expedition
• Avoiding venomous snakes
• Reaching the mountain and realizing she was in over her head.
• Coming within hundreds of meters of the summit and having to turn around
• Managing the fear
• Trying to master all of climbing's disciplines and beyond
• Training with Team of 2 (Episode 5 w/ Justen Sjong)
• Emily's Goals for next year...and they're beefy
• How she's preparing for those goals
• And her pursuits in becoming the next champion walker

• Emily's Facebook Page
• Emily's Instagram
• The Expeditions Page for The North Face Expeditions
• The North Face
• La Sportiva
• Petzl
• Smith Optics