The Post-Workout PB & Banana Recovery Smoothie and Variations

This post-workout carb and protein combination, in a 4:1 ratio, is the fitness and nutrition communities’ recommendation for promoting ultimate recovery from any and all types of physical activity deemed a “workout.” It turns out that chocolate milk is a cheap, tasty way satisfy this 4:1 balance, and thus it has been promoted enough that…

Seven Reasons to Encourage Your Friends to Toprope

Toproping tends to get a bad rep in the climbing world, and for many good reasons. It’s pretty hard to “cheat” and let your belayer take weight off through the crux if you’re on lead, and toproping (usually) isn’t as scary as tying into the sharp end. However, sometimes it can be beneficial to encourage…

Gear Review: The Butora Acro

I hate stuffing my feet into tiny aggressive shoes. If it takes me more than a minute to tug, squeeze, and pinch my feet into a pair, and I get a foot cramp the minute they’re finally laced up, then I’m not going to wear them. I love the precision of a stiff, downturned sole,…

New Year’s Climbing “Resolutions”

First, I should come clean: I’m not a New Year’s resolution type of person. I don’t join the hoards of two-week January Planet Fitness goers who lose interest in legs day long before Valentine’s Day chocolates—I can’t say I’ve ever done legs day unless jogging counts. Nor do I resolve that this is the year…

Tie Back Those Flowing Locks

I felt nothing, but the sound was sickening: A soft ripping. I looked up, mid-fall, suddenly not caring where my feet hit. My hair, ripped in half, now dangled from the quickdraw I’d just been next to. It was an atypical December day in Rumney, not because I accidentally created the worse side-swept bangs I’ve…

The Art of Yardsaling

No, I’m not asking you to sell the seven old pairs of climbing shoes you’ve “been meaning to resole.” Nor am I going to tell you how to maximize your time picking through stuff in other people’s yards. I will, however, give a detailed description of how best to “yardsale” your belongings before, during, and…

Wrapping up Thanksgiving: How to Bring Your Leftovers to the Crag

If you’re like me, your mom decided, once again, to make enough stuffing “to have leftovers” and sent two pounds home with you, along with half the turkey, green bean casserole, and half a can of cranberry sauce. It’s hard enough to get motivated for your fifth night of Thanksgiving turkey, but how can you…