It’s 2018, which means two things: 1. I can’t date anything correctly, and 2. Tis the season for New Year’s Resolutions. Classic Resolution 1: “I’m going on a diet.”* *Also known as: “I’m cutting out sugar/bread/carbs/sweets/chocolate” and/or “I’m trying to lose 5+ pounds to send my spring projects.” TRANSLATION: I’m going to begin the…
Tag: Training
Confessions of a Beginner MoonBoarder
The giant middle white starting jug is by far my favorite hold. I’m secretly disappointed when “easy” problems start anywhere else. I get super psyched when I flash. It’s usually a 6b+. After the kickboard, the feet are rarely quite where I want them. Also, the kickboard feet are much slipperier than they look. I fall…
(Climbing) Nutrition Simplified
Much of the information about nutrition that we ingest online is confusing and conflicting. Every article and podcast seems to encourage us to eat in a new way. Should we try out the ketogenic diet? What about going back to our roots and eating paleo? Or ditch animal products altogether to become vegan? Or maybe…
10 Reasons Why I Suck at Training
As you guessed from the title, I have a confession to make: I’m terrible at training. In fact, it would be hard to argue that I train at all… I have zero books, Excel spreadsheets, apps, notebooks, or pieces of scrap paper outlining possible training regimens. I have never even attempted to follow one…
I Stopped Running and This is What DIDN’T Happen
I used to run a lot. Well, not a lot for an ultra runner or marathoner or even a college cross country runner, but I ran at least 5 days a week for anywhere between 3 and 10 miles at a time. That’s a lot of running for a climber. I’ve since stopped running, having jogged just…
10 Reasons Why I’d Love to “Magically” Improve My Climbing
Most days I wish I was better at climbing. Even on the days I happen to send, I often secretly wish I was topping out something harder, not just for the V points or glory, but because breaking into V8 and 5.13 would allow me to send–or at least productively hang-dog–so many amazing routes. Now you might…
The Gym Guide Pyramid: What I Look for in an Indoor Climbing Facility
Living in Boulder, CO, I’m a two mile walk/drive/bike ride from three of the country’s best climbing gyms, four if you count ABC Kids, and a twenty-minute drive from a brand-new EVO Rock + Fitness one town over. Naturally, I’ve visited every gym at least once and have enjoyed slightly different experiences at each. Now, while I’m not here to…
Maximize Your Training During Peak Gym Hours
If you’re a “9-5er” and live in the vicinity of a climbing gym, you know the frustration of attempting to train during busy hours. With two kids teams stealing a third of the routes for their after-school practice, their parents milling around, and all the other 9-5ers showing up at the same time, it’s hard to find space on…
To the Women’s Climbing Community: A Note of Support, Encouragement, and Challenge
“Hi, I’m Jess,” she said before gliding her way up my project. Thirty-five seconds later she was smiling down from the topout. “The heel-hook beta is the way to go,” she shouted down to me. She was right. Her beta was amazing, her hair was flowing, and her technique was flawless. Why didn’t I get her…
New Year’s Resolutions That Have Nothing To Do With Climbing Performance or Strict Training Plans (And Why They’re Important)
2017 is less than a week away, and you know what that means: Getting to work on your “New Year’s resolutions.” Now you might be thinking, Please no, not another piece on New Year’s resolutions: They’re cliché, quickly abandoned, and I hate them. That is true of many performance- and training-focused goals.* However, I promise I…
A Week of Home Workouts Via YouTube
Some weeks you’re too busy to sneak away from work early for an afternoon outside, to do 4x4s at the gym, or even to design a home workout schedule for yourself. This is where YouTube comes in. I rarely find the motivation to make up and then do 10 minutes of core strengthening or pushups or stretching or anything else when…
Your First (or Next) Climbing Tattoo
We are a tattooed generation, and there are many reasons why we decide to get our designs: Some have meaning, some look cool, some were on sale, and some just seemed like the thing to do at the time. So why not get a tattoo that tells others something about your favorite sport? You’ll show other climbers…
Coffee. Tape. Climb. 