Alex Fritz: Future of Climbing

(photo courtesy of Alex Fritz's 8a.nu profile)
Alex Fritz: Future of Climbing

Alex pretty much summed up what I've wanted to say about some of the future climbers coming up. He's also strong and keeps it humble.

Check it out.

Something to believe in

Guess today turned out to be a good day. A really good day. Climbed the problem at Bridges I couldn't last time cause I slightly hurt my arm. Fired it first try today. Just had to move quicker so it didn't feel bad. Had a bowl of Pho (not Fho, think Fha like Fuck) for lunch. So good. I'll make it spicy next time though. Needed some heat, some fire to it. Super good though.

I think the pho helped me out climbing wise. I went to Oakland and climbe there. The problems in the cave are pretty good. I'm actually psyched on completing some when I return Thursday. I feel stronger from Bridges. Humbler too. If I fall I fall, I'm not mad or anything like the past. If I fell I'd get angry and not look like I'm having fun. But im changing. Anger manegment, minus the therapist and spending money and group exercises. Anyways, the bouldering at Oakland is good. It felt good to get on some of Flea's problems again. Those are always the dopest. Those and Andreas Muller's problems. Hella tight problems from badass people. I find myself trying harder more frequently as if I have seemed to have flipped a switch on my psyche. I feel as psyched as I did in Hueco Tanks last year (before the mental madness). Now if mother nature stopped pissing down rain and stayed sunny so areas dry up quick...

Motivation

Over the past couple of days I have been climbing at Bridges. Yet I feel as if I'm not doing anything new. I need a change of environment. As much as I love it, I gotta venture. And this rain killed my Mortar Rock idea I had. So the next place to go would be the Oakland gym. I haven't bouldered there (or any Touchstone gym) in a while. Getting to climb some different problems will be a nice addition to the change of scenery as well.

Speaking of motivation, I came across a friend (who I don't see often but am always psyched to see) Ethan Pringle's blog on the Five Ten website. It should a letter from a decade, perhaps more, that began his sponsorship with Five Ten. As I read over the letter, it hit me (finally, yes I am slow sometimes). To be noticed, it's not about climbing hard (I knew this) and being unapproachable as a person, you have to be able to pull down and be a good person (something I learned over the course of a year). No one wants to give a kook anything, so don't be a kook. At one point in time, we all go through being a kooks. What is a kook? Me. You. The person talking and spraying. The person getting angry for no reason. It's not just me whose guilty. Everyone is at points in time. And if you don't recognize those small little details I just pointed out, guess what? You're being a kook. Stop. It's taken a long time to get into my thick head. I wasted time, but I learned. I'm always learning. I thought it was something I had no control over (turns out I do have control over it). I was a serious kook. I'll admit it. I've calmed down a lot these past couple weeks. I'm impressed that I haven't gone off or exploded when it's always been so easy for me. You have to learn to know when you're doing wrong and admitting your mistakes so that hopefully you don't repeat them. (Thanks Ethan for posting that blog).

So with that in mind, I hope to be able to keep climbing and climbing well. I saw some photos from Leavenworth in Washington State that my buddy Alex Fritz posted through facebook. The rock looks really good. I would be psyched to go for a week or two. It look promising. I have many areas to get to this year. Tramway, Black Mt, a return Hueco Trip possibly in 2011, Way Lake, Joshua Tree, Priest Draw; the list is ever growing. I love climbing. So many places to see, yet so little time to see them in one life.

Stay psyched people.

The last week

So here it is (BAM! And you say god damn! This is a dope jam..."Night of the Living Baseheads" by Public enemy has been fueling my psyche), a new-ish post. Keeping it short cause I'll have better one up soon. Just a recap of what's been going on these past couple of days.

• Set new problems at Bridges on the West Wall 3/23 (hard things went up so come get some on plastic training)

• Left bicep is less than ok meaning it feels like it will break off when I pull straight down on it but is fine when I climb in the cave. Guess I need to do routes more.

• Made a list of goals for five months and a year to keep my self psyched and on track.

...That's about it. Nothing really has happened interestingly. Though I'm pretty sure I haven't been to Touchstone in a month I think. I don't know why I put that here, just a realization. I like Bridges Rock Gym. There's always room to get on the walls, the bathrooms are clean, we have a cafe so you don't need to leave to get food, the landings are nice, the list goes on. I also need to get some people to go to Castle Rock soon. Or Yosemite. Or Bishop. Or somewhere not inside.

Stay psyched people.

Blaow!

Some days are really turds in terms of climbing. Then some days are really f**king good climbing days. Wednesday was a really good climbing day, despite my lower back being in pain all day. All I wanted to do was this one problem that exploits my weakness of pinching. The side of my thumb is calloused because I pinch with my thumb tucked into my hand (as if I'm making a 4 with my hand). Weirdest way to pinch I know, but it gets the job done. Really glad I did it cause I want to move back to climbing in the cave to get my PE up.

In other news, the weather went from winter to summer. California seems to skip spring sometimes. It's great weather, but unfortunate for our drought situation that plagues this state. Hopefully we get some rain soon. The heat will dry it up quick. Hopefully though, I can venture outside soon to break my dry spell of not touching rock. After this coming Tuesday I will be good to go for two and a half weeks outside. I am in need of a vacation though. I want to go to SoCal or Bishop for a week. Either one. Bishop would be nice since I haven't been this season yet and I'd like to climb out there. It is my favorite place. SoCal is five hours away, the Bay is 6-7, Tahoe, Yosemite, and Toulome are super close. Vegas would be closer, as would Flagstaff and Hueco. I'm going to get my permit to start driving (rock gods help me) and getting my license. Hopefully get a second job to make some more cash. I would not complain if I got my license, got a job in Bishop and place with cheap rent so I could survive and go climbing. And ride my bike. That would be excellent. We shall see. That would be my five to ten year goal. My immediate goals are to continue setting boulder problems for Bridges Rock Gym, continue progressing my mind to be better, and climb a lot (inside and outside getting stronger for both).

Speaking of climbing a lot, it seems Friday night at Bridges seems to be "do work" night. So many people climbed so much. It was rad to see people psyched. I was impressed. When problems flow and are well set, and the public is psyched to push themselves, then the vibe is high. Really rad. Chris Cruz got me psyched to try hard and climb. I've been feeling a lot better since Wednesday head wise. We looked at Ben's long V9 and I made good progress on that Chris figured out the top with the handy use of a toe hook (one more weakness I must work) and I figured out beta that fits my style exceptionally well. I eyed Cryils V10 that I had tried once before, but missed the second move to a deep two finger. I surprised myself by sticking the pocket from the start and taking it to the top. That's after a 10 minute rest after doing his V9 first go of the night. Even Damian (the owner of the gym) did his first two V8s that night. Something is in the air (or water). I'm impressed by myself for keeping my head on and not exploding. That was my biggest triumph tonight. I have to always work on that. This night got my psyche back and thinking about Bishop. I must go and climb. The felling of being outside...I miss it.

This was brought by the word: Blaow
Blaow (blah-OW) adj; when something is rad beyond words, when you're blasting high, or just charging, blaow is acceptable as a description of what is happening.

Example
• That was so insane! Blaow.
• V10, first try; Blaow.

Amongst the madness

Bridges Route Setters: Ben Eastman (BE), Wendy Lin (WL), Clay Usinger (CU), Cryil (LCY), Rowan Jiménez (RJ), Austin Cheung (AC).

Not pictured: Chris Bloch (CB), Wes Miraglio (WES)

So I figured out that I don't have social anxiety but performance anxiety in front of tightly packed people. My head just FREAKS out. Now that I know this, I'm going to work on this weakness. This madness (as I call it) shuts my filter off which is bad. It shall stop.

Cryil

Anyways, I helped the crew forerun yesterday. I seriously need to get outside. I feel weaker and need inspiration. Bishop looks good. Anywhere! Plastic is wearing down the mind...is that possible? I believe it is cause it's happening. The madness has set inside me. Not the good madness but the frustration and anger type. The type that no one wants (not even me). Guess I ain't no Sampson and wasn't strong enough to keep it out this time around. Working on eradicating it though. Mortar Rock might just do that for me. Castle too. Outside and some sends (on anything!) will help my head. I can't believe I had to turn down Yosemite Valley because of prior obligations. But I am getting paid for these obligations so I guess it's not a bad thing (but still, the Valley got turned down! Negative!) I will have some cheerier posts in the future. I just need to get this put of my system.

Thanks for reading.

Hella tight blood

They don't make finger bags like this no more with all leather.

I like to climb. Simple as that. I like to push my self to try hard things and to repeat climbs I have done. My biggest weakness is always doing a problem but never repeating it. I feel it limits my power endurance (PE) capabilities. I started repeating lots of boulder problems in the Bridges cave and have repeated all the new problems we set to keep motivated and to get a work out. Last year, I lost a lot of motivation after Hueco Tanks. I felt content with just climbing at a certain level and never seriously tried to change. I am very self critical and have been working on changing this aspect of myself, one day at a time. A part of this change is pushing my self outside of my comfort zone and focusing on digging deep to try my hardest. I've noticed that is also helping to be a better person in general. I'm more approachable and not as scary. Climbing is hella tight. If I did not climb, then i would probably be depressed. I wouldn't know the people I know (and hold the up most respect for) in my life. I wouldn't have a sense of originality and be a follower. I'd be a robot knowing myself. Climbing opens many doors and teaches me many things I would have learned in a harder, more frustrating manner.

I've also learned to appreciate rest days. Some times, I don't do anything on those days. I live a very blessed lifestyle. But I do work around my parents house to earn it. Usually I go outside or ride my bike but there are days I don't do a thing. And those days feel amazing (though few and far apart they are). Today on one such rest day, I read my Vegas guidebook and I found out that I did a further start of Monkey Bar Traverse years ago (4yrs now?). I started WAY left on these crimps instead of the middle where it starts on the huecos. Not that it matters that much to me, but it made me feel better about my progress. I was told this is where the traverse started (on the crimps). No matter; I really have been wanting to go back to the Kraft Boulders now that I'm a little bitter taller, a little bit stronger, but definitely not a baller (cabrón yes, baller? Negative!) At the time, it was one of the "harder" boulder problems I completed. Looking back on it, it was a good thing to do and I must repeat the line. A classic should always be repeatable.. I like that mentality of thinking thugs are easier than posted or said. For some reason, it motivates me.

Climbing is hella tight blood.

Insert witty title here

Keeping this one short.

I've been having really productive sessions at Bridges to get some psyche and motivation and power endurance. We'll see how this goes as I'm currently psyched to employ siege tactics to the harder stuff and be stubborn (since I believe climbing and training is 50% mental, 40% physical, and 10% stubbornness).

I am in need of new shoes but my funds are limited due to saving up for a new laptop (Five Ten, you reading this?). Any thing will be appreciated. I'm just psyched to wear them and hopefuly get a chance to represent the company. They're the number one shoe I trust. My Dragons have last over a year. A year! That's insane! Lets not forget my Moccasyms have lasted for six months and still going strong. That helps me a lot. I don't have to think about when and where my shoes will blow out.

I'll have a bigger update soon.

Oh, I'll have two week break in April and May so I'm going to rally people and get out to Castle Rock. I'd like to do some pebble wrestling there. So psyched. Yeah buddy.

Fading by degrees

Today was a really good day. Sometimes the s**t beginnings lead to good things. I wanted to go get coffee on Market St. in the City (SF) and take sometime to relax and not think about climbing. It's hard not thinking about it when I'm not climbing. Especially when you just bought the new Rock&Ice without realising it. I read climbing magazines at the gym when I'm emmersed in climbing or training, but I read skateboard and other magazines when I'm outside. Helps me not think solely about pulling down. I think it helps me relax more when I don't think about projects or stuff when I'm not climbing. I don't worry about them and stress or get bummed out. I also stopped thinking about setting things when I'm not setting. Always learning things.

Also changing up my style. I've been feeling angry and irritated the past couple of weeks. No clues as to why, but I had enough of that. It's getting in my way of progression and having fun. I've been thinking about a new tattoo as well. The feeling of a needle hitting my skin is...indescribable. It hurts. For sure. Anyone who says it doesn't hurt is a f**king fool. Of course it hurts, it's sharp needle! I've been thinking how much people discard their own opinions and follow the crowd. Why? Don't be a robot, be a human. Have your own voice and opinions. They don't have to make sense to anyone else BUT yourself. That doesn't mean don't think things through and do whatever. Think, then do (sometimes you have to do things then think about it later. Like climbing. Do it then think about it). Maybe something climbing related because this has been the one constant in my life for the past 16 years now. I don't know yet. I've yet to find something I can set my mind on.

To each his own

Tuesday was the first day back to stripping at Bridges Rock Gym after a two week hiatus. It felt good to set some boulder problems again, even if it's not that many days of work. I love it. I get to work with home boys like Ben Eastman, Chris Bloch, Rowan Jímenez, and crew of others. We've been doing this for about one year solidly, and we have improved vastly in a short amount of time. We've learned how to flow better and more efficiently over terrain. I never thought I'd get to work along side a talented group of people who put their passion in creating things for others and giving people amazing routes to test themselves on. The feeling of giving back to the community some problems to train and climb on and seeing them charge on problems is...well, it's rad. I understand that this is JUST plastic pulling, but it's part of the climbing community. Sometimes it's easy to forget that tucked away in a building (and not outside) is a part of the climbing community. People get so caught up in going outside and JUST climbing for numbers (at one point or another we are all guilty of this). I've been stuck inside for months at a time at times, and it can make you dull. I was mentally breaking down the days I was not setting. Setting made me focus and psyched again and calmed down. I was getting angry and frustrated. Not a good place for me. Socially anxious when some people showed up too.


My hands get wrecked after many hours setting, forerunning, then climbing till closing.

Last call problem at Bridges (3/3/2010)

Let's talk about something I feel is getting out of control: grades. What the f**k people? When did this become such a problem for us to grade BOULDER problems? Thanks to the internet, all I'm seeing is talk about how one problem is this grade or not, and how the "equation" (which I fully do not understand and probably won't because of the time it would take away from climbing to learn it) works or doesn't. It's a bunch of shit that neither right nor wrong, but certainly has no place for discussion as the riffs it creates between sides. My personal opinion on grades are they are they to track progress and this sport is all about progression, more than ever. Grades do not land sponsorships SOLELY, they don't make you a better person. Everyone needs to remember, CLIMBING IS SUBJECTIVE. That's it. It's just rocks. Climbing is fun, but reading internet forum arguments about grades of problems the chumps who are arguing will probably not do is getting ridiculous. You wanna play with the big dogs you can't piss like a pup.

Chris Bloch summed it up good with this quote from his Hueco Showzen:

"If you can do it, it's hard. If you can't do it, it's really hard."

Off that topic. Good session at Bridges Rock Gym Thursday. It was intense! Everything is we set is hard, or a touch harder than we originally thought (again, the grade bullshit! FUCK!). I think it's cool because it encourages people to get on it more and try hard. That's all that matters in climbing. If you tried hard and came close that counts but when you try hard and succeed it's the best feeling in the world. I have so many projects in the cave. I need to get some new shoes before I blow through my Dragons toe. I'm so psyched on doing these cave routes to get my strength up again and try hard. It's been a long time since I've felt that I've tried hard to send. The feeling is...indescribable. It's the best feeling to try hard. Even when you come up short you're psyched and when you send it, you're super psyched.

The rain is bollocks