Annual Review - Qualitative Analysis

My Favorite Climb in Poudre Canyon, CO

My Favorite Climb in Red Feather, CO

My Favorite Video

My Favorite Roadtrip

"Warm Beer & Cold Nuts"

Taos-Prescott-Las Vegas-San Diego-Las Vegas-Barstow-Las Vegas-Truckee

My 2nd Most Favorite Roadtrip

"Green Chili & Pockets"

New Mexico(Various)-Las Vegas-Truckee-Santa Maria

Physical Manifestation of The Climbing Lab
1st Stage Completed - Photo Evidence

Most Important Thing I've Learned

I choose creating, over criticizing, copying, or destroying.

Annual Review - Quantitative Analysis

Number of Climbs Published - 28+!

Number of Boulder Problems Climbed - 160+
(There were ~20 problems on private property and areas I was asked to keep "secret")

Number of Routes Climbed - 49

Hardest Boulder Problem Sent - V10 (Unconfirmed)

Hardest Route Sent - 12a

Hardest Boulder Flashed - V7

Hardest Route Flashed - 12a

Average Boulder Problem Sent in a Day - V8

Average Route Sent in a Day - 12a

Number of Outside Climbing Days - 100+

Number of States Climbed In - 7

Number of Different Climbing Areas - 24

(The number I'm most proud of)

Annual Review - 2010 Goals

I spend the last week in December reviewing my previous year.

Here is the breakdown of my goals from the last year :

- "Travel. Visit 10 new (to me) climbing areas."
Killed it. I visited at least 12 new climbing areas: Red Feather, Groom Creek, 3 Sisters, Sinks Canyon (bouldering), Keystone, Sailing Hawk, Turtle Lake, Flagstaff, Owl Canyon, Pie Shop, Flatirons, Shelf Road.

- "Finish Projects"
Minor Fail. I couldn't round up enough rope partners. I finished a bunch of boulder projects.

- "Attempt Over-My-Head Projects"
Major Fail. I continued to remain in my safety zone of climbing things onsight/in-a-day.

- "Develop More"
Yes (Kinda). I only bolted one route because I focused my effort on new bouldering.

- "Redpoint Something I'm Proud Of"
This is my favorite climb of the year.

- "Body Composition"
Better but not ideal

- "Campus 1-5-8"
Nope. Focusing on sending outside cut into my campusing. I eked out 1-5-7.

Bonus – "Birthday Challenge"
I started training for one but lost the plot.

I didn't accomplish all my goals. If I had, I would be worried that I didn't aim high enough.

"You don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to."

I make rules in life to make things simpler.
(I break them to have more fun).

One of my rules: I must create before I consume.
(It tricks me into putting up new climbs, writing blog posts, and making videos.)

After you have created something/anything today,
read this - a brief guide to world domination

It elucidates my take on climbing/life better than I ever could.

Off-Season

I schedule a week off from climbing every 6 months. This is the week.

Saturday Syke Video

Let us not forget ...


Some people view climbing as a business or a series of historical reenactments. I see it as art. I appreciate the gift that climbing as art gives me. I refuse to defend to my climbing/art. I see the value in other people doing the same (or not doing the same). Not all people have the same standards (nor should they).

The world would be a mighty boring place if everyone thought, talked, acted, and climbed the same.

This Is Not That

Training: 1) Technique



2) Flash Ladder



3) Power Endurance, Long



4) Power Snatch



5) 1-arm bench



6) Core/Prehab



Moon Board & The Bay
Training Nirvana

My Nemesis
40+ ft @ ~45 degrees
No Place To Hide/Rest

Notes: Medium Intensity/High Volume. Back to PG of SF. I'm a routesetting snob and those people do it right. Every problem at every grade is a lesson in movement. My intercostals are still sore from reverse crunch strip sets. (Note to self - I'm not a bodybuilder thus DON'T DO STRIP SETS!)



#1 Worked on crossing moves. Getting better. Thinking that outside crosses are a different species than indoor crosses, same genius. #2 I love flash ladders. Great way to trick myself into high volume of quality moves. Today's pyramid - (5 x V4, 4 x V5, 3 x V6, 2 x V7, 1 x V8, 2 x V7, 3 x V6, 4 x V5, 5 x V4) I didn't get the V8, and I realize those are "indoor grades." #3 There was nice 30 move V4 that went up the ramp. I eek out ascents outside by resting & recovering. There was no resting on this beast. Just a lovely lactic acid bath. I got wet 8 times with 3:00-3:30 rest between dips, aka Song Intervals. #4 Singles @ 135, 145(f), 135, 135, 135. My standard baseline in PS. #5 3x8 @ 55. Great Ab/Horizontal pushing exercise. I don't do enough. Remembered it when reading Dan John's book "Never Let Go". Highly recommended (the exercise and the book). #6 Redirecting my core and prehab work. Standing core only. Dropping prehab exercises that don't work for me.