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Amazing ground fall recovery
Eight months after a 15 m ground fall, Rannveig Aamodt has done a personal personal best with three 8a's at Railay.
All amazing pictures by Terje Aamodt
| On the April 26th, 2012, I took a 50-foot ground-fall while climbing in Geyekbayiri, Turkey. It left me with 13 broken bones, including three vertebrae in my back, two points in my pelvis, multiple bones and ligaments in both ankles, and a shattered elbow. |
Since that moment, my drive to take back my life has been what kept me going. I trained dedicatedly, and received the help of supportive people from all over the world, who have been cheering me on, sharing their stories, and offering to help. |
| Rehab has been a full time job for the last 8 months, with 6-8 hours of workout time most days. I´ve been moving every body part possible, starting by lifting weights after a week and a half in the hospital, with the one arm that I was able to move. Since then I feel like I´ve been balancing on a knife-edge; trying to train as effectively as possible, without causing reinjury. But in the end, despite the hours of training, losing my physical independence, and the fear of recovery failure, the most difficult challenge has been to deal with the ceaseless pain. |
(c) Dag Hagen |
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Today I still struggle a lot with the pain, but it has become part of my every day life. Rock climbing is a place where I can forget for a little while; I almost feel more handicapped on the ground than on the wall. Now I´m in Thailand, sending 8a´s, and I feel that I´m getting my paycheck for the countless hours of workouts and pain I´ve endured in the last eight months. |
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Thank you Stian Christophersen for coaching me how to approach getting back into climbing, and for teaching me the exercises that have enabled me to continue. And a million thanks to my sponsors: Sterling Rope, Red Chili and Wild Country for being unbelievable supportive through the whole process. |
Master mind projecting progress by Chris Sharma
Chris
| La Dura Dura, (9b+?), (c) Daila Ojeda |
Which projects have you been working lately and how is the progress?
"Adam and I have been working together to try and send La Dura Dura in Oliana. Its been an amazing process. We've both gotten really close to getting through the bottom part of the route (I actually climbed past the crux but then slipped and got really pumped and was out of there!)
Since then I havnt reached that same highpoint so there has been a mixture of excitement and frustration. But its important to remember to be patient and humble and if you forget, the route will remind you very quickly. Its such a short bouldery section down low (its only 13 moves from the ground) so its really specific and low percentage. Feels like the send could come very soon or maybe never. I just try and keep an open mind, keep trying and not worry about the rest.
When trying such a hard long term project its really important to find and enjoy the small successes along the way. Maybe its just a certain feeling of lightness or a small bit of new beta, but if you can find ways to keep progressing than it can continue to be interesting and motivating. Ive spent the last years without sending so many routes, yet at the same time I feel like Ive progressed quite a lot in my climbing. A year ago I thought La Dura Dura was impossible for me. Progress isnt always measurable on paper, it can be more of a personal feeling and sensation than just clipping the chain of the next number grade.
I also bolted a new project just to the right of La Dura Dura which is of similar style and difficulty. For me its actually an even better climb, its a lot more fluid. Ive been working on this one and La Dura simultaneously as its a great way to get in shape for the other and vice versa and at the same time keep things fresh.
Since Ive spent so much time in the last years developing new routes, Ive got a bunch of projects here at the moment. Here in Catalunya its easy to bolt oneself into a black hole of never ending projects so Ive tried to not bolt so many new lines this year and focus.
Another really cool route that Ive been working on in Santa Linya is a route that Thomas Mrazek started bolting several years ago. Up to where he stopped its about 9b and very powerful and continuous. I bolted an extension which is probably solid 9a on top of that. The big issue is that there is not so much rest in between the two sections so its a very overwhelming undertaking. For now its a good goal to just do the first part, but its great that there is an epic futuristic line like that out there and open for anyone to try.
Jon Cardwell interview
Jon Cardwell
How has your climbing life changed over the years and what are you most psyked for now?
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/jon%20cardwell
Red River Gorge
Bad Girls Club
White Noise, 8C
The Game, 8C
My life in climbing has changed drastically in the last couple years. Before I was traveling all year with no home, searching for anything that was motivating and now I keep a more stable lifestyle in Boulder, Colorado. In a lot of ways it has proved more productive. I work as a route setter and am able to prepare for whatever goals I have easily. It doesn't hurt that I live in one of the most popular bouldering destinations in the world.
My psyche is all over the place, I would just like to enjoy climbing and stay healthy. I think traveling has taught me a lot about who I am and also what I look for in climbing. I know now where my true motivation lies and it makes it easier to stay in one place at a time to prepare and focus on more specific goals.
How much do you work over a year?
I normally work 3 days a week, Tuesday through Thursday. I was also coaching a youth team in 2011 and 2012. I hope to continue coaching in the future.
What is your plan and ambition for 2013?
The plan for 2013 is to travel more but keep a home base in Colorado. There's a few competitions that I'm interested in but the true motivation is on the rock, both sport climbing and bouldering.
I'm also planning on making a couple trips to Europe, Germany, Switzerland, France and Spain. I've spent so much time in those places in the past, except Germany, that I'm completely excited to return not only for the climbing but for my friends and culture.
And what about... how is it possible to keep progress for so many years?
I think to keep progressing it's important to have a positive attitude and never loose the excitement to climb. I see people struggle when they are trying too hard, getting frustrated and negative.
It doesn't necessarily mean they are loosing that passion to climb it's simply that they don't enjoy what they're doing. For me, its been key to live a healthy lifestyle and simply don't try to force my ambitions but rather prepare patiently and when everything feels right, give it all I can.
How do you train/climb to get progress, any structured programme?
To begin, my training is always changing. I think that it one of the most important concepts in progression; to always create something new, whether its mental strategy, where you climb, who you climb with, etc. On average, I spend time route setting which always keeps me in basic shape and then I have 4-5 sessions a week indoors, if the weather's bad.
When I'm bouldering, I try to climb with as many climbers as possible. Lately in the last year I climb and train mostly with Matty Hong. He has a great attitude and we're always able to push each other, progression is always made. Once I'm feeling tired during a session I try to end it on a high note instead of exhaustion, and then I do basic conditioning.
I try to avoid exhaustion so that I can ensure a healthy recovery and more high end sessions. It's the worst to try and train when you're feeling completely exhausted. Route climbing is a bit different because to achieve maximum endurance I usually I have to push beyond my comfort level.
When I'm preparing for a competition I usually organize my training so that I'm not over worked, have plenty of recovery time before the event, and feel at my maximum potential. I basically aim to peak but less scientific than more developed sports. When it comes to outside projects, it's more important to just be motivated, that's the most useful strategy for me.
What is your strategy when working a project?
It really depends on the type of project. When I approach a new climb I try to have an open mind, because I know that you can always surprise yourself despite the challenge. After that initial stage, onsite for example, I try to examine all the possibilities and hopefully choose the ones that suit me best. After that, every try counts.
Lately I have been putting more emphasis on every attempt, if I'm more tired, I observe what I can do to make things easier, if I'm fresh then I try to focus on making the movements exact to my beta. This stuff is pretty basic and I think it runs through the minds of many climbers.
I think things begin to become complicated once the challenge is in the mind. If that happens, which is often, I try to take some time to focus on other climbs to reset my mentality. If it works, I return to the project more motivated, rested and in some cases stronger.
Armaid review: Elbow and Pump problems
| www.armaid.com |
Armiaid is a tool for focused hard forearm massage. It is designed to be strapped to the thigh by means of a Velcro belt so that the user easily can use it by himself.
Why then would a climber be interested in this contraption?
I; To aid in training and to enhance performance
During hard climbing as well as during hard training for climbing we get forearm "pump" - the required power output on the muscles will demand such large quantities of oxygen and energy paired with dramatically raised need for removal of rest products of metabolism and heat - the circulation locally will be overloaded - the muscles will be overfilled with blood and this will produce a deadlock in the circulation eg "the pump" Hard sports massage has been proven to help in releasing this circulatory deadlock faster. Several climbers including myself can testify to the fact that Armaid will effectively helps in releasing the pump.
II; Medical use
Epicondylitis or inflammation of the origin of the tendons of the forearm extensor muscles is quite common among climbers.
The medical consensus is that traditional massage has little or no effect on the healing process. However hard massage with cross friction can activate the inflammation in a tendons thus making it accessible to the normal healing process. Armaid refers to their own studies that clearly shows god results when using their tool in treatment. My own findings when using Armaid in combination with traditional medical therapy on this condition in climbers supports their claims
I would conclude that Armaid is a useful tool for climbers
Do not forget that the cause of the epicondyltis is an imbalance in the the strength of the flexing and the extending forearm muscles. Strenght training and stretching of the extensor muscles is vital to prevent that this problem reoccurs!
OUTDOOR RESEARCH's Men's Ferrosi Hoody
MEN'S FERROSI HOODY
The American brand OUTDOOR RESEARCH, based in Seattle and, as its name states, specialized in outdoor gear, presents us with one of their most interesting creations, the men's soft shell style="font-size: large; ">Ferrosi Hoody, one of the preferred items among its athletes.
For those, who are not sure what a soft shell is, it is a mixture between a second and a third layer. Therefore, there are a series of requirements such a garment should meet i.e. thermal protection, wind stopper effect, water-repellent, light, stretchy, etc.. The Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoody definitely meets all these demands.
The first thing that strikes you is its lightness (399 grams). It's very thin and elastic, hence its perfect body fit, nevertheless its resilient and as warm as any other clothe without thermal insulation. The sleeves and shoulder areas are primarily made with Cordura, thus, durability guaranteed.
With an attractive design making it wearable for going-out, it's a perfect Spring/Autumn hoody for alpine and sport climbing. For those chilly days when you need something more than just a T-shirt or those cold days when our motivation does not wane and we are still eager to tick a pitch/route after another. Basically it has the same functions as a regular hoody with the added bonus of the wind stopper, its elastic fabric (which enables extra mobility) making it more durable against wear and tear.
Its function as a second layer is great for any aerobic activity whether it's for approaching to the crag or returning back to the car, trekking or even for going out running when the weather isnt that great. We have tried and tested it in all of the above mentioned under light moderate rain and it withstood it perfectly.
To conclude, we should not forget to mention those extra details that differentiate a good item from a great one, i.e. its adjustable hood, its off-set centre front zipper, the multiple draw cord hemmed pockets with one of them doubling up as a stuff sack which includes a biner loop you could attach to your harness.
On the down side, a bigger hood would be desirable for use with your helmet on as well as a double-ended zipper to facilitate certain manoeuvres when wearing it with your harness on, hence, not having to tuck it in.
The Ferossi Hoody is available in a wide range of colours, as well as without the hood and as a sweater. A female version of this item is also available.
Markus Bock Interview
In 1996, Markus Bock did his first 8c and won the Youth World Champion being 17. Later he skipped the comps and today he is the king of Frankenjura having established 48 out of the 50 hardest routes. At the boulder scene he has put up two 8C's and several 8B+'s and he was one of the first boulderer who identified the deflated grades inn Switzerland.
How is your climbing life nowadays?
I would say it is pretty much the same like in the years before. The only thing is that life beside of climbing is changing when you get older. I have a family with a four months old son which I am really happy about. We try to handle it like my parents have done it when I was a kid, meaning always taking him with us and hopefully he will enjoy the nature like we do. We are just back from a week family-holiday in spain that was great and good to see that it works well with him, also away from home.
What are the biggest changes you have seen the last 15 years?
The most impressive thing is how many strong climbers are around, specially really young ones. But if you see the progress compared to my generation and the generation of climbers before I would say its not so much different. When I was climbing 8c with age of 17 (this is now 16 years ago) everybody was impressed of this cause it was a new level. Now the next generation is climbing 9a or harder with 17 and we are impressed. But wait for the gerneration after then they will be impressed as well. And so on and on.
How do you train today? Do you hope to continue to progress to 9b?
To be honest I have never really trained that much. Does not motivate me to train on plastic hours and hours. For me it all came with motivation and climbing outside. So if I have a project which motivates me, success comes with time.
Why do we so seldom see repeats of the 9a's in Frankenjura?
Cause its the style of the routes I think. Short powerful climbing on pockets. You need to have strong tendons which only get the power from climbing here for long time.
There are always the same climbers repeating hard routes here: Climbers you are very flexible in the style andon the other side good bouderers as well.
Can you please explain how the down climbing ethics work?
Here in Frankenjura it is a rule and ethic thing that I have learnt from the beginning of climbing. Everybody here agrees with this.
You have to climb it down only ones. Before the climb. It's also allowed to jump down. The rule is you have to climb up and clip all the bolts, and then climb it down back to the ground. Or jump it down - no crashpads are allowed, no spotter, slack on the rope.
Photographer - Ricardo Alves
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Photographers are the culprits of artistically expressing all the asthetic, the power and the elasticity of our bodies combined together with the movements of such on the rock plus the raw natural beauty of the environments where our sport is normally practiced.
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After a first delivery in Spanish (David Munilla and his gallery) and a second in the same language (Bernardo Giménez and his gallery), today we release a third interview (this time also in English) with the best photographers, among them
RICARDO ALVES
By Esteban Diez Fernández & Ignacio Sandoval Burón
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Ricardo Alves self-portrait. |
A few short apetizer questions:
auto">Canon or Nikon? Why? auto">Ive started photographing with a Nikon FM2 and since them always have used Nikon cameras. I like very much their built quality and ergonomics. auto">auto">Mac or PC? Why again? auto">At home I use a PC because Im used to it. In the field, I use a Mac Book, because is light and has a fast processor for working with the photos. auto">
auto">What about for enjoyment, do you prefer climbing pictures or naked women/men photos? auto">It depends on the quality of the photos! :-) auto">
auto">Ultra Zoom o Wide Angle? auto">I use both a lot, depending the situation and perspective I want to achieve. The ultra zoom I use more to do shots with people and wide angle for landscape photography. auto">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Where are you from? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Im living near Lisbon (Portugal) for the last 18 years, but before I lived in Macau (China) for 8 years. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">By the time this interview was made Ricardo was in a South American trip. Where are you now, where were you before and where are you going to go? Why did you choose those places? Which are the ones you have liked the most and why? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Yes, right now Im in the North of Argentina in a nice city called Salta. Ive just returned from Bolivia and before weve travelled in Patagonia Argentina and throughout Chile, from South to North. We are heading to Puerto Iguazú to visit the famous waterfalls. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Ive wanted to visit South America for a long time and finally the opportunity arrived! The entire trip has been great, but maybe the best moments were in El Chálten, Tuzgle, Parque Nacional Lauca and Bolivia, because the places are amazing and weve also meet nice people there! auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Is the photography hand in hand with a kind of nomad life? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Yes, for me photography and travelling are very connected. Cant stay much time in the same place, without getting bored. Theres too much to see out there auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Please define what the word photographer means to you. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">A photographer is a person who has the ability to use the camera as a mean to show his interior vision of reality. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">How and when did you start with photography? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">I start photographing while living in Macau, around the age of 16. My parents also like photography and offered me a camera. At that time our family used to travel a lot in Asia, so I start doing some travel reportages and suddenly I got addicted to it! auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
Do you think in climbing it is necessary to take the pictures from above the climber for them to be of good quality?
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">No, I dont think so. You can get really cool photos from far away, at the same height of the climber or even from lower angles, for artistic proposes. It all depends of the situation and the result you can get. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Do you climb or do you just do jumaring?
Yes, Im still climbing. Its one of my biggest passions. Right now Im mainly concentrated in bouldering. My local area is Sintra, a bouldering paradise near Lisbon, which has become my second home!!
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Which of all your climbing experiences is/are the ones which have had the most impact in your life? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">All the travels and climbing trips were great experiences. One that really touched me was a 2 months trip to California in 2003, to visit their Natural Parks and climbing areas. It was overwhelming!! auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Which of the places where you have taken photos is the one that matched the most with the general photogene of the photos taken there? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">I think Sintra is the most photogenic place to shoot that I know. Its always inspiring and different to photograph. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">What other professional photographer or amateur photographer do you admire? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Galen Rowell, Keith Ladzinski, Corey Rich, Greg Epperson, Heinz Zak, Jim Thornburg and Simon Carter, to name a few auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Who is the climber model who you have liked working with the most and what are the desirable characteristics in a climbing model, apart from being photogenic? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">I like to work with my fellow climbing friends. Its always fun and relaxed to photograph them. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">I dont think any special attributes are needed for being a climber model, as the goal of the photo is to capture emotion, good light and strong composition. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">And, what climber that you havent had the opportunity to work with would you like to in the future?
I havent worked that much with pro climbers or for a company assignment, so it would be nice to try.
auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">Have you been scared while hung on a wall taking pics? Do you remember any especially scary session? auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">The emotion is always strong when you arrive at the walls, but I wouldnt call it fear... and fortunately it never happened any accidents during my sessions. auto;tab-stops:7.1pt">
Is it possible to make your living out of taking climbing pics or do you need to combine it with another job?
I work as a Civil Engineer in the city council. In Portugal is very difficult to live from photography and from climbing photography, I would say is even more...
Do you consider that taking pictures to pro-climbers is necessary to make a living out in this business?
The main problem here, is that the market is really small, with only a few companies/shops and no magazines to sell the photos. I have to look for foreign markets, but then the competition is harsh and is also more difficult to delivery fresh material when you live in a country outside the climbing scene.
As a proffesional, do you think that paper magazines are condemned to disappear in favour of digital formats?
I think magazines will still remain, but perhaps the type of articles must change. They cannot compete with the fast and easy ability to publish news that the digital medias have, so its better that magazines focus more on good articles and reportages.
auto;text-indent:-7.1pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">- Since the digital cameras appeared, much more people joined in taking climbing pictures (you only need to take a look at our gallery). Do you think these amateurs can rival the professional photographers?
Yes, I think so! Its easy to start using a digital camera and its only a question of time before people start doing good shots and looking for ways to publish them. Prices are droped because magazines are overflowded with hundreds of photos and in that way it affects the professionals.
If the market is big, maybe you can focus only in one field, like climbing. I do everything, from social photography, to publicity and from sports, to landscapes.
Now, more focused in photography itself
text-indent:-7.1pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">- What cameras and lenses do you normally use in your sessions?My current set is a Nikon D700 body and 3 Nikkor zoom lens: 14-24mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm.
Sometimes I also use a 4x5 large format camera with a 65mm for my landscape photography.
auto;text-indent:-7.1pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">- Have you ever made a climbing/bouldering video?
No, I still havent tried that field yet.
Just a little bit in the boulder photos. But I certainly prefer natural light!
Nowadays when people look at a nice photo they say instantly: Its all Photoshop! Even if it is, Photoshop dont do it by is own. You have to be talented and have the skills to use the program. For me is just a tool to improve the photos a little more! I use it mainly for color correction, contrast adjustment and framing rearrangement. When Im shooting I struggle to achieve the best possible result in the field, not in the computer
A digital reflex from Nikon or Canon and a zoon lens (18-135mm) will do well. Its important to set your camera to manual metering to start understanding how light behaves and dont be afraid to explore different compositions and techniques.
auto;text-indent:-7.1pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">- Which of your works is the one youre the proudest of? Why? auto">Maybe it is a landscape shot I took in Monument Valley (Arizona), when I catch a lightning strike while photographing the storm hand held. It was a very lucky moment! auto">
auto;text-indent:-7.1pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">- Finally, what places for climbing and bouldering in Portugal we shouldnt skip a visit? And, what about generic tourism apart from climbing?
For climbing, the must visit locations are: Cabo da Roca, Arrábida and Sagres.
For bouldering, the highlights are: Sintra, Serra da Estrela and Corno do Bico.
Besides climbing, travelling in the coast of Alentejo is an awe-inspiring experience.
Check the wide gallery Ricardo gently allowed us to use here.
Ricardo Alves bouldering somewhere.
Visit his personal webpage:www.pbase.com/ricardoalves
Tomoko Ogawa 8B+ interview
| (c) Nagao |
I have spent about 30 or 40 days during these 3years, a few hundred attempts.
Did you do any special training?
I thought I need more finger strength and reach. I did "finger pull-ups" for a long time that I had seen Daniel Woods do in a DVD. It is like hanging on a campus board with open hand and close it to crimp over and over while you are hanging.
And I started to straighten up my body. Actually I was hunched. I thought because of my backside muscles got too big since I started climbing, I wanted keep my chest and body open to extending my reach. It took a year to get better.
Describe the boulder and the crux?
The first section of this problem involves several pockets and the last section is dynamic. In short it's very steep and super fingery. The crux of this problem is the 5th move with the right three finger pocket and a left shallow pocket. I thought I need more finger strength and reach to do the 5th move. I always failed at the crux because my feet peeled off the far and heinous footholds. To be able to keep my feet on I have done a lot of "core training" for years. I was trained by a professional foot ball player and it worked very well.
What is your next goal and plan in climbing?
I just want to go to many areas overseas. I also want to climb slab project which is my weakness.
How much per week do you train. Do you have a trainer?
I train a couple of days a week and go outdoor on the weekend. I have no trainer. I think a bunch of DVD and my husband are my best trainer.
What have you been working with lately?
I have spent time in some of the schools close to the big earthquake the last year, to teach climbing for cheering up a lot of kids. I thought it was worthwhile experiences. I have also taught climbing in TV shows and I have worked on talk shows in TV.
P.S...
I am surprised of the big reaction in the media. I am not a famous climber in the world..maybe nobody knows and also I was among the last in the world cup every time. I am not a strong climber in actually. My previous best was two 8A+ and one day i Got an impossible DREAM of doing an 8B+. When I tried Cathersis the first time, everyone said it was impossible for me because I had not done an 8B. But I never gave up. I kept on trying for three years for something that seemed impossible in the beginning.