Vertical Thoughts

This one was sort of tough. It took me 3 months to actually sit down in front of my camera and parse through the thoughts that I have had recently. I hope that I was able to explain some of those thoughts in a somewhat intelligible way for you all. I have had these things in the back of my mind constantly for the last several months, and it felt good to finally be honest and open about everything. I do feel somewhat regretful, and almost ashamed to be making this episode, as I do feel the pressure to perform in a way that our fans and listeners want most. I so appreciate all the support this show has received up to this point, it really has shown me that I can create something that people want to be a part of. I mean it when I say that this is not the end of something, but more so the inception of something more natural, more ingestible and overall better. Let me know your thoughts. Love ya. - Liam

As we are deep(how deep?) into Southern California's SECOND pandemic lockdown, we are experiencing some choice thoughts and emotions. Zach Medina(@_zachmedina) and Mira Irani(@mira.irani) join us to remind everyone that we are still in this together. We discuss pride, and confidence of self when it comes to climbing, and how sometimes your own self-image can affect the way other people feel about their own abilities. Here's to hoping this pandemic thing ends soon, safely and completely. Miss you all! Thanks to Josh Pummel for the thumbnail picture.

Have you ever listened to 3 guys talk for 1 Hour and 39 minutes non-stop and still somehow avoid talking about anything at all? Well, now is your chance. Joining us today is Zach Lane (@zachlane) and first time guest Ethan Herrera(@ethan.herreraa) for some silliness and beer-infused discussion. We briefly discuss building a home climbing wall in our garage, and how the experience brought us SO much closer together as friends. Physically and emotionally c l o s e . Today's episode was recorded months ago, and we thought it would be nice to give you all a silly one to hopefully put a smile on your face during these confusing and sometimes stressful times. We miss you, and we hope you miss us too!

HEY....it's been awhile. Sorry that we haven't talked....truth is....we miss you. We are very glad to be back in the studio and talking to our friends and fans! In today's episode Liam takes some time to talk about our recent absence, as well as the future of the show. We talk through some of the thoughts that we have had during the COVID-19 global pandemic, and how it has affected us. Liam rants a little(excuse him), but most importantly we are back! We will see you all in 2 weeks for another episode. We love you, and we will never leave you again(probably)!  

COVID-19. Let's talk about it. We all have questions, and it seems like everyone is scared, stressed out and afraid. But we are all going through this together. Today we are joined by Jacob Vinocur, Director of Infection Prevention at Temecula Valley Hospital. Jake was kind enough to share his knowledge and expertise with us, and with you all. We asked you what questions you as climbers had about COVID-19, and we are here to make sure those get answered. Together, we will all get through this. We feel your love, and We love you right back!

Our good friend Alex(@alexcruzs02) began climbing in March of 2018, and quickly fell in love. She found friendship and community in Rock Climbing, and an activity that challenged her and helped her grow stronger with every move. Shortly after discovering the sport and community of climbing, Alex learned that she had cancer in her thyroid. In the ensuing months comprised of doctor's visits, surgery, radiation and hormonal imbalance, Alex was able to find peace in God, herself and in the community that supported her. Her family. friends, and fellow climbers came together and had her back, and we still do. Alex is now currently cancer free, and back on the wall, stronger than ever before.  In part 2 of our Overcoming Injury & Recovery series, Alex was kind enough to join us and chat about her experience, her emotions and how her love for and desire to rock climb has helped her through her recovery. She shares what she learned, what she went through and now what it feels like to have come out on top.

Imagine for a moment a crucial and important part of your life being ripped away from you without warning and indefinitely. That's what happened when Alyssa(@lyssaaurora) was involved in a serious car accident in 2018. Her right foot was badly injured and has since undergone multiple surgeries. She couldn't walk, let alone climb. Going from climbing several times a week, to a prognosis of "you MIGHT be able to climb again, but not like you did before." Alyssa joins us in the studio to share how she stays in touch with the world of climbing, and when she decided to cut herself off from it completely, because she misses it too dearly. She WILL climb again, but will have to re-learn the sport, as she will be unable to use her right foot in the same ways she did before. Learning to climb again. We also share some of Liam's pee stories. You decide which topic this episode is REALLY about. 

KOBE IS BACK! Today we are chatting about many things! Liam shares his story of his first ever FA outdoors, and how developing a boulder problem has changed his views of climbing. Kobe(@kooobee123) talks about how challenging it can be to balance college and climbing, and Brooke joins in on the discussion as we each share our favorite climbing shoe! What is your favorite climbing shoe and why?

Does being "Stoked" affect the way you climb, or even the way you act off the wall? Today we are joined by SoCal rock climbing legends; Matt "Thicc Stack" Vega(@drvegaa) and Owen "Dat Boi" Dao(@owen.dao) to chat about STOKE. ARE YOU STOKED? WE ARE STOKED. Except Owen who is not stoked, but on purpose. Let us know your thoughts on the topic, how much other people's intensity and passion helps you personally, or if you find that climbing is personal to you, so other people's aggressive stoke actually hurts more than it helps. See you in a few weeks!

Today we get our good friend Jenn in the studio to talk to us about balancing life, rock climbing and finding her niche in the ever growing YouTube space. We talk about what makes her videos unique and entertaining to many, and how introducing a softer, and less aggressive style of climbing videography may just be exactly what the YouTube climbing world needs. With an ever growing following and fantastic content, Jenn really is the Send Mom that we all want and need. 

Welcome to Vertical Thoughts Season 2. We missed you all so much and are very glad to be back! Today's episode will casually introduce the season to you all, as well as to share a bit about what we've been up to, as well as our goals for the new year. New episodes will be every OTHER Monday at 9:00am, with Live readings on the off weeks. We look forward to the new season and hope you all do as well!

Season 1 has officially come to a close! Thank you so much for your undying support, love and involvement in Vertical Thoughts. We are so excited for the future of the show, and for the future of the sport of climbing. We look forward to season 2, and can't wait to show you all that we have in store! Enjoy your holidays, and see you soon!

Wonder what's been going on in the world of Rock Climbing? Look no further, ye hordes of gumby trash. Today we are joined by Xavier Arias(@adobo_poseidon) to discuss and share some of our favorite stories, news and happenings within the world of Rock Climbing. Some topics of discussion include the @ifsclimbing season wrap-up, the scaling of the so called "Un-climbable" border wall our POTUS bragged about so voraciously on Twitter, and @dave_graham_ sending his long-term project, Hypnotized Minds. We also chat about the end of season 1! Better late than never, right? See you next week for the season 1 finale!

Today we interview Vital Climbing gym setter Max Klauss(@maxklauss) and discuss his roots in competitive climbing, and his journey from a competitive youth climber, to a casual gym climber, and now as a professional routesetter. Max shares with us the mental obstacles of being a youth competitor, and how your mindset has to change to think and perform more like a setter. We also talk indoor vs outdoor sport climbing, and our hot take: Rock Climbing is Dangerous?!?! See you next week!

Navigating everyday social interactions is not always easy, and may be even more difficult for some than it is for others. Being at the rock climbing gym or crag is no different. Some days you may not feel 100%, and you may not necessarily feel like being interactive with those around you. Sometimes all you need is a pair of headphones, the rock in front of you, and intense focus. Today we are joined by Liz Roush (@lizabizniz) and Nick Henson (@immaninjasoyeah) to tell you that there is nothing wrong with that. It's okay to have bad days. It's okay to feel anti-social. It's okay to be quiet and keep to yourself, so long as you are being self aware, and not affecting others negatively. It's important to learn when to give people the space that they need to mentally recoup. Do you feel social anxiety commonly? Do you feel it more or less when at the gym or crag? Let us know!

Relationships can be complicated, as can combining a lifestyle or hobby with romance. Navigating a relationship with another climber comes with it's own unique set of variables; but ultimately leads to sharing something beautiful and healthy. Today we share our own personal experience as a couple dating within the world of rock climbing, and discuss what some of the challenges and benefits are to dating someone who shares a passion for the sport of rock climbing.

Getting back on the wall after an injury or break is a constant mental and physical battle. Learning to trust yourself, your body and the rock again takes time, patience and sometimes outside inspiration. Last week we learned the back story to each of our absences from the sport we love. Today we share with you the intricacies of the journey back to a consistent, confident and healthy climbing lifestyle. Whether you are struggling with mental trauma from injury, being unable to climb due to financial or situational restrictions, or even losing your passion for the sport; through pacing, inspiration and community you too can find yourself being comfortable on the wall and on the rock once again. 

Getting into rock climbing is extremely difficult, but sometimes returning to the sport after a hiatus can be even more challenging still. Life happens, and sometimes it's no longer physically or situationally practical to continue rock climbing on a consistent basis. Today we share our own accounts of being unwilling or unable to climb for a period of time in our lives, and why we stepped away from the sport. Tune in next week for part 2 to learn how we overcame these mental and physical obstacles and got back on the wall. Sorry for the short episode, it was a very hectic week, see you next week!

Wondering what's going on right now in the world of rock climbing? Look no further! Today's episode is the first in a series of monthly climbing updates; where we, joined by our friend Xavier(@adobo_poseiden) share with you our favorite news, stories, and updates in the world of rock climbing. Today we talk about the shocking results of the IFSC world championship bouldering event, discuss a recent tragic accident that occured resulting in the death of an experienced trad climber, we talk renting @JimmyChin's camper van for $250 per day, and share the recent news from @paulrobinson announcing his journey to completing 1000 climbs grade 8A(V11) and higher. Thanks for listening! 

Learning to climb can be both intimidating and frustrating. It's a constant uphill battle, and even climbing at a higher level is a never-ending loop of several failures and singular successes. Today we are joined by Owen Dao(@owen_dao) and Zach Lane(@zachlane), who give us some tips that helped them get past the first few technical leaps that are required to reach the intermediate level of rock climbing. What helped you past your most recent plateau?

When first making the jump from casual bouldering to sport climbing, it's easy to be intimidated, and quickly disheartened. You may quickly learn that bouldering prowess does not always transfer directly on to the lead wall. Today we are joined by Liliana Moreno(@lilianaclimbs) to talk about first making that transition, and give some tips and insight into how it may be for you. This is a topic we strongly want to revisit, sadly this week we were pressed for time, but we got to go over some good stuff. See you next week!

Today we are joined by Joe(@mojoe.art) & Kobe(@kooobee123) to talk about maintaining a positive attitude in rock climbing. In a sport that is 99% failure, with brief and sometimes fleeting moments of success, it's important to keep yourself in the correct mindset. Equally important, however, is contributing to a positive overall environment for your climbing community. Attitude is everything, and your words and actions can influence others more directly and significantly than you know. Stay positive and keep crushing!

Wondering what the future holds for Vertical Thoughts? Who is Brooke's favorite Pro climber? Find out now! Today, for the first time we are answering your questions on the show! We have gotten many listeners and fans reaching out with questions, and we want to encourage you all to ask us anything! We have lots of stuff in the works and are excited for the future. See you next time!

We are excited as Geek Climber joins us today in the VT studio to chat about his experience operating a Rock Climbing YouTube channel. He shares his opportunities to make videos with Paul Robinson, Bouldering Bobats & more! We also discuss the future of Rock Climbing viewership, and how the sport can grow further over the next decade. Thanks for listening!

We are back in the Vertical Thoughts studio today with previous guest Zach Henson, and newcomer Ryan Byrd. Both are climbers at Vital Climbing gym in Murrieta, CA. We discuss the 3 main body types, how they may affect climbing, and how our own bodies affect us on the wall. More than anything we encourage you to embrace your own body type, and build yourself up to become the best you can be regardless of your own physical shortcomings. Train hard, build technique, and don't place yourself in a mental box due to things like height, weight, or structure. Work hard to become the best climber you can above all else.

In Today's episode, we are joined in the studio by Climb Tacoma Routesetter & Climbing Instructor: Stefanie Myr. Stefanie discusses her time working for her local YMCA, establishing a climbing program and helping to develop it, as well as her transition to full-time at Climb Tacoma. we discuss some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into working in a climbing facility, and how climbing has affected her life and relationships. We also discuss an interesting comment we received recently that professional climbers may not be experts of their own craft. What are your thoughts? Thanks so much to Stefanie for flying down from Washington to join us for this episode! 

In a world that is dominated by social media, content creation, and influence, Rock Climbing has been quietly growing it's presence. Today we are joined by climber, routesetter, content creater and social media influencer, Samual Van Boxtel(@chalked.climber) to discuss the intricacies of running and growing a successful Instagram account based around the sport of climbing. Sam also discusses his routesetting, his future projects, and shares his methods of dealing with haters on the internet. See you next week!

Today we are joined by Vital Climbing Gym setters Atrej Mak & Sam Palacios. By popular request, we finally got some routesetters on the show to talk setting, the IFSC world cup, and some outdoor projects!

Today we are joined by a beautiful pair of Zachs to discuss how we stay motivated to climb. Motivation can be difficult to force, and fleeting when it does come around. It's not always easy to convince yourself to drive to the gym, get on the wall, pack your crash pads in the car, or even just to pull for the next hold. How do you stay motivated on and off the wall?

By popular request, we have brought back Kobe Daludado & Xavier Arias, this time both returning to the Vertical Thoughts studio to talk with us about Rock Climbing as a sport, and how it differs from other sports that are more well-known and common place nowadays. The sport of climbing is growing fast, and is rising through the ranks of extreme sports. Hear from a group of soccer players how rock climbing is to an athlete who may be accustomed to team sports, and why rock climbing is a much more personal and spiritual experience for most. As always, feel free to share your thoughts!

Today we are joined by Brooke & Nick, to talk about why having 'climbing buddies' is so important. Having people to climb with that know you & are familiar with your climbing technique and style can help you feel motivated to push yourself. Getting together with your friends and building the 'psych' or 'stoke' that will help you push yourself 1 move further on your project. We also discuss how climbing alone can be better for focusing on building strength or training specifically. Today's episode is much more relaxed and open format, and we use the opportunity to give you all an update on Vertical Thoughts, and how the company has been growing. 

Episode 12 featuring Katie Jo Myers(@katiejo.myers) was a very important one! Sexism & sexual harassment are both severely delicate and very serious topics of discussion. Katie was brave enough to come on the show and share her experiences and thoughts on some of our listener's shared experiences, and help give us some insight into how to address and prevent this sort of thing within our community. Katie is such a kind and awesome person, and we really enjoyed having her on the show to share her thoughts. Please note that this is a very controversial topic, and we are not perfect. You may not agree 100% with everything that is said in today's episode, and that's ok! Keep in mind that we did not have time to say everything that should be said, and some things may not be phrased perfectly. We are not here to debate you, or to tell you that you're incorrect. This episode is intended to provide our personal perspectives on the issue, raise awareness, and to insight some productive conversation about something that should be talked about! Above all, we are here to agree that sexism and sexual harassment DO NOT belong in the rock climbing community. Thank you for supporting and listening!

Many of us struggle with mental health issues. Anxiety, Depression, and other similar issues can be detrimental to your life in countless ways. Today's guest, Breanna Tucker(@brtucker), an avid rock climber and mental health therapist shares with us her story, coming from many years of Anxiety, Panic and even Depression. Breanna discovered rock climbing when she needed it most, and it helped her rediscover her body and soul, and come out on top.

Today we get the absolute privilege of chatting with professional climber & avid content creator, Paul Robinson. Our discussion focuses on the changing and ever growing world of rock climbing media. Paul shares his experience behind and in front of the camera, and how it has made him a more valuable asset to his sponsors and fans. Thumbnail picture by Paul's Wife Kateřina Robinson

Today we are joined by the Youth Coach of Vital Climbing Gym - Murrieta, Liz Roush. Liz shares with us her thoughts on children climbing, and how their experience may be different from adults. We also talk about competition and how it can benefit or detract from a young climber's future in the world of rock climbing. Our special guest, 13 year old crusher Sara Waisman joins us to talk a little bit about climbing from the perspective of a young teenager, and how she feels about the climbing community as a whole. Thanks for listening!

Today we are featuring guests Josh Pummel, and Zack Henson, who sit down with us to discuss the differences and similarities between indoor and outdoor rock climbing. We talk about our experiences with each, and why the safer option may in fact lead to you being more likely to get injured. See you next week!

We had a great time interviewing and talking with Jeremy Arntz(Instagram: @Sleepeatclimbrepeat) and discussing his foundations in rock climbing, and how it has helped him take hold of his life in a big way. We also dive into his journey to become a widely known instagram creator in the Rock Climbing community, and what the support of his fans means to him. We even tested his knowledge with some rock climbing trivia! Jeremy is a very influential climber in the community. His journey from his accident some 2+ years ago, to becoming a passionate and involved rock climber is inspiring to us and to many others. Keep sending it, Jeremy!

Today we are comparing and contrasting 2 giants in the sports cinema universe. The films in question are Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi's "Free Solo", and Peter Mortimer & Josh Lowell's "The Dawn Wall". We are absolutely huge fans of both films, but today we break them down & talk about the climbers, and how the movies made us feel. We discuss our favorite scenes, compare our impressions of the athletes involved, and get into the nitty gritty behind why one movie may be more appealing to a climbing-specific crowd. 

In today's episode, we are interviewing Brooke Villalobos, my girlfriend and climbing partner. Brooke and I discuss her injury a few months back, spraining her ankle severely and how it affected her climbing, and her mindset on the wall. Climbing injury is very common and very difficult to cope with as a dedicated climber. We gain some insight into how to deal with the long recovery process. St. Patty's Day BONUS: We taste irish beers and pick our favorite!

Today we are talking with Kobe Daludado, a close personal friend of mine and local crusher! Kobe was recently able to top multiple V10 graded climbs at an indoor competition, with only a few years climbing experience, Kobe is an inspiration to all he climbs with. We discuss Kobe's journey to his first V10, and his future in rock climbing.

In Today's episode of the Vertical Thoughts podcast, we interview Zach Manzani, a strong climber & experienced routesetter for Vital Climbing Gym. We discuss how routesetting changes your perspective on the wall, and how outdoor climbs may influence your setting. We also talk about climbing in the upcoming 2020 Olympic games, and how the format may change in the future to be more positive for the competitors in their respective disciplines.

Today we are joined by 2 rock climbers and friends, Nick Henson and Zach Medina. We discuss the climbing community, the grading system and toxic climbers who are poisoning the climbing experience for others.

In today's episode of The Vertical Thoughts Podcast, we are interviewing Marc Blocker, a close personal friend of mine and the person who got me into rock climbing many years ago. He is a very strong climber, also a setter and head coach at The Edge Climbing and Fitness in Idaho Falls. We discuss how climbing has changed, and how competing in climbing is changing the dynamic. We also talk about climbing with someone you trust and having a climbing partner. See you next week!