Chalk Talk | A Climbing Industry Podcast

On hold shaping, gym ownership, and creating the world’s first routesetting competition. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! If you’re looking for the renaissance man of climbing, look no further, Louie Anderson is a known freelance hold shaper, gym owner, routesetter, author, climbing wall designer, and social media community leader. He has written a book on the fundamentals of routesetting, and has authored a guidebook on climbing in the Santa Monica mountains. As a freelance hold shaper, Louie has greatly influenced the way that holds are imagined. He has shaped for over 20 different climbing hold companies including: ETCH, Climb It, SoIll, Rock Candy, and Kingdom, just to name a few. His shapes can vary from the basic, to the unique, to the realistic; varying in size from tiny, intricate foot holds, to features as big as a small adult. And if shaping, routesetting, gym owning, putting up FA’s, and authoring guide books and books on routesetting wasn’t enough, Louie Anderson is also an active climbing wall designer and gym builder. He has been a part of the design and build of many of So. California’s gyms and has recently helped with the design and construction of the new Refuge Climbing Center in Las Vegas, set to open in October. Louie is always seeking to advance climbing in whatever way he can. Just last year he was one of the minds that brought the Kingdom Games to fruition. The Kingdom Games are a new kind of competition, one that test the skills of routesetters. The first emanation of the Kingdom Games happened at Louie’s gym in So. California, The Factory. This year, the routesetteing competition will be held at the Earth Treks Climbing Center in Rockville, Maryland on September 5th and 6th, and will be renamed as the Setter Showdown. to learn how the Setter Showdown will work, what the judges will be looking for, and everything else Louie, pop in those earbuds and turn up the volume to Episode 7 of Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast. Show Notes: * How he started shaping and setting before climbing gyms existed (think, freeway overpasses). * The advent of So. Cal’s first climbing gym and what it brought to the community. * His first hold shapes and how that process has evolved. * How he creates his shapes from conception to final product. * How he decides what shapes to sculpt. * Hold ergonomics * On the gym bubble and the sustainability of the rapid growth of the climbing industry. * What he thinks it takes to stand out in a hold market that is saturated. * The introduction, function, and future of routesetting competitions such as last year’s Kingdom Games and the up coming Setter Showdown in Earth Treks, Maryland. * And what Louie hopes these setters games can teach us about the routesetting community. Related Links and Sponsors: * The Factory Bouldering Gym * The Setters Showdown Routesetting Competition * Link to Louie’s book “The Fundamentals of Routesetting” Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for 

On climbing around the world, finding time for competitions, and Psicobloc splashin’. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! John Cardwell is a professional climber for Five Ten, Adidas Outdoor, and Petzl. He is based out of Boulder, Colorado and also works as a coach and routesetter for Movement Climbing Gym. When he’s not teaching tykes how to be more awesome on the wall, Jon escapes into the wilderness to find creative lines and large stones to climb. His most recent FA, of Nastalgie 5.14 in Rifle, is proof that he is dedicated to pushing himself to the max. In this episode we talk about his travels to far away exotic places such as France and Japan, where he mingles with the locals and battles up projects that have eluded him for years. We also get into the joys of coaching, the pressures and pleasures of being a professional athlete, how he prepares for plastic pulling competitions, and his recent defeat (by the skin of Sharma’s teeth) in the 2014 Psicobloc competition. Enjoy, Chalk Talk-ians! Show Notes: * Delves into mentally preparing for the 2014 Psicobloc competition. * Bringing climbing to the mainstream. * How strategy played into his his performance at Psicobloc. * Traveling, competing, and climbing in Japan. * What stopped him this year in his ongoing battle with Realization (5.15a) in Céüse, France. * His philosophy on training for indoors and out. * Being an athlete for Adidas Outdoor. * And the future… Related Links and Sponsors: * Five Ten * Petzl * Adidas Outdoor Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On climbing around the world, finding time for competitions, and Psicobloc splashin’. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! John Cardwell is a professional climber for Five Ten, Adidas Outdoor, and Petzl. He is based out of Boulder, Colorado and also works as a coach and routesetter for Movement Climbing Gym. When he’s not teaching tykes how to be more awesome on the wall, Jon escapes into the wilderness to find creative lines and large stones to climb. His most recent FA, of Nastalgie 5.14 in Rifle, is proof that he is dedicated to pushing himself to the max. In this episode we talk about his travels to far away exotic places such as France and Japan, where he mingles with the locals and battles up projects that have eluded him for years. We also get into the joys of coaching, the pressures and pleasures of being a professional athlete, how he prepares for plastic pulling competitions, and his recent defeat (by the skin of Sharma’s teeth) in the 2014 Psicobloc competition. Enjoy, Chalk Talk-ians! Show Notes: * Delves into mentally preparing for the 2014 Psicobloc competition. * Bringing climbing to the mainstream. * How strategy played into his his performance at Psicobloc. * Traveling, competing, and climbing in Japan. * What stopped him this year in his ongoing battle with Realization (5.15a) in Céüse, France. * His philosophy on training for indoors and out. * Being an athlete for Adidas Outdoor. * And the future… Related Links and Sponsors: * Five Ten * Petzl * Adidas Outdoor Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On breathing into balance, relaxing, and what it takes to break down personal barriers. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! Justen Sjong has been training top level climbers for over 20 years. This time as a coach, both for his clients and himself has given him vast insight into what it takes to push climbers of all skill sets to the limit. Justen and his partner Kris Peters began Team of 2, a training and coaching company not long ago and have since trained some of the top athletes in climbing. They have trained climbers such as, Emily Harrington, Daniel Woods, Alex Johnson, and more. Though they have the tools to train these top level athletes, many of their clients are beginners and driven weekend warriors who also want to seek improvement. In this episode, Justen and I talk about the mistakes that most climbers make when training, how far to push it and what causes injury, and his assessments of technique and how the average climber can assess themselves. Justen and Kris are always available for contact and ready to help climbers improve their performance. Just check out the links below. Show Notes with Justen Sjong: * How he evaluates the weaknesses in a clients technique. * Analyzing the four categories of strong technical assessment: Balance, Thought, Movement, Rate of Use. * The importance of breath on the wall. * How, even if you don’t live in Boulder, you can benefit from Team of 2’s insight and programs. * How even the high-end, professional athletes can find value in having a trainer and coach. * How to move from ‘maintenance days’ to actual training days. * What it really takes to achieve your goals. * What’s the line between pushing yourself to the limit and risking injury? * The biggest mistakes climbers make while training and how to combat them. * The importance of goals. * How to assess yourself when training alone. Related Links and Sponsors for interview with Justen Sjong: * Team of 2 webpage – www.Teamof2climbing.com * Facebook page * Online Training page * Youtube Channel Videos: Photo Gallery:   Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On breathing into balance, relaxing, and what it takes to break down personal barriers. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! Justen Sjong has been training top level climbers for over 20 years. This time as a coach, both for his clients and himself has given him vast insight into what it takes to push climbers of all skill sets to the limit. Justen and his partner Kris Peters began Team of 2, a training and coaching company not long ago and have since trained some of the top athletes in climbing. They have trained climbers such as, Emily Harrington, Daniel Woods, Alex Johnson, and more. Though they have the tools to train these top level athletes, many of their clients are beginners and driven weekend warriors who also want to seek improvement. In this episode, Justen and I talk about the mistakes that most climbers make when training, how far to push it and what causes injury, and his assessments of technique and how the average climber can assess themselves. Justen and Kris are always available for contact and ready to help climbers improve their performance. Just check out the links below. Show Notes with Justen Sjong: * How he evaluates the weaknesses in a clients technique. * Analyzing the four categories of strong technical assessment: Balance, Thought, Movement, Rate of Use. * The importance of breath on the wall. * How, even if you don’t live in Boulder, you can benefit from Team of 2’s insight and programs. * How even the high-end, professional athletes can find value in having a trainer and coach. * How to move from ‘maintenance days’ to actual training days. * What it really takes to achieve your goals. * What’s the line between pushing yourself to the limit and risking injury? * The biggest mistakes climbers make while training and how to combat them. * The importance of goals. * How to assess yourself when training alone. Related Links and Sponsors for interview with Justen Sjong: * Team of 2 webpage – www.Teamof2climbing.com * Facebook page * Online Training page * Youtube Channel Videos: Photo Gallery:   Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On the art and function of routesetting, Hueco, Kilter Grips, and much more. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! I’ve know Jackie Hueftle for many years. She originally hails out of my hometown of Reno, Nv and grew up competing on the national level in youth climbing comps. Since then, Jackie has become a staple name in the climbing industry for anyone paying close attention. She is the head routesetter at The Spot bouldering gym in Boulder, Co and the editor and author of The Spot’s routesetting blog. The blog focuses on many aspects of the climbing industry including her up-to-date reporting of the international, world cup climbing circuit, climbing hold and product reviews, and other industry relevant information. She has written for many publications including Rock and Ice and Dead Point Magazine, and continues to focus on feature stories for climbing’s major media sources. Jackie also is a driving force behind the new and growing climbing hold company, Kilter Grips, created and designed by Ian Powell. She has also set for a handful of professional level climbing competitions, and, in her free time, regularly wanders into fields of boulders to push her own limits on the rock. So,  do yourself a favor and check out her episode. It’s good! Show Notes: * Choosing climbing life over law school. (Before you cover your kids’ ears, Jackie did graduate with a degree in writing at CU Boulder). * Finding a balance between art and function in routesetting. * What makes The Spot,….the spot. * Where are all the female routesetters? * Americans in the international competition scene…or lack thereof. * Hueco Tanks regulations and why they matter. * And Kilter Grips. Related Links and Sponsors: * Jackie’s Spot Setting Blog – www.spotsettingblog.wordpress.com * Jackie’s Instagram – @thegirlinlongshorts * Kilter Grips – www.kiltergrips.com * Flashed Climbing – www.flashed.com * La Sportiva – www.lasportiva.com * Pro Climbers International – www.proclimbers.com * Lastly, check out the episodes 8 (part 1) and 9 (part 2) with Kilter owner and shaper, Ian Powell. Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On the art and function of routesetting, Hueco, Kilter Grips, and much more. Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! I’ve know Jackie Hueftle for many years. She originally hails out of my hometown of Reno, Nv and grew up competing on the national level in youth climbing comps. Since then, Jackie has become a staple name in the climbing industry for anyone paying close attention. She is the head routesetter at The Spot bouldering gym in Boulder, Co and the editor and author of The Spot’s routesetting blog. The blog focuses on many aspects of the climbing industry including her up-to-date reporting of the international, world cup climbing circuit, climbing hold and product reviews, and other industry relevant information. She has written for many publications including Rock and Ice and Dead Point Magazine, and continues to focus on feature stories for climbing’s major media sources. Jackie also is a driving force behind the new and growing climbing hold company, Kilter Grips, created and designed by Ian Powell. She has also set for a handful of professional level climbing competitions, and, in her free time, regularly wanders into fields of boulders to push her own limits on the rock. So,  do yourself a favor and check out her episode. It’s good! Show Notes: * Choosing climbing life over law school. (Before you cover your kids’ ears, Jackie did graduate with a degree in writing at CU Boulder). * Finding a balance between art and function in routesetting. * What makes The Spot,….the spot. * Where are all the female routesetters? * Americans in the international competition scene…or lack thereof. * Hueco Tanks regulations and why they matter. * And Kilter Grips. Related Links and Sponsors: * Jackie’s Spot Setting Blog – www.spotsettingblog.wordpress.com * Jackie’s Instagram – @thegirlinlongshorts * Kilter Grips – www.kiltergrips.com * Flashed Climbing – www.flashed.com * La Sportiva – www.lasportiva.com * Pro Climbers International – www.proclimbers.com * Lastly, check out the episodes 8 (part 1) and 9 (part 2) with Kilter owner and shaper, Ian Powell. Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On managing, closing, and re-opening Basecamp @ Whitney Peak, the tallest climbing gym in the world; coaching a youth climbing team; and going to church in the mountains.    Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! In this episode of Chalk Talk, I have the honor of speaking with one of my longtime friends in the climbing world, Brian Sweeney. Brian Sweeney has spent many of his years developing bouldering areas throughout the Sierras including Donnor, Castle Peak, Doyle, the Sierra Buttes, and as far as Gold Bar, Washington. We talk about his accomplishments there, what he sees as his proudest moments, and what he envisions for the future of his developing. On top of this, Brian Sweeney is the head coach of the non-profit Sierra Climbing Team, a talented photographer, and the manager of Basecamp @ Whitney Peak, boasting the tallest climbing wall in the world. The 164′ wall is attached to the outside of the Whitney Peak hotel in downtown Reno, Nv overlooking Reno’s famous, ‘Biggest Little City’ sign. The hotel also has a fully functional bouldering and workout gym on the second floor. Along with covering the topics of his daily climbing industry work as a coach and a manager, we delve into the heart of his work as an artist and the development of his unique and awe-inspiring technique for capturing light and movement while climbing. Show Notes for episode with Brian Sweeney: * The success of his non-profit climbing team, SCT. * Basecamp @ Whitney Peak’s grand re-opening competition with Kevin Jorgeson and Sasha DiGiulian. * His mentality for managing, coaching, and climbing, “we’re here to have fun!” * The growth of climbing now and into the future. * Photography and how climbing has influenced his art. * Pushing the limits in climbing, coaching, and photography. * His path to developing boulders from Gold Bar and Leavenworth to Castle Peak and the Sierra Buttes. * Why developing drives his passion for climbing. Related Links for Brian Sweeney: * Brian’s photography and art – www.Nip9.com * The tallest climbing wall in the world- www.whitneypeakhotel.com * Sierra Climbing Team Homepage – www.Sierra ClimbingTeam.com * Flashed Climbing’s page – www.flashed.com/brian-sweeney Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On managing, closing, and re-opening Basecamp @ Whitney Peak, the tallest climbing gym in the world; coaching a youth climbing team; and going to church in the mountains.    Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! In this episode of Chalk Talk, I have the honor of speaking with one of my longtime friends in the climbing world, Brian Sweeney. Brian Sweeney has spent many of his years developing bouldering areas throughout the Sierras including Donnor, Castle Peak, Doyle, the Sierra Buttes, and as far as Gold Bar, Washington. We talk about his accomplishments there, what he sees as his proudest moments, and what he envisions for the future of his developing. On top of this, Brian Sweeney is the head coach of the non-profit Sierra Climbing Team, a talented photographer, and the manager of Basecamp @ Whitney Peak, boasting the tallest climbing wall in the world. The 164′ wall is attached to the outside of the Whitney Peak hotel in downtown Reno, Nv overlooking Reno’s famous, ‘Biggest Little City’ sign. The hotel also has a fully functional bouldering and workout gym on the second floor. Along with covering the topics of his daily climbing industry work as a coach and a manager, we delve into the heart of his work as an artist and the development of his unique and awe-inspiring technique for capturing light and movement while climbing. Show Notes for episode with Brian Sweeney: * The success of his non-profit climbing team, SCT. * Basecamp @ Whitney Peak’s grand re-opening competition with Kevin Jorgeson and Sasha DiGiulian. * His mentality for managing, coaching, and climbing, “we’re here to have fun!” * The growth of climbing now and into the future. * Photography and how climbing has influenced his art. * Pushing the limits in climbing, coaching, and photography. * His path to developing boulders from Gold Bar and Leavenworth to Castle Peak and the Sierra Buttes. * Why developing drives his passion for climbing. Related Links for Brian Sweeney: * Brian’s photography and art – www.Nip9.com * The tallest climbing wall in the world- www.whitneypeakhotel.com * Sierra Climbing Team Homepage – www.Sierra ClimbingTeam.com * Flashed Climbing’s page – www.flashed.com/brian-sweeney Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On moving beyond his youth career, the importance of mental training, and comps, comps, comps…oh and outdoor climbing too.  Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! For those who don’t know him, Josh Levin was a maniac in the youth competition circuit. He broke records and set the bar high for future competitors of all ages. Now that he has graduated from his overwhelmingly successful youth career, he continues to push his boundaries and expand his expertise. When Josh finished his youth career, he could boast 18 time Youth National Champion (most in history), 30 time Youth National Team Member (most in history), undefeated Youth National Speed Champion from 2003-2012, 5 time Youth Continental Champion, and the North Face Young Gun Award Recipient. Those just being the tip of the iceberg. Since then, Josh has gone on to be a 10 time Open National Team Member and has represented the United States at 5 World Cups and 7 World Championships. Oh, and he also finds time to study Engineering at Northeastern University and attend more local comp series comps than you can count on your fingers including Dark Horse, Dominion Riverrock, and Ring of Fire. Oh, and last year he skipped three grades to send his project, Linin’ Astro 5.14c, in Rumney, NH. Basically, he’s out there killing it, and in this episode we get to talking about what fuels his competitive spirit, what it was like moving beyond his youth career, and how important it is to keep having fun. Due to Josh’s busy life, we had to record the episode via cell phone. Please forgive the poor quality of the recording. I promise that in the future I will catch up with Josh again to re-record with better quality and fresh insight. Enjoy! Show Notes: * Moving beyond his youth career. * Helping his former team as an assistant coach for their Nationals training camp. * How the training camp prepares the youth climbers for Nationals. * The importance of mental training. * The importance of having fun. * Transitioning from competition climbing to outdoor climbing. * Why the East Coast is dominating the comp scene in the US. * Why he likes the crowd to bring the noise. * And, of course, which coast is the best coast! Related Links and Sponsors: * Josh’s Blog Page – www.levinjosh.blogspot.com * Five Ten – www.fiveten.com * Metolius- www.metoliusclimbing.com Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On moving beyond his youth career, the importance of mental training, and comps, comps, comps…oh and outdoor climbing too.  Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! For those who don’t know him, Josh Levin was a maniac in the youth competition circuit. He broke records and set the bar high for future competitors of all ages. Now that he has graduated from his overwhelmingly successful youth career, he continues to push his boundaries and expand his expertise. When Josh finished his youth career, he could boast 18 time Youth National Champion (most in history), 30 time Youth National Team Member (most in history), undefeated Youth National Speed Champion from 2003-2012, 5 time Youth Continental Champion, and the North Face Young Gun Award Recipient. Those just being the tip of the iceberg. Since then, Josh has gone on to be a 10 time Open National Team Member and has represented the United States at 5 World Cups and 7 World Championships. Oh, and he also finds time to study Engineering at Northeastern University and attend more local comp series comps than you can count on your fingers including Dark Horse, Dominion Riverrock, and Ring of Fire. Oh, and last year he skipped three grades to send his project, Linin’ Astro 5.14c, in Rumney, NH. Basically, he’s out there killing it, and in this episode we get to talking about what fuels his competitive spirit, what it was like moving beyond his youth career, and how important it is to keep having fun. Due to Josh’s busy life, we had to record the episode via cell phone. Please forgive the poor quality of the recording. I promise that in the future I will catch up with Josh again to re-record with better quality and fresh insight. Enjoy! Show Notes: * Moving beyond his youth career. * Helping his former team as an assistant coach for their Nationals training camp. * How the training camp prepares the youth climbers for Nationals. * The importance of mental training. * The importance of having fun. * Transitioning from competition climbing to outdoor climbing. * Why the East Coast is dominating the comp scene in the US. * Why he likes the crowd to bring the noise. * And, of course, which coast is the best coast! Related Links and Sponsors: * Josh’s Blog Page – www.levinjosh.blogspot.com * Five Ten – www.fiveten.com * Metolius- www.metoliusclimbing.com Videos: Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!

On owning a gym, setting for USAC Youth Nationals year after year, and why it is so important to foster the growth of climbing at the youth level (promo cut). Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! In this episode I talk to John Muse, a gym owner, coach, and chief routesetter of this year’s 2014 SCS Youth National competition.  The Chalk Talk Climbing Podcast won’t be launching in full until August 1st, 2014, but since I had the opportunity to speak with John about his preparations as the chief routesetter for the comp, and his climbing team’s preparations as competitors, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share this first episode with the world ahead of the comp date. John has set for almost all of the SCS and ABS youth national competitions in the US since 2008 and brings his years of insight to our discussion. Related Links: * Stone Moves Climbing Gym – www.stonemoves.com * USA Climbing – www.usaclimbing.org * FiveTen – www.fiveten.com * Organic Climbing – www.organicclimbing.com * Hammer Nutrition – www.hammernutrition.com Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!  

On owning a gym, setting for USAC Youth Nationals year after year, and why it is so important to foster the growth of climbing at the youth level (promo cut). Listen on the player at the top of the page or find us on itunes! In this episode I talk to John Muse, a gym owner, coach, and chief routesetter of this year’s 2014 SCS Youth National competition.  The Chalk Talk Climbing Podcast won’t be launching in full until August 1st, 2014, but since I had the opportunity to speak with John about his preparations as the chief routesetter for the comp, and his climbing team’s preparations as competitors, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share this first episode with the world ahead of the comp date. John has set for almost all of the SCS and ABS youth national competitions in the US since 2008 and brings his years of insight to our discussion. Related Links: * Stone Moves Climbing Gym – www.stonemoves.com * USA Climbing – www.usaclimbing.org * FiveTen – www.fiveten.com * Organic Climbing – www.organicclimbing.com * Hammer Nutrition – www.hammernutrition.com Photo Gallery: Thanks for listening and be sure to leave a review for Chalk Talk, A Climbing Industry Podcast on itunes!