Vertical Thoughts

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

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.