Goal: V7 by September

I’ve been avoiding writing in this for a couple weeks now. It’s been sitting, patiently waiting. And I’ve approached it with the apprehension one would likely find staring down the barrel of a gun.

After my first two rapid succession posts, I started a new job. Had several filming jobs and opportunities, and was going on only a few hours of sleep a night. The result was the complete and utter loss of my desire to train. Dropping from 4 trips to the gym and doing some non-climbing related training on the off days for around 2-3 hours a trip, down to 1-2 days a week for about an hour (just at the climbing gym).

It was mental. I couldn’t see the wall, which was inches from my face. I went from starting to pull down v5’s and v6’s with ease to fumbling on v3’s. I couldn’t see the sequence and I couldn’t feel how my body should move. A lot of foul language followed. My mind was everywhere but in the moment.

I was defeated before my shoes were laced. And it’s not that I had negative thoughts ruining my night. It was just sheer absence of attention. I could recognize the issue, but I couldn’t fix it.

The clock continued to tick. Days passed and I could feel my v7 getting away from me (enter negativity). Doubt crept in like some infection in a cut, poisoning everything. I did what has always been my (terrible) response: push my body through the mental block, or until something breaks. This meant fingerboard workouts until muscle failure, high repetitions with more than bodyweight exercises, and hyper-gravity bouldering well beyond exhaustion.

Finally, I felt my spirit give. At least somewhere inside I still recognize that I do this for fun. I took a couple days to rest and recover. I invited my friend Chris to join me, he had also been suffering from a lack of motivation, I played some “Pretty Lights” which, if you watch many climbing videos, you’ve probably heard before.

I don’t know why, but that music gets me amped. And extremely focused. Plus, the addition of a good friend helped make it a fun trip. No pressure. No desire to crush new near-maximal climbs. Just… fun. And then the crushing happened on it’s own.

While I was struggling, it wasn’t that I was afraid to make big moves, I just had no desire to commit to them. But this night was different. Big moves, technical moves, funky risky moves… didn’t matter. They were mine and they felt effortless. This was also my first night pulling a V5 (overhang) in a couple weeks.

We ended our session on that note. I felt like I was back, finally. I’ve had two more trips to the gym since and I feel like that V7 is a completely REASONABLE goal.

I even had the balls to call a flash on a V5 (meaning that… I was completely certain that I could do this particular V5 on my first attempt, called it, then proceeded to attempt the route.). I didn’t flash it. In fact, I smashed my knee on a hold while falling and rolled around on the ground for a while doing the “Peter Griffin.” Since then, the route has been too busy to finish. But soon…

Sorry guys, I’ll aim for one of these posts a week.

P.S. Kyle might be coming down and we might be going climbing outside! BDT (That means “Bout Damn Time.”).

Oh Yeah… The Bad News: :(

172 lbs

That is +5 lbs since my last post. And +12 from my goal. Diet starts again September 1^st.

2011/08/03

Climbing is very intrinsically motivating to me. I don’t look at the guy next to me and think I can out climb him (or her). I look at the route and wonder if I can do it. If I fall, why did I fall? What body position did I have, where was gravity taking me. I love the feeling of learning more about myself. About pushing my limits both physically and mentally.

I yearn for that moment when my grip is failing, hearts pounding, legs shaking and gravity, as it always seems to do, laughs as it feels the pangs of another victory. It’s in these moments I seem to come alive. A voice inside grows, clawing it’s way out of some deep black pit inside me and refuses to let go. To defy physics. Even if it’s just for one more move. I can’t go down without a fight.

On the other side of this, however is of the flow. I feel it when my body moves together, controlled by one focused mind. My moves are slow, calculating and deliberate, moving in time with slow deep breaths. I am nothing more than I am. The outside world melts and time passes and I’m aware only of that moment. If the other is my compulsive need to fight, this is my calm and my peace.

Introductions

I’ve put off starting this blog for sometime now, not because I don’t like writing but because when I do write it’s when I’m settling into bed for the night. My hands will be cracked, probably bleeding, and sore. I can hardly grasp this pen or these keys. Even now, my handwriting is nearly illegible.

But bloody hands aren’t new to me. Scars litter the surface of my dry skin. Slight disfigurements can be found on my slender fingers as each of my ten digits has at one point been sprained, dislocated, or broken.

When it came time to start writing, I did what I always do: closed my eyes, took a deep breath and said, “Quit bitching. And get going.”

I’m about to turn 25 years old. Probably well past my prime for starting a career as a climber. But something like that has never stopped me before. When I was 9 or 10, I did Tae Kwon Do competitively, training 2 hours a night, 3 days a week and up to 6 hours on Saturday. I did this until I was 14.

This is when I switched to track and field, because I thought it would be more laid back. In college, I was recruited to run and would train 6-8 hours a day, 5 days a week for nearly 9 months out of the year. I had the respect of my teammates but was known for over training and being “injury prone.”

My average weight was between 160-165 lbs, with a skin fold body fat % of 3.4%. I did this for 5 years.

Bouldering was not a first choice sport for me. My roommate was really into it, but I was (still am) terrified of heights. He got me to go, but the fear of falling made my desire to succeed, or even go, lack considerably.

Shortly after, I studied abroad in Australia for 5 months. I continued my training with new goals. Little to no cardio. Just lift. I came back to the states looking like this:

Approximately 190 lbs. fat % unknown. I was the hulk. None of my clothes fit. I was not very flexible.

When I finished my senior year of track, I thought that was it. I was done. It was a good feeling, but I was lost. Boredom is what brought me back to the climbing gym. I wanted something new. And I wanted to see if I could push through this fear of heights.

December 2010 was when I made the decision to be a climber.

I set weekly goals, talked to whoever would listen/give advice (which is most people) and I did what I do best: I trained.

I tried to set realistic goals and seemed to hit everyone.

-V3 by the end of January.

-V4 by March.

-V5 by May.

-V6 by 6 months (which you can see in the video below.)

My next goal is a V7 by September. V8 by the end of my first year.

At some point I knew that all the muscle I had gained was a burden. In April, I began altering my diet and training regimen. I’m now 167 lbs (~76 Kilos) Fat % unknown. Goal is 160 lbs (72.75 kilos) with 3.5% skin fold body fat by January.

The purpose of this blog is different than what my other blog is. This blog is personal. A place to post on my diet, training cycles, where I’m at physically/emotionally. It’s also a place to monitor the up’s and inevitable down’s of my motivation. Maybe build an audience of like minded enthusiasts who can help keep this ball rolling. I want a place to vent my frustrations, record success. And put goals where the world can see them and hold me accountable.

I’ll discuss my training regimens in detail. Maybe do some gear reviews if I see fit. Talk about trips I’m planning, post pictures and videos. The usual blog stuff.. that’s geared towards climbing.

Side note: since starting this in 12/2010, I have no one climbed outside. Something I hope to remedy soon.

If you’re still reading this and are interested in what I do outside of climbing, I coach pole vault at a local high school and college.

and I also own my own videography/photography company called Intense Entertainment.

While I get into the swing of things of having two blogs, I may only post once a week. But feel free to comment on posts, start a discussion below. Follow me on Twitter if you like.

But for now, it’s V10 or bust. And when that goal is reached, we’ll just have to reach even higher.

Thanks guys,

James Carr