There has been a lot of talk surrounding the narrative of āDeath of Villainsā, an upcoming Reel Rock film chronicling the struggles and triumphs Iāve made in my career leading up to last year. Many people have questioned Joe Kinderās involvement in my story, leading to narratives that have made me very uncomfortable. I am making this post to clear the air about the true intentions behind this film, why Joe Kinder is involved, and what I hope we can all take away from this movie and experience as a whole.
Teamwork makes the dream work ššŖš½
Psyched to have the @movementgyms crew there to support my crazy ideas lol. All this Jumbo training has me pocket readyšŖš½ Next stop, Vegas š
@arcteryx@evolv_worldwide@petzl_official
#ClimbingLife #CampusBoard #RockClimbing #ClimberCommunity #TrainHardClimbHard
My worst Nationals placement ever.
First time I did not make it out of a qualifying round in lead and yeahā¦this one stings a bit.
Almost exactly a year ago, I went into surgery on my ankle. I had no idea the next twelve months would be filled with setbacks, health struggles, time away from the wall, and an injury far harder to manage than I ever expected. Outdoor climbing became a constant battle with every trip ending the same way: a swollen ankle, limited volume, and unfinished work.
So I decided to stay in the gym and focus on my training. I picked up competitions just to stay motivated while healing. And somewhere along the way, the spark came back. The flow returned and I decided to take a real shot at Nationals.
I worked. I sacrificed. I showed up stronger than I expected. But unfortunately one slip, one miscalculated move, and it was game over. Unfortunately that is competition; brutal, unforgiving and sometimes unfair. I guess this one stings because I know I was ready to fight for more.
Despite the last year feeling like constant tribulation and triumph, I finally feel like I am on the other side of it health wise, and fitter than I have been in a long time.
For now, my focus shifts back to the rock. Back to projecting, falling, learning, and building, where progress isnāt decided by a single moment.
To everyone who carried me through this stretchā my family, coaches, friendsāthank you. I appreciate you more than you know.
On to the next chapter. Wish me luck š¤š§š½āāļø
šø by: @dantbaum
When suddenly everybody in the comments has their degree and knows everything š (this is an old injury btw)
Okay but in all seriousness, Iāve always shared my injury journeys because I know how hard and lonely that process can be. If showing the ups, downs, and adaptations helps someone stay patient with their own recovery, then itās worth sharing.
I appreciate the concern when people see clips like this, truly. But Iāve been doing this for 20 years, and I donāt take shortcuts with my body or my career. Recovery doesnāt always look conventional from the outside, and unorthodox doesnāt mean unsafe. Thereās a plan, a team, and a lot of experience behind what youāre seeing. Weāve got this šš½
#InjuryRecovery
#AthleteJourney
#TrustTheProcess
#ClimbingLife
#LongGame
MLK Day didnāt feel uplifting to me this year. I found myself spending much of yesterday reflecting, as the distance between Dr. Kingās vision and our current reality felt impossible to ignore.
I wrote this reflection to sit with my own thoughts and process how I feel about where we are as a society when placed alongside Dr. Kingās words, his work, and the intentions behind them. I wanted to think through that tension and where I believe there is still space to move forward.
It is a longer read, but if you are open to it, you can swipe through the carousel above and read my thoughts.
At the heart of it, I believe we have far more in common as people than we often acknowledge. If we are willing to find common ground, especially through shared struggle, I believe many of the problems that feel so insurmountable right now could become possible to solve.
As Dr. King himself once said, āWe may have all come on different ships, but weāre in the same boat now.ā
Since when was slab this terrifying?! š„²
When I was a kid at training camps, coaches used to joke that Iād get more cautious as I got olderā¦.well I guess older has finally showed upš
This was one of my first sessions back on slab boulders since surgery last year, and my nerves were definitely there. I imagined myself slipping and falling several times on each move and mentally calculated what each fall trajectory would look like. Itās taken time to work through the fear of reinjury, but I know that full recovery for me is being able to trust my 20 years of built up experience and instincts.
Excited to keep rebuilding that trust, one slab at a time š¤øš½
š„ by: @quinnspad
#GymClimbing
#ClimbingLife
#AthleteMindset
#trusttheprocess
#Bouldering
Ending the year the way I started itā¦ climbing walls and minding the business that pays me š
š„ by: @zachgalla
#boulderinglife #climbinggym #climbermindset
#athletelife #mindingmybusiness
Up in the gym, just working on my fitnessā¦ and @bodyenroute is my witness šŖš½š¶
After ankle surgery, it became obvious pretty quickly that there was a lot I needed to rebuild, including my mobility, strength, and confidence in my left leg. So Iāve been spending the time doing the less exciting work, making sure this ankle can handle being pushed at the highest level again.
Really grateful to @bodyenroute for being part of that process and helping me move smarter as I build things back up. Feeling good, feeling steady, and excited for whatās coming as I keep working toward the next season and the goals ahead!
š„ by: @guntherphotoandfilm
#ClimbingTraining #AnkleRehab #StrengthWork #AthleteLife #InTheGym
Good climbing, delicious food, and a surprisingly friendly run-in with the local policeā¦ what more could I ask for in Mexico šš
Having an absolute blast with the @arcteryx crew out here in Jilotepec. The climbing is great and weāre grateful we got to bolt a little and give back to the community that makes this place so special. Iāve got a few days left to chase some Mexico classics before heading home, and Iām soaking up every minute. Hereās to more adventures, more sending, and more good chaos š
šøās by: @ericmilic
#Arcteryx #ClimbingLife #MexicoClimbing #SportClimbing #ClimbingTrip #ClimberCommunity #OutdoorCulture #TravelAdventure #BoltingLife #CragLife #SendIt #ExploreMore #RockClimbingLove #AdventureCulture #ClimbersOfInstagram #Outdoorsy #TravelMexico #Jilotepec
