2012 Goals

I've given some thought to goals for the new year.

1. Graduate/find job/pass NCLEX exam/relocate with girlfriend --- May/June (ish)
2. Climb (duh)

a. Learn how to crack climb (i.e. trad) Trad, for me, is where I see my biggest evolution as a climber. I dream a lot of bigger faces, more air beneath me, and cleaner, more

sustained lines. It's amazing how climbers are blending the power/dynamism of bouldering and the face climbing prowess of sport climbing to re-imagine trad climbing.

b. Do a one-arm pull up This is a "left-over" from 2011. I choose to see this as a reason for excitement- I suck at the upper body stuff!! I've been training for this one by doing off-set pull-ups; using an elastic band for one arm. In theory, as my strength builds I should be pulling with the hand on the elastic band lower and lower and less and less until all my weight is managed by exclusively the other arm. The other training method I'm experimenting with are these things called negative isometrics (I think)- basically starting from the "top" of a pull up, letting go with one arm and holding with one arm the engaged pull up, slowly lowering as strength wanes. I've recently learned that push muscles (i.e. push ups/bench press) actually help to improve pull muscles... hmmm. Anyways, if anyone has advice for the one-arm pull up thing I'm all ears lol.

c. Motor Engrams In the climbing book I'm currently reading- Performance Rock Climbing (highly recommended), the authors are discussing engrams- the brain's complete record of the movements that we've made; the mind-body's "vocabulary," based on sensory feedback from our muscles, tendons, joints, and skin. Basically, I want to heighten the "IQ"of my climbing movement. For me, this equates to:

i. more dynamism

ii. greater precision/economy of movement

iii. focusing in on my style (note: look at this interesting article for more on what I mean by my"style": http://www.theboulderingbook.com/2012/01/interviewwithcarlotraversi.html)

iv. footwork... I already have good footwork, but I want to push, pull, and hook even smarter. (any suggestions for exercises?)

v. better onsight climbing

d. Climb harder... the inevitable topic: grades. I do have number goals for 2012. v11/8a bouldering, 5.13+ sport (solidification of 5.13- is a priority), and 5.12a/7a+ trad. We shall see...

Well, that's all for now. I leave you with a short clip from the (crazy) grand opening celebration of the expansion of EarthTreks-Rockville I attended this past weekend! Closest thing to a comp I've climbed at in years!

Next post will probably be on what training will be looking like leading up to my spring break - seven (7) weeks away. Thanks for reading!

Bless God al(l)ways.

NM

Martin Luther King Jr Day

Rad session at the gym yesterday...

dispatched .12c I'd worked on 10 times or so

onsighted a ".12a" (soft)

got to work on the new steep section of the expansion with Brian (I've got some projects there now)

sent two hard (for me) new v7s

Time to begin a new training cycle (st0ked)... stay tuned for training and climbing goals 2012.

Stay blessed and bless'n, be thankful for your civil liberties, and pass on the vision of a brighter tommorrow.

NM

Old Sharma Article...

http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol6no01sharma.html

Tour of the [Expanded] EarthTreks Rockville Gym

This is now the largest gym in the United States !

v7 that I hurt my right hand on (I bet you'll be able to hear where I mess it up...still hurts)

"pretty well sums it up don't it?"

"The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest ?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use'. There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use.
So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man [and woman] which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money."
-- George Leigh Mallory, 1922

THE EXPANSION

JUST QUICK UPDATE: THE EARTHTREKS ROCKVILLE GYM EXPANSION IS GONNA BE SICK.

ONE OF THE NEW BOULDERING WALLS

THE NEW WORKOUT ROOM

Dean.

Yosemite Falls High-Line from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Climbed ONE (1), lol

GYM DAY

Tomorrow, I've decided is V8 day

No, not the vegetable drink.

No, not the automobile engine.

The climbing gym-rat, crowded cave, bouldering kind.

If I'm fit, (and a gym sets honest) v8 bouldering equates to 80% of my maximum effort.

I'm not fit right now .

With the next six months of life invested in my senior year exams, clinicals, papers, presentations, & independent study I feel blessed if I get in the gym once a week ...

Outside climbing , roadtrip plans? - not even a possibility for me right now (note: all my friends out there on the road this fall - I hate you. Just kidding, savor it!)

Nonetheless, I've decided to boulder-my-lights-out tomorrow- I'm aiming for as many v8s as I can do in a session (it may not even total one (1) people lol).

After I get out of class Wednesday evening , I'm giving my v8 challenge 100% for the 100+ minutes I have to spare before my 1 hour commute back home to get 5 hours sleep before 6:45am clinical at Georgetown University Hospital the next day.

Cultivate the attitude of glorifying God in all that you do.

NM

Yosemite: Land of Many a Dream

Time Lapse Tour of Yosemite National Park from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

one day...

PROPAGANDA, GOOD FRIENDS, & DAS BOOT !

(photos courtesy of Micah Humphrey.. thanks bro for all the pics over the years)

My last weekend in Washington was amazing for a whole lot of reasons, but on the climbing side of things we had some major group sendage that happened at Little Si! I am grateful for any trip to the northwest gem that the Snoqualmie area is, but it was especially cool to share one last, unexpected climbing day with good friends, sunny skies, and great ascents! We all decided to drag Dom to Little Si one more time, and I'm glad we did; Lisa dispatched her project Psychosomatic, 5.12d, Jimmy, Dom, and I sent Dairy Freeze, 5.12b, and I finally got the redpoint of my project Propaganda, 5.12c! This line, which follows the black streak in the photo, is one of the more sustained sport climbs I've done - it's difficulties are matched by it's quality of movement and rock aesthetic - a classic at Little Si for sure. I look forward to coming back to climb the extension - Black Ice, 5.13b/c- one day.

(attempt just prior to the redpoint... note: Lisa working Psychosomatic adjacent to me)

(Propaganda... believe the hype)

After a full day of climbing, to top things off, all had a good time at Micah's going-away party in Seattle - e.g. drinking out of a 64 fl oz Das Boot at bar 1 of 3 on the night! I marveled that evening at how many good people I know that truly make the northwest great. Quality people, quality place, quality vibes. I left this summer - my last of undergrad- full of gratitude for all the memories! Now time for my long-awaited senior year of college !

God Bless You .

NM

MOKULEIA

(photo courtesy of Camilo Lopez)

Yes, rock climbing exists in Hawaii .

(photo courtesy of mountainproject.com)

RED FEVER

Me working on The Force, .13a

(photo courtesy of Lily Cornett)

First off, I apologize to the five loyal followers of this blog, holding their breath for the next post, lol. Second, the Red River Gorge in Slade, KY kicks butt! I now know what all the hype about Red River Gorge rock climbing is... and it's a well-deserved reputation.

I was fortunate to tag along on a ride to the Red with my friends Lily and Scott for a whopping 1o day road trip, April 22nd - May 2nd. It was definitely not a planned trip; I was definitely pushing it- cutting into my finals reading period- but I'm so thankful that I made the spontaneous decision to make my inaugural visit to this climbing mecca.

The Red is probably the single best sport climbing destination in the nation, and one of the best on Earth. Although Smith Rocks and Little Si will forever hold special significance to my rock climbing, I cannot deny the quality, great selection, and consistency of rock climbs at the Red River Gorge. Seriously, most climbs are atleast 3-4 star classics! Oh, yeah, the community around there is tight too, which is awesome (thanks Miguel & co. for the hospitality).

One goal that I'm in the process of accomplishing is visiting every major rock climbing destination in North America. The Red River Gorge is one such destination. Before venturing to more distant climbing locales, I want to explore all that we've got "in our backyard." Our home here offers SO many fine climbing destinations, of all disciplines and rock types- granite, sandstone, volcanic tuff, limestone, quartzite, gneiss, rhinorock (yeah Little Si!), etc.

Enough of me blabbering, I'll let the pictures/video (i.e. top one in video bar ) do the talking...

40 ounces of Justice, .13a @ Motherlode

the ancient creation of textures, colors, and formations are intriguing to look at and hold

Scott on the 1st crux of Table of Colors, .13a ... next time I go I want to do the direct start

One I'll be back for ... Golden Touch, .13b

My favorite wood sculpture of Miguel's

Twinkie, .12a -this line never gets old- steep, big holds all the way to the top

God bless.

NM