Cover Photo: Mari Augusta Salvesen (IG: @mariaugustahs) during the first female flash of the climb Belly Full of Bad Berries (5.13a) at Indian Creek. (Photo Credit: Mary Catherine Eden, IG: @tradprincess)
Featured Photographer, Artist, & Climber
@tradprincess - She Has a Name: Mary Catherine EdenMany of you know Mary Catherine Eden as Tradprincess. She has over a 100K followers on Instagram and has starred in and produced the film series Girls Gone Wide.
Mary also recently sent her first 5.14 trad line "Necronomicon." Common Climber editor Stefani Dawn interviewed Mary and wove together her story - from being an Instafamous climber to becoming a climbing guide, to her photography and artistry, to sending hard lines and philosophizing about climbing and what "strength" means (after all, this edition of Common Climber is focusing on the theme of strength.) Mary has an incredible breadth of talent and a depth of thought that shines through in this story. Take a look inside the climbing, photography, artistry, and thinking that goes beyond the Instagram handle @tradprincess - She Has a Name: Mary Catherine Eden. |
|
|
|
Editorial
|
Strength.
So much of climbing is centered around this word. Often it's about physical strength, striving to climb up the grade ladder - thinking we need to continuously "get better" or even using climbing grades to define us as climbers. In the professional climbing world, grades can play a defining role since these climbers are pushing the absolute boundaries of themselves and our sport. People pushing the upper boundaries of the climbing grades are inspirational. Not only do they show us what is possible, we can learn from their techniques - both physical and mental - to achieve. For many of us Common Climbers, though (and I'd argue the same is true with professional climbers, as they are, after all, human), there can be a "love/hate" relationship with "strength" and climbing grades. It feels good to be "strong," pushing our own physical limits, but somehow it can also feel like it's never enough. At some point in time, we reach our max, and - at least in terms of physical strength - there is only one way to go... down. It can be a hard pill to swallow when you recognize you have reached a plateau in terms of climbing grades. At that point, you have a choice. Take your training to the next level by hiring a professional climbing trainer and developing an off-the-rock and on-the-rock routine, pushing to the next climbing grade. Or, pivot and redefine yourself. If you climb long enough, we all reach a point where we have to pivot. Pivoting can be about experimentation and expansion - trying new styles of climbing - like trad or alpine - expanding our knowledge and skills and exploring new terrain - like different rock, different locations, sketchier climbs, or even first ascents. Pivoting can also be about acceptance - pushing the cruise control button, kicking back, and enjoying the ride of where we are at the moment. |
Editor Stefani Dawn grunts up an offwidth. Climbing offwidths requires strength in their own unique way - they are mentally and physically exhausting. And, depending on the crack, demand a different mental game. (Photo Credit: Rick Momsen, IG: @rockmapper)
|
Physical strength will always be some component of climbing - it takes a lot of muscles to get our bodies up those walls, and even to those walls. But mental strength is part of the climbing equation too.
The mental game around climbing is much more complex and nuanced. Our mental "strength" impacts our climbing, but it is not just what happens inside our heads while on the climb, it is also what happens in our heads before and after. We cannot - and should not - pigeon hole defining mental "strength" as endurance, or pushing through, or overcoming. Although all of those elements can certainly be components of mental "strength," it is also very individual and very conditional. Each of us brings our lives and our histories onto the walls. So, one person's mental strength is not the same as another's. Acceptance can be mental strength. Knowing when to stop can be mental strength. Pushing through fear can be mental strength. Patting ourselves on the back can be mental strength.
This brings me to the stories in this "strength" edition of Common Climber. We offer a spectrum of stories that all connect with "strength" in some way - from the traditional strong send - like Jacques Beaudoin's Mother Earth - to how to train effectively to maximize strength. I also share my own personal exploration of comparing my "strength" as a woman to my husband's. In this edition, we also delve into the mental side of strength with a story from health coach and trainer Brianna Boney on Mental Toughness and Tony Ferrar on Fear, Pride, and Exploration. As described in the intro at the top of this page, our featured photographer, artist, and climber Mary Catherine Eden (aka. @tradpincess) shares some words of wisdom about strength.
We also share a book review by Assistant Editor Dave Barnes: More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood by Majka Burhardt. Her book reveals a prime example of how mental strength goes far beyond the wall, but also impacts us on the wall, as she struggles with juggling life as a professional climber and mother of twins. We will explore Majka's experiences further in an interview will be published later in the month - so be sure to return here for that or sign up for our email notices to get alerted to when that story goes live.
Lastly, in the Common Climber spirit of finding humor, we present the story In Praise of Mustang Coffee, which takes the meaning of STRONG in a whole other direction. :-)
Enjoy!
Stef
Stefani Dawn
Editor-in-Chief, Common Climber
The mental game around climbing is much more complex and nuanced. Our mental "strength" impacts our climbing, but it is not just what happens inside our heads while on the climb, it is also what happens in our heads before and after. We cannot - and should not - pigeon hole defining mental "strength" as endurance, or pushing through, or overcoming. Although all of those elements can certainly be components of mental "strength," it is also very individual and very conditional. Each of us brings our lives and our histories onto the walls. So, one person's mental strength is not the same as another's. Acceptance can be mental strength. Knowing when to stop can be mental strength. Pushing through fear can be mental strength. Patting ourselves on the back can be mental strength.
This brings me to the stories in this "strength" edition of Common Climber. We offer a spectrum of stories that all connect with "strength" in some way - from the traditional strong send - like Jacques Beaudoin's Mother Earth - to how to train effectively to maximize strength. I also share my own personal exploration of comparing my "strength" as a woman to my husband's. In this edition, we also delve into the mental side of strength with a story from health coach and trainer Brianna Boney on Mental Toughness and Tony Ferrar on Fear, Pride, and Exploration. As described in the intro at the top of this page, our featured photographer, artist, and climber Mary Catherine Eden (aka. @tradpincess) shares some words of wisdom about strength.
We also share a book review by Assistant Editor Dave Barnes: More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood by Majka Burhardt. Her book reveals a prime example of how mental strength goes far beyond the wall, but also impacts us on the wall, as she struggles with juggling life as a professional climber and mother of twins. We will explore Majka's experiences further in an interview will be published later in the month - so be sure to return here for that or sign up for our email notices to get alerted to when that story goes live.
Lastly, in the Common Climber spirit of finding humor, we present the story In Praise of Mustang Coffee, which takes the meaning of STRONG in a whole other direction. :-)
Enjoy!
Stef
Stefani Dawn
Editor-in-Chief, Common Climber
|
|
Stories
Mother Earth (by Dave Barnes) Mother Earth: Jacques Beaudoin’s epic project becomes one of Australia’s hardest natural lines. |
In Praise of Mustang Coffee (by Tony McKenny) A team of Tasmanian climbers get a taste of Nepal through some of the strongest coffee they have ever experienced - Mustang Coffee. |
My Husband Climbs Stronger Than Me
(by Stefani Dawn) I am a woman. I’m a climber. I am strong. My husband is stronger. Is that defeatist or sexist of me to openly admit that? |
Fear, Pride, and Exploration
(by Tony Ferrar) So much of climbing is mental - it's how we frame the experience. Tony Ferrar takes us on a journey of progression in climbing moving from fear to pride to exploration. |
Train the Mind: Mental Toughness Tips (By Brianna Boney)
Behavior change expert Brianna Boney provides clear, helpful tips on how to build mental toughness. |
Training
|
Effective Training: Are You Getting Stronger or Just Getting Tired?
(By Collin McGee) Professional physical trainer Collin McGee shares tips on how to build strength for climbing and avoid pitfalls. |
|
Book Review
|
More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood
Common Climber Assistant Editor Dave Barnes reviews the book "More: Life on the edge of Adventure and Motherhood" by Majka Burhardt - a raw exploration on how becoming a mother of twins impacted her mentally, physically, and as a professional climber. |
|
|
|