If You’re Not Falling You’re Not Trying Hard Enough

Cool vid this week featuring American Daniel Woods and a bunch of young Japanese crankenfranks (and Yuji) showing a ridiculous amount of motivation in terrible conditions. Since I’m actually going bouldering this weekend (last bouldering-specific trip was probably in, um, 2000) this seemed appropriate for the Friday Psyche.

This vid is long (30m), and is all in Japanese except when Woods is speaking, but it’s much more authentic as a bouldering experience that what you see in most climbing porn. You get to see what goes into a hard ascent: from falling all over something to piecing it together to dealing with bad skin, conditions, a finite amount of time and the reality that you may not succeed. Unlike boulders in a lot of vids these problems look really really hard, especially knowing the climbers are really really strong. It’s also got an odd Japanese perspective to it that I just happen to like.

Happy Friday. Have a faaantastic weekend!