The 8 Superpowers of the Very Best Climbers

January 15, 2020

[photo: Superclimber and PhysiVāntage pro Paige Claassen on the first female ascent of Dreamcatcher (5.14d), Squamish, BC. Arjan deKock]

What makes great climbers great?

What are the distinct and rare character traits that make climbers like Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold, Margo Hayes, Paige Claassen, Adam Ondra, and Alex Megos—and others like them—the barrier-breaking and transcendent climbers that they are?

You might be thinking of things like "strong fingers", "low bodyfat, and "excellent sponsorship". Surely these are part of the equation, however, I believe the true Superpowers of these climbers are things you can't measure with a fitness test or financial summary.

In this podcast Eric Hörst presents 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers—traits you can develop (gradually) to achieve great success on the rock and in your everyday life. This is an empowering must-listen podcast. Listen on the podcast player below or on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite pod player.

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RUNDOWN

0:58 - Introduction 2:50 - What does it take to turn an elite climber into one of the very best climbers on the planet? 5:28 - #1: Becoming comfortable with physical and mental discomfort. 11:53 - #2: Uncommon self-awareness and the willingness to embrace failures and personal weaknesses. 16:00 - #3: Effective goal setting and a habitual bias for action. 21:37 - #4: The power to sacrifice greatly. 27:00 - #5: Maintaining a beginner's mindset despite being a highly praised elite climber. 34:56 - #6: The power to handle failure and overcome adversity. 38:30 - #7: The power to handle their "addiction". 45:44 - #8: The power NOT to care what other people think. 50:00 - Summary of the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers. 51:15 - Do you have a #9 or #10 superpower to suggest? Leave your comment on Eric's T4C Twitter @Train4Climbing 53:00 - Podcast wrap-up—PLEASE write and review and SHARE with your partners and friends.

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