Rock Climbing with Rob Pizem

NEW PAGE! https://robpizem.wordpress.com

2014-09-11T12:54:00.001-06:00

It has all the links and work from this blog in an organized manner.
You might need to go back to this site for an old video that I posted on training, but everything else is running smoothly and way eaiser to find.

Enjoy the new page and enjoy the new posts.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I will continue to make my new one ever better!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: www.arcteryx.com www.camp-usa.com www.scarpa.com www.sterlingrope.com www.americanalpineclub.org www.brewersledge.com

Grand Valley Climbing: Short Walking Videos

2014-08-29T11:38:00.001-06:00

Grand Valley Climbing Gym Update! Opens Sept 13!!!!

2014-08-29T11:16:00.000-06:00

The gym from the outside. A new building designed for the gym, not the other way around like most older gyms. The heating, air conditioning and environment was designed to be pleasant and easy to move around in, in addition to allowing the members to see what their friends are doing!

After entering the gym, this wall will be on your right. At 44ft tall, it has been designed to be a great place for beginners and intermediate climbers learn to top rope and lead. Most of the wall is lower angle and vertical with some minor features accenting the climbing. There are about 20 top ropes that will be set which will keep everyone climbing and happy, even at the busiest times!

Still some construction going on (actually they are moving out the tools to build the walls because they are all done. Now it is time to install the state of the art Asana flooring system which will make climbing in the bouldering area worry free! Notice the free standing boulder behind the tools. It is large and in charge with great angles to climb on!

More of the bouldering area. The walls are over 10 ft tall which allows the routes to be more than 2-3 moves long! Again, the area was designed with big sweeping clean angles to allow for lots of variety in the setting. There is plenty of overhanging and vertical terrain to please everyone.

Boom! The pit at 50 ft tall (plus overhang distance). We have 40 routes up and will keep putting more on the walls. I had a chance to try some of the climbs in addition to setting a few and the wall just keeps going. It is a nice place to work on technique, endurance, leading and even falling! Notice the 10 +ft tall ladder in the lower right of the photo.

More of the pit. There are routes of all grades and styles on these beautiful walls.

This is how you access the pit. There are cubbies for your bags. Notice the lighting, there are no dark spots in this gym.

Again the rest of the pit. This wall is slightly overhanging to vertical and will allow some cool techy routes to be set.

Treadwall Training with Piz: Pink Single and Double

2014-08-26T15:04:00.000-06:00

Watch the two videos.
Look for the following:

my body position

my twisting to reach holds

my grip

my foot work (toe placement)

my proximaty to the wall

when I get a shake

my breathing (if possible)

Then try to apply the succefull movements to your climbing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHxeC3iqI8A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i5LDDN_gc8

Treadwall Training with Piz (green triple)

2014-08-14T15:19:00.003-06:00

Treadwall Training with Piz

2014-08-14T15:09:00.001-06:00

Dolomite Part 2

2014-08-14T08:23:00.001-06:00

The always beautiful northern Italy.

Well manicured lands.

BOOM!

The glacier on the backside of the Marmolada.

We walked and ran and slid our way down the mountain after climbing 2000' of perfect limestone! Then we hitchhiked back to the car. Good times.

The hike up to the refugio. It took about 45 minutes from where we parked in the woods below to get to the hut where we got beta. rested and ate before the climb.

Chris and I on the hike.

The right side of the photo is the Marmolada. Tons of routes, tons of climbing, tons of run.

A photo of the routes in the refugio. We figured it would help us on while on route.

The hut where we slept the night before the climb. Great food and a super place to meet random travelers! Don't forget to watch the goats play in the hills!

Planning to Send this Fall? How will you do that?

2014-08-12T15:00:00.001-06:00

Pick an objective. That can be a climb or boulder problem, short or long, steep or vertical. If you don't have something to train for it is difficult to assess your weakness and then train with intent.
Be realistic but aim high. Don't just pick something that you are already close to accomplishing, choose something that is out of your comfort zone. By addressing all those areas that are difficult for you, you will become a better climber.
Assess how much time that you have to give to the training. You need to meet your lifes obligations so plan your training accordingly.
Identify training days and fun days (at the crag or gym). You can't make every single day a training day, you have to build in the fun and vice versa, you can't expect to progress if you just go and screw off all day in an undirected manner.
Find a training partner with a similar schedule or training plan. That way you have someone to psyche you up if you are slacking on a day or two. A partner allows you to climb routes too!
Build in rest time! Without rest you don't recover.
Plan Plan Plan and then follow through! That means don't spend your time climbing slab if you want to get better at overhangs! Choose your climbs and boulders to meet your needs. That might take you out of your routine but that is good, you need to step out to step up.
Get a trainer or a training book. There are many out there that are very good at helping people progress. We are never too good to improve! Be open to constructive criticism. Even Ondra needs a coach!
Make it fun! If you aren't smiling at the end of the day, then your taking it to serious. It's climbing folks, we are not saving the world or solving world problems. : )

Dolomite Trip! (June 2014)

2014-08-12T14:36:00.001-06:00

The trip began after two flights, a long layover and some night time driving through northern Italy.
We arrived in Arco, Italy and pulled into the only open campground next to the old down town. Italian campgrounds are great, small stores with all the staples that you need, swimming pools, showers and full support for your climbing, biking or vacationing enjoyment. We slept late trying to get used to the time change and recover from the travel and got some climbs in at the local popular wall called Massone. There are climbs from 5.6 to 5.15 and lots of them. The limestone is streaked and beautiful. It faces the east/south so the sun shines on it in the morning and leaves the best conditions to the afternoon in the summer. Winter however, your best time is the morning.
The rock is polished but that is what happens to limestone. It is great fun no matter what!

A route topo at the parking area of the wall.

We were in Italy to climb in the Dolomites and Arco is just a few hours from Milan and a great place to climb with literally thousands of climbs to choose from. The routes are 50-2500ft, most of which are sport climbs (even the long ones). Because our destination was the big walls up north we headed out that afternoon towards the Marmolada (at 2500ft tall mountain with tons of amazing climbs on them where you walk off on the glacier after finishing. Here Chris checks out a mountain lake with a small castle overlooking it. Yeah Italy is that good!

We quickly arrived in the heart of the Dolomites and tried to find out where the heck we were with respect to our dated guidebooks. Walls like this are commonplace. All of which have HUGE adventure climbs on them that are just a short approach from the car.

We stopped for the night in another great campground and enjoyed a meal in town during the world cup. Pizza and the Dolomites make me a happy camper : )

There is not any legal free camping in the Dolomites. It is a national park but the areas have been preserved for everyone to enjoy. There are cabins and hotels and campgrounds everywhere that can satisfy your need to sleep outside.

To be continued...

Where Does Your Motivation Come From? Some Rambling Thoughts.

2014-08-12T13:26:00.000-06:00

Internal
External

As a climber who wants to continue moving forward and challenging myself I have to look at my motivation every once in a while.

I have always wanted to accomplish things/climbs in my life for me. I think that would place me on the internally motivated level. I never try a climb because I am looking for gratification or praise from someone else, rather I try because I am interested in seeing what it is like and whether or not I can complete it.
Sometimes that internal motivation can rise and fall due to life though. Let's say that you have many other obligations and duties and that you have not been able to keep up with your desired fitness level. Then your internal motivation may ebb and flow with your fitness. I see that happen regularly with me. As life's obligations keep every minute of life filled, I feel that each second must have a reason in order to get it all done!

I have not tried a "hard" route for myself in years. When I say that it is because I understand the commitment level that it takes to complete one in a reasonable amount of time. I look for routes just under my limit because they are easier to achieve in just a few attempts instead of 50 and perfect conditions. So I would say that my motivation is for regular success rather than for the "big one".
This Fall will be the same, but I feel like I will be able to seek out the big one soon!.

Some folks believe that because that I am sponsored by climbing companies that I am under some requirement. In a way I am. I need to represent each brand in the best possible way and help buyers understand the product so that they purchase the right tool for the job. I am always motivated to do that, its in my blood as a teacher. When it comes to some climbing achievement or photo, that stuff is just icing on the cake.

I am normally most motivated by a route and the journey towards the send. I am especially motivated for first ascents. There is something about figuring out and creating a timeless route that can't be duplicated. I really enjoy the process.

As far as those who are externally motivated, I have seen them thrive and succeed, but most of the time they burn out or quit. I think that the passion must come internally in order to pursue an activity for a lifetime.

How are you motivated?

Can't Find the Time!

2014-08-12T09:48:00.000-06:00

Since I left for Italy this summer, I have been on a whirlwind of trips, work, family adventures and climbs!
My two children keep me busy until the point of passing out these days and getting to my blog which has been easy in the past has not been as easy.

I finally started training again and am three weeks into circuits and my Treadwall program.
What does that look like in my life?
It started out at 8pm every night except friday, but now has settled into two a days.
I begin at 5am and circuit and then at 8pm that night I Treadwall.
That allows me to have more freedom the other nights of the week and to get the volume and fatigue level that I am striving for in addition to the amount of rest that I need to perform and progress.

Combine that with my kids are still not sleeping through the night I am often (mostly) sleep deprived.

So my point is that you can figure out how to fit it in if you are motivated. See the next post to read my thoughts about Motivation.

piz : )

It's Not Getting Any Easier

2014-07-28T22:53:00.002-06:00

Contact Piz at pizem@hotmail.com for Motivational/Instructional/Entertaining Speaking Engagements, Climbing Instruction, Training and Weekly/Monthly Training Programs

Until then... Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: www.arcteryx.com www.camp-usa.com www.scarpa.com www.sterlingrope.com www.americanalpineclub.org www.brewersledge.com

I am into my 20th year of calling myself a climber. Other than playing ice hockey, I have not participated at an obsessed level in anything this long. I stopped playing hockey when I was 24 years old and realized that it wasn't as fun as it used to be. I enjoyed the physical contact and the intensity that competition brings out in folks. But at 24, I started feeling the wear and tear of the games and my body beginning to tell me that I wasn't a kid anymore.

Now I am at the same crossroad's with climbing, except that I understand how to continue climbing long into my future. I am not at competition with the team down the road, nor do I have to take on routes that will hurt me, I know what I love to climb on and the adventures that I can seek out and it is a great feeling. Knowing that my passion for the outdoors and for trying hard will never go allows me to always set goals and go for them.

I will say that staying in shape and reaching my personal climbing potential has not gotten easier over the years. Even though I am confident in my fitness evaluation and planning ability, having the time and energy to follow through is difficult. I thought that as my kids grew older and became more independent that making time for training would be easier, but it still ends up being before work at 5 am in the morning or after they go to bed from 8pm till whenever. Even with my Treadwall, I still have to train on it at odd hours! Additionally, every time that I take a break from training it feels like coming back to work after a long vacation! And we all know how that feels : )

I guess that my point is that if you want to reach your personal goals that it will always be tough. It will always mean sacrifice and you will always need a support system. Climbing or doing anything needs to be for the right reasons, as long as you have that perspective it will be a part of your life for a long time!

Just the other day I actually got my three year old to wear his climbing harness. The initial sell of it was not successful this past winter, but yesterday I was able to get him to wear it and have a good time. My future climbing plans involving making sure that my kids are exposed to it while the focus is being outside and enjoying nature. If they like climbing then great and if not they will at least have tried it out.

Check out the link of my son getting used to hanging in a harness! http://youtu.be/1pIrgvdtLsk

Stripping (the Treadwall)

2014-07-18T14:30:00.001-06:00

http://youtu.be/SZST5bLwBVw

Check out some more beta about route setting!

Changing out the Treadwall routes advice:

Use a drill to remove the bolts. (I have a 18volt drill/hammer drill combo)
Be sure not to remove the highest holds from the wall (otherwise you won't be able to move the wall down to remove more holds.
Set the wall to the least resistance (in order to make moving the wall very easy.)

It took about a half hour to remove all the holds from my KOR model.
I then collected all the bolts in a bin and grouped the holds by color.
I am trying to avoid using tape this next time around and will be setting by colors.
When I got the wall I was not able to set by color due to my lack of holds (I started with zero). But over the course of the year, I was able to get some Menegerie, Pur and Metolius and randoms from purchases and friends. Now that I have a healthy collection, I will set by color when possible and then with tape on the other routes.

Route Setting Goals:

Think about what kinds of routes you and your friends will be attempting to climb.
Then set routes that will develop those skills.
Set in a way in which there are no real cruxes on routes. Go for a consistent difficulty.
Think about moves that you are weak at and set that style on the wall.
Set routes that will allow your fingers a break and ones that you will only try once or twice a session.
Set routes that will allow you to climb very fast and once that will require technique and deliberate precise movements.
Have fun with it!

Off Time

2014-06-17T12:34:00.000-06:00

Training with Piz: 1 Arm Negative Release

2014-05-23T13:40:00.000-06:00

Don't do these more than once a week.
They can be destructive.
Use a towel for the other hand (adjust the height of the hand (not on a hold)to change the difficulty of the hand on the hold)
Also, begin on a pull up bar to develop the ability then to move to a finger board and smaller holds!

Training with Piz: Elevated Push Up wtih Hand Raise

2014-05-23T13:05:00.001-06:00

Do them and maintain a level/flat back!
Ah yeah!!

Training with Piz: Pinch Repeaters

2014-05-23T11:51:00.001-06:00

Work your weaknesses by creating a repeatable set of 4 grips that you want to improve upon.
Set either a time or number of repetitions (based on your level or best) and go from there.
No more than twice a week with rest between each set.

Have fun and

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Elephant Butte Arches National Park's Highest Point

2014-05-23T11:19:00.000-06:00

Mothers Day

2014-05-15T12:16:00.002-06:00

Orson a day after his first bloody nose.

Beautiful momma!

Rowan

Family project on Mothers Day. Remove barely living bushes, level soil, build bench, mulch, plant flowers, sit on bench!

Jane loves doughnuts and what better place to enjoy them then at the local doughnut shop!

Happy Mothers Day Jane. Thanks for being wonderful to the kids and me.

I love you tons : )

Black Canyon and Big Wall Thoughts

2014-05-15T12:01:00.000-06:00

Gearing up at the River

Heading up a nice 5.9 pitch

The traverse pitch from left to right through the pegmatite band (the pink stuff).

Getting wet

Nice views

Exposed

Ledge belay!

A far away splitter.

Getting my flare on.

A bolted anchor in the Black? Oh my.

Nice roof lieback

Super views!

I climbed in the Black Canyon the other weekend and it was great fun.
My partner and I were each climbing on routes that were new to us both and that is always a good time and adventure. Upon thinking about why I liked both of the routes that we climbed, I decided to share what I think makes a great multi-pitch climb.

Here is my list based on what I like on a big route:

Ledge Belays (after breaking my back in 2006, I will never turn down a place to sit while I belay)
Bolted Belays (at least one bolt makes life so much easier and faster.) I don't mind building a complete anchor, but if its in a super assessable location (like the Black) and you are not getting the alpine portion/feel/experience of it with a long hike in for hours and blah blah blah, anchors are good.
Varied Climbing (the same move over and over is not that fun) I like overhanging terrain, cracks, face, slab, chimney, off width', the works!
Good Protection/Stone (that means safe, but not necessarily every three feet)
Exposure/Views (who doesn't like that feeling that they are way out there)
Solitude (I don't need to be standing in line on a big route, I could go to an amusement park for that)
A Line (this means that the wandering is limited) For me classic routes might need a little wandering, but when the majority of the route is all over the place, its just not that fun.
A Good Descent Route (nothing taints the experience more that when there is no established way down the wall)
Shade Potential (melting in the sun is not classic!)

When I think about my favorite big climbs, each of them embrace the above topics. What do you think?

Being Sponsored Thoughts

2014-05-15T10:28:00.001-06:00

Contact Piz at pizem@hotmail.com for Motivational/Instructional/Entertaining Speaking Engagements, Climbing Instruction, Training and Weekly/Monthly Training Programs

Until then... Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: www.arcteryx.com www.camp-usa.com www.scarpa.com www.sterlingrope.com www.americanalpineclub.org www.brewersledge.com

As an athlete for various companies, I sometimes feel that my services are being utilized and sometimes not so much. This last week I was invited to speak on behalf of the athletes at one of my sponsors marketing and sales meetings.

First off, it was an honor to be invited to these meetings and I would like to do it again! (those of you who attend them every year as sales reps may think otherwise, but it was a new experience for me and I truly enjoy these kinds of things because they provide enlightenment to an otherwise dark and unknown world for me.) So back to the point, I was invited to speak about what we do as athletes and how we can further assist in the branding process.

Wow. Since understanding marketing is not something that I studied in school, I don't really know the processes behind the scenes. To be in the "secret circle" of a company was really rewarding and made me truly feel like I was an integral part of the team. I like that feeling. Knowing that what you do matters whether or not you get press or have a photo in a magazine or even if you are on the cutting edge of anything. Just you doing what you do helps, that is pretty cool. The other things are icing on the cake really.

I guess my reflection upon the experience is that companies are out there doing their best to care for the market, the environment, to connect with their client and to provide people a streamlined experience. There is a ton that goes into it and I am sure that I only was exposed to the tip of the tip of the iceberg. The complexity of moving from one company to another and be in marketing must be crazy since you have to learn so much about the new company and its past, present and future. In many ways it is way easier to go and climb rocks! But as I said before, I think that feeling utilized and being utilized by companies is when they will get the most out of their resources (like athlete programs) when everything works together toward that common goal, growth is not far off.

High School Graduation Time and Thoughts

2014-05-15T10:00:00.005-06:00

It is the end of another school year. I think it is my 12th as a high school teacher.

I have taught at many different schools and many different sciences to say the least. Here is a brief summary:

I started off at a middle class high school teaching Earth Science and a course that was called Unified Science.
Then while teaching in Austria, I taught AP Chemistry, Chemistry, Biology, and a combo 7/8th grade Science.
Once I came back to the states I taught, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, Geology, Marine Biology, and Physics.
Finally, I am teaching Geophysical Science, Biology, Marine Biology, Chemistry, Zoology, Astronomy, and potentially a combination course that I am designing to truly engage and motivate my alternative student body

With every graduation comes a sigh, not so much that students are leaving, but because the grind is over for a little while. Working with people/students where you get to know them and their problems intimately and in a way live it with them is pretty tough. Its one of those "by the way" parts buried deep within the teaching profession's job description. It's like when a student dies at your school, "by the way" your going to feel pretty crappy about that or when they loose everything in a fire, or when you see them falling in a downward spiral due to poor choices.

To you non-teachers summertime for us teachers is the holy grail and we get it every year. But the reality is that without a break and time to let it all go and recharge we wouldn't be able to give what we give every school year. Maybe it's just me, but that is how I feel.

So when I am enjoying my summer, I am really just trying to replace the many varied experiences and emotions that I had to deal at work throughout the school year.

Playing in Golden

2014-04-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

Playing at the Clear Creek water park.

Orson is a tank, no terrain will stop him.

Jane and top Jimmy

Don't fall in little one : )

Orson thinking about climbing the net that his older brother just tackled.

Rowan and Zack getting dirty.

More car seat time with the boys.

Rest Stop fun with the Family

2014-04-29T07:54:00.000-06:00

Jane and Orson hanging at the park.

Rowan liked chasing the front end loader.

Or ham : )

Rowan got to fly to kite for the first time.

He is learning how the string goes out fast when the wind picks up fast.

Rowan makes friends pretty quickly. He ran up to this boy and grabbed his hand and took off chasing and kicking his ball with him. After a few minutes they were laughing and playing together like best friends!

Rowan and Bikes

2014-04-29T07:47:00.001-06:00

He is learning to glide and coast on his bike. Balance is coming slowly but he is having a blast learning at the local bike park!

We had a bike sale at my high school to raise money for our students. Rowan and I helped sell them in the rain.

With every storm comes a rainbow.

Rowan getting it done on the trails.