Why do people free solo

I broke my neck, my pelvic bone and four ribs. I collapsed my right lung, too, and had kidney and liver damage. It all came away from the wall and I hit the ground 11 metres below. I just remember waking up pretty disorientated, with about eight heads looking down at me. It shook me up and I swore I was finished with climbing. But I was 22 and my photography career was just starting to be a thing. I took this on a small Greek island called Kalymnos in The climber is Alex Honnold , an old friend of mine.

El Cap is a 3,ft sheer rock face in Yosemite, California, and he climbed it without a rope. Should I Free Solo? John Campbell December 14, pm. Podcast: Should I Free Solo? We climbed single pitches, multi-pitches, ice, mountains, boulders… We did it all, including free soloing.

Climber free solos above the water. Fremont Canyon, WY. How should they be motivated? If so, why? If not, why not? Free soloists need to train as warriors Warrior training addresses physical, mental, and spiritual aspects for fighting well. Training creates an intentional way of living All this training creates an intentional way of living.

Practice Tip: The Free Solo Decision Many climbers question whether or not they should free solo at some point in their climbing careers. If you do decide to do it, then train yourself like a warrior: Physically train yourself so you have a strong body for climbing.

One benefit for being physically strong is the belief that comes with it. Train all the climbing skills needed for climbing in such situations so you can wield the necessary weapons to move over stone. Specifically, learn how to focus your attention so you can be focused percent on the task. Spiritually train yourself to serve something. Free soloing needs to be an expression of what it means for you to live fully. It needs to give you a feeling of connecting with something larger, serving the world in your own authentic way.

Know that death is a real consequence. Weigh your decision against your responsibilities to others. Thanks for the deep article Arno. A good time of year to reflect. Arno 16 Dec Reply. Welcome Daren… a. Thanks for another excellent, thought-provoking post.

Bob Ordner 16 Dec Reply. Rafa 16 Dec Reply. Thank you again, this comes to me in perfect timing. KC Baum 16 Dec Reply. Kevin Vann 18 Dec Reply. Excellent, Arno…as always. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Comment. Enter your name or username to comment. Enter your email address to comment. Enter your website URL optional. The Rock Warrior's Way Book. Upcoming Events. Join The Warrior's Way Community. Learn More. Recent Posts. Espresso Lessons Book. Action Card. Purchase Information. Book Translations.

Nor much of a hugger. But Honnold has taught himself to hug, he says, and he is getting better at it. Can I get one? We stand up and embrace; there is even a little shoulder- patting going on.

It is — big strong arms. The no-huggy thing is part of something else going on in the film. He recognises that people might think that, and that it is a seam in the film, and he is not surprised or in any way offended. The obsessive focus and detail? Any elite climber would and has to do the same. He says he has no problem knowing what other people are thinking — McCandless, for example. Is she going to leave me?

Is that what Alex is? The result? As we talk, he is often distracted, looking around or over my shoulder. We are, after all, at a climbing centre. Does he like teaching? Same if he — they — ever had kids: they would have to climb. Speaking of kids, Honnold has to run — to a school where he is giving a talk.

First, though, he has to try the boulder problem again. He switches thumbs, grabs the grainy hold, launches into the karate kick, and lands on the other wall — success. In Free Solo, it is a key moment, the completion of the karate kick, and he turns to the camera with the biggest grin.