Hiking used to be a solo activity but now, my son has started joining me and my dog Merle on our outdoor adventures! At 15 months, he can hike in the desert terrain for 30 minutes on his own! But it didn’t start out that way.

“What do I wear?” is the most common question I get asked by new climbers going to the gym.

Now that I’m exactly six months post-op from lower back spinal fusion surgery, my workouts are shifting. Initially, I stuck to body weight and light weight resistance to keep pressure off the bone. Now, I’m finally getting back to heavier weights and more of my pre-surgery workouts. So with that my series on spinal fusion recovery comes to end! But don’t despair, I have a few last exercises to share!

Now, I’m nearly four months post-op from lower back spinal fusion surgery. Sneezing stills hurt a ton, but I’ve started climbing again and taking small falls. And of course, I’m still on that rehab train!! One of the best exercise progressions I’ve done so far are squats. Here are five variations of squats that have proven useful for my recovery.

In 2019, I suffered a devastating spinal injury that left me with weak noodles for legs. In November 2023, I finally bit the bullet and had surgery. The road to recovery has been difficult. I’m going to share my first progression of rehab exercises—hip bridges. Remember, only try these if you’ve been cleared by your doctor and physical therapist.

Climbers are known to have rough skin and calluses. But when I shake people’s hands, they’re often surprised at how relatively soft they are. My soft skin is still tough skin; I can climb outside five days a week with no pain and no flappers!! Here are some tips I’ve picked up over the years to maintain my tough skin.

The BFL Combine is hands down the most unique climbing competition out there. Half weight lifting and half climbing, it is based on the NFL and NBA combines, where athletes showcase their athletic and mental skills to pro scouts. The BFL Combine started in 2021, and has attracted world class climbers, including Natalia Grossman, Zach Galla, and Drew Ruana.

When you start your climbing journey, there is an overwhelming amount of information to learn! You have to learn safety, new lingo, new muscle use, new movement and more. One of the critical pieces of being a successful climber is understanding the hold types. Knowing the names and how to use different types of hold will help you read the climb before you hop on it and will help you communicate to other climbers. In this post, I go over the basic hold types.

You may see climbing boards in your gym or while scrolling on Instagram and wonder, “What’s all the rage?” Or you may think, “Those board are only for the pros!” Well, I’m here to tell you board climbing can be for everyone and it’s great for training and measuring progress.

I have cysts in my wrists, ganglion cysts to be exact. My coach at Lattice Training suggested four exercises to strengthen my wrists. I was a bit skeptical that they would make a huge difference, but after one week, I was back on crimps!!

The transition from indoor bouldering to outdoor bouldering can be daunting. What do I wear? What gear do I bring? How will I find the boulders? Most climber’s first outdoor climbing experiences usually make funny stories down the road. However, some stories end with a trip to the hospital or a call to mountain rescue. I’ve listed 8 essentials to make your first climbing trip a safe and happy one!

I dreamt of climbing in Albarracin for years, and this October, I was finally able to go. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. If you are looking for a variety of climbing with short approaches that is five minutes away from the most adorable town, then Albarracin is the place for you!!

Welcome to the final installment of my push-up seriesl These exercises are going to be more advanced than Part 1 and Part 2, where I go over beginner and intermediate push-up variations. Get ready to feel the burn all over!!

If there’s another muscle group you’d like to see a series on, please let me know in the comments!

I believe Salt-N-Pepa said it best- “Push It Real Good!” I hope that after reading my first piece on push-ups that you’ve been pushing real good!!! Part 1 focused on push-up exercises that require no equipment. This article focuses on intermediate to advanced push-up variations that incorporate equipment like rings and exercise balls!

The doctors had to cut through the muscles in my chest in order to properly diagnose my cancer. As a result, I avoided doing push-ups for a long time. Today I’m finally facing my fear!

Do you suffer from lower back pain? Try these exercises to stabilize your pelvis and increase your deep ab strength.

Many people have tried to teach me how to do dynos. But for someone like me, who struggles with movement, my brain can’t make my body follow their directions. Then my climbing partner gave me a power spot and everything changed!

In the past year, I learned the importance of a good spotter. Having a good relationship with your spotter can give you the confidence to try difficult moves high off the ground.

The summers get pretty hot here in the Southwest. So what’s a climber to do when heat makes it harder for your hands to hold on and easier for your feet to slip? Sunburns and zapped energy are also part of the struggle. But you don’t have to stay indoors all summer. Here are a few tricks that I use to keep me climbing throughout the summer in the high desert heat!!

The first time I dislocated my shoulder was in college. Little did I know then, I have a connective tissue disorder which makes it easy for me to dislocate joints. Once I started climbing, I began to dislocate both shoulders regularly and was forced to learn how to put my shoulders back in place. One day, I stumbled upon an exercise that changed my life and I haven’t dislocated a shoulder in years.

Pistol squats are one of my favorite exercises. I’ve always found them to be fun, but they are also a great exercise that translates well to climbing. Get ready! I’m going to share four exercises that will help you develop your pistol squat!

Last winter was my first full season of climbing in the cold, and I shared a blog post with my favorite cold weather tips. Now, well into an even colder winter season, I have learned some new tricks for making below-freezing temps tolerable and even pleasant!

Usually as climbers, we concentrate on arm strength, but strong legs are just as important! Here are five exercises to improve your heel hook and toe down ability!

Front Levers may not be fun but they are great core exercises and very useful for roof climbing. Here are five exercises that will improve your climbing and will progress you to doing a full front lever.

The second installment on how to improve your pull power! These exercises are a bit more challenging!

Given the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are stuck at home with just a pull-up bar. Not to worry, here are some tips for improving your pull-up!

Three years ago, my friend asked, “do you want to go ice climbing with me?” I laughed loudly, saying, “I get cold in 75 degree weather! I would never survive in such cold temps. I’m a southerner!” For the next two years, I refused their offer. Then out of the blue, something changed.

I HATE THE COLD. I even wear ski pants to work. Earmuffs are on my head for at least eight months out of the year. I consider anything less then 75 degrees Fahrenheit to be too cold, but I climb year round.

Hueco Tanks is a crag that every climber should visit at least once. There’s no place like it in the country. There is a climb for literally EVERYONE. Slab, Vertical, Steep, Highball, Lowball—it’s all there! Since Hueco is so amazing, there is limited access in order to mitigate effects on local plants, petroglyphs, and wildlife. This guide will help you plan your next to trip the best bouldering spot in the country!