EP 174: Bernd Zangerl — Developing World-Class Bouldering in the Himalayas, Entering the Easiness, and the Power of the Mind
The Nugget Climbing Podcast
The Easiness of the Heart
"There must be so much more potential in bouldering," says Nale. "It's not HP, but it's this easiness or this lightness insight and maybe the lightness of the heart" He adds: "Sometimes it feels like luck with these things."
Bernd Zangerl a bouldering legend from Austria. We talked about his early climbing and making the 2nd ascent of Dreamtime, some of his proudest FAs, how he recovered from a career-ending injury in 2016, his mindset for highballs, meditation and the power of the mind, believing in love, our impact as climbers, sustainability, and discovering world-class bouldering in the Himalayas.
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- Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/bernd-zangerl
Nuggets:
0:04:02 – Where we each are in the world, and Bernd’s travels to the US
0:05:15 – Magic Wood, and the impact climbers have on the environment
0:08:02 – How to pronounce Bernd’s name
0:08:53 – Bernd’s background in climbing, a near miss in the mountains, and falling in love with bouldering
0:13:21 – The impossibility and culture of bouldering
0:15:00 – “Bouldering is the kindergarten, but also the pinnacle of climbing.”
0:16:50 – Dreamtime (8C), and learning about hard boulders by reading magazines
0:21:25 – Reducing boulders to each single move, and holding positions for training
0:24:41 – The bouldering culture in the early 2000s
0:27:29 – Finding the most pure motivation in finding and developing new boulders
0:29:22 – Spending eight years and 1000+ tries to send First Try (8B+)
0:34:02 – What he learned from First Try
0:38:56 – Nalle on Burden of Dreams, and the randomness of bouldering
0:39:43 – Sending La Proue (8B) in Cresciano, and lightness of the heart
0:41:20 – Openness of the heart, Buddhism, and believing in love and the good things of life
0:42:57 – Bernd’s childhood, and why traveling is important to him
0:44:29 – Traveling with Fred Nicole to Hueco Tanks and Rocklands
0:48:00 – Feeling and knowing
0:49:41 – Developing boulders in the Himalayas, and finding Rakchham
0:57:17 – Why Bernd decided to publish a film about Rakchham, and what it’s like to travel there
1:04:06 – Sustainability
1:08:39 – How internet changed traveling
1:10:34 – Disconnecting
1:11:52 – Shangri-La
1:13:29 – Working on a guidebook for Rakchham, when to go, and plans to go back
1:16:04 – Getting the locals interested in climbing
1:20:41 – Bernd’s projects in Rakchham, and the potential and rock types
1:25:06 – Doing the FA of Shantaram in Norway
1:34:05 – Patron question from Simon, and Bernd’s serious injury in 2016
1:39:41 – The healing power of the mind
1:42:31 – Into the Sun, and Bernd’s headspace for highballs
1:50:39 – 29 Dots (14m/45’ highball)
1:58:45 – More about his recovery from his injury, and connecting of the East and the West
2:03:53 – Bernd’s advice, and brushing
2:07:47 – Bernd’s diet and lifestyle
2:10:39 – Meditation
2:14:59 – Bernd’s unique approach to warming up and finger training
2:23:50 – Shake, shake the body
2:25:31 – Being pulled into the present
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