E59: Ned Feehally - The beastmaker, dark horse and dad
Aug 15, 2023
auto_awesome
Ned Feehally, one of the strongest climbers in the UK, talks about his low-profile music and his Beastmaker fingerboard. He discusses challenging climbing routes, the differences between limestone and gritstone, the impact of parenthood on climbing, and the popularity of the Beastmaker fingerboard. They also touch on writing a training book, weight and climbing performance, individual codes of ethics in climbing, and 'the wave' climbing wall.
Consistency and dedication are key to improvement in climbing.
Finding personal motivation and enjoyment is more important than seeking attention or recognition.
Balancing running a climbing business with personal climbing requires finding fulfillment in both aspects.
Deep dives
Ned Fihally's climbing achievements go under the radar
Ned Fihally, a local legend and co-founder of Beastmaker, has achieved a lot in the climbing world. He is known for his bouldering expertise and flashing difficult problems. However, Ned's climbing achievements often go unnoticed as he is not one to boast or seek attention. In a recent podcast episode, he shared insights on climbing outside the UK, developing routes, and his passion for fingerboarding. While he admits to climbing less now due to family commitments, Ned continues to enjoy climbing and exploring new areas with a fresh perspective.
The importance of consistency and staying motivated
Ned emphasizes the importance of consistency and staying motivated in climbing. He notes that training constantly and having a passion for climbing can greatly improve performance over time. Ned also mentions that while climbing has taken a backseat since becoming a parent, he remains content and still enjoys climbing whenever possible. He highlights the need to find something you are truly passionate about and reminds climbers that everyone's journey looks different, but consistency and dedication are key to improvement.
Ned discusses his climbing goals and potential projects
Ned talks about his future climbing goals and projects he is considering, both locally and in different areas. He mentions his preference for new problems but also appreciates having repeats available. Ned discusses his hesitation to move from Sheffield and the importance of exploring new areas.
Ned's thoughts on social media and personal climbing achievements
Ned expresses his aversion towards social media and his discomfort with self-promotion. He explains why he chooses not to engage in social media and how he has become less concerned with others knowing his climbing achievements. He emphasizes his focus on personal motivations and the enjoyment he finds in climbing for himself.
Ned reflects on the impact of running a climbing business on his personal climbing
Ned discusses how running a climbing-related business has impacted his personal climbing. He mentions that it allows him to go climbing frequently but also acknowledges the potential for certain climbing-related jobs to ruin one's motivation for climbing. Ned highlights the importance of finding a balance and enjoying the parts of the business that he finds personally fulfilling.
Ned reveals plans for a new climbing board
Ned shares his plans for developing a new climbing board, mentioning that they are working on a design and testing out different hold options. He expresses excitement about creating a quality board that is suitable for home use and offers a variety of difficulties. Ned also discusses the potential for mass-produced wooden holds and the need for climbing walls to adapt and look after them effectively.
Ned joins us for a natter this week. One of the strongest climbers the UK has ever produced but he's tried his very best to keep a low profile. If he was a musician his music probably wouldn't be on spotify and only available via cassette. He's responsible for strengthening millions of meat hooks and his products quite likely sit above a doorframe in your house.
His personal climbing has been put on the backburner a tad in recent years, as he's become a Dad and he's also supporting his wife Shauna to get a deserved stab at the rocks after having spent years on the comp circuit. It's a pretty standard relaxed chat, but there's some nice stuff in there.
If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823
