E94: Ashima Shiraishi - Rediscovering passion in climbing
Apr 24, 2024
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Renowned climber Ashima Shiraishi reflects on her early record-breaking climbing career, discussing the pressures of being labeled a prodigy, navigating media attention, and finding independence. She explores innovative approaches to engaging with climbing culture, from creating a kids' book to organizing community events. Ashima also delves into her unique climbing style, focusing on self-expression and artistic projects, while sharing insights on sponsorships and autonomy in the climbing world.
Ashima's early success in climbing was accompanied by parental support and intense training, shaping her trajectory.
Stepping away from climbing competitions allowed Ashima to prioritize personal growth and redefine her relationship with climbing.
Ashima's non-profit organization 'All Rise' aims to foster community engagement in climbing through innovative and inclusive events.
Deep dives
Ashima's Climbing Journey
Ashima Shireishi, a climbing prodigy, rose to fame by accomplishing remarkable climbing feats at a young age. Her climbing journey started in New York City, where she became part of a diverse climbing community, offering her profound experiences and perspectives beyond climbing. Ashima's parents played a significant role in shaping her climbing trajectory, introducing her to intense training from a young age, leading to a blend of early success and pressure to meet high expectations.
Transition from Competitions to Personal Reflection
Ashima's participation in climbing competitions as a prodigy brought her notoriety at a young age, with media attention and heightened expectations. However, as she grew older, Ashima felt the pressure of continuous success and the repetitive nature of the competition circuit. This led her to step back from competitions and seek a more fulfilling and balanced approach to climbing, focusing on personal growth and self-esteem.
Exploration of Climbing Beyond Traditional Media
Ashima's intentional step back from conventional media involvement in climbing allowed her to redefine her relationship with climbing on her own terms. She explored unconventional ways to communicate her climbing experiences, such as creating a children's book and co-founding a non-profit organization that hosts unique climbing events. Through these initiatives, Ashima aims to foster a deeper connection within the climbing community.
All Rise Non-Profit and Event Format
Ashima, along with collaborators, founded the non-profit organization 'All Rise' to host climbing events that offer a blend of competition, social interaction, and artistic expression. The events feature innovative competition formats that combine fun, silliness, and climbing challenges to engage climbers of all levels. By emphasizing creativity and community engagement, All Rise aims to provide a fresh and inclusive approach to climbing events.
Climbing Competition Evolution
The podcast discusses the evolution of climbing competitions, highlighting how initially, the events had a playful and almost parody-like nature but gradually became more serious with the emergence of big competitions like the Olympics. Participants' shift towards a more competitive mindset led to the organizers discontinuing the event, reflecting a transition from a humorous take on climbing to a more competitive atmosphere.
Cultural Influences on Climbing
The episode delves into the impact of cultural differences on climbing, particularly focusing on Japan's climbing culture. It contrasts the climbing scene in Japan, known for its high average climbing level and dedication to improvement, with other regions like New York. The podcast explores how Japanese climbers excel in competitions while still enjoying themselves, attributing this success to cultural values emphasizing dedication, self-discipline, and passion for craft.
The great Ashima Shiraishi joined us for a chat this week! Ashima has been on the climbing scene in a big way for what feels like forever, but somehow she's still in her early twenties! Ashima broke many records on her way through the grading scale as a young climber which culminated in her climbing V15 at just 14 years old! She has also competed on the world cup circuit and has been in the spotlight of both climbing and mainstream media. Like is often the case, the story behind the headlines was actually a little more nuanced and it was great to be able to hear from Ashima as she reflects on her early years but also moves into a new and exciting chapter of her climbing life.
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