EP 50: Jon Cardwell
January 11, 2021
Photo by Matty Hong
Jon Cardwell is a professional rock climber who specializes in bouldering and sport climbing. Jon’s tick list includes V15, multiple 5.15a’s, and hundreds of 5.14s. We talked about lessons learned from ‘Biographie’ and ‘La Rambla’, about his off-season and pre-training modes, about bouldering for sport climbing, and about his current 5.15 project at The Fortress in Colorado.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts
Check out more episodes with Jon:
SEND ALERT: Jon Cardwell (Jan 26, 2024)
Patreon:
Follow-Ups:
thenuggetclimbing.com/follow-ups
Videos:
Jon Cardwell 'A Muerte' (Jon battling 'La Rambla' 5.15a and sending 'Papichulo' 5.15a)
Perspective: Jon Cardwell | EP 2 (Jon sending 'La Rambla' 5.15a)
Carlo Traversi — The Triple 14 Challenge
Articles:
Rock & Ice: Jon Cardwell sends 'Biographie' 5.15a
Other Podcasts Mentioned:
Training Beta EP76: Esther Smith on Finger Injuries
Books Mentioned:
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
FiveTen Shoes:
Hiangle (Jon’s Go-To)
Quantum Lace (Misty Wall)
Anasazi Lace (Misty Wall)
Routes Mentioned:
‘Biographie’ 5.15a, Ceuse, France
‘La Rambla’ 5.15a, Siurana, Spain
‘Papichulo’ 5.15a, Oliana, Spain
‘Kryptonite’ 5.14d, The Fortress, CO
‘Joe Mama’ 5.15a, Oliana, Spain
Can Pigui Pugui (Area) in Siurana, Spain
‘Chikane’ 5.14c, Can Pigui Pugui, Siurana, Spain
‘Tom Foolery’ 5.14b, Rifle, CO
‘Necessary Evil’ 5.14c, VRG, AZ
‘Grand Ol’ Opry’ 5.14b, Monastery, CO
‘Sarchasm’ 5.14a, Long’s Peak, RMNP, CO
‘Misty Wall’ 5.12+/13-, 15 pitches, Yosemite, CA
Jon’s Links:
Nuggets:
4:05 – Training at home during quarantine, and forced time off from climbing
5:44 – Taking time off over the holidays, and setting goals for the new year
8:14 – How Jon trains for a goal route (broad strokes)
10:45 – Tapering, the performance window, and incorporating hiking when preparing for ‘Biographie’
14:04 – Jon’s typical climbing schedule when trying a 5.15 project, and differences between ‘Biographie’ and ‘La Rambla’
15:46 – Sending ‘La Lambla’, and taking a step back to recharge for a hard project
20:03 – Jon’s current 5.15 project, and how his training has changed vs. previous 5.15s
23:24 – More details about Jon’s project
28:50 – Running to circulate blood and aid recovery
30:31 – Breakdown of project pitch 1
33:32 – Skin cooling, and portable fans as the future of sport climbing
37:48 – Using the tension board, Jon’s “pre-training” mode(s), and bouldering for sport climbing
43:16 – Outdoor vs. indoor bouldering
46:53 – Moderate days and enjoying climbing
50:55 – Jon’s trips to Ten Sleep this summer
53:06 – Memorable climbs/sends that didn’t make the headlines, and Carlo’s “Triple 14” day
59:36 – ‘Misty Wall’
1:09:40 – Patron Question: What are some of Jon’s favorite FiveTen shoes?
1:12:43 – Patron Question: Do you have any takeaways from dealing with climbing finger injuries?
1:19:16 – Thoughts on preventing finger injuries, and when to let go
1:24:01 – Advice for newer climbers (first few years)
1:28:06 – Advice for climbers with limited access to outdoor climbing, and coaching kids
1:32:52 – Route setting
1:36:06 – Moving toward a new career
1:37:55 – One of the best decisions Jon has ever made
1:39:55 – Photography, dog walking, and being in the mountains
1:40:43 – Gratitude for health
1:42:02 – Favorite post-climb meal
1:42:52 – ‘The Wind-Up Bird’