EP 193: Mat Wright
November 6, 2023
Photo by @britrockfilms
Mat Wright has quickly established himself as one of the best trad climbers in Britain and is a world-class all-rounder having climbed E11, 5.14c, and V15. We talked about his humble beginnings in low-income government housing, teaching himself how to rope solo as a teenager, reaching V13 and 5.14c in his first three years of climbing, pivoting to hardcore trad climbing, his upcoming film in the Brit Rock Film Tour, and much more!
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Show Notes:
Related Podcast Episodes:
Brit Rock Film Tour:
https://britrockfilmtour.com/ (Trailer, Films, Tickets, and more!)’
Resources:
Neil Gresham’s Masterclass videos
Mat’s Rope Soloing Music:
Mat’s Links:
https://britrockfilmtour.com/ (Trailer, Films, Tickets, and more!)
Nuggets:
0:05:35 – Why Mat wears sunglasses when he climbs
0:07:02 – Mat’s difficult upbringing, and growing up in a council estate (low-income government housing)
0:11:41 – Meeting his dad at 13 and moving in with him, and how Mat got himself into rock climbing
0:15:47 – Building a board in his mom’s back garden, and sending 8c+ and 8B (5.14c and V13) within his first 3 years of climbing
0:17:21 – What climbing brought to Mat’s life
0:19:51 – Neil Gresham’s masterclass videos, and setting his eyes on Hubble
0:23:13 – Sending Hubble, and the negative side of punching the clock on projects
0:29:39 – Being optimistic, and why Mat resonates with hard scary trad climbing
0:32:39 – The line between optimism vs. recklessness
0:35:17 – How Mat “caught up” with his education, and the appeal of climbing for someone with a busy mind
0:39:39 – Mat’s partner Anna Taylor, and her role in The House of the Gods film (I said Argentina but it was in Venezuela)
0:41:37 – Coasteering with Anna
0:45:40 – Wildlife, nerding out, and how he and Anna relax
0:47:28 – Living in a van, fingerboarding, and going with the flow with his climbing
0:49:25 – Sprinting toward a goal, and spending 60-70% of his time chilling
0:54:34 – What Mat’s training looked like early on, how it’s evolved over time, and addressing specific weaknesses
0:57:34 – Understanding your climbing pace, and the dance of sport climbing
1:00:24 – How Mat guides his clients with their climbing pace
1:06:19 – Our tendance to overthink things, and not believe in ourselves
1:08:29 – The power of specific goals, and asking yourself what you really want to get out of climbing
1:12:35 – Balancing short-term and long-term goals
1:16:51 – How to get coaching from Mat
1:18:21 – Climbing his first V15 shortly after Hubble, and pivoting to trad and sending Lexicon E11
1:23:03 – The reaction to him sending Lexicon
1:26:27 – Feeling desensitized to exposure, and early free soloing
1:28:24 – The effect that online comments have on real people
1:32:31 – Our brains’ negative bias, and trolling as an outlet for frustration
1:35:21 – Anna’s harassment, and Mat’s controversial reputation
1:40:29 – What happens when you respond to negative comments with kindness
1:42:36 – Stepping into a protective role for his partner, and losing his sponsors
1:44:29 – Mat as a Berghaus athlete
1:49:19 – Mat’s film ‘Hard Git’ in the upcoming Brit Rock Film Tour
1:55:49 – A deep dive into Mat’s FA of Magical Thinking E10, and finding flow on the send
2:01:13 – Mat’s FA of Black Thistle E10, and converting E grades to the American YDS grades
2:04:04 – The animalistic nature of trad, why the Brits don’t bolt everything, and the American healthcare system
2:07:35 – Challenge vs. difficulty
2:10:26 – James Pearson as the best trad climber in the world, and Mat’s kinship to Dave MacLeod
2:12:25 – Mat and I each talk about our experiences trying the keto diet
2:16:18 – I recap my story with disordered eating and recovery, and Mat describes his experience with burnout after Hubble
2:22:05 – What happened with Rhapsody, and his thoughts on returning
2:27:21 – Mat’s rope solo setup
2:29:43 – Go-to music
2:30:15 – Mat’s dream climbing expedition, the adventure and fun of climbing, and sending Gaia E8
2:34:46 – Think more about yourself and less on other people
2:35:44 – Cycle touring, and Mat’s thoughts on taking long breaks from climbing
2:42:36 – Where to connect with Mat, and details about the upcoming Brit Rock Film Tour