EP 280: Stevie Hochbaum

August 4, 2025

Photo by Jörn Josiek of Stevie on the FA of Obsidian, V16

Stevie Hochbaum is an elite boulderer who established the first V16, Obsidian, in Germany. We talked about nearly losing his finger to an infection, how he became obsessed with the project, what it feels like to spend 50+ sessions on a boulder, supportive friends, learning patience, training on the project, how losing weight affected his mental health, pacing and breathing, what’s next for Stevie, and much more.

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Show Notes:

Related Episodes:

EP 109: Martin Keller

Follow-Up: Martin Keller

EP 86: Dylan Barks

References:

Inheritance film (FA of Obsidion V16)

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin

Stevie’s Links:

Instagram

YouTube

Nuggets:

00:00:00 – Intro

00:02:01 – Nicknames

00:04:58 – Swollen finger

00:12:24 – The process begins

00:20:47 – Investing everything

00:28:57 – What happens after 15 sessions

00:45:17 – Sending, disorientation, & celebrating

00:52:10 – Supportive friends & learning patience

01:04:16 – The unexpected send

01:09:46 – Training on the project

01:16:32 – Pacing & breathing

01:24:24 – Taking breaks

01:27:35 – Calorie deficit & mental health

01:33:13 – Bodyweight & small crimps

01:41:06 – Veganism

01:49:01 – Choosing our reality

01:53:00 – Inheritance

01:54:26 – What’s next for Stevie

01:57:14 – Dream trips

Next
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Something Different | Rebecca Tickell