John Sherman is a bouldering legend. His nickname “Verm” (short for “Vermin”) is where the “V” in our bouldering grade system came from. We sat down in a cave in Hueco Tanks and talked about what bouldering was like 30+ years ago, early climbing shoes, highballing before crash pads were invented, out-of-body experiences, and how some of the boulders got their provocative names.
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/john-sherman
Nuggets:
0:08:00 – Recording in a cave in Hueco Tanks, and the Triple Crown of roof cracks
0:12:54 – Experiencing what climbing was like 30 years ago, and early climbing shoes
0:19:24 – What brought John to Hueco for the first time, falling in love with the bouldering there, and Mike Head
0:27:30 – John Gill, the legitimization of bouldering, and four technological advances in gear that changed climbing forever (sticky rubber, cordless drill, crash pads, and cams)
0:35:35 – What Hueco was like in the winter of 1982
0:39:42 – A day in the life back then, and making the first “crash pads”
0:45:14 – Chalk, and why sport climbing was the end of climbing as Verm learned it
0:47:47 – Using the same terminology to describe different ethics, and doing ‘See Spot Run’ ground up without crash pads
0:55:03 – Geckskin
0:57:15 – Historical tidbit (the Swiss guides)
0:58:04 – More context about ‘See Spot Run’
1:02:24 – Adding layers to the bouldering experience
1:07:49 – The definition of “Kehl-geling”, and John’s out-of-body experience when climbing ‘The Thimble’
1:20:00 – Why John wears two chalk bags when he climbs, and wanting to climb like Alex Sharp and Andy Parkin
1:23:59 – Wearing a helmet bouldering, and John’s New Jersey story about hitting his head
1:35:00 – Patron question from Aiden: What inspired you to write Stone Crusade?
1:41:57 – The Fiesta XXX Drive-In, and getting boulder problem names from a sex toy magazine
1:47:36 – How ‘Daily Dick Dose’ got its name, and living in the Quonset hut
1:52:44 – How John got the name “Verm” (short for “Vermin”)
1:53:46 – Patron question from Carmelo: Are we ever going to see Old Man Lightning?
1:54:54 – Patron question from Craig: Which bird most represents your personality?
1:56:32 – Why California Condors are John’s favorite birds, and individual personalities
EP 189: Lily Kral — Building a Board Climbing Gym, Exotic Dancing, and Being a Work in Progress
EP 188: Joey Jannsen & Rich Breuner — Underground Hip-Hop, Cage Fighting, and Hustling ‘Til You Make It
EP 187: Stefanie Myr — Miniature Carpentry, Becoming Polyamorous, and Finding “Church” at the Gym
Four Women Have Climbed V15
Follow-Up: Katie Lamb — Box Therapy V16, and the Willingness to Persist (Teaser)
EP 186: Q&A 7 (feat. Ethan Pringle) — Rocklands Wrap-Up, Bat Hang Shenanigans, and Challenging Your Perceived Limits
EP 185: Mattias Braach-Maksvytis — All Things Dynos, Why Boulderers Should Train Their Legs, and How to Enjoy Your Climbing
EP 184: Nic Rummel — Embracing Thickness, Lessons From 9 Years of Hangboarding, and Doing Whatever It Takes to Feel Like a Badass
EP 183: Jenn DeBellis — Chasing Dream Boulders, Turning Small Wins Into Big Wins, and Sustaining a Full-Time Job on the Road
EP 182: Carlos Tkacz & Steph Letourneau — Lessons From 7 Trips to Rocklands, Being Good at Being Consistent, and Writing Novels
EP 181: Charlie Schreiber, Adam Shahar, Noah & Benn Wheeler — Accidentally Flashing V13, Board Training, and Ultimate Dream Sends
EP 180: Troy Fauteux, Austin Hoyt, & Bryce Viola — Times We Almost Died, Toe Hook Training, and Laughs and Sends in Rocklands
EP 179: Cat Runner — Life After Winning The Climb, Embracing Trans Pride, and Sending Big at 5’0”
Follow-Up: Ollie Torr — How to Improve Your Critical Force, Training Endurance at Home, and Listener Q&A (Teaser)
EP 178: Ethan Pringle Returns — Two Things He Does Every Day, Taking Your Time, and Honoring His Dad
EP 177: Tiba Vroom — Confronting Fear of Failure, Being the 8, and Taking Responsibility for Your Life
Follow-Up: Dave MacLeod — Lessons From Recent Diet Experiments, the 9a+ Goal, and Getting Stronger After Age 40 (Teaser)
EP 176: Eric Hörst Returns — Top 7 Most Common Training Mistakes
EP 175: Ady Wright — The Pressure of Opportunity, Acts of Rebellion, and Eating Oreos for Breakfast
EP 174: Bernd Zangerl — Developing World-Class Bouldering in the Himalayas, Entering the Easiness, and the Power of the Mind
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