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
Follow-Up: Emil Abrahamsson — Gaining Weight to Climb His First V15, Overhauling His Training, and Thinking Long-Term With Projects (Teaser)
EP 161: Sam Stroh — Botching It and Sending Anyway, and Biggest Lessons from Hard Boulders to Free Climbs on El Cap
EP 160: Fundamentals — How to Pick a Project
EP 159: Tom Randall & Sam Van Boxtel — Why YouTube is the Future of Climbing Media, and How Much $$ YouTubers Make
EP 158: Fundamentals — How to Improve Your Technique
Follow-Up: Tim Emmett — Lessons From 80+ Days on Era Vella 9a, and Changing His Diet to Thrive at Age 48 (Teaser)
EP 157: Jeannie Wall — Getting Stronger in Her 50s, the Value of Doing Challenging Things, and Slowing Down to Go Fast
EP 156: Fundamentals — How to Go on a Sport Climbing Trip
EP 155: Caleb Robinson — Reaching V13 in Four Years, Biggest Lessons From Competitive Soccer, and the Power of Consistency
Follow-Up: Aidan Roberts — Sending Alphane, Training for V18 Projects, and Listener Q&A (Teaser)
Announcing YouTube + Win a Training Bundle!
EP 154: Fundamentals — How to Go on a Bouldering Trip
EP 153: Ollie Torr — The Secret to Finger Strength, How to Climb Like Aidan Roberts, and Staying on the Bus
Follow-Up: Jordan Cannon — Sending ‘Wet Lycra Nightmare’ on the Leaning Tower (Teaser)
EP 152: Fundamentals — How to Go on a Climbing Trip
Announcing Fundamentals!
EP 151: Anna Hazelnutt — Toe Training for the World’s Hardest Slabs, and Giving Others Permission to Be Real
Follow-Up: Tyler Nelson — Cutting Edge Finger Training Ideas, and the Difference Between Active Recruitment vs. Passive Tension (Teaser)
EP 150: Luke Mehall — How Climbing Gave Him His Life, Creating The Climbing Zine, and Sustaining Creative Work
EP 149: Steven on Kegels and Coffee — We Are Not Robots, As It Turns Out
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