“I love the psychology of it when I am giving my absolute best and I am addicted to it. To me, a hard route looks much more tempting than an easier climb.”
– Adam Ondra, Professional Rock Climber
Holding on to the tiniest of crevices with barely a finger or two, swinging your entire body pivoting on a fraction of a toehold or finger grip, reaching the next excrescence or crack in the rock often defying gravity, and contorting your body as if there were no bones—that’s certainly not a typical idea of sports or fun. And that’s precisely what the rare breed of rock climbing professionals do day in, day out. Meet Adam Ondra, the man who is redefining the world of rock climbing.
While achievers constantly strive to push the boundaries and set the bar higher, there are the select few who redefine the very sport they play. Ondra, the undisputed king of rock climbing, has taken the sport to superhuman levels. The Economist opines that Ondra is possibly the “best climber ever to fondle a rock.” He has been showered with even more heady superlatives – Rock God, Rock star, and what not!
The Rock Climbing Phenom
Ondra was born to parents who were both rock climbers. He took to rock climbing at about the same time he learned to walk and he has not stopped since. At age 8, he onsighted his first 7b+ (5.12c), which means he climbed it without having previously seen the terrain. He won his first lead Climbing World Cup, and ended up second in lead Climbing World Championships when he was 16. So far Ondra has three gold medals from World Championships. He holds the distinction of being the only athlete to have won the World Cup in both lead climbing and bouldering.
In 2012 he climbed Change, the first route to receive a proposed grade of 9b+ (5.15c). In 2016 Ondra repeated the legendary Dawn Wall in record time of 8 days, blowing to smithereens the earlier record of 19 days. So far, he has climbed thousands of routes, 1491 at grade 8a and above; 140 at the grade of 9a and higher.
Ondra is the only one in history to have climbed a 9c (5.15d) route, the hardest degree of climb. In the last 16 years, Ondra has climbed 1491 routes of grade 8a and above.
In short, Ondra is what you get when talent meets passion to excel beyond anyone’s imagination.
Climbing Silence – The World’s First 9c
September 3, 2017 was the day Ondra redpointed Silence, the world’s first and only 9c route situated in Flatanger. In the rock climbing world, a route is graded based on the consensus among the climbers who climb it. So, while there have been a select few who have climbed three 9b+ routes, there is no one else apart from Ondra to climb the only 9c. Per experts, there might be no one to climb the Silence route for many years to come. That clearly spells out the mindboggling level of difficulty associated with Silence.
Initially named as Project Hard, Ondra worked relentlessly on the route for four years before succeeding. He had to summon all his capabilities and beyond to complete the route. It required insane physical strength, astonishing flexibility, a calm and collected mind, but more than anything, a burning desire to go where no human has ever reached.
When he completed the toughest route in the world, it was a cathartic moment for him. “I couldn’t even scream. I just hung there from the rope, teary-eyed and overwhelmed with joy, excitement, and relief – all at once. Months of my life summed up in 20 minutes,” shares Ondra.
Cathartic as it might be, Ondra is ever so willing to push himself. He says, ““When I climbed Silence, I did not feel it was at my absolute limit. I can certainly imagine climbing a harder route. I think I can climb more at this grade one day and potentially harder.” When other climbers are still trying to figure out the only 9c, Ondra has already set his sights on even more insanely difficult routes.
The Dawn Wall: Scaling the World’s Hardest and Highest Free Climb
The Dawn Wall is a climb of nearly 3000 feet, enough to intimidate most climbers. It takes not hours but several days of sustained effort and months of planning. Ondra climbed Dawn Wall in his very first attempt. He scaled it in 8 days, beating the old record of 19 days by a huge margin.
What Drives Adam Ondra
When, at 25, you are already widely acknowledged as the greatest climber ever, it’s easy to lose the steam. You have to find a way to keep yourself motivated and challenged. Ondra says, “To start with, I just love what I do. And then, I just enjoy when I climb on my absolute limit.” While a hard route could seem daunting and unnerving to a lesser climber, this is what drives Ondra. The more difficult the route, the more tempting it gets for Ondra and ignites his passion.
That perfectly resonates with the idea of Strive – putting yourself in difficult and uncomfortable situations to bring out the best in you.
Persevering Through the Failures
Media coverage and associated glitz mostly show Ondra’s successes. What they often miss are the thousands of failures, insane work regimen, precision planning, and oodles of sweat and pain Ondra endured on his route to greatness. Irrespective of who you are, climbing encapsulates trying, failing, learning, and then repeating the cycle again and again till you achieve what you want to. It’s said his training regimen is so hard it can easily put most climbers on the disabled list.
Finding Joy in What You Do
Ondra stresses the importance of enjoying the whole process while working towards your goal. He says, “This ‘process motivation’ is much more motivating and steady than mere ‘performance motivation.’ Find things of joy in everything, no matter if it is hard work. Turn the pain into joy,” says Ondra.
A Humble, Down-to-Earth Super Achiever
With such massive success and media extolling his superhuman capabilities, it’s easy for success to get to your head. However, people who know Ondra up close describe him as someone very down to earth, a refreshing change from climbers often branded as snooty and brash. He just seems like a regular, cheerful, and friendly guy who transforms into a climbing phenomenon if there is tough cliff around.
Ondra is never conceited. While he is definitely proud of all his achievements, he thinks the sport will see youngsters coming up and beating his records.
Beyond Climbing
Ondra pays close attention to his studies. He says, “I’m primarily a climber, but at the same time I like my studies. I like having something else in my life, because I don’t think it’s healthy only to be occupied by climbing.” He’s completed his Bachelor’s degree in business management and is pursuing his masters.
He embodies the true spirit of strive by working relentlessly on improving himself by subjecting himself to excruciatingly uncomfortable challenges. Only through his hard work, spirit of strive, and exemplary perseverance has he etched his name in annals of rock climbing history.
How are you striving? Order Strive today to start your journey to a life of fulfillment and joy, one that holds the possibility of discovering your fullest potential.
