Gen X and Climbing!

I have been climbing for the past 25-30 years. Over this vast period I have met many a climbers young and old, novice and eager to learn ones too, the list is unending. Someone attends a so called rock climbing camp and the next thing you hear is that they are calling themselves Rock climbers! Is this really true? Climbing is not something which can be learnt in a fixed period of time. Lots of people come to me asking me to conduct crash course on rock climbing. ....My answer is no. Usually people who did come at my gym (a small climbing den in my hall) for practice didn’t last over a few months. They tend to leave.... sighting reasons which have no meaning what so ever.
The story I am about to tell you is about a young climber who just dropped at my place three years back one evening to climb. She was a student in the same school my son attended, and had probably heard in school about climbing. She came regularly every evening for a couple of days. One day after practice her mom came to pick her up, that is when we came to know that both her parents were Doctors and the fact that they didn’t know what climbing was or that their daughter wanted to do climbing.

Eventually after much hesitation she was permitted to continue with the climbing.  I was a bit skeptical too, my past experience was that girls never lasted more than a couple of days in this sport, forget taking it seriously. She continued to drop in regularly for practice, even waiting till the sessions ended in the evening to work out and do exercises with all the other guys. This was really something, a single girl with all this guys! It was at this point that I was able to see that she had a lot of strength and potential to do rock climbing. Never had I seen a young girl who could do 25 pull up and 50 push ups at one go. This girl was really something! Her name is Mayuri Deshmukh.

 Mayuri continued to practise daily in the evenings for the next couple of months. She now even practised and attempted the same routes and problems with all the regular pro climbers climbing graded routes. She was definitely improving and always ready to try harder problems. Nothing stopped her from her daily workout or climbing practise not even her school. ­

As months passed her climbing drastically improved. Besides climbing and training Mayuri likes running, is a basket ball enthusiast likes cooking, dancing, singing, writing, nature addict, and skiing is on her to do list.

Before the competitions Mayuri took great pains to practise . She would go for a run in the morning at five, then practice at the gym, followed by school and back to practise in the evenings and end the day with a good dose of exercises.

Mayrui’s achievements in a short span of 2 years are worth mentioning as this is something not everyone can do.   

2012 : Girivihar Open International Sport Climbing and Bouldering Competition(sub juniors) 2nd position in lead, 3rd in bouldering.

2012 : Ramjas Open National Sports Climbing Competition New Delhi 1st position

2012 : Banglore Open National(Geethna) Sports Climbing Competition 4th position2012 : Girivihar(Potdar) Bouldering Competition 1st position

2012 : Mayor Cup 2012 2nd position in lead, 3rd position in bouldering

2012 : India Nationals (IMF Delhi) 2nd  position in bouldering

2013 : Banglore Open National(Geethna) Sports Climbing Competition 4th position

2013 : Girivihar Open International Bouldering Competition 2013(Womens) 5th position

2013 : Selected for Asian Games training camp.

It’s not just artificial sport climbing that she does, she is equally good on the natural rock!

Definitely a climber who will make India proud! She is just 16 ...a long way to go. All I can say is that she has what it takes to be good climber and wish her a bright future in rock climbing. I would also like to thank her parents for giving her the support which is a crucial factor especially for girls at least here in India.

 Climbing is Fun!