About Us
OUR ROUTESETTING PHILOSOPHY
"EARN YOUR STRIPES"
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT AND PERSONAL PROGRESSION ARE THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF OUR ROUTESETTING PHILOSOPHY. IT IS OUR GOAL TO CREATE A POSITIVE AND MOTIVATING EXPERIENCE FOR CLIMBERS OF ALL LEVELS. WE STRIVE TO PRESENT NEW AND EXCITING CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME THROUGH THE HELP OF THE FINEST CLIMBING HOLDS AND A TEAM OF ELITE ROUTESETTERS.
GRADING
THE "V" SCALE IS A COMMON GRADING METHOD PREDOMINANTLY USED IN ASSIGNING DIFFICULTY TO OUTDOOR BOULDERING PROBLEMS. EACH GRADE REPRESENTS A RANGE OF DIFFICULTY, AND THE GRADING TAKES INTO ACCOUNT FACTORS SUCH AS THE TECHNICAL MOVES REQUIRED, THE STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE NEEDED, THE COMPLEXITY OF HOLDS, AND THE OVERALL CHALLENGE OF THE CLIMB.
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WE UTILIZE A SEPERATE CIRCUIT GRADING SYSTEM INDICATED BY THE INCREASING NUMBER OF STRIPES ON THE START TAGS. EACH OF OUR CIRCUITS INCLUDE A RANGE OF "V" GRADES INTENDED TO CREATE A MORE APPROACHABLE AND REWARDING CLIMBING EXPERIENCE FOR CLIMBERS OF ALL LEVELS.
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TO "EARN YOUR STRIPES" IS TO GAIN POSITION THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO YOUR CRAFT. WHETHER IT BE CLIMBING AT THE BLOK OR YOUR PERSONAL GOALS, WE ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR CLIMBERS TO FIND THEIR OWN MEANING AND OVERCOME NEW CHALLENGES!
BOULDER GUIDES
BOULDER GUIDES FINE TUNE YOUR CLIMBING EXPERIENCE AT THE BLOK BY TAGGING CERTAIN PROBLEMS WITH A SPECIFIC STYLE OR GOAL. THIS HELPS IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF CHALLENGE YOU'RE SEEKING AND UNDERSTAND WHY PROBLEMS OF THE SAME GRADE MAY VARY IN DIFFICULTY.
SKILL BUILDER
FOCUSED ON TEACHING SPECIFIC CLIMBING SKILLS, MOVES, OR TECHNIQUES. SKILL BUILDER PROBLEMS ARE ABOUT MASTERING A SKILL RATHER THAN JUST REACHING THE TOP, WITH POSSIBLE VARIATIONS IN DIFFICULTY.
TRAINER
DESIGNED TO BOOST CLIMBING STRENGTH AND FITNESS. TRAINER PROBLEMS ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD, EMPHASIZING STRENGTH AND POWER OVER TECHNIQUE, IDEAL FOR REGULAR PRACTICE OR CIRCUIT TRAINING TO MAINTAIN CLIMBING FITNESS.
SHOW PIECE
MIMICS MODERN COMPETITION-STYLE PROBLEMS SEEN IN NATIONAL AND WORLD CUPS. SHOW PIECE PROBLEMS ARE DYNAMIC, COMPLEX, AND REQUIRE UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACHES.
TEST PIECE
EMULATES PROJECT-STYLE CHALLENGES. TEST PIECE PROBLEMS TEST BOTH STRENGTH AND SKILL, DEMANDING TIME AND EFFORT TO MASTER THE CORRECT APPROACH AND PHYSICAL ABILITY TO SEND.
OUR ROUTESETTERS
JOSHUA
HAYNES
DIRECTOR OF ROUTESETTING
WITH A STORIED CAREER THAT BEGAN IN ARLINGTON AND EXTENDED TO VARIOUS SETTING OPPORTUNITIES IN DALLAS. HE HAS PROVEN HIS TALENT IN SETTING FOR NATIONAL LEVEL COMPETITIONS AND IFSC EVENTS, ULTIMATELY ACHIEVING A LEVEL 4 USAC CERTIFICATION. BEYOND ROUTESETTING, JOSH HAS DEDICATED CONSIDERABLE TIME TO COACHING ELITE-LEVEL YOUTH AND PROFESSIONAL CLIMBING ATHLETES, LEAVING A LASTING IMPACT ON THE CLIMBING COMMUNITY.
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JOSH'S EXPERTISE EXTENDS TO THE OUTDOORS AS WELL. HE IS A HUECO TANKS CERTIFIED GUIDE AND HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN DEVELOPING NUMEROUS OUTDOOR BOULDERS AND ROUTES ACROSS TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA. WITH EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR PROMINENT COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRY LIKE PLANET GRANITE, FLASHED, AND APPROACH, AS WELL AS HAVING A STINT AS A TEAM DEVELOPMENT LEADER AT APPLE, HIS SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE MAKE HIM A VALUABLE ADDITION TO OUR TEAM.
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