“I’m the laziest motivated person that I know!” — Jimmy Chin
Jimmy Chin (@jimkchin) is an artist and professional athlete, often at the same time. If Chase Jarvis and Laird Hamilton had a love child, it would be Jimmy.
He has participated in and documented breakthrough expeditions around the planet, from climbing first ascents in the Karakoram to skiing first descents in the Himalayas. He is one of the few people to both climb Mount Everest and ski it from the summit. Most recently, he filmed and directed the incredible feature documentary MERU, which is in theaters now and won the 2015 Audience Award at Sundance.
What is MERU? In the high-stakes game of big-wall climbing, the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru is the ultimate prize. Everest is a cakewalk by comparison. Sitting at the headwaters of the sacred Ganges River in Northern India, the Shark’s Fin has seen more failed attempts by elite climbing teams over the past 30 years than any other ascent in the Himalayas. This movie is the story of one group’s journey to conquer it—a white-knuckle quest of friendship, sacrifice, hope and obsession. How Jimmy captured it on film while risking his life is almost impossible to fathom.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk about his origins, training, nutrition, gear, and MERU, of course.
Suffice to say, if you want a benevolent kick in the ass, the film MERU is your assignment. I saw it a few weeks ago, and all my family could say for minutes afterward was, “Whoa….” My refrain was, “Holy shit…,” which I muttered to myself at least 20 times in 90 minutes. It’s an amazing, terrifying, and inspiring edge-of-your-seat experience.
Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”.
Want to hear another podcast with super athletes? — Listen to my conversation with Laird Hamilton, Gabrielle Reece, and Brian MacKenzie. In this incredible episode, we explore underwater training, strengthening your weaknesses, and advice for beat up athletes. Check it out.
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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What other athletes or world-class performers would you love to hear on the podcast? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Enjoy!
Selected Links from the Episode
Trango Towers
Grand Teton National Park
Yosemite National Park
Meru Peak
Exum Mountain Guides and Jackson Hole Mountain Guides
Jimmy’s favorite gear: Five Ten Anasazi Climbing Shoes, DynaFit Boots, Armada Skis, and Black Diamond Skis
Jimmy stays energized with Clif Shot Bloks, Hammer Nutrition Heed sports drinks, and Endurolytes
On expeditions, Jimmy listens to The Glitch Mob and José González
NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School)
Patagonia Land Trust
Valley Uprising
Coming into the Country by John McPhee
Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard
Musashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era by Eiji Yoshikawa and Charles Terry
A Guide to the I Ching by Carol K. Anthony
Casamigos and Casa Dragones
Jack Black 25 SPF Lip Balm
Connect with Jimmy Chin
MERU | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Jimmy Chin
Show Notes
How do you pronounce “MERU?” [08:22]
How do you answer the question, “What do you do?” [09:18]
What is a first ascent and a first descent? [11:55]
Defining car-to-car time [17:25]
Why an outdoor athlete may start spending more time at the gym [19:55]
A typical week of training [21:06]
Most common beginning rock climbing mistakes (and corrections) [27:42]
Overcoming the fear of rock climbing [30:30]
Jimmy’s gear (shoes, boots, skis) [32:00]
Jimmy’s nutrition routine [33:11]
What does Jimmy listen to when he’s on expeditions? [34:50]
Goals for aspiring climbers [37:07]
Finding a good mountain guide [39:42]
Defining moments from Jimmy’s childhood [42:44]
Jimmy’s parenting style [44:44]
How Jimmy got started with photography [51:14]
Lessons Jimmy learned from Galen Rowell’s work ethic [58:38]
Dealing with fear and House of Cards [01:01:36]
How Jimmy improved his writing skills [01:09:31]
The first person who comes to mind when Jimmy thinks of success [01:11:52]
The books Jimmy gives as gifts [01:13:25]
Jimmy’s morning rituals [01:15:00]
Drinks of choice [01:17:54]
A purchase of $100 or less that had the most positive impact [01:19:03]
What would Jimmy put on a billboard, and where would it be? [01:20:07]
What advice would Jimmy give his 30-year-old self? [01:21:05]
People Mentioned
Chase Jarvis
Laird Hamilton
Doug Coombs
Justin Boreta
Jose Gonzalez
Alex Honnold
Conrad Anker
Galen Rowell
Dean Potter
Steph Davis
Timmy O’Neill
Cedar Wright
Peter Croft
Ernest Hemingway
John McPhee
Jonathan Franzen
Jon Krakauer
Yvon Chouinard
Carol K. Anthony