Daniel Woods is a kid to look up to. The 10-year-old is a national champion rock climber.
Daniel, who has been climbing for about five years, won the boys’ 11-and-under age group last August – and on his birthday! Pretty impressive stuff, but this guy is totally down to earth. When we called him for a chat at his Longmont, Colo., home, he was busy with classes (Daniel is home-schooled). Besides working hard at everything from art to science, and playing a little football and basketball on the side, he trains three times a week at a local gym.
“I do five routes (up the indoor wall), then do strength training,” he said. “I do pushups, situps and pullups. I practice three hours.”
Knowing that what goes up must come down, we asked Daniel if he’s ever scared of falling. “At first I was scared,” he said, but with practice he became more confident. Also, his equipment keeps him safe.
“Our harness we put around our waist, so if we fall, that’s where the rope is tied into and it’ll hold us, so we don’t fall all the way to the ground,” he said. “The rope is really strong; it can hold a cow and a semi. It’s pretty unusual to fall, but I have.”
More Top Picks Best Walking Shoes For Lower Back Pain
In nationals, Daniel scaled a 45-foot indoor wall. (Daniel usually competes and trains on indoor walls.) In championship competitions, climbers are judged on how high they climb. The holds (where climbers put their hands and feet) are varied in shape and size along the route to add difficulty.
We asked Daniel how he got ready to compete.
“Before I do the route, I read it and see where my hands and feet want to go,” he said.
Before it’s their turn to compete, climbers stay in what’s called an isolation area. “They have chips, bagels, Gatorade, and you can warm up” on a practice wall, Daniel said. “I just do easy stuff to warm up.”
Daniel plans to compete in nationals again this summer. (He can’t go to the world championships until he’s 14.) Besides that, he has a pretty lofty goal: “I want to climb a 5.13 `d.’ ” (That’s a superhard climb; routes are rated on a 5.0- 5.14-point scale.)
Meanwhile, Daniel has some smart advice for any kids getting into the sport: “When you start climbing, don’t look down!”