A little confession: I have a love/hate relationship with Kris Hampton. I love him for the same reasons that sometimes make me dislike him a bit. Why? Probably because he’s (often) right. And that’s why his book, “The Hard Truth,” is probably THE best book to read to become a better climber. And maybe a better human being. It’s quite simple: it’s a series of short texts from Kris Hampton’s blog, the founder of Power Company. These short chapters cover training modalities, the reasons why you fail, why you’re not progressing, and why you avoid your weaknesses. But be warned, “Odub,” as he is nicknamed, doesn’t hold back and his brutal honesty might challenge your ego (or all the excuses you might imagine). That being said, he often turns out to be right. Maybe you’re not trying as hard as you think. Maybe you should focus on slabs even if you hate the idea of putting even a toe on a wall that isn’t vertical. There’s no magic recipe, not even a training protocol. Just plain common sense. The best part: it’s a quick, precise, and efficient read, just like your climbing moves should be.
And you can also take it almost as a self-help book. Replace the word “climbing” with life, and suddenly, you have more advice in a hundred pages than in “The Alchemist.”
Finally, with your purchase of “The Hard Truth,” you’ll be supporting one of the pioneers in climbing training. Everyone wins in the end.
