I'm a woman

I'm a woman
Photos copyright Laurence Gouault
No reproduction on other media without the photographer's permission.

Friday 19 July 2013

Climbing , fighting, same, same. by Stevie Haston

 In the morning we got beat up by a rock climb. It was crafty, cunning, it's powerful moves overwhelmed us in a rush and kicked us, so we couldn't breath, or function. In the evening I went Martial Art training. I love the huge hall, I like the tranquility of my warm up, and stretch, I like much about it, not everything, it's like climbing, it's not everything.


Climbing for me, is, and always has been, extremely natural, I think I have been doing it from my earliest moments. Fighting which is basically the simplest way of describing all things Martial, seems to be there in some way for many people too, from a very early age.  I was never a good fighter, if anything I am a good counter fighter, or defensive fighter, and the big thing that interests me, is the deception, the feinting, the position. In climbing I like the sneaky, sly ways through cruxes, elegant bridging, I like being out witted by rock!


My opponent dumped me last week, by luring me into thinking he was slow, then picked me up, took me for a walk, and then landed on me, it was 'game over'.


Here is the classic, tap him in the calf, and then flick to the temple. Classic deception! Fighting isn't for every one, it's not for me, but it is good fun, when your opponents respect you. Rockclimbing is not for every one, and believe me, the rock and the Mountain do not respect you at all! Simply putting your gear together badly, as has been shown this week, can, and will kill you, stone dead. Be careful out there, life in some ways is tough, and it don't give you too many breaks, so when you get one, lie down in the flowers and wonder at the blue of the sky.

All photos Inigo Taylor, who will be outwitted today by a completely non sentient bit of stone!