Accompanied by his French wife and fellow climber Caroline Ciavaldini, plus elite wall-crawlers Toru Nakajima and Yuji Hirayama from Japan, and Matty Hong from America, Pearson was experimenting with Sawanobori (‘stream climbing’) – a niche Japanese adventure in which climbers ascend a mountain river and climb every obstacle along the way, from trickling gullies to crashing cataracts. Here he speaks to MF about the thrills and challenges of becoming a waterfall warrior.
Men’s Fitness: How would you describe the sensation of climbing a thundering 1,000ft waterfall?
James Pearson: “Climbing waterfalls is a real sensory overload. It was very intimidating even to start some of the climbs in Japan, just because of the power of the water. And then when you go into the waterfall for the first time and feel its physical power on you, you feel so small and helpless.
This story is from the January 2020 edition of Men's Fitness.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2020 edition of Men's Fitness.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
COOK UP A STORM
Unlock your inner chef with advice from some of the world's foremost food experts
Under the INFLUENCE
New research suggests social media has a negative impact on body image. So how can you navigate your feeds without comparing yourself to an unrealistic ideal?
SEE THE LIGHT
Red light therapy promises accelerated recovery and has become a key tool for | professional athletes looking to get back into action as soon as possible. But is it too good to be true?
ON CHARGE
The Fitbit Charge 6 steps into the fitness arena with new features and a sleek design, but does it meet the high expectations set by its predecessors?
HIP AND RUN
Improve hip mobility for stronger running with this five-stretch routine
CALL TO ARMS
Do you want bricks for biceps and horseshoe triceps? Of course you do! But instead of curling till you’re blue in the face, it’s time to get clever with cables
MIXED MASSAGES
For anyone invested in their health and fitness, is professional massage worth the time, effort and occasional discomfort, or is it just another unnecessary expense?
SUSTAIN & GAIN
When you’re shopping for new training kit, your priorities are likely to be fit, comfort, looks, and ability to handle the task at hand – whether that’s lifting shoes with a stable platform, or a running top that’s breathable and effective at wicking sweat away.
THE ONE AND ONLY
Burn and build with this full-body single-kettlebell routine
THROWN TO THE WOLVES
Adventure cyclist and travel writer Donivan Berube sets out on an 18-month journey to ride the 30,000-kilometre Pacific Coast route from Alaska to Argentina. In this extract from the opening days, bears, rabid wolves and sub-freezing temperatures make for an interesting beginning...