Video + Q&A with Rock Climber Aleksandra Taistra

February 20th, 2015 • BY Erinn Morgan

At sixteen, Aleksandra Taistra was hoping to become a veterinarian and start working with her beloved horses. Yet summer holidays brought an abrupt change of direction in her life as her mother sent her on a climbing camp to Jura, the biggest sport climbing region in Poland.

Like so many others, she was instantly hooked. Unlike others, and much to the horror of her parents, in the first days after the holiday she threw away all the furniture from her room and built a training wall.

Two years later she started university, but quickly dropped out, moved in with her boyfriend/coach, and began chasing her dream. Now, she’s a world-class climber, with 8c+ (5.14c) assents to her name, as well as an accomplished coach.

Here, we check in with rock climber Aleksandra “Ola” Taistra to learn more about her skyrocketing climbing career. Don’t miss the inspiring, white-knuckle video clip of Aleksandra at the end of this interview.

WM: What, at the core, drives you to climb?

Aleksandra Taistra: I’m always fascinated by the adaptive powers of the body, and how it can progressively learn to deal with exhaustion, both physically and mentally. I usually choose routes with the hardest moves at the end, or at least really sustained ones. I’m motivated by creating the ability to search deep and succeed, despite.extreme tiredness. This is both motivation, and my best climbing tool.

I’m definitely ambitious, but when it comes to grades, I’ve never been inspired by that. Rather by movements and their details.

WM: Do you feel that women get fair coverage for their accomplishments in the climbing world?

Aleksandra: I like to think that if there is an imbalance in coverage, then it’s only because women came to the sport later. That’s changing, with more and more women climbing. The community celebrates accomplishments of both men and women in the same way, and media will have no choice but learn to reflect it.

WM: What are your main climbing goals?

Aleksandra: To keep climbing, nurture my love for the sport, and take good care of my body. This year I’d like to be able to fight with a very difficult route. Also, to be the best coach I can be for the athletes I train, and finally to teach my fox-terrier Jason how to be a well-behaved crag dog!

WM: Advice to an aspiring female climber?

Aleksandra: Take care of your health, listen to your body. Don’t compare yourself to others, celebrate every inch of progress. Have fun! But that I guess goes for everybody, not only women.

WM: Go-to energy snack when climbing?

Aleksandra: The power sandwiches that Eva Lopez used to serve me at the crags in Spain! But sadly I can’t have Eva and her sandwiches everywhere, so these days I’m all about dried fruit, such as apricots, dates or smoked prunes. They’re almost as uplifting as energy gels, but I have a feeling they’re actually much healthier.

 

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