Amanda Watts – Eat Food, Crush Boulders

Vertical Life’s favourite nutritionist and master of all food-related subjects, Amanda Watts, is not only the Queen of Healthy Cuisine, she’s also stood atop the podium at Boulder Nationals and represented Oz on the big stage of the World Cups. For 23 years, Amanda has climbed all around the world putting together a life well lived dedicated to moving over rock. Nowadays she is super motivated to help women figure out what their goals are and then shot them how to train their bodies and minds to achieve those goals.

What advice do you have for boulderers preparing for their first outdoor comp?
Don’t go too hard too early. Warm up well or you burn out fast. Be prepared for sore skin (bring tape and Panadol). Stick to your own plan for problems. You’ll probably be too psyched to think about eating and drinking but both are key to crushing hard for a long time as you'll need in the comp, so make sure you fuel up. Have fun!

Amanda 'Killer' Watts on Passion (V5), Loopeys, the Grampians. Lee Cossey

Amanda 'Killer' Watts on Passion (V5), Loopeys, the Grampians. Lee Cossey

What’s the breakfast of champions?
Something yummy, that makes you feel like a crusher, that has carbs and a bit of protein. Could be muesli and yoghurt or porridge with a bit of honey or a yoghurt, milk, fruit, LSA smoothie or some good old eggs on toast.

What’s the breakfast you’d advise people to get their competitors to eat if they wanted to make sure they really suck?
A bacon and raw egg smoothie with kale and coconut water.

What are you top five Grampians boulder problems?

  1. Butt Hole Surfer (V9) is super fun
  2. Wimmel Friedhoff (V5) is so fun and classic
  3. Riding Shot Gun (V6) for a mid grade tricky, technical classic established by an absolute crusher – Corrine Gwyther. On my first trip to the Gramps I remember meeting a fierce looking six pack as I made a rest day cup of tea in the camp ground. I looked up and found it belonged to Corrine... thoroughly intimidating :-)
  4. Right El Westwood (V4) because it's a classic looking line, climbs super fun and fluidly and I got to see Big Dave crush it!
  5. When we were Kings (V11), a problem that I have spent one day trying and to which I would love to dedicate a few more days so as to get done

Can I give you my dream tick list instead!! I remember my first boulder trip to the Gramps, I had a double A4 tick list for the two week trip ranging from V1-V10!! My boulder trip team thought it was a little ambitious…. by the time I was five days in with no skin left I understood why :-)

You’re running one of the women’s clinics, what is some of the wisdom you are hoping to impart?
How to dream big and put a plan into practice to make those dreams happen. I think I have an experienced eye for seeing what people can improve on from approach, technical and strength points of view.