From Dean Potter, about Freesolo …
We noticed our most recent post on Dean’s freesolo at Taft Point <LINK> had a lot of readers concerned and a few skeptical. We asked Dean to share with us a little about his training on the line, and dug up a prior video clip from a video feature on Dean in the New York Times earlier last year. In his own words, here’s what Dean had to share:
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I rarely read blogs and am kind of an old fashioned guy who likes writing letters or talking to people face to face. Most of the time I do literally live in a cave or under trees and forget that the public sees or cares about what I do. It’s come to my attention that a few of the prAna blog readers are a bit concerned about me falling off of highlines while I’m solo walking. Even though this last freesolo crossing at Taft Point was a distance record of 100 feet I assure you I was in total control. In fact I soloed it five times in a row. Here are a few ideas that might calm things down. Usually I don’t divulge my secrets but maybe it’s helpful in this case.
For a long time now I’ve been interested in the martial arts. I’m fascinated with the Aikido and strategy expert Miyamoto Musashi and have learned from his book, ‘Go Rin No Sho’ (A Book of Five Rings) and teachings over the years. Though he lived in the 13th century his values and openness to new ideas drove him to the forefront of swordsmanship simply by disregarding others’ rules. In his most famous dual he struck down a stronger opponent with a wooden oar that he spontaneously carved into a sword, simply because he wielded a longer blade.
Additionally I’ve been fascinated as many people are with Bruce Jun Fan Lee and how he opened people’s eyes to the intricacies of his art form, Jeet Kune Do. By giving up some of the secrets many more became enraptured with what he believed and became empowered themselves.
I’ve been slacklining for the last sixteen years. I learned the art from a homeless man named Chongo. Most of what I do on the line has been learned from others. On low lines and while tethered on the highline my breathing technique is similar to what I know about yogic breathing and meditation. I focus completely on my breath and move as one with intuition and nature.
When I’m walking a line with death consequence I practice breathing I’ve learned from multiple sources about going into battle or fighting to the death. I focus on my outward breath because an equal opponent can only strike you down while you’re inhaling. While exhaling I am fervent and unstoppable. Maybe this is only a psychological trick but it works for me and as Johnny Cash says it best, “In your mind, in your mind, it all goes down in your mind.”
Also, while walking tethered I try to never use the leash. The leash is only a back up when I use one and believe me, most of the time I’m tied into an unbreakable line. Additionally this is why I wear a swami belt (Three wraps of two inch webbing tied high on the waist.) while on leashed lines. The swami was the traditional harness through the seventies, when the climbing ethic was, “Leader does not fall.” I know most of you are thinking that this is probably uncomfortable during the impact of a fall and why not use a climbing harness but I want it to hurt if I fall so I’m programmed through pain not to miss the line. Most of my life I’ve learned through hard knocks anyways.
Additionally I’ve developed a highline that holds over a hundred thousand pounds. This is the only highline I will step onto anymore. Every other picture you see of a person walking a high slackline is probably on a line that only holds under ten thousand pounds. You should be more frightened for them than you are for me because their line is about to break. I’ve tested lines over the years by breaking them with a vehicle or in the labs at the gear companies I work with and have found that my present highline has a safety factor of 12 to 1, where the lines others are walking have only a safety factor of 1.5 to 1 or 2 to 1 at best.
Through the years I’ve developed a sort of Kung Fu or Thai Wrestling maneuver to catch the highline with my legs. I believe I have perfected it to the point where I don’t miss if I go for the catch while I’m still within the parameters I’ve set for myself. The main parameter is, I never allow myself to go completely out of control in any of my arts. Relating this to walking the line it means that I go for my ‘catch’ before I am leaning too far to one side. Now it is kind of like play when I fall on the highline. My body and mind are programmed to straddle the line, catching it just above my knees, then grabbing it with both hands and initiating more momentum, actually speeding up the fall, causing me to rotate around the line until I’m sitting on it again within a second or so. Most people think I’m just doing a trick but in reality I’ve just saved my life.
It’s pretty ‘out there’ I know for many of you to understand me. If you don’t see how consistently I practice and the amount of time I plan out everything I do, I can understand how I may seem like a madman. Do realize though that I hold myself back and operate far below my max while freesoloing. I do not have a ‘death wish’. I’ve been free soloing since I was a little boy. My will to live is the strongest force within me. I think that is something we all have in common. Recognizing our similarities is what is most important. We should all be encouraging each other to live fully and strive for our dreams. I understand my dreams on the line, in the air and on the rock may be different from most of you but I assure you my fundamental values of truth, love, respect and having fun are quite similar.
Thanks for listening, Dean S. Potter
Tags: dean potter, freesolo, highline, Miyamoto Musashi, prana, Slackline, Taft Point, yosemite
June 1st, 2009 at 10:24 am
You’re amazing, Dean. It’s sweet that other people are concerned, but I respect what you do and how you do it.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:19 am
Mr Potter,
~your beautiful demystifying words have just widened my consciousness.
“From ancient times
Deep learning and valor
Have been the two pillars of the Path:
Through the virtue of training,
Enlighten both body and soul. ”
Morihei Ueshiba
Keep expressing the limitlessness of being.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:44 am
Beautifully written. Much Respect.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Great words and actions.
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:06 am
[...] a short sample, but the whole post is well worth the [...]
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:33 am
I have asked you in person why take these risks? And now I realize I probably wasn’t listening very well when you told me because I was still wondering why after we spoke. After reading this slowly several times, I now understand, thank you for sharing your words, it required me to slow down and listen.
your pursuits are noble indeed.
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:14 am
Chongo! not just a homeless man. Learninig from him is something to recognize. He had quite an extraordinary life.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/sports/othersports/30chongo.html?_r=2&oref=slogin
June 4th, 2009 at 6:30 am
Dean I don’t really care what you do . . . if your soloing inspires young highliners to solo as well I view that as unfortunate.
You said “Every other picture you see of a person walking a high slackline is probably on a line that only holds under ten thousand pounds. You should be more frightened for them than you are for me because their line is about to break.”
Sorry, but that is utter non-sense. Yes the line we are on could break and that is why we have 3 different lines or rope at various tensions that we are walking on. You know this! There are those who walk on single threaded lines and absolutely one should be frightened for those people.
But come on man, if my main breaks I still have 10,000 lbs to keep me from the bottom . . . If you make a mistake soloing it doesn’t matter one bit how “unbreakable” your line is.
I normally wouldn’t get involved in your affairs, but the next time I’m stepping over 2700 ft I’m not going to hear your commit about how dangerous it is that my line is about to break . . . It’s safe and you know it. Assuming I’m tied in of course . . . and I will be.
June 4th, 2009 at 10:53 am
O and one more thing, nice line Dean that is an absolutely beautiful location. Amsteel! I haven’t walked on it yet but do realize it is the future of highlining. One of these days, but until then climbspec and climbing ropes “should” keep me breathing.
June 7th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I’m sure Dean thinks most people are CRAZY for going to a desk job 40-50 hours a week. You think he’s crazy for soloing. It’s all relative. Live your life as you want to live it. Now, back to my desk job :/
June 8th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Dean writes:
“Additionally I’ve developed a highline that holds over a hundred thousand pounds. This is the only highline I will step onto anymore. Every other picture you see of a person walking a high slackline is probably on a line that only holds under ten thousand pounds. You should be more frightened for them than you are for me because their line is about to break. I’ve tested lines over the years by breaking them with a vehicle or in the labs at the gear companies I work with and have found that my present highline has a safety factor of 12 to 1, where the lines others are walking have only a safety factor of 1.5 to 1 or 2 to 1 at best.”
Where is more info on this set up available? I hope he share this knowledge with the community…
June 8th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
The current lines are much stronger than 10000 pounds. Read the slackline forums and you will see what people are currently using to make the lines very safe. Some hints: shackles\spansets, type r white webbing, rope underneath, steel rap rings to eliminate knots…etc etc etc. The list goes on. We are walking safe lines. Maybe not as safe as amsteel but thats kinda different than slacklining, seeing as how its not slack. Good walk though. Its f’ing amazing and you are my hero Dean.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Dean, don’t let those people get you down with their negative opinions. They mean well, but they just don’t understand.
Pretty much anyone solos — just at different levels of difficulty. My neighbor may solo up a tall ladder to clean the gutters on his roof. Me, an average climber, I might solo a 5.6 or 5.7 that I’m familiar with, or I might onsight solo a 5.0. That’s because at the grade, I’m as certain as I could ever be that I will not fall to my death (barring rockfall or lightning strike or some other act of god, which could just as easily hit me in the car on Hwy 120). Part of that security is knowing that if I get shaky or insecure or even slip, I have options. The point is, for you being on a highline or climbing 5.11 probably feels about the same as climbing 5.6 feels to me: you’re secure, and you have options. People like me will never have that experience at the same level of physical difficulty, but then you’re an awesome athlete and you practice constantly. What we do have in common is the thrill of the psychological experience: being totally exposed, yet totally in control… your Eigernordwand is my South Crack.
American culture has a strange relationship with risk. People don’t realize that what you do — taking very carefully calculated risks with a lot of practice — is in fact far less dangerous than being ignorant and taking risks unknowingly. Say, a gym climber leading his first 5.9 trad pitch, placing a crooked cam and not being aware that if it fails, he’s going to deck… All the statistics on climbing accidents tell you that not knowing what one is getting into is the greatest objective hazard. Nobody can accuse you of that.
Which doesn’t mean you can’t ever screw up. Nor can the rest of us be sure we won’t get hit by a truck tomorrow, or — heaven forfend! — choke to death on a cough drop. In the meantime, climb on! You’re awesome!
June 12th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
As a novice to line walking, I appreciate Dean’s explanation even if it something I may never do at that level. Much respect…
June 12th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
You have to be kidding. Perhaps you should consider how a highline will ever see a 100,000 lb load. And how many f-ing anchors are you putting in to match the strength of the amsteel line???? If you were smarter you would realize that in all likelyhood it is more important to have a line backed up that would require a few to several large loads to break the separate strands across the gap. To claim that all highlines under 100,000 lbs are about to break makes you an idiot. Instead of doing half-assed studies of martial arts, perhaps you need some engineering education.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:14 am
i dont feel that this amsteel powerline is that safe dean try to tell us
its ridicilous tight and the shock load on the anchors therefore too
another thing behind this really stunning freesolos is the question for the “root” causes to do
-fear-fear-fear-….
i am now into psychology studies and also for example borderline syndrom things
(and by the knowledge of myself)
believe me its the lack of deep inner love, self-confidence, lack of emotional stability, stable partnership, family….. (things which given in our young childhood by your parents or not) which forces to extrem sport…..
its not a big harmony or mastership … or whatelse
its an neverending chase, escape to numb the fear, the inner war
amen
January 7th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I heard that he was to eager do a Home and Away appearence! :O. Not sure how true this is, has anyone else heard it? There’s a part of me that kind of hopes this is not true lol.
February 7th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
I know nothing of rope walking at all – but on the TV show about him, when he gets to the end of his “unleashed” walk at Yosemite, you can clearly (albeit briefly – be ready to hit pause) see the shadow of the safety leash on the rocks, although he is apparently not supposed to be wearing one, and does not appear to be when you see him pictured full length walking on the rope. I smell a rat – this sort of thing is done in the movies all the time to get rid of wires, flying rigs etc. I guess someone forgot to erase the shadow. Doh!