Collaborations

I do what I do but I can’t do everything. Nor should I really. Prowess is all about performing at our best and with climbing being so vast, with so many different disciplines and appealing to anyone, it’s incredibly rare to find someone with the required expertise across the board.

One of the aspects of the Performance Coach Training was to identify my specialisms and weaknesses. It proved an incredibly useful exercise and prompted me to work on some areas but also to accept my limitations in others. However, rather than simply saying “I don’t cover that bit of climbing”, I’ve collaborated with experts who can cover areas I can’t, creating what’s often called a Multi Disciplinary Team around me.

The purpose here is not to highlight what I cannot do. It is to give you the best possible service I can. And if that means passing you on to someone who knows more than me then that is what we shall do.

So here they are: my expert collaborators. These professionals all come highly recommended, are top of their game and can help you in their respective areas.

Specialism: Trad Climbing and Mountaineering

I spent fifteen years trad climbing before deciding my passions lay elsewhere. So while I have plenty of personal experience and am able to coach people towards trad climbing, ice climbing and mountaineering, they are not disciplines I partake in these days.

I work closely with Matt Hawkins as my go-to expert for putting coaching into context. I first met Matt when working at Plas y Brenin and since then, we have both gone down our own independent paths. Matt now holds the Winter Mountaineering Instructor Cetrificate (WMCI) meaning he is qualified to teach single or multi pitch trad climbing, winter mountaineering and ice climbing in the UK.

Moreover, Matt is a wonderful person with an infectious smile and a wealth of knowledge. I trust Matt to provide instruction in the kind of environments that are beyond me.

See Matt’s website here or email [email protected]

Specialism: Physiotherapy

The human body is incredibly complex and while I have a good knowledge of the biomechanics and physical requirements for climbing (at any level), there is only so far I’m able to go during a session.

Isi Booker is my go-to expert for keeping your body fit and healthy in order to be able to perform at your best. Isi specialises in treating climbing injuries and utilises her expertise in both physiotherapy and pilates to both treat injuries and offer prevention too.

Isi and I even run workshops and sessions together, either as 1:1 (or rather 1:2 as there’s two of us) or as themed workshops. Have a look at the workshop page to see more.

See Isi’s website here or email her at [email protected]

Specialism: Nutrition

Our body can only use the energy we put in so it’s important that we’re putting in the fuel the body needs. It can be a complicated and complex and the finer details lie outside my knowledge base.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with Ferdia Earle, to provide any additional advise and help you may need to get your fueling needs just right.

Ferdia is a registered Nutritional Therapist and Functional Medicine practitioner with a stack of qualficiations and experience; including a postgraduate diploma and a Master’s degree. She is also an active climber – we often catch up at the climbing wall – so has just the right knowledge to keep things in context for you.

See Ferdia’s website here

Specialism: Welsh Language

Prowess is based in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, in the heartland of the Welsh language (Cymraeg). Despite living here since 2009, and to my shame, I still have not fully learnt the local language (dwi’n dwysgu Cymraeg, onest). Yet, it is abundantly clear that some people locally much prefer to communicate in their native tongue.

While I work on plugging this gap in my knowledge, I have partnered with Aled Oddy. Aled is rapidly carving himself a niche as the go-to Welsh language expert in the area for all things mountains. His courses on functional Welsh in the mountains focus on usable Welsh for mountaineers, climbers, hillwalkers and instructors. Aled is also a qualified RCI and ML, while currently working through his coaching awards.

See Aled’s website here

Patrick Hollingsworth

Specialism: Qualified Therapist

Sometimes, once you get into the psychological aspects of climbing, we can go a bit deeper than first intended. My role is to help you enhance your climbing ability but occasionally, people find out more about themselves than they realised, stepping into the realm of psychotherapy.

I am not a trained therapist and neither would it be appropriate for me to offer therapy, nor would I feel comfortable doing so. However I can refer to someone who can. I have teamed up with my good friend Patrick Hollingsworth. Patrick is a passionate climber, fully understanding the sport and climbers themselves while also being another empathetic, compassionate and outstanding human being.

If you want to know more about him or get in contact please have a look at his profile. By clicking on this link you can find out everything you need to know and send an enquiry if you feel you need support