Alex Puccio, born Alexandrea Elizabeth Cocca at McKinney, Texas, is a professional climber specializing in bouldering. She competes in climbing competitions and splits her time between climbing outdoor and indoor. She is known for having great strength, allowing her to attempt projects usually only climbed by men. She regularly participates in United States national championship and the World Cup Climbing Federation. She finished 3rd overall in the World Cup bouldering competition in 2011 and won the American Bouldering Series eight times.
She started climbing in 2002 at thirteen with her mother. In 2006 she participated for the first time in the U.S. Bouldering Championships, and won the title. She later won in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2008, 2009 and 2010 she competed in the World Cup bouldering climbing but only at the stage of Vail finishing sixth respectively, before and fourth. In 2011 she took part in all the steps going up to the podium five times, with three second places and two third places.
She has ascended several boulders graded V12 (8A+) between the United States and Europe. In July 2014, Puccio ascended Nuthin But Sunshine in Rocky Mountain National Park.
A month later, she ascended Jade becoming the fourth woman to climb V14. Alex placed second in the Boulder World Championship in Munich, Germany on 23 August, 2014. In April she began the 2011 World Cup Bouldering circuit, which will include nine competitions in total. And climbing is still a family affair: Her mom now coaches climbing. And her younger brother, Shane, 20, is an avid climber and one of her mom’s students. Growing up, Puccio clearly had athletic inclination and potential. But for a long time, it seemed that every sport she tried — gymnastics, figure skating, basketball — left her bored.
Climbing got her brain and body firing on all cylinders right from the beginning. And once she discovered bouldering, her current professional speciality, there was simply no stopping her. “Bouldering just grabbed my attention and kept me interested in a way nothing else did,” she says. Bouldering involves going a relatively short distance up a boulder (“around 20 feet, give or take,” says Puccio) without harnesses or ropes. Boulders are assigned degrees of difficulty, from V1 (the easiest) to V16 (the most difficult and complex).
Puccio climbs V12s to V14. She relishes the explosive power and almost gymnastic movements required to scale the rock. She also enjoys the mental and physical challenges that face her every step of the way.
At 5-foot-2, Puccio is short for a climber, but she is naturally strong and builds muscle easily, which gives her the strength she needs to propel herself up the rock. (Taller climbers can reach the next handhold on the rock without as much effort.) As much as strength, though, the sport requires strategy. You can have all the explosive power in the world, notes Puccio, but if you miscalculate your route up the boulder, there’s nothing there to catch you.
Puccio prefers it that way. “When I have a rope and a harness, I just keep thinking, What if it fails?, even though I know it’s not going to. In bouldering, you can go as high as you want, but if you fall, you fall to the ground. So I only go as high as I’m comfortable with.” (The only safety measure in bouldering is a pad placed on the ground under the climber.) While bouldering can be done on specially designed walls in gyms for competitions, Puccio prefers the great outdoors. “I love competitions,” she says. “But it’s not always fun for me to train inside. I’d rather climb outside.” A big part of the allure of outdoor climbing for Puccio is the sheer beauty. “My favorite climbing area is Magic Wood,” she says, referring to the Swiss bouldering area flanked by lush forests and a river. “There are cool little trails with boulders on all sides. It’s amazing. The name, Magic Wood, is perfect.”
Puccio climbs five or six days a week, and she hikes regularly. “I just love being outside all day and being active,” she says. She also stays healthy by avoiding fast food and eating clean most of the time. She doesn’t believe in dieting, though. “There are always people who take dieting to the extreme,” she says. “But in bouldering you actually want to eat a little bit more to have a little bit more muscle. You don’t necessarily want to be too skinny.”
If Puccio ever feels unmotivated to climb or train, she takes one of her fitness goals and makes a game of it. “I’ll tell myself: I have to get such-and-such done in X amount of time. Then I just keep trying it until I get it.” Right now, Puccio is working to move to the next degree of difficulty — climbing a V14 boulder.
In bouldering, the route climbers take up a rock is called a “problem.” One of Puccio’s biggest joys is finding new ways to overcome problems. “In bouldering, there is always something to progress in, and always things you have to learn how to do or overcome. There’s always a next goal in climbing. I still have so many things to accomplish.
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Alex Puccio is eight times American Bouldering Champion and 2nd place holder at Boulder World Championship. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Your love with rock climbing began at a young age of thirteen years and you started competing professionally at the age of 17. Later your professional career propelled to the height where you have been at the top of the world of professional rock climbing by women, winning 1st Place at Bouldering World Cup in Vail Colorado. Tell us something about this journey of success?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
Even though I have been a professional rock climb since I was 16 years old and now I have been climbing for about 12 years I have realized that it will never get easier. Actually it keeps getting harder, but thats also what I love about it. I will never stop learning in climbing or growing as a climber. There will always be something to over come. The more successes I have the more pressure comes with it and learning how to deal with it.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
I climb (train) about 5 days a week. I try to push my self every session. I also run 4-5 days a week. I only run 3-4 miles each time, but I really love the cardio for cross training.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
I try to eat little gluten. I’m probably about 80% gluten free and I don’t eat a ton of dairy. I have maybe one small yogurt for a snack at some point point of the day, but cheese is one of my favorite foods! I try to limit myself on cheese, but its hard for me. I wish my body agreed with dairy better. I also LOVE ice cream! 🙂 I always say everything in moderation.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hair to make them look so stunning?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
Haha…. thats very flattering. I’m honestly really bad with hair. Fortunately I’m pretty lucky in that department. I have naturally wavy/curly hair and I use to straighten it every day, but now I rather just not bother with it. I leave my hair be and I’m also lucky with pretty good skin. I wash my face before bed and thats about it.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding professional rock climbing girls who all are your fans and shall like to know from you for their climb to ladder of success in the field of professional rock climbing?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
I think its really important to never forget why you love the sport. Remember to have patience and enjoy the process of having to work hard to get to where you want to be! 🙂
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have won many rock climbing competition. Tell us how did you feel before and after Conquistadors V12, 8A+ in Chironico, Switzerland?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
Conquistadors V12 is one of my favorite boulders I have done yet. Since My trip to Switzerland last year when I did Conquistadors I did my first 8B Boulder and 3 more of the grade. then a month later I sent my first 8B+ boulder and then another of that grade. My climbing has really taken off to a new level this year and I cant wait to see how far I can take my climbing.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have selected a sport which requires winning over your fear, concentration, to foresee the coming hurdles and possess an exceptionally toned body to finally succeed, how do you achieve that?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
I’m actually a very fearful person over all. I have tons of fears, but I love the feeling of overcoming them. Every time I do something that i’m scared of i get a huge feeling of accomplishment and I think thats what keeps me intrigued.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have joined Team ABC as an elite coach, tell us how you have been able to achieve and quench your thirst of giving back to the society through this endeavor of your?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
For years I just climbed and didn’t really do anything on my rest days when I wasn’t training. I got really bored a lot of the time. I talked to Robyn Erbesfield, owner and head coach of ABC Kind climbing team, and asked if she would have me as a coach. She was really happy to bring me on and I have loved it ever since. Working with kids and being able to give them the knowledge that I have gained over the years about climbing through my experiences is one way I am able to give back to my sport that I love.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Tell us your experience on securing and climbing highest grade bouldering: V14 (8B+)?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
It was such an amazing day when I climbed “Jade” V14 boulder in RMNP this summer. Climbing is such a mental sport that I really believe I have been strong enough to climb this grade for a while now, but it took me a while to understand mentally how to do it. I had to learn how not to put too much pressure on myself, but at the same time realize I can reach and obtain my goals. Its a hard thing to balance out, but having patience always helps! 🙂
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?
Ms. Alex Puccio:
I hope everyone finds their own motivation and stays strong through the ups and downs. We all go through hard times if its physical or mental, but remembering what our goals are and realizing that you do have what it takes to achieve them! Us Women are strong and don’t let anyone make you think otherwise!!! 🙂 Hope you like this! 🙂
Women Fitness Team thanks Alex Puccio for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and made this interview happen.
To know latest about Alex Puccio on her social network, check out at:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Puccio/116408721751605
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.