Member Spotlight: May 2016

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Chris Pascual

Member since 2008

How did you start climbing?

Chris: Back in 2004, I started doing Parkour and I became interested in finding more ways to challenge my ability to move. After a high school reunion in 2005, it came up in conversation with an old friend that they did rock climbing at Edgeworks and I immediately asked them to take me and the rest is history.

Why do you climb at Edgeworks?

Chris: I love the community at the gym. When I first entered the climbing community, what struck me the most is how easy going, accepting and welcoming the people are. There’s a very “it takes a village” feel where it seems like everyone is supporting everyone else either explicitly through advice or more passively through encouragement.

Where is your favorite place to climb outside?

Chris: Sadly, I’m not all that experienced in climbing outside. I’ve done some limited bouldering and scrambling at parks in the Puget Sound, but I think I would like to actually get outside at least once this year to climb. So my favorite place will be the next place I go!

What do you do when you’re not climbing?

Chris: If I’m not climbing but focused on using my body, I’m practicing or teaching martial arts or Parkour. If I’m focused on using my mind, I play tabletop board games and card games or watch movies with friends. Of course I also need to eat to keep my body and mind fueled, so I enjoy cooking quite a bit and love trying new recipes and refining old ones.

What are some interesting facts you’d like to share with the Edgeworks community?

Chris: I enjoy studying foreign languages. I took Japanese in high school and college and still try to keep studying it now. I’m also working on learning at least a little bit of Filipino, the language of my parents. Watching a decent number of Hong Kong movies over the years also has me interested in learning Cantonese as well. And speaking of foreign films, I’m very excited that the Seattle International Film Festival is coming up soon. I’ve attended at least one movie each year at the festival for around the last 13 years.