In this episode, the boys chat through the concept of mastery. A great book by Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers) highlights the concept of mastery and how it takes a person, on average, around ten thousand hours to master something.

The episode starts by having a bit of a jumping in feel. Some technical difficulties lost the first part of the conversation, and the audio is still a bit choppy at times after words, but in the end the main points get across. Hope that you enjoy the episode and that it helps kick off your 2026 on the right foot!

Thanks to those that participate with the podcast:

Followship - Opening tunes

Courant Vertical Living - Ropes, bags, vibes

Arbsession - Supporting the industry and community

AtmosTree.Org - Planting two trees for every episode we release.

Riverside Recording - Recording, editing, savior of time for Jeff

Find us on IG @thesmoothsawpodcast

YouTube - The Smooth Saw

Exciting news and welcome back to the latest episode of The Smooth Saw Podcast!

This episode we debut Evan Beck as the new co-host of the podcast and get into a bit of catch up from the last several months of what these two boys have been up to.

Fun times ahead everyone!

Description

In this episode, Jack and Jeff reflect on Jack's experiences in tree care, climbing competitions and training discussing the importance of motivation, community support, and personal growth. The conversation takes them from Jack's origin story in tree care, through his schooling and credentialing and how he got into tree climbing competitions. They discuss training routines, the love and passion for the sport and upcoming events.

Sponsors

AtmosTree

Arbsession

Courant Vertical Living

Music

Followship

Riverside Podcast Creator Stock Music

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Context

13:07 Jack's Journey into Arboriculture

18:45 Training and Mentorship in Tree Climbing

21:40 Community Perception of Tree Work

24:34 The Arborist's Perspective on Tree Safety

27:46 Career Progression and Job Security

30:30 The Role of Trees in Personal Life

33:39 Tree Species and Climbing Experiences

36:31 Mentorship and Training New Climbers

48:08 Understanding Friction in Climbing

53:41 Climbing Styles and Equipment Evolution

57:40 The Journey into Competition

01:05:56 Training Evolution and Strategies

01:13:25 The Competitive Spirit and Community

01:21:54 Strategic Planning in Climbing

01:26:43 Mastering Repetitive Tasks

01:32:44 The Importance of Consistency and Practice

01:38:30 Mental Preparation for Competitions

01:44:45 Advice to Younger Self: Trust the Proces

s01:50:56 The Journey Over the Destination

02:06:49 Outro

Keywordstree climbing, competition, motivation, personal growth, community, training, aerial rescue, mental health, events, tree care