The Nugget Climbing Podcast

The NUG:

Check out my new portable hangboard.

Rhino Skin Solutions:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

Check out the Tension Board 2:

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you.

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-s2-part-6

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:21) – Our longest plateaus

(00:03:50) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Think long-term

(00:08:10) – Steven’s Tip #1: Get focused and make sure everything you are doing has a reason behind it

(00:10:51) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Focus on objectives instead of grades

(00:14:17) – Steven’s Tip #2: Consider rebuilding from the ground up

(00:17:29) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Focus on your climbing skills and not the grades

(00:28:34) – Steven’s Tip #3: Do more of what you haven’t been doing

(00:33:24) – Jesse’s Tip #4: Double down on the basics (sleep, nutrition, stress, etc.)

(00:37:19) – Long rests & rewarming up

(00:38:12) – Steven’s Tip #4: Consider changing your circumstances

(00:42:40) – Pressure testing your assumptions

(00:44:12) – Creative home walls

(00:45:06) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Doing more of what you’ve been doing

(00:45:49) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Overtraining

(00:50:32) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Getting captured by other people’s agendas

(01:00:46) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Too much limit checking

(01:04:27) – What to do when you run out of routes or boulders to progress through

(01:09:21) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Switching styles too often

(01:12:43) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: You’re not actually plateaued, you’ve just built a tower

(01:15:01) – Area-specific pyramids

(01:19:48) – That’s a wrap on season 2!

EP 245: A Political Discussion About the Health Crisis, Foreign Wars, the Future of Democracy, and More | ft. Kaizen Asiedu Oct 23, 2024

Kaizen Asiedu is a Harvard graduate in philosophy, an Emmy winner, and a life coach. We talked about our political backgrounds and values, what happened to RFK Jr, the health crisis in the US, foreign wars, how the coming election could affect the future of democracy, mainstream media, censorship and free speech, abortion, the steel man case for Kamala and Trump, and much more.

Join Kaizen’s Courage Collective:

skool.com/courage

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/kaizen-asiedu

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Kaizen's Emmy

(00:04:22) – My political background, the health crisis, & RKF Jr

(00:11:01) – My algorithm breaking & discovering Kaizen

(00:12:46) – What Kaizen does

(00:14:32) – Kaizen’s political journey

(00:21:13) – Kaizen’s awakening

(00:28:35) – Becoming a life coach

(00:31:51) – The media, our legal system, & Trump

(00:39:15) – How the media portrays RFK Jr, & the “white supremacists are very fine people” narrative

(00:43:16) – Kaizen’s experience talking about Trump

(00:46:25) – Nuance & the power of being truthful

(00:51:13) – Media bias, the influence of advertising, & polarized perceptions

(00:56:12) – Incentives drive everything

(00:57:14) – Tulsi Gabbard, Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, & and the DNC appointing Kamala Harris

(01:02:09) – Kaizen’s political journey continued

(01:10:12) – Priorities

(01:12:00) – What is America?

(01:14:15) – What does a “great” America actually look like?

(01:20:57) – Government corruption, Hunter Biden’s laptop, censorship, & free speech

(01:29:48) – Why this election is bigger than Trump vs. Harris

(01:32:35) – Why I feel frustrated with US politics

(01:35:34) – My health journey & why I care about the health crisis

(01:40:52) – The sick care system & our food system

(01:42:13) – Monsanto, GMO crops, Roundup, glyphosate, Bayer, & cancer lawsuits

(01:47:47) – How much we spend managing chronic disease

(01:50:40) – Sense vs. dollars

(01:53:32) – The health crisis is fundamental

(01:59:34) – Ripple effects

(02:01:47) – Pharma & conflicts of interest

(02:02:30) – Voting with our dollars

(02:07:57) – Taking responsibility

(02:09:15) – Synergistic effects

(02:10:24) – Abortion, racism, & what happens if Trump wins

(02:23:59) – Inviting curiosity & losing perspective

(02:27:24) – Steel man argument for Kamala Harris

(02:32:25) – Mass deportation

(02:37:48) – Steel man argument for Trump

(02:41:34) – January 6th

(02:44:17) – Mail-in ballots & voter ID

(02:48:26) – My final thoughts

(02:50:41) – Kaizen’s final thoughts & The Courage Collective

EP 244: Felipe Camargo — The Power of Drive + Creativity, Tropical Lines in Brazil, & Moonboard Endurance Circuits Oct 21, 2024

Felipe Camargo is a professional climber from Brazil and the first South American to climb 9b (5.15b). We talked about his humble beginnings in climbing and selling soda to fund his first competition, training for 5.15 on a 3-meter spray wall, how signing with Red Bull changed his life, why we climb, what he learned from Patxi Usobiaga, his new film Tropical Lines, climbing hotspots in South America, his current projects, and much more.

Become a Patron:

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Crimpd:

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Or download the Crimpd app for free!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:17) – Felipe’s intro to climbing

(00:03:43) – Training on a small spray wall

(00:05:54) – Ultimate Beastmaster

(00:08:53) – Becoming the first South American to climb 9b

(00:12:35) – Selling soda to fund his first competition

(00:14:42) – World Championships in Spain

(00:16:17) – Early sponsorships & traveling

(00:19:57) – Signing with Red Bull & TNF

(00:25:45) – Representing South America

(00:26:56) – Papichulo 9a+ (5.15a)

(00:28:33) – Goal oriented

(00:34:20) – “Why do we do this?”

(00:40:30) – Gancho Perfecto 9a+ (5.15a)

(00:41:46) – Full Journey & Perfecto Mundo

(00:44:20) – Training on a spray wall

(00:47:44) – Learning from Patxi Usobiaga

(00:50:56) – Being smarter with training

(00:54:29) – When to specialize

(00:57:22) – Felipe’s training as a kid

(00:59:48) – Tropical Lines

(01:08:28) – Climbing conditions in Brazil

(01:10:26) – Crags in Brazil

(01:14:32) – Hotspots in South America

(01:17:36) – More about Tropical Lines

(01:19:20) – Auto Retrato 9a+

(01:21:05) – The Grand Illusion V16

(01:25:29) – Full Journey 9b (5.15b)

(01:27:40) – El Bon Combat 9b (5.15b)

(01:28:23) – Endurance on the Moonboard

(01:33:35) – Wrap up & EXTRA teaser

Follow-Up: Matt Heyliger — Pulley Injury Rehab (Part 1) Oct 17, 2024

Matt Heyliger guides me through rehab for a minor A2 pulley injury. We talk about how the injury happened, what I should have done to nip it in the bud, the remodeling phase, when to do density hangs, when it's ok to push it, thoughts on taping, pain threshold testing, acupressure rings, how to climb around a pulley injury, and more. Stay tuned for part 2 next week.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:17:15.

Martin's Original Episode:

EP 143: Matt Heyliger

Work With Matt:

www.sendagain.co

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Banter with Matt

(00:03:47) – Overview of my finger injury

(00:06:42) – What I should have done

(00:17:44) – Remodeling & density hangs

(00:23:12) – The injury timeline

(00:25:00) – When to push it & thoughts on taping

(00:27:40) – Recap of our first PT session (not recorded)

(00:29:49) – Maintaining strength & avoiding barbells

(00:33:56) – 4x loading per day (6 reps of 10 seconds on, 20 seconds off)

(00:37:37) – BFR

(00:40:02) – Finger pain threshold testing

(00:46:27) – How I felt after finger testing

(00:47:40) – Planning out my climbing

(00:53:00) – Palpation & massage

(00:57:04) – Acupressure rings

(00:58:30) – The next phase of loading

(01:05:52) – Too many moves in a session

(01:07:34) – How to climb around a minor pulley injury

(01:09:41) – Tetris

(01:11:00) – Testing with tape

(01:12:11) – Plans for the coming week

EP 243: Fundamentals — How to Recover From an Injury Oct 14, 2024

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 5 of 6) — Injuries suck. And unfortunately, they happen to most of us who push against our limits. In part 5, we talk about what to do when you get injured. We cover the emotional and psychological side of injuries and share some tips and pitfalls to help you get back to climbing stronger than ever.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes:

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month.

KAYA:

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO.

Rhino Skin Solutions:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-s2-part-5

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:00:19) – Injuries we thought we wouldn’t come back from

(00:05:02) – Caveats, & the inevitability of injury

(00:09:19) – Jesse’s Tip #1: When you do get injured, see the most experienced climbing-specific professional that you can afford as soon as possible

(00:11:07) – Bonus Tip: Be persistent with your doctor and take control of your future

(00:14:23) – Steven’s Tip #1: Know that it’s going to be ok

(00:16:04) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Understand the relationship between velocity and volume

(00:19:07) – Steven’s Tip #2: Let yourself experience whatever emotions come up

(00:27:08) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Find ways to keep loading or climbing

(00:31:19) – My best onsight season ever

(00:35:07) – Steven’s Tip #3: Treat rehab like training (and how I rehabbed my first pulley injury)

(00:38:41) – Jesse’s Tip #4: Protect your identity

(00:43:16) – Steven’s Tip #4: Take a break from the climbing world if you need to

(00:46:59) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Seeing a medical pro who doesn’t understand your sport/identity

(00:52:40) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Testing/checking your injury constantly

(00:57:28) – More finger rehab tips

(00:58:53) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Ignoring it for too long (give your injury a chance to self-resolve)

(01:07:18) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Thinking of yourself as fragile or prone to reinjury after an injury

(01:09:54) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Being negative (talking and thinking negatively about your injury)

(01:14:13) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Trying to rush the process

(01:15:27) – Bonus Tip: Upper body injury = walk a lot. Lower body injury = Pull-ups.

(01:15:42) – Wrap up

EP 242: Molly Beard — The Language of Movement, Budgeting Your Body Dollars, and Advice From an L5 Routesetter Oct 07, 2024

Molly Beard was the first female L5 routesetter in the US. We talked about what climbing gyms were like in the 90s, how she got started in routesetting, learning the language of movement, getting her L5, dealing with misogyny, staying up to speed on setting trends, how to have longevity as a routesetter, budgeting your body dollars, advice for young routesetters, and much more.

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Fill out their Google form and enter to win one $500 hold credit.

Crimpd:

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PhysiVantage:

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Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order.

Green Chef:

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:34) – The Murder Room

(00:06:01) – How I met Molly 15 years ago

(00:10:02) – Molly’s background

(00:12:50) – Climbing gyms in the 90s

(00:14:45) – The language of movement

(00:20:54) – Becoming the puppet master

(00:29:14) – Routesetting in the 90s

(00:32:35) – Getting paid to set routes

(00:34:36) – The power of climbing

(00:35:49) – Getting her L5

(00:44:53) – Facing misogyny in routesetting

(00:51:21) – The progression of routesetting

(00:57:57) – Staying up to speed with the trends

(01:00:54) – Coordination

(01:02:34) – Specializing in lead

(01:04:55) – Youth comps & the next generation

(01:06:50) – Longevity as a routesetter

(01:12:10) – A tide shift

(01:18:29) – Molly’s current job & recent injuries

(01:22:08) – An evolving relationship with climbing

(01:24:49) – Finding separation

(01:35:20) – Body dollars & Jiu-Jitsu

(01:39:10) – Moving to Hood River

(01:43:06) – Advice for young routesetters

(01:47:25) – Where is climbing going?

(01:52:14) – Splitting the field

(01:56:17) – “Be less judgemental.”

(02:01:52) – Wrap up & EXTRA teaser

EP 241: Fundamentals — How to Train Your Fingers Sep 30, 2024

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 4 of 6) — Everybody wants stronger fingers. In this episode, Jesse and I share our top tips and pitfalls when it comes to building functional finger strength for climbing. We cover our favorite finger training methods, key principles to follow, how to apply your strength to the rock, how to avoid finger injuries, the power of consistency, and much more.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes:

The NUG:

Check out my new portable hangboard.

KAYA:

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO.

Check out the Tension Board 2:

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you.

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-s2-part-4

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – The NUG

(00:01:19) – Two things that have improved Jesse’s finger strength

(00:04:12) – Using climbing to gain finger strength

(00:07:53) – Overview

(00:09:05) – Steven’s Tip #1: Do something simple enough that you can be consistent with it, and do it for a very long time

(00:11:02) – Examples of simple consistency

(00:13:48) – Climbing on a board

(00:18:14) – Jesse’s Tip #1: You probably don’t need much finger training

(00:19:37) – Maintaining finger strength on a trip

(00:21:50) – Steven’s Tip #2: Use big edges to get strong and use small edges to apply that strength to the rock

(00:31:28) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Understand the adaptations from different styles of training

(00:37:41) – Owning the hold

(00:38:43) – Finger curls/active flexion

(00:42:53) – Building forearm capacity and endurance

(00:44:08) – Rate of force development

(00:46:12) – Wall crawls/crimp crawls/low gear

(00:48:33) – Steven’s Tip #3: Own the hold

(00:53:32) – RPE and 10-second hangs

(00:56:32) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Practice grips on the wall

(01:01:28) – Steven’s Tip #4: Train a variety of grip types

(01:11:54) – Bonus Tip: The Ladder Program

(01:14:56) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Training too heavy

(01:17:20) – Genetric freaks and the 200 lb goal

(01:18:25) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Not considering how you climb when you train your fingers (i.e. Your finger training should be specific to you)

(01:22:26) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Doing your finger training when you’re tired

(01:24:38) – Watching Tyler Nelson one-arm hang a 15mm edge when tired

(01:27:53) – Rate of Force test

(01:29:28) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Switching protocols too often

(01:30:30) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Too much “perfect” edge training

(01:34:44) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Stressing out about which protocol is “the best”

(01:36:30) – “It takes years”

(01:38:18) – Bonus Tip: N=1

(01:39:55) – Wrap up

EP 240: Alex Megos — Post-Olympic Sending Spree, the America Tour, and Making Changes to Reach His Full Potential Sep 23, 2024

Alex Megos is a German professional climber and a living legend. He recorded this podcast from the Flatanger campground during his recent sending spree in Norway. We talked about sending Change 9b+, why he is practicing his kneebar skills, future 9b+ and 9c projects, what it meant to him to send Bibliographie, his America Tour in 2013, how onsighting Estado Critico changed his career, making changes to reach his full potential, how many carrots he eats in a day, future competition goals, and more.

Become a Patron:

PhysiVantage:

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order.

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

Crimpd:

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

Check out the Tension Board 2:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alex-megos

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:38) – Change 9b+, kneebars, and two 9a’s

(00:09:35) – His 9b project in Flatanger

(00:10:26) – 9b+ & 9c projects

(00:14:45) – Bibliographie

(00:20:00) – Germans are easy to talk to

(00:21:08) – The America Tour

(00:34:59) – Becoming a professional climber

(00:38:07) – Onsighting Estado Critico 9a

(00:43:59) – Fighting his way up Change

(00:45:51) – Leg pump

(00:46:55) – Falling in love with Norway

(00:48:38) – The stress of projecting in Flatanger

(00:50:01) – His peak shape in 2017

(00:52:34) – Resting more to reach his full potential

(00:55:47) – 13 training sessions in a week

(00:57:34) – Working on climbing with less tape

(01:02:59) – Going vegan to sweat less, & avoiding processed food

(01:05:50) – Carrot consumption

(01:07:51) – Olympics

(01:11:31) – Bouldering competitions

(01:12:51) – The board master

(01:14:37) – Outdoor bouldering

(01:16:00) – Wrap up

BONUS: Ron Kauk — A Call for Future Generations Sep 19, 2024

Another phone call with Ron Kauk.

Donate to Sacred Rok if you wish:

sacredrok.org

EP 239: Fundamentals — How to Start Weight Training Sep 16, 2024

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 3 of 6) — In part 3, we step into the weight room. We cover weight training fundamentals, including the SAID principle, progressive overload, RPE, autoregulation, the big 4, and the rule of 10. We also discuss why we both lift, why climbers should train differently than weight lifters, programming ideas, common mistakes, and more.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes:

The NUG:

Check out my new portable hangboard.

Crimpd:

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month.

Rhino Skin Solutions:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

PhysiVantage:

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-s2-part-3

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – The NUG

(00:01:21) – Why Jesse lifts weights

(00:04:43) – Why I lift weights

(00:06:19) – The safety of weightlifting

(00:07:03) – Low-hanging fruit

(00:08:06) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Learn the basics (the SAID principle, progressive overload, RPE, autoregulation, and a basic understanding of anatomy)

(00:12:36) – How I use RPE, & a big mistake I made early on in my lifting

(00:13:16) – Other forms of RPE

(00:16:11) – A study on reps in reserve (RIR) lifting

(00:16:50) – A basic understanding of anatomy (ExRx.net)

(00:18:20) – Steven’s Tip #1: Train like an athlete in another sport, not like a weight lifter

(00:18:54) – The Big 4 (push, pull, hinge, squat), & an example program

(00:21:56) – The 10 Rep Rule

(00:25:13) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Learn how to modify your training

(00:35:47) – How to progress primary & accessory exercises

(00:37:26) – Why you should start with a compound exercise

(00:38:25) – Steven’s Tip #2: It’s ok to focus on the bare essentials

(00:40:43) – Way too much pulling training

(00:41:30) – Step #1 for new lifters

(00:44:07) – Drew Ruana bench press example

(00:45:42) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Load is more important to pay attention to than form

(00:47:30) – Steven’s Tip #3: Get specific strategically, and only after you build a base

(00:49:42) – Jesse’s Tip #4: You may need to reduce your climbing volume to adapt to your weight training

(00:55:52) – Bonus Tip: Learn about hardstyle training

(00:58:27) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Doing either too much or too little

(01:01:14) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Going ham

(01:01:14) – Bonus Pitfall: Not taking advantage of weight lifting when you’re young

(01:07:12) – You don’t have to go to level ten

(01:08:17) – Overall training load

(01:09:09) – A little bit is still beneficial

(01:11:04) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Not going heavy enough

(01:15:56) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Too specific, too special, or too fancy

(01:18:42) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Not eating enough protein

(01:22:32) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Not learning how to use autoregulation in some fashion

(01:26:02) – Bonus Pitfall: Forcing it

(01:27:57) – Nurturing your practice with weight training

(01:29:26) – Avoid boot camp training

(01:31:46) – Wrap up

EP 238: Girls Gone Hueco — Making the First All-Female Bouldering Film & the Power of a Girl Gang | ft. Midori Buechli & Long Truong Sep 15, 2024

Girls Gone Hueco is an all-female bouldering film now available on Vimeo. In this episode, I sit down with V11 climber Midori Buechli and filmmaker Long Truong to discuss the making of the film, the power of climbing with a girl gang, hidden costs of making a film, trash can showers, pad-less sends, imposter syndrome, advice for aspiring filmmakers, and more.

Watch Girls Gone Hueco:

girlsgonehueco.vhx.tv

KAYA:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/girls-gone-hueco

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO.

Shoutout to KAYA for supporting Girls Gone Hueco!

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:38) – Midori’s background

(00:09:08) – Long’s background

(00:13:26) – What Long learned making Girls Gone Hueco

(00:15:41) – What surprised Midori about the experience

(00:17:32) – Why Midori wanted to make the film

(00:20:30) – Forming the girl gang

(00:24:36) – How Long got involved with this film

(00:28:36) – Making the film

(00:37:48) – What they wish they had known

(00:40:10) – Hidden costs of making a film

(00:48:08) – Carving out the time to make a film

(00:50:57) – Trash can shower

(00:55:39) – Amanda’s pad-less send

(01:00:36) – Will there be a Girls Gone Hueco 2?

(01:01:35) – Takeaways

(01:06:11) – Where to watch the film

(01:06:45) – Advice for aspiring filmmakers

(01:10:03) – Imposter syndrome

(01:15:15) – Don’t be afraid to try

(01:16:45) – V11 in legit

(01:18:03) – Shoutout to Julie Ellison

(01:20:45) – Congratulations

EP 237: Yves Gravelle Returns — Why Lazy Athletes Get Strong, My 200 lb Grip Goal, and How to Combine Climbing With Targeted Finger Training Sep 09, 2024

Yves Gravelle returns to the podcast to help me get stronger fingers. We talked about my current finger strength goal, how to build a 3-month training program, best joint angles for edge lifting, limiting factors, the challenge for climbers with building finger strength, forearm hypertrophy exercises, how to know when you need more rest, how to combine board sessions with finger training, repeater protocols for long boulders, process goals, and much more.

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 237: Yves Gravelle Returns — Uncut Video

Become a Patron:

The NUG:

Check out my new portable hangboard design.

Crimpd:

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

Rhino Skin Solutions:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

Chalk Cartel:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/yves-gravelle-returns

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:59) – The 200 lb grip goal

(00:07:31) – How Yves makes a training program, the Gap Analysis, & benchmarking

(00:11:28) – Limiting factors

(00:12:15) – The Sport Audit

(00:15:13) – Joint angles for edge lifting

(00:19:19) – Specializing

(00:20:36) – The challenge for climbers with building finger strength

(00:21:18) – More on specialization

(00:22:51) – Forearm hypertrophy exercises

(00:24:58) – Lifting vs. hanging vs. overcoming isometrics

(00:30:33) – Grip positions for different goals

(00:36:07) – 20mm vs. 25mm edge training

(00:38:29) – How to build a 3-month grip training program

(00:45:56) – Yves’ edge lifting protocols

(00:53:35) – When to progress weight

(00:54:50) – Wellness questionnaire & readiness test

(00:56:20) – When to change your training schedule

(00:58:23) – When to push out of your comfort zone (i.e. The Shock Week)

(01:00:08) – Hypertrophy & long-term finger strength gains

(01:04:27) – Lazy athletes get strong

(01:05:29) – Repeaters

(01:07:44) – Changing your schedule or program

(01:10:48) – My takeaways so far

(01:12:02) – How to combine board sessions with finger training

(01:20:04) – Training for a 23-move boulder

(01:22:44) – Pacing & effeciency

(01:25:37) – Summary of my example training plan

(01:35:12) – More about repeaters

(01:40:46) – How to maintain finger strength in season

(01:48:05) – Yves’ recent grip comp & climbing goals

(01:55:22) – Yves’ gap analysis for comps

(01:57:15) – Planning & process goals

(01:59:05) – Yves’ job as a special effects artist

(02:01:06) – Yves’ YouTube channel

(02:01:54) – Climbers getting into grip sports

(02:02:47) – Outdoor rock goals & his last Hueco trip

(02:05:45) – Wrap up & EXTRA teaser for Patrons

EP 236: Fundamentals — How to Train on a Spray Wall Sep 02, 2024

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 2 of 6) — In part 2, we share our top tips for training on spray walls and home walls. We cover training setup considerations, route setting tips, best apps for saving and sharing climbs, mastering benchmark climbs, how to iterate on your climbs for incremental progress, hacks for building a home wall on a budget, and more.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes:

The NUG:

Check out my new portable hangboard.

Check out the Tension Board 2:

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you.

Mad Rock:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order.

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-s2-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:20) – Best spray walls

(00:05:46) – Terrain drives technique

(00:08:00) – Choosing a wall angle

(00:10:07) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Home wall setup considerations (Use a mix of good and bad holds, a mix of textures, complement your local area, etc.)

(00:13:05) – Steven’s Tip #1: Build yourself a repertoire of quality climbs, and try to master them

(00:17:45) – Bonus Tip: Cluster holds to build skills and learn movement

(00:19:12) – Bonus Tip: Iterate on your climbs for incremental progression

(00:24:52) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Supercharge your sessions with route setting

(00:27:59) – Steven’s Tip #2: Work on climbs that are hard for different reasons

(00:28:57) – Bonus Tip: Set chaotically (i.e. Set boulders without trying the moves, and try not to tweak them)

(00:33:17) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Do not underestimate the value of a short session on a home wall

(00:35:52) – Steven’s Tip #3: Circuits!

(00:40:13) – Jesse’s Tip #4: Make wood holds to save money

(00:43:27) – Steven’s Tip #4: Set foot moves

(00:49:23) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Always trying new stuff and having crap sessions

(00:52:08) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Not having the right mix of holds for the skill level

(00:54:33) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Not keeping track of your sessions

(00:55:51) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Not stopping when you power down (i.e. climbing too much and getting injured)

(00:57:40) – Sandbagging on spray walls, and trusting your eyes

(00:59:42) – Steven’s Pitfall # 3: Only having big blobby footholds

(01:02:03) – Steven’s Pitfall #4: Not making your home wall cool (plus tips for building a cool home wall on a budget)

(01:07:32) – Quantum leaps

EP 235: Dr. Amy Frugé — Why Your Spine & Stress Might Be Responsible for Your Forearm & Finger Pain Aug 27, 2024

Dr. Amy Frugé (DPT) is a former Martial Arts World Champion, rock climber, and the founder of Converge Physical Therapy. We talked about extremity and finger pain from unusual sources, how to maintain a healthy spine, how emotions and stress affect our pain, psychedelic experiences, the pain, tension, and fear triangle, ways to empty your stress bucket, and much more.

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 235: Dr. Amy Frugé — Uncut Videos

Become a Patron:

Rhino Skin Solutions:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

KAYA:

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

PhysiVantage:

Use code "NUG20" at checkout for 20% off your next order of collagen or protein!

Crimpd:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/amy-fruge

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:26) – Pregnancy & maternity leave

(00:04:05) – Overview

(00:05:31) – Amy’s martial arts background

(00:10:21) – Confidence

(00:13:29) – Point sparring & boxing

(00:18:14) – Pivoting to climbing

(00:22:24) – How Amy’s athletic background informs her work with climbers

(00:24:25) – Starting her Physical Therapy business during covid

(00:27:13) – Radiculopathy

(00:28:59) – Elbow & finger pain from the spine

(00:39:53) – A pulley injury that turned out to be from the spine

(00:47:00) – Be careful how you snuggle

(00:49:06) – How to maintain a healthy spine

(00:52:44) – Shoulder pain & directional preference

(00:59:37) – Go-to tells of spinal issues

(01:01:15) – Finding a provider

(01:02:39) – How emotions & stress affect our pain

(01:09:08) – The bucket analogy

(01:10:23) – Pain is protective

(01:11:37) – Stress & mindset

(01:18:27) – Science vs. woowoo, & left vs. right

(01:23:09) – Psychedelic-assisted therapy

(01:27:48) – My psychedelic experiences

(01:29:26) – Another client success story

(01:36:58) – The pain, tension, & fear triangle

(01:40:54) – Ways to empty your stress bucket

(01:47:17) – Our many different buckets, & introverts vs. extroverts

(01:51:20) – Be more like a dog

(01:54:42) – Wrap up

EP 234: Fundamentals — How to Climb on a Training Board Aug 19, 2024

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 1 of 6) — In this episode, Jesse and I each share our top tips and pitfalls for how to climb on a training board, such as a Tension Board, Moonboard, Kilter Board, Grasshopper Board, etc. This episode contains nuggets for folks who are just getting started with board climbing, as well as seasoned board lords.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes:

The NUG:

Check out my new portable hangboard design.

Revival Climbing Coalition:

EP 225: Tony Bell & David Bress (my episode with the founders of Revival)

Crimpd:

Or download the Crimpd app.

Chalk Cartel:

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order.

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-s2-part-1

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:14) – Our board climbing experience

(00:05:42) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Treat it like training (pay attention to weekly volume and progress it slowly)

(00:07:09) – Bonus Tip: Keep board sessions short when training power

(00:10:21) – Steven’s Tip #1: Have a clear plan for your session (and develop 2-3 go-to session formats that work well for you)

(00:11:39) – Example board session formats

(00:13:45) – Wall crawls (aka crimp crawls) & Jesse’s 3x3 session

(00:15:32) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Be creative and use the whole board as a tool (use extra holds/feet to learn hard moves)

(00:22:44) – Steven’s Tip #2: Don’t be afraid to break the rules

(00:25:08) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Jesse shares his methodology for teaching V4/5 clients how to use the Moonboard

(00:29:32) – Steven’s Tip #3: Do what you can do consistently and build on it slowly over time

(00:31:38) – Bonus Tip: Work hard moves backwards, and jump from the ground to practice latching

(00:32:53) – Bonus Tip: Find a TB2 to climb on (and why I chose the TB2)

(00:34:01) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Using your board as your only form of climbing

(00:37:59) – More about wall crawls (aka crimp crawls)

(00:39:03) – More love for the TB2

(00:44:32) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Taking board grades too seriously

(00:47:49) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Using board grades to downgrade outdoor climbs

(00:49:04) – Benchmark rants

(00:50:39) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Too much too fast

(00:53:13) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Doing too much of the same thing

(00:54:44) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Doing too much off-the-wall finger training in conjunction with board climbing

(00:56:56) – One thing I like to do on the hangboard if I’m board training a lot

(00:57:48) – You need a reason to train things

(00:59:17) – Using wall crawls to maintain finger strength

(01:00:38) – Wrap up

Fundamentals Season 2 Kickoff Aug 19, 2024

We're back with Fundamentals Season 2! Jesse Firestone joins me again for six new episodes covering some of the fundamental elements of becoming a better climber. In season 2, we'll dive deeper into several important aspects of training, injury recovery, and how to break plateaus. Stay tuned for more episodes coming soon.

Listen to Fundamentals episodes:

EP 233: Olympic Reactions With Allison Vest — Uncut Video

EP 233: Olympic Reactions With Allison Vest Aug 12, 2024

Allison Vest joins me to talk about the Paris Olympics! We talked about our biggest surprises from the men’s and women’s combined semifinals, our thoughts on the route setting, what defines an “electric” boulder, why speed was so great to watch, heartbreaking results, men’s and women’s combined finals, who we are most excited to see bring their Olympic fitness to the rocks, and much more!

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

Become a Patron:

KAYA:

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

PhysiVantage:

Use code "NUG20" at checkout for 20% off your next order of collagen or protein!

Rhino Skin Solutions:

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Mad Rock:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/olympic-reactions

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:35) – How we watched the Olympics

(00:08:57) – Overall reaction

(00:10:58) – Power, Electric, Slab, & Coordination

(00:13:59) – Men’s final boulder 1

(00:16:39) – Surprises from the men’s semifinal

(00:19:25) – Adam Ondra & Jakob Schubert

(00:23:11) – The unknown format for LA

(00:26:10) – Olympic rules & limitations

(00:27:55) – Niche Olympic sports & pride for climbing

(00:30:28) – Speed recap

(00:35:40) – Heartbreak

(00:43:25) – Colin Duffy

(00:45:58) – Jakob’s point deduction in bouldering

(00:47:12) – Men’s final boulder 3

(00:50:31) – Toby Roberts & Sorato Anraku

(00:53:03) – What Toby’s gold means for the GB Team

(00:55:41) – Colin on men’s final boulder 4

(00:58:45) – Surprises from the women’s semifinal

(01:04:07) – The OQS series & the effects of qualifying at different times

(01:07:16) – Brooke Raboutou

(01:11:11) – Janja Garnbret

(01:19:36) – Climbers are wonderful

(01:28:24) – Women’s top 3

(01:29:24) – Will climbing grow after the Olympics?

(01:32:39) – Which Olympians we are excited to see climb outdoors

(01:41:14) – The skills of outdoor climbing

(01:51:03) – Camera angles & World Cup challenges

(01:53:29) – Will Allison compete again?

(01:54:39) – Wrap up

EP 232: Natalia Grossman (Olympian) — Her Breakout Success, Overcoming Mental & Physical Hurdles, & What It Takes to Win Aug 05, 2024

Natalia Grossman is a World Champion and 3x overall World Cup winner and will compete for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. We talked about spending time in Mexico as a kid, her breakout year in 2021, dealing with public criticism, working on her mindset, how to win without being the strongest person competing, hard outdoor sends and goals, her happiest moments, her top training advice, and much more.

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 232: Natalia Grossman — Uncut Video

Become a Patron:

PhysiVantage:

Use code "NUG20" at checkout for 20% off your next order of collagen or protein!

BetterHelp:

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

Crimpd:

greenchef.com/nuggetclass

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

Green Chef:

Use code "nuggetclass" for 50% off your first box + 50 FREE Credits with ClassPass.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/natalia-grossman

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:46) – Natalia’s parents

(00:03:08) – Spending summers in Mexico & speaking Spanish

(00:08:10) – Discovering climbing

(00:11:25) – Her breakout year in 2021 & dealing with public criticism

(00:16:44) – Facing pressure in 2022

(00:19:58) – The hardest year

(00:22:36) – Health challenges & learning to listen to her body

(00:26:42) – Learning & hobbies

(00:28:46) – Studying psychology

(00:31:04) – Finding balance

(00:37:10) – “It’s not always the strongest person who wins.”

(00:38:15) – What does it take to win?

(00:39:51) – Setters’ influence on comps

(00:42:08) – Natalia’s leadup to the Olympics

(00:45:12) – Smile & Fight

(00:50:45) – Don’t be ashamed to ask for help

(00:53:48) – Hard outdoor sends

(00:58:49) – Projecting & outdoor goals

(01:01:54) – Freezing

(01:06:17) – Why Natalia doesn’t like rituals

(01:08:11) – Competition underwear

(01:09:26) – Rapid fire questions

(01:11:42) – Gymnastics culture

(01:13:24) – More rapid-fire questions

(01:18:22) – Her happiest moment

(01:21:41) – Deep convos, training advice, & following psych

(01:25:22) – Wrap up & EXTRA for Patrons

EP 231: Colin Duffy (Olympian) — His Journey as a 2x Olympian, Comp Scoring & Strategy, & Future Outdoor Goals Jul 29, 2024

Colin Duffy is a 2x Olympian, 3x World Cup winner, and V16 boulderer from Colorado. We talked about puzzles, studying applied math, early competitions, joining Team ABC, getting 70th in his first open event, learning how to lose gracefully, qualifying and competing in Tokyo, how the Olympic scoring has changed, his strategy for Paris, future outdoor rock climbing goals, and much more!

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 231: Colin Duffy — Uncut Video

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Check out the Tension Board 2!

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Tindeq!

Use code “nugget” for $10 off your order!

Check out KAYA!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/colin-duffy

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:25) – Puzzles & applied math

(00:06:32) – Mom & dad

(00:07:29) – Early comps & Team ABC

(00:11:22) – Tokyo Olympics

(00:17:15) – Strategy & scoring

(00:20:00) – The format for Paris

(00:25:00) – The World Championships in Switzerland

(00:28:05) – Youth comps

(00:30:41) – Clutch mentality

(00:33:28) – Keeping sport & life separate

(00:35:53) – Gap semester & training in Europe

(00:41:24) – 360 Paddle Dyno

(00:43:52) – Coordination

(00:49:13) – Lead training

(00:52:22) – Comp grades

(00:57:12) – Comp boulders that haunt him

(01:01:02) – Learning how to lose

(01:04:58) – His first open comp

(01:08:06) – Putting on muscle

(01:16:18) – Letting off steam

(01:18:31) – The Grand Hustle V13

(01:20:24) – Bookkeeping V16

(01:22:22) – Outdoor goals

(01:30:47) – Rapid fire questions

(01:47:45) – Wrap up

EP 230: Emma Hunt (Olympian) — Why Speed Climbing is Legit, the Mental Game & Strategy of Racing, & Chasing World Records Jul 22, 2024

Emma Hunt is the US speed climbing record holder and will compete in the Paris Olympics. We talked about her intro to speed climbing, how strong you have to be for speed climbing, speed training, how speed shoes compare to other climbing shoes, her mental game and strategy in comps, prejudice against speed in the climbing world, whether the speed route will ever change, why speed is cool, and much more!

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 230: Emma Hunt — Uncut Video

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

Check out Mad Rock!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order!

PhysiVantage SUMMER SPECIAL!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/emma-hunt

Use code "NUG20" at checkout for 20% off your next order of collagen or protein!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:50) – Emma’s intro to climbing & speed

(00:04:08) – “I just wanna go fast.”

(00:06:48) – Keeping the fire lit

(00:09:28) – Beta changes

(00:12:08) – The Start, Dyno, and Top

(00:13:10) – Speed nerds

(00:16:19) – A rock climber first

(00:18:10) – Post-Olympic plans

(00:20:41) – How strong are speed climbers?

(00:23:25) – How speed climbers train

(00:28:42) – Training sections of the speed route

(00:30:14) – Off-the-wall training

(00:31:56) – Her coaches

(00:35:06) – Speed shoes

(00:44:59) – Other sports

(00:46:27) – Rock climbing as a kid

(00:48:27) – What makes Emma so good at speed

(00:49:58) – Pre-race rituals

(00:51:36) – Speed mental game

(00:56:37) – Olympic vs. World Cup format

(00:59:06) – Seeds & sides

(01:00:39) – Strategy

(01:05:01) – Riding waves

(01:11:28) – More about the Olympic format

(01:13:18) – Speed prejudice & Toyko combined format

(01:27:51) – Future Bouldering & Lead comps

(01:29:20) – Speed climbing in the mainstream

(01:35:22) – We celebrate gold

(01:40:39) – Barriers to speed

(01:42:30) – Emma’s fastest time & goals

(01:44:49) – Will the speed route ever change?

(01:51:56) – 50-year-old goals

(01:53:45) – Rapid fire questions

(02:07:51) – Speed is cool

EP 229: Shauna Coxsey (Olympian) — Climbing Harder After Pregnancy, Motivation vs. Commitment, and Letting Kids Be Themselves Jul 15, 2024

Shauna Coxsey is the most successful competition climber in the UK and the first British woman to climb V12, V13, and V14. We talked about becoming a mom, sitting in and sharing our emotions, human nature and the joy of climbing, inspiration vs. aspiration, motivation vs. commitment, competing in Tokyo, retiring from comps, sending Hazel Grace V14 in terrible conditions, pushing for her V15 goal as a mom, and much more!

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 229: Shauna Coxsey — Uncut Video

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Check out KAYA!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out the Tension Board 2!

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/shauna-coxsey

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:30) – Frankie

(00:03:58) – Becoming a mom

(00:12:48) – Sit in and share emotions

(00:15:09) – Parenting

(00:20:15) – Support network

(00:22:06) – Shauna’s upbringing

(00:23:10) – Catherine Destivelle

(00:26:16) – The joy of climbing

(00:31:16) – Human nature

(00:34:22) – Her first big competition

(00:37:34) – Being raised by her sister

(00:40:49) – Protecting passion in kids

(00:47:54) – Frankie’s Nany, Arona

(00:52:10) – As honest as her vulnerability allows

(00:55:13) – Inspiration vs. aspiration

(00:58:34) – Motivation vs. commitment

(01:01:38) – Her proudest achievement

(01:04:12) – Hazel Grace 8B+/V14

(01:05:42) – Coming back after pregnancy

(01:12:13) – Wanting to look and feel strong again

(01:17:52) – Hips, butt, & YouTube tips

(01:24:02) – Commentating

(01:28:17) – Tokyo

(01:31:31) – 50 best 7s

(01:34:32) – Pushing for goals as a mom

(01:41:10) – The magic of being here

(01:43:19) – Any 8C/V15 goals?

(01:47:38) – Wrap up

EP 228: How to Easily Improve Your Flexibility for Climbing — Josh Hadley (Lattice Training) Jul 08, 2024

Josh Hadley is a leading flexibility coach in climbing and the face behind the Lattice YouTube Channel. I’ve struggled with stretching routines over the years, and this episode completely changed my flexibility training. In this episode, Josh shares his top 4 stretches for inflexible climbers and introduces key concepts like chasing horizontal, weighted stretching, tempo, contract and relax, reducing friction, best times to stretch, and more. We also covered his recent CARCing experiment and other topics. Enjoy!

Flex Master Discount:

Use code NUGGET20 to get 20% off the Flex Master Bundle

latticetraining.com/product/flex-master-bundle-stretching-tools

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 228: Josh Hadley — Uncut Video

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Check out the Tension Board 2!

Or use the Tension app to find a TB2 near you!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

PhysiVantage SUMMER SPECIAL!

Use code "NUG20" at checkout for 20% off your next order of collagen or protein!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/josh-hadley

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:59) – CARCing

(00:10:38) – Unstructured training

(00:12:13) – How Josh became the flexibility guy

(00:17:47) – Bringing critical force testing to Lattice

(00:25:25) – Flexibility assessments

(00:32:14) – Abduction

(00:32:44) – Buy in for flexibility training

(00:41:47) – How often do you need to train flexibility

(00:44:19) – The #1 flexibility exercise for boulderers (pancake)

(00:47:57) – Weighted & PNF stretching

(00:53:36) – Josh’s flexibility progress

(00:59:40) – Morphology limitations

(01:03:11) – Standing Pancake

(01:08:56) – Chasing horizontal

(01:13:43) – Tasking & motivation

(01:16:40) – Pancake stance width

(01:18:11) – Progressing the weight & tempo stretching

(01:24:51) – Do you have to warm up for flexibility training?

(01:27:40) – Pancake protocol

(01:30:06) – How Josh builds a flexibility session

(01:34:11) – Mobility vs. flexibility

(01:39:58) – Calve stretching

(01:46:01) – 4 stretches for inflexible climbers

(01:52:24) – Reducing friction

(01:55:00) – Stretching doesn’t have to look like climbing

(01:56:57) – PNF or contract-relax stretching

(02:00:57) – Best times to stretch

(02:04:41) – Breathing

(02:07:14) – When to switch to maintenance

(02:11:40) – What running does to your flexibility

(02:12:54) – Josh’s climbing & BJJ

(02:19:17) – The impact of flexibility on Josh’s climbing

(02:22:07) – Josh’s final advice

(02:25:32) – YouTube experimenting

(02:27:49) – Wrap up

EP 227: Nature Climbing — How to Prep Your Skin for a Trip, Hangboarding on Granite, and Building a Brand You Are Proud Of Jul 01, 2024

How are granite climbing holds made? Are there benefits to training on rock? In this episode, I am joined by Mads Bulow Duus and Pawel Rogowski from Nature Climbing. We go behind the scenes on the origin story of their brand, the craftsmanship behind their beautiful products, how to build a successful brand, training and skin conditioning on granite hangboards, the future of climbing holds, and much more!

Use Code ‘NUGGET’ for 20% Off ANY Nature Climbing Products! ▶︎ https://natureclimbing.com/

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/nature-climbing

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:08) – Banter

(00:05:02) – My first experience with Nature holds

(00:08:13) – Glass blowing & Nature’s origin story

(00:10:56) – Early holds

(00:12:28) – Mads’ climbing background

(00:16:28) – Pawel’s marketing background

(00:25:32) – How Mads & Pawel connected

(00:27:15) – Mads’ dream

(00:28:32) – Pawel’s career pivot

(00:37:06) – Fixing the basics

(00:43:51) – Scaling a handcrafted business

(00:52:23) – Sustainability & respect

(00:55:51) – Buying holds

(00:58:33) – Who Nature is for

(01:06:53) – Developing new products

(01:09:27) – The Nature Circuit

(01:10:48) – World Cup routes

(01:12:43) – Their vision for Nature

(01:17:56) – Their dream lifestyles

(01:23:00) – Proudest of

(01:28:42) – Elevator pitch

(01:29:54) – Training on granite

(01:33:39) – Discount code

EP 226: Justen Sjong — How to Master ANY Technique, Send Faster, & Float on the Wall With ‘The Climbing Sensei’ Jun 24, 2024

Justen Sjong (The Climbing Sensei) is a world-class climber and coach who specializes in technique and mental game. This episode is a technique masterclass. We talk about the four stages of technique, how to practice any new skill, how to send faster, his goal to climb 9a before 60, and Justen coaches me on how to float on the wall using his drop-drive-stop method.

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 226: Justen Sjong — Uncut Video

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:25) – Justen’s climbing background

(00:07:27) – Fear and anxiety

(00:11:30) – Some of Justen’s hardest routes

(00:14:55) – Defining “technique”

(00:18:05) – Defining “effective” & “efficient”

(00:21:14) – Reflection & confidence

(00:26:22) – Our three batteries

(00:27:24) – Four Stages of Technique: Balance, Thought, Movement, & Rate

(00:43:06) – Diving into a specific technique

(00:50:48) – Drop, Drive, Stop

(01:02:00) – How to practice Drop, Drive, Stop

(01:11:44) – Structuring practice

(01:14:28) – Pro Tip for Drop, Drive, Stop

(01:16:48) – Alex Puccio’s posture

(01:19:17) – Getting into the moment

(01:21:00) – Three questions

(01:23:45) – Shifting from thinking to feeling

(01:30:36) – How to practice ANY technique

(01:35:47) – Sending things faster

(01:44:57) – The ragged edge & perfect repeats

(01:50:43) – Board climbers

(01:54:06) – Watching & noticing

(01:57:19) – Retiring after ‘Magic Mushroom’

(02:01:13) – Justen’s big goal

(02:03:29) – What he is working on in his climbing

(02:07:47) – Closing questions & nuggets

(02:31:17) – Wrap up & EXTRA teaser

EP 225: Steven Gets His Dream Home Wall! | ft. Tony Bell and David Bress, Founders of Revival Climbing Coalition Jun 20, 2024

In this episode, I crack open a beer with Tony Bell and David Bress, the two founders of Revival Climbing Coalition. The two of them installed my dream home wall in 2.5 hours and I was blown away by the craftsmanship and elegance of the design. We talked about their backgrounds, how they bootstrapped a climbing wall business, what sets their products apart, the biggest surprises they faced, sustainability challenges, future products and innovations, and more!

Revival’s Adjustable Climbing Walls:

revivalclimbing.com/adjustable-climbing-wall

Revival’s Landing Systems:

revivalclimbing.com/custom-mats

revivalclimbing.com/standard-mats

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/revival-climbing-coalition

Nuggets:

00:00:00 – Intro

00:01:45 – Breakfast banter

00:04:06 – David’s background

00:09:06 – Mount Moran

00:13:09 – Tony’s background

00:16:24 – Getting into the climbing wall industry

00:21:09 – The birth of Revival Climbing Coalition

00:25:00 – What sets Revival apart

00:33:01 – The cost of the wall

00:36:45 – The board

00:39:10 – Turkeys

00:40:25 – Bootstrapping and outsourcing

00:45:12 – Biggest surprises

00:47:37 – What sets their board apart

00:52:49 – Engineered lumber

00:56:38 – Sustainability

01:00:36 – Ease of installation

01:02:38 – Gym partners and shipping

01:04:40 – The future of Revival

01:08:45 – More about landing systems

01:09:50 – What’s next for Revival

01:13:31 – Wrap up

EP 224: Jana Švecová — Pushing the Limits of Female Bouldering, Finding Silver Linings When Injured, and Chasing a Lifetime Goal Jun 17, 2024

Jana Švecová is a professional rock climber from the Czech Republic who has emerged as one of the top female boulderers in the world. We talked about her upbringing and her early success in competitions, her pivot to outdoor bouldering, her inspiration for choosing ‘Terranova’ 8C+/V16 as a project, making the first ascent of ‘Nova’ 8C/V15, using her finger injury as an opportunity, current training, and much more!

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 224: Jana Švecová — Uncut Video

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:44) – Jana’s upbringing

(00:07:18) – Quitting her job to climb full time

(00:08:38) – What inspires her about ‘Terranova’ 8C+/V16

(00:12:39) – Climbing has it all

(00:18:08) – A natural talent

(00:22:20) – Discovering outdoor bouldering

(00:25:57) – Childhood best friends

(00:30:04) – Sharing successes

(00:33:04) – ‘Nova’ 8C/V15

(00:47:56) – The frustrations of projecting

(00:50:46) – The next steps for ‘Terranova’

(00:54:02) – Using her finger injury as an opportunity

(00:58:22) – Working with her coach

(01:03:23) – Improving her shoulder strength

(01:08:09) – How her training has changed

(01:11:58) – Building a climbing wall in a second apartment

(01:15:18) – Building my own home wall

(01:17:55) – Training for ‘Terranova’

(01:30:02) – Motivation and side projects

(01:35:18) – Self-belief

(01:37:46) – Coordination and muscle memory

(01:40:37) – Harry Potter museum

(01:43:21) – Hand tattoos

(01:44:39) – Favorite post-climbing food

(01:46:15) – Ultimate achievement

(01:48:51) – Best decision

(01:53:17) – Bug snacks

(01:56:00) – Happiest moment

(01:58:58) – Silver linings

(02:03:11) – Proudest of

(02:06:47) – Favorite rock type

(02:07:22) – Go-to climbing shoes

(02:11:27) – Wrap up

EP 223: Aidan Roberts — Navigating Pro Climbing, Establishing His Two Hardest Boulders, and Glimpsing Mastery Jun 10, 2024

Aidan Roberts returns to the podcast! Aidan is at the cutting edge of bouldering and is one of the most genuine people I’ve had the pleasure of talking to. We talk about professional climbing and today’s media landscape, and he brings us up to speed on the last year and a half of his climbing and shares the full stories of ‘Spots of Time’ and ‘Arrival of the Birds’, two new boulders proposed 9A/V17.

We recorded this a couple of days after my chat with him and Sam on their podcast. I was honored to join them and I loved the conversation. Check it out for some reflections amongst the three of us about our podcasting and climbing.

Watch the Video Interview:

EP 223: Aidan Roberts Returns — Uncut Video

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Check out Mad Rock!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

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Use code "NUG20" at checkout for 20% off your next order of collagen or protein!

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thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/aidan-roberts-returns

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:59) – Recooperation phase

(00:08:18) – Powering through

(00:10:24) – Course corrections

(00:13:58) – Climbing as his work

(00:21:45) – Enduring austerity

(00:24:17) – His role as a pro climber

(00:29:28) – Our relationships with climbing

(00:35:54) – Navigating pro climbing

(00:45:44) – Valuing integrity

(00:49:11) – Climbing media & being impressionable

(00:52:51) – Reflecting on experiences

(01:04:23) – Aidan’s last year and a half

(01:08:54) – The Midnight Project (Arrival of the Birds)

(01:33:30) – Trying Burden last Fall

(01:41:47) – Ticino with Shawn Raboutou

(01:46:41) – Back to The Midnight Project

(01:50:28) – The Helvellyn Project (Spots of Time)

(02:03:39) – Training in the UK last winter

(02:07:03) – Sending Spots of Time

(02:08:18) – Sending Arrival of the Birds

(02:30:31) – Glimpsing mastery

(02:33:33) – Appreciating the places we climb

(02:38:06) – Proposing grades

(02:52:01) – Is Arrival of the Birds 9A+?

(03:08:35) – Exhausted & reexamining eating

(03:12:42) – His foot injury & next climbing steps

(03:14:23) – Plans for an EXTRA

(03:18:22) – An adventurous attitude

(03:20:04) – Burden of Dreams

(03:26:03) – Finnish bouldering

(03:32:48) – Wrap up

EP 222: Paul Houghoughi — How to Bulletproof Your Knees, Strengthen Your Shoulders, and Maintain a Happy Neck Jun 03, 2024

Paul Houghoughi (The Climbing Physio) returns for our promised part 2! This was every bit as good as our first episode. In part 2 we focused on how to build bulletproof knees and hamstrings for heel hooks, how to prevent shoulder injuries, how to strengthen and mobilize your neck and back, some of the most common changes to climber’s bodies as we age, and more. Paul also shared helpful advice for folks who feel overwhelmed by the endless possibilities of injury prevention.

We covered fingers, wrists, and elbows in EP 207.

Watch the Video Interview of this episode:

EP 222: Paul Houghoughi Return — Uncut Video!

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Check out KAYA!

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Check out Crimpd!

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Or download the Crimpd app for free!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:10) – Life update from Steven

(00:11:07) – OQS banter

(00:13:34) – Recap of my first episode with Paul (EP 207)

(00:18:48) – Wrist widgets

(00:23:33) – TFCC pain & injury prevention

(00:27:41) – Knee exercises for heel hooks

(00:32:44) – Lifting straps for hamstring training

(00:35:33) – Copenhagen planks with flexed hip

(00:39:20) – Clarifying questions

(00:43:50) – Protocols for hamstring work

(00:48:52) – Nordic curls

(00:51:52) – One-the-wall rehab for knee injuries

(00:54:51) – Sumo deadlift

(00:55:51) – How to train for tweaky heel hooks

(00:58:11) – Recap of hamstring rehab

(00:59:01) – How to strengthen your neck and back for carrying crash pads

(01:08:11) – Stop firefighting

(01:10:14) – How to release tight neck muscles

(01:12:38) – Daily joint mobilization

(01:15:15) – Multifidus injury & more neck rehab ideas

(01:22:05) – Shoulder injuries

(01:27:11) – How to build bulletproof shoulders

(01:31:01) – Turkish Get-Ups and kettlebells

(01:36:03) – Doing things for a specific reason

(01:41:17) – Having a meaningful goal

(01:43:01) – Good pain vs. bad pain

(01:48:46) – Patterns in aging climbers

(01:53:20) – Good climbers vs. Olympians

(01:55:59) – Coach & clinician symbiosis

(01:58:45) – The booty thrust

(02:02:11) – Tips for aspiring Physios

(02:06:52) – How Paul maintains an 8A level

(02:11:01) – What’s next for Paul

(02:13:02) – EXTRA teaser for Patrons

EXTRA: Keenan Takahashi — Mustache Q&A, Highballing Near Misses, and Japanese Climbing Culture May 30, 2024

Keenan betrays his mustache by revealing its deepest secrets, and then talks about his experience with 'Insomniac' V16, his trips to Japan, what stood out to him about the Japanese climbing culture, favorite anime, home wall dreams, footwork tips, and his nearest misses while highballing and how they changed his feelings about future highballs.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! The full version is 57:20.

EXTRA: Keenan Takahashi — Uncut Video

Watch the Video Interview:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Mustache Q&A Part 1

(00:07:38) – Sticky climber

(00:09:00) – Finger strength

(00:13:29) – Aesthetics

(00:15:56) – Insomniac

(00:17:42) – Japanese climbing culture

(00:25:32) – Logistics of traveling to Japan

(00:26:33) – Anime

(00:27:07) – Realizing his potential

(00:32:23) – Home wall dreams

(00:35:20) – Ethan and Lucas

(00:37:19) – Mustache Q&A Part 2

(00:39:09) – Best climbing years

(00:42:12) – Footwork tips

(00:45:39) – Benchmark Berkeley

(00:46:14) – Shoutout

(00:46:26) – Fast food

(00:47:20) – A Little Life and highballing

(00:50:09) – Doomsday

(00:54:37) – Future highballs

EP 221: Keenan Takahashi — ‘The Gold Standard’, Learning From Limit Moves, and the Origin Story of ANTIGRAV May 27, 2024

Keenan Takahashi is one of the top boulders in the world. We talked about the origin story of his clothing company ANTIGRAV, the importance of carving out space for creativity, establishing his latest V15 FA ‘The Gold Standard’, watching Sean Bailey send ‘Devilution’, unclimbed king lines in Bishop, shifting his focus to meaningful hard climbs, his stubbornness, why trying limit moves makes him a better climber, learning the macro from the micro, accessing try hard, why he started training, upcoming goals, and much more! I’ve wanted to talk to Keenan since the very beginning of the podcast, and this turned out to be one of my all-time favorite interviews.

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

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Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

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Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/keenan-takahashi

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:47) – Kalkoentjie

(00:06:22) – Buried in admin

(00:09:48) – What Keenan’s life looks like

(00:15:25) – Taking space

(00:18:08) – The origin story of ANTIGRAV

(00:28:02) – Selling an emotion

(00:32:47) – Making a climbing pant

(00:34:12) – Creating value

(00:37:56) – Exclusive brands

(00:42:12) – The small drop model

(00:47:48) – Committing

(00:49:50) – Climbing better than ever

(00:55:15) – The Finnish Line

(01:00:13) – Jimmy Webb’s development in Tahoe

(01:02:00) – Chasing dream lines

(01:03:20) – Satisfaction

(01:07:57) – 10 more things

(01:10:23) – Devilution

(01:15:51) – Unclimbed projects in Bishop

(01:18:23) – The Gold Standard

(01:43:47) – Stubbornness

(01:46:20) – Learning from one limit move

(01:49:33) – Learning the macro from the micro

(01:51:52) – What he learned from Spectre

(01:53:52) – Surrounding himself with stronger climbers

(01:55:12) – V15 at 50, and working weaknesses

(01:58:30) – Trying hard

(02:08:11) – Passion and relinquishing obsession

(02:10:22) – Cultivating fun

(02:14:47) – Measuring progress

(02:20:52) – The Dark Side

(02:23:47) – Ireland plans

(02:28:38) – Wrap up

EP 220: Alannah Yip (Olympian) — Alopecia, Finding Power Beyond Hair Loss, and Her Fight Against Disordered Eating May 20, 2024

Alannah Yip is a professional climber from Canada who competed at the Tokyo Olympics. We talked about getting diagnosed with alopecia and the emotional journey of losing her hair, taking back her power, preparing for the Olympic Qualifying Series, lessons from Tokyo, mantras for slab boulders, her involvement with IFSC policies to prevent eating disorders and RED-S, her eating disorder as a teenager, why she plans to retire from comps, rock climbing goals, and much more!

Become a Patron

EP 220: Alannah Yip — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

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The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alannah-yip

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:11) – Alopecia

(00:07:31) – Identity crisis

(00:11:33) – Deciding to shave her head

(00:12:55) – Taking back her power

(00:19:55) – Setting it on the back burner

(00:25:33) – Training camps

(00:30:23) – Alannah’s coaches

(00:33:47) – Training for Paris vs. Tokyo

(00:39:26) – Feelings about Tokyo

(00:42:08) – Lessons from Tokyo

(00:44:06) – Training with other women

(00:46:52) – Working on slab

(00:50:10) – The Olympic Qualifying Series

(00:55:00) – Olympic vs. World Cup lead style

(00:59:27) – Why she quit comps during college

(01:02:10) – Making the jump to World Cups

(01:04:35) – Reexamining her relationship with climbing as an adult

(01:08:54) – Engineering & coaching

(01:11:28) – Excited to retire from comps

(01:18:24) – IFSC policies to prevent eating disorders & RED-S

(01:30:05) – Self-reporting & BMI

(01:35:39) – Alannah’s eating disorder as a teenager

(01:41:53) – The turning point

(01:43:50) – Dealing with hard moments

(01:45:30) – Conflicted feelings about food

(01:48:13) – Alannah’s PSAs

(01:50:15) – My PSA

(01:53:03) – Mutual appreciation

(01:55:05) – What’s next

(01:56:24) – Rapid fire Qs

(02:01:21) – Occasionally on Instagram

(02:04:49) – Wrap up

EP 219: Fitz Cahall (The Dirtbag Diaries, Climbing Gold) — A Lifetime of Storytelling, Taking Authorship of Your Time, and Being Pro But Not Fancy May 13, 2024

Fitz Cahall is the cofounder of Duct Tape Then Beer, and the creator of The Dirtbag Diaries and Climbing Gold with Alex Honnold. We talked about the early days of the internet, what podcasting was like in 2007, being on the fringe, storytelling, virtual reality, spending your time on the right things, the unglamorous parts of our work, results vs. success, his new book States of Adventure, and much more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Watch the Video Interview:

EP 219: Fitz Cahall — Uncut Video!

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Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order!

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Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out Chalk Cartel!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fitz-cahall

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:30) – A typical workday

(00:06:32) – Early days of the internet

(00:10:12) – Starting to climb

(00:14:45) – Writing for outdoor magazines

(00:19:48) – The fringe

(00:22:42) – Creating the Dirtbag Diaries

(00:33:40) – Storytelling

(00:38:08) – Podcasting in 2007

(00:50:47) – Early video podcasts

(00:55:32) – Virtual reality

(01:02:48) – Being pro but not fancy

(01:05:45) – Choosing stories

(01:13:19) – His new book

(01:18:04) – A Lifeline Home

(01:23:20) – States of Adventure

(01:35:54) – My own plans for a book

(01:42:23) – Taking authorship of your time

(01:50:25) – Spending time on the right things

(01:56:09) – The unglamorous parts

(02:03:20) – Giving yourself space

(02:12:45) – Uberism & mediocrity

(02:17:24) – Results vs. success

(02:20:20) – Climbing Gold & the Olympics

(02:28:46) – Wrap up

EP 218: Mat Wright — Sending One of the World's Hardest Trad Climbs, 'Rhapsody' E11 May 10, 2024

Mat Wright returns to the podcast to talk about his send of ‘Rhapsody’! We talked about the emotional dip after a hard send, the power of letting things come to you, making your own luck, patience as a tactic, top-down projecting, feeding our internal climbing algorithms, his process and how it felt to send, his next project, learning how to take the pressure off, and much more!

Get coaching from Mat!

matwrightcoaching.com

Check out Kletterkalk UK!

kletterkalk.co.uk

Mat's go-to chalk, and a great option for folks in the UK and Europe!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mat-wright-returns

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:16) – Catch up and self-coaching

(00:08:58) – The dip after a hard send

(00:11:57) – Letting things come to you

(00:15:28) – His approach to ‘Rhapsody’ E11

(00:21:33) – Mindset and preparation

(00:24:22) – Making your own luck

(00:27:01) – Patience as a tactic

(00:31:51) – Top-down projecting

(00:36:15) – Feeding the climbing algorithm

(00:39:57) – Self 1 and self 2

(00:41:37) – The send

(00:44:54) – The process

(00:51:17) – The emotions after the send

(00:54:57) – Mat’s next project

(00:59:09) – Not taking it quite so seriously

(01:03:08) – Taking the pressure off

(01:11:00) – Taking time off

(01:18:37) – Less vs. more

(01:24:07) – Wrap up

EP 217: A Masterclass in Relieving Stress, Sleeping Better, & Improving Focus Using Self-Hypnosis — Dr. David Spiegel (Stanford Psychiatrist) May 06, 2024

Dr. David Spiegel is a Stanford psychiatrist and one of the world’s most respected experts in the field of hypnosis. We talked about how our minds can make our bodies feel better, how hypnosis has helped his clients, why hypnosis is a good fit for climbers, breathing exercises for relaxation or focus, his new Reveri App, and much more. Dr. Spiegel does a self-hypnosis session with Steven to relieve stress and anxiety and you can follow along!

Check out Reveri:

reverihealth.app.link/nuggetclimbing

👆 Use my special link to get 2 free weeks!

Become a Patron:

squamish.arcteryxacademy.com

👆 7-Day Free Trial!

Check out the Arc'teryx Climbing Academy:

instagram.com/arcteryxacademy

👆 Sign up and follow them on Instagram for updates!

Check out Crimpd:

👆 Download the Crimpd app for free!

Check out KAYA!

👆 Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

Check out PhysiVantage:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/david-spiegel

👆 Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:46) – Dr. Spiegel’s background

(00:08:51) – My experience with Reveri

(00:10:45) – Trying out being different

(00:14:47) – Compassion for your body

(00:16:35) – The stage hypnosis hustle

(00:18:58) – Hypnotizability

(00:23:51) – Cognitive flexibility

(00:25:36) – The long-term effects of self-hypnosis

(00:30:21) – Hypnosis is gaining control

(00:36:31) – Is hypnotizability learnable?

(00:45:20) – Climbing styles and hypnotizability

(00:46:48) – Hypnotizability Test

(00:57:55) – Discussing my results

(01:00:10) – Anxiety

(01:01:48) – Novelty, memory, and visualization

(01:07:30) – More about hypnotizability

(01:13:52) – Hypnosis as a tool

(01:17:03) – Relieve Stress Hypnosis Session

(01:31:49) – Debrief of our session

(01:34:25) – Explaining the ritual

(01:38:45) – The Reveri App

(01:42:15) – How climbers should use the app

(01:47:14) – Breathing exercises

(01:54:19) – Putting it all together

(01:56:31) – Final thoughts

EXTRA: Maddy Cope — A Masterclass in Endurance Training May 03, 2024

This is a full bonus episode for Patrons! Maddy and I catch up about our weekend sends, Maddy shares a few key nuggets from our main episode, and then gives us a 2-hour masterclass in endurance training! Listen to the end for three free endurance protocols from Lattice's new online course that you can use in your training.

*Use the timestamps below if you want to skip to the masterclass.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! The full version is 2:54:13.

Ultimate Course + Assessment Bundle

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Our weekends

(00:07:30) – Key takeaways from our main episode

(00:40:45) – A masterclass in endurance training

EP 216: Maddy Cope — Erase Your Bucket List, Embrace Discomfort, and Discover the Joy of Missing Out Apr 29, 2024

Maddy Cope is a world-class rock climber and the head of education for Lattice Training. We talked about Maddy’s transition from dancing to climbing, living in a shack in the woods in Chamonix, and lessons from her personal reflections on climbing. We also talked about Lattice’s new online training course that Maddy was in charge of creating and gave a discount for listeners!

Check out the Lattice Training Course!

Use code “NUGGET20” for 20% off!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out KAYA!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

Check out Arc'teryx!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/maddy-cope

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:09) – Food poisoning in the van

(00:09:03) – Home wall training

(00:13:59) – Overview

(00:15:49) – Dancing to climbing

(00:20:35) – Warrington

(00:27:31) – The Cham Shack

(00:34:57) – Discomfort

(00:36:19) – Comfort creep

(00:48:28) – Pleasure pointing

(00:54:08) – Being your biggest supporter

(01:05:22) – The joy of missing out

(01:11:40) – Not having a bucket list

(01:18:12) – Quitting social media and sponsorship

(01:22:20) – Half thereness

(01:26:11) – British over-modesty

(01:49:54) – Getting into training

(01:55:30) – Maddy’s role with Lattice

(01:57:46) – Lattice’s new training course

(02:07:47) – Who should buy the course?

(02:16:45) – Online vs. in-person coaching

(02:25:21) – Wrap up and discount code

(02:30:18) – Identifying blind spots

(02:36:15) – EXTRA teaser for Patrons!

EP 215: Nathan Williams — Lessons From 100+ Days on a V17, the Simplest Way to Get Strong Fingers, and Static Shenanigans Apr 22, 2024

Nathan Williams is obsessed with ‘Return of the Sleepwalker’ 9A/V17, and estimates he has spent 100+ days trying it. We talked about getting mentored by Jimmy Webb and Kasia Pietras and sending his first V10 within one year of climbing, why he took a year off, falling in love with ROTS, how to stay psyched after bad days, friction control, climbing with a purpose, gaining legendary finger strength in a few minutes per week, static feats of strength, and much more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

Watch the Video Interview:

EP 215: Nathan Williams — Uncut Video!

Check out PhysiVantage!

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Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out the Arc'teryx Climbing Academy!

instagram.com/arcteryxacademy

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Crimpd!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/nathan-williams

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:50) – Gaming

(00:05:13) – Overview

(00:06:52) – The luckiest intro to climbing

(00:11:12) – His first V10

(00:15:20) – Making the jump to V15/16

(00:17:38) – ‘Sleepwalker’

(00:19:53) – The birth of ‘Return of the Sleepwalker’

(00:21:45) – Getting obsessed

(00:25:31) – What makes a good session

(00:28:02) – Staying psyched after bad days

(00:30:51) – Friction control

(00:34:46) – Bad tactics

(00:39:15) – Feeling strong

(00:41:17) – No regrets

(00:45:27) – ROTS as a board climb

(00:50:34) – Training for ROTS

(00:56:33) – Nathan’s one-arm hang workout

(01:01:51) – One-arm hangs vs. lifting from the ground

(01:05:43) – More finger training

(01:09:04) – Micros and finger anatomy

(01:11:47) – Nathan’s climbing style

(01:24:22) – Static projects

(01:26:01) – Feats of strength

(01:28:08) – Climbing inspiration

(01:29:45) – Excuses and explanations

(01:37:14) – Skin products

(01:41:31) – Why he took a year off

(01:44:34) – Not forcing it

(01:47:38) – Working with a coach

(01:51:22) – Life balance

(01:54:47) – Climbing with a purpose

(01:59:28) – Upcoming goals and plans

(02:02:01) – More ROTS

(02:11:33) – Wrap up and EXTRA for Patrons

EP 214: How to Find Contentment in Your Climbing, Banish Shame, and Send Harder Than Ever — Neely Quinn (TrainingBeta, Life Coach) Apr 15, 2024

Neely Quinn returns to the podcast! We talked about how doing mindset work with Hazel Findlay changed her life, why she decided to become a life coach herself, simple tactics for working through negative emotions and banishing shame, why working on your mindset will make you climb harder, and much more! Neely also gives Steven a life coaching session and helps him find more contentment with his climbing.

Book a Session With Neely:

trainingbeta.com

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 214: Neely Quinn — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out KAYA!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Arc'teryx!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/neely-quinn-returns

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:35) – Neely’s breakfast

(00:02:48) – Jonathan Siegrist’s rest days

(00:04:32) – Overview of our chat

(00:05:47) – How working with Hazel Findlay changed her life

(00:12:09) – The discomfort goal

(00:14:56) – Not sending ‘Tombraider’ 5.13d, and learning how to enjoy climbing again

(00:16:34) – Trying max hard, and feeling ready to fail

(00:21:15) – Pursuing life coaching

(00:22:28) – Self-talk

(00:23:09) – The role of a life coach

(00:24:35) – Mindset tools

(00:28:40) – Email apnea

(00:35:22) – Emotions, shame, and what to do

(00:38:10) – Steven gets a life coaching session

(01:00:07) – Gratitude, self-affirmation, and the list of 3s

(01:06:39) – Becoming a life coach

(01:08:37) – What Neely is still working on

(01:15:29) – Gremlin work

(01:26:45) – Getting out of depression

(01:30:38) – Toil

(01:31:56) – Piano, projecting, and self-hatred

(01:34:07) – Self-esteem and inherent value

(01:35:52) – Respect and envy

(01:38:27) – Our homework

(01:41:30) – A last bit of coaching for Steven

(01:49:26) – Knowing when to pivot

(01:51:02) – Wanting without attachment

(01:53:20) – Where to find Neely

(01:55:37) – What to look for in a mindset coach

(01:57:01) – Wrap up and EXTRA for Patrons!

EP 213: Simon Lorenzi — Three V17s, the Fascinating Story Behind ‘Soudain Seul’, and Dream V18 Projects Apr 08, 2024

Simon Lorenzi is a world-class climber from Belgium and the first person to climb three boulders graded 9A/V17. We talked about lessons from his three hardest boulders, tactics for trying ‘Burden of Dreams’ in -13°C, the projecting bubble, the goal of struggling, dealing with bad weather on ‘Alphane’, facing frustration with optimism, using a book under his kneepad on the FA of ‘Soudain Seul’, dream V18 projects, and much more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 213: Simon Lorenzi — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

Check out Mad Rock!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/simon-lorenzi

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:15) – How to pronounce Simon

(00:02:56) – Claude Lorenzi

(00:05:37) – Early climbing

(00:08:02) – Discovering his potential

(00:10:12) – Focusing on the details

(00:11:31) – Becoming a 9A/V17 generalist

(00:15:06) – ‘Burden of Dreams’

(00:21:27) – The projecting bubble

(00:25:44) – Simon’s 9A+/V18 goal

(00:28:11) – Precision vs. finger strength

(00:29:17) – External pressure

(00:33:52) – Trying ‘Burden’ in -13 C

(00:36:09) – Optimism

(00:42:48) – Dealing with bad weather on ‘Alphane’

(00:45:07) – Training while projecting ‘Burden’

(00:49:47) – Projecting tactics

(00:51:25) – Lessons from his three 9A’s

(00:54:25) – How ‘Soudain Seul’ got it’s name

(00:59:11) – Kneebar + book tactics

(01:02:40) – His biggest lesson from ‘Soudain Seul’

(01:03:23) – The goal of struggling

(01:04:51) – ‘Big Conviction’, and bonding with his dad

(01:10:01) – Stress from his dad

(01:15:14) – Sport climbing goals

(01:17:31) – Future competition plans

(01:21:44) – How comps and outdoor projects complement each other

(01:26:10) – Training for comps vs. projects

(01:27:46) – Simon’s dream 9A+ project

(01:37:07) – Upcoming competitions

(01:40:40) – Repeating his dad’s 8c/5.14b

(01:42:18) – Support from his dad

(01:45:44) – Wrap up and EXTRA for Patrons!

EP 212: Filmmaker Carlos Mason on Creating SENDING — A Look Behind the Scenes at One of My Favorite Climbing Films Apr 01, 2024

Carlos Mason is a filmmaker and the creator of SENDING, a new film featuring Ethan Pringle, Anna Hazelnutt, and Dan Beall. We talked about how a car commercial inspired this unique film, why he chose Bishop as the primary location, writing the poem that became the narrative for the film, the connections we form through climbing, how the in-between moments make up our experience, what it took to make the film, future film projects, and much more!

Watch the Film:

SENDING | MHW

sending.film

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 212: Carlos Mason — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out Tindeq!

Use code “nugget” for $10 off your order!

Check out Crimpd!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/carlos-mason

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:49) – Carlos’ introduction to climbing

(00:04:49) – Getting into filmmaking

(00:06:09) – Bishop

(00:11:34) – His vision for the film

(00:14:59) – Cars

(00:21:21) – Writing the narrative

(00:28:31) – Friends

(00:36:55) – Choosing the cast

(00:47:28) – Choosing the climbs

(00:52:16) – Ethan’s bat hang

(00:55:25) – Dan and ‘The Process’

(01:04:46) – Choosing the music

(01:14:55) – Post-production

(01:21:38) – Recording VO

(01:24:57) – Behind-the-scenes content

(01:29:05) – Where to watch the film

(01:29:32) – What’s next for Carlos

(01:31:54) – Thanks and sponsors

(01:33:57) – How lucky we are to climb

EP 211: Davis Ngo (dr.climb) — Blowing Up on Instagram, Why Pro Climbers Deserve to Get Paid, and Overcoming Fear After Injury Mar 25, 2024

Davis Ngo (dr.climb) is a climber, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Instagram personality. We talked about his upbringing as a first-generation Vietnamese American, blowing up on Instagram, why Sean Bailey deserves to make a living from climbing, breaking his back while highballing, overcoming fear after his injury, his dream of creating a bouldering competition in Bishop CA, and much more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 211: Davis Ngo (dr.climb) — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out KAYA!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

Check out Tindeq!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/davis-ngo

Use code “nugget” for $10 off your order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:40) – Photo collages

(00:03:36) – Bishop

(00:06:21) – My introduction to dr.climb

(00:07:52) – Growing up

(00:12:11) – Getting into climbing

(00:14:01) – Becoming a Physical Therapist

(00:16:47) – Graduating during covid

(00:18:48) – Blowing up on Instagram

(00:22:24) – 69k

(00:23:51) – Playing the game

(00:32:09) – Who deserves to get paid in climbing?

(00:44:42) – The progression of climbing

(00:49:11) – Davis’ career

(00:51:49) – Overwhelmed

(00:54:15) – Self-esteem and social media

(01:03:04) – Doing what you love

(01:06:15) – Inclusion and giving back

(01:09:26) – ‘Haroun’ as his first V11

(01:12:41) – A year of injuries

(01:18:01) – What changed after his back injury

(01:23:49) – Backing off sketchy topouts

(01:26:34) – “I just f*cking love it.”

(01:35:25) – Overcoming fear after his back injury

(01:41:54) – Trying highballs again

(01:46:13) – Internet break

(01:47:34) – SAMI sponsorship

(01:52:03) – Creating a bouldering competition in Bishop

(01:58:49) – How to support Davis

(02:01:47) – Name suggestions

(02:02:55) – Wrap up and EXTRA for Patrons!

EP 210: Stefano Ghisolfi — Chasing the Impossible, Using Humor to Send, and Two Drills for Legendary Endurance Mar 18, 2024

Stefano Ghisolfi is an Italian professional climber and one of the most accomplished sport climbers in the world. We talked about racing bikes growing up, discovering climbing, using humor in his YouTube videos, how having fun helps him send, why he loves projecting limit routes, chasing the impossible, trying ‘Silence’ 9c, sending ‘Excalibur’ 9b+, two drills for legendary endurance, supporting his girlfriend Sara through hard times with her health, and much more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 210: Stefano Ghisolfi — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

Check out Mad Rock!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 10% off your next order!

Check out PhysiVantage!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/stefano-ghisolfi

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:28) – Young Stefano

(00:08:18) – Humor and fun

(00:12:09) – The Dawn of Climbing

(00:14:20) – The whole process

(00:17:41) – Trying ‘Silence’ 9c

(00:20:52) – Chasing the impossible

(00:23:33) – Learning new skills on ‘Silence’

(00:25:53) – Comparing ‘Silence’ and ‘Excalibur’ 9b+

(00:28:45) – Limiting factors on ‘Silence’

(00:36:08) – Tips for building legendary endurance

(00:44:49) – ‘Excalibur’ and ‘Burden of Dreams’ 9A

(00:55:35) – Trying ‘Excalibur’ with Adam Ondra and Will Bosi

(01:02:14) – The sword earring

(01:04:06) – How ‘Excalibur’ got its name

(01:09:22) – Trying ‘Hubble’ 8c+/9a

(01:11:41) – Engaging with climbing history

(01:14:48) – Stefano’s climbing heroes

(01:17:51) – ‘Demencia Senil’ 9a+

(01:20:29) – Fortnite and Mario Kart strength

(01:22:52) – Sara’s health challenges

(01:29:29) – Supporting one another

(01:33:28) – Wrap up and EXTRA for Patrons!

EP 209: Graham Zimmerman — Going to the Mountains to Learn, the 100-Year Plan, and Imperfect Advocacy Mar 11, 2024

Graham Zimmerman is an award-winning alpinist, writer, filmmaker, and climate advocate. We talked about his harrowing ascent of Mt. Bradley in his early 20s, getting injured in New Zealand, how his relationship with risk has evolved, losing friends in the mountains, the mystery of passion, the 100-year-plan, falling in love with his wife Shannon, getting shut down on K2 by global warming, the climate crisis, the concept of imperfect advocacy, and his new book, A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains.

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 209: Graham Zimmerman — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Tindeq!

Use code “nugget” for $10 off your order!

Check out KAYA!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your first year of KAYA PRO!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/graham-zimmerman

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:38) – Daddy style

(00:03:59) – Mt. Bradley

(00:12:23) – The recipe for success

(00:14:32) – How I related to the book

(00:19:03) – Graham’s injury in New Zealand

(00:21:54) – The Burger King story

(00:24:04) – Falling for mountains

(00:30:24) – The mystery of passion

(00:32:07) – Mark Allen

(00:40:45) – What makes alpinism hard?

(00:44:04) – The logistics of mountain ascents

(00:48:11) – Building a relationship with places

(00:52:09) – The 100-Year Plan

(00:57:48) – Shannon

(01:04:06) – Compromise and purpose

(01:08:30) – Getting engaged

(01:16:13) – Loss and risk

(01:25:58) – K2 and climate

(01:34:16) – Imperfect advocacy

(01:43:15) – Voting

(01:50:40) – Energy and water

(01:51:39) – POW

(01:52:29) – Don’t stop climbing

(01:54:11) – Graham’s book and EXTRA teaser

EP 208: Jesse Grupper — Optimistic Training, Last Place to Olympian, and Leveling Up His Bouldering Mar 04, 2024

Jesse Grupper is a 27-year-old American who will be competing at the 2024 Olympics. We talked about his nomad lifestyle, the idea of “training trips”, climbing as an art form, the concept of optimistic training, thinking of ourselves as bodies of water, how he turned around his bouldering after placing last in his first World Cup, balancing Olympic prep with his job, soft robotics, and more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

EP 208: Jesse Grupper — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

Check out Tindeq!

Use code “nugget” for $10 off your order!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app for free!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jesse-grupper

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:44) – Infusions for Ulcerative Colitis

(00:06:40) – Jesse’s nomadic lifestyle

(00:08:26) – Training trips

(00:18:30) – Almost quitting competitions

(00:23:05) – Getting bullied for climbing as a kid

(00:27:45) – Climbing as an art form

(00:30:12) – Asking yourself questions

(00:38:05) – Optimistic Training

(00:45:05) – Pessimism is lazy

(00:47:54) – Frustration

(00:50:58) – Support

(00:53:16) – Each of us is a body of water

(00:57:20) – Was Jesse a natural at climbing?

(01:00:07) – Turning around his bouldering

(01:04:44) – Strategy for the Olympics

(01:07:47) – Training with circuits

(01:13:40) – Balance

(01:21:12) – Soft robotics

(01:30:48) – “Take it easy, but take it.”

(01:32:17) – What Jesse wishes we thought more about

(01:35:20) – Wrap up and EXTRA teaser!

SEND ALERT: Will Bosi — ‘Return of the Sleepwalker’ V17, and What He Plans to Try Next! Feb 29, 2024

Will Bosi is back to talk about sending ‘Return of the Sleepwalker, his third V17/9A! We talked about surprising himself by sending the stand start in three sessions, why ROTS suited his style better than he expected, how he trained during the bad weather breaks, his process, how he felt on the send, how ROTS stacks up against his other hardest boulders, plans to try Megatron V17 and return to Terranova V16 and Excalibur 5.15c, what he plans to try next, and more!

Will’s Original Episode:

EP 166: Will Bosi

EP 207: Paul Houghoughi (The Climbing Physio) — How to Rehab Finger Injuries, Build Bulletproof Wrists & Elbows, and Never Get Injured Again Feb 26, 2024

Paul Houghoughi (The Climbing Physio) is one of the top physiotherapists in the world for climbing injuries. We talked about how to rehab lumbrical injuries, training with hypermobile fingers, wrist strengthening exercises, causes of synovitis and capsulitis, why stretching your fingers is important, blood work for stiff joints, tennis and golfers elbow, how to decipher different types of elbow pain, Paul’s top advice to not get injured, and much more!

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EP 207: Paul Houghoughi — Uncut Video!

Watch the Video Interview:

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:28) – Topics covered

(00:04:01) – Paul’s grandfather, and how Paul became a climbing Physio

(00:08:08) – Plans for the Olympics

(00:08:44) – Lumbrical injuries

(00:16:21) – Stress shielding

(00:18:24) – Rehabbing lumbrical injuries

(00:24:56) – Preventing lumbrical injuries

(00:26:25) – Grip gears, and Alex Megos

(00:29:19) – How to introduce a new grip position

(00:34:13) – Training with hypermobile fingers

(00:39:05) – The link between hypermobility and proprioception

(00:41:33) – Wrist strengthening exercises

(00:48:35) – Synovitis and capsulitis

(00:55:39) – Climbing with synovitis and capsulitis

(00:59:25) – How to promote finger health and prevent finger injuries at any age

(01:03:06) – Why stretching your fingers is important

(01:06:31) – Blood work for stiff joints

(01:07:35) – What is normal to expect as we age?

(01:09:18) – Playing the long game

(01:11:08) – Hiding the broccoli

(01:12:53) – The danger of overloading yourself with exercises

(01:17:27) – Tennis Elbow

(01:23:32) – My experience with Golfers Elbow

(01:25:57) – End-of-range contractions

(01:27:45) – Preventing elbow injuries

(01:29:31) – How to decipher types of elbow pain (tendons vs. nerves vs. joints)

(01:33:55) – Elbow joint issues

(01:35:14) – Good rehab comes down to specific diagnosis

(01:36:14) – Paul’s top advice to not get injured

(01:40:14) – Wrap up and EXTRA for Patrons!

EP 206: Building a Perfect Replica of ‘The Big Island’ V15, Training on Your Projects, and the Ideal Circuit — Charlie Schreiber Returns Feb 19, 2024

Charlie Schreiber returns to the podcast! Charlie joins me from Fontainebleau to talk about the epiphany he had in Rocklands, leaving his job to focus on Paradigm Climbing, teaming up with Alex Johnson, getting obsessed with ‘The Big Island’ 8C/V15, building a perfect replica of the boulder, how to train on your limit projects, the concept of the “ideal circuit”, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:49) – Eating mangos in Fontainbleau

(00:05:00) – Epiphanies from his Rocklands trip

(00:09:15) – Capacity and the group psych

(00:12:06) – Strategy and resting hard

(00:15:22) – Sleep

(00:16:58) – Partnering with Alex Johnson

(00:20:45) – What is Paradigm Climbing?

(00:23:11) – Solving coaching puzzles

(00:25:22) – 9-week cycles

(00:27:34) – Deloads

(00:29:19) – The brain adapts faster than the body

(00:31:12) – Looking back and ahead

(00:36:46) – Stacking training programs

(00:42:15) – “It’s not your last day”

(00:45:31) – Having Martin Keller as a mentor

(00:46:37) – The similarity between training and performing

(00:48:13) – Supplemental training on trips

(00:50:44) – Conditions in Font, and ‘Karma’ 8A+/V12

(00:53:06) – ‘Getting psyched on The Big Island’ 8C/V15

(00:57:59) – Blanancing trips with his marriage

(01:00:15) – Building ‘The Big Island’ replica

(01:11:34) – How much does the replica cost?

(01:14:14) – Training on the replica

(01:22:21) – How to train on your project

(01:27:45) – How much progress did he make on the replica?

(01:29:16) – Progress and time remaining on his trip

(01:32:32) – How he is projecting the actual boulder, mobility, and sore ankles

(01:35:45) – Will Charlie train this way on future projects?

(01:38:40) – Will replicas unlock V18?

(01:40:15) – Nalle’s FA of ‘Burden of Dreams’ 9A/V17

(01:42:20) – The Ideal Circuit

(01:46:43) – Setting specific comp boulders for Adam Shahar

(01:51:32) – How you win comps vs. not lose comps

(01:54:42) – How to create your own Ideal Circuit

(01:56:30) – Creating your own boulders

(01:59:08) – Imposing demands

(02:01:48) – Wrap up and EXTRA teaser!

SEND ALERT: Kai Lightner — ‘Life of Villains’ 9a, Not Rushing the Process, and Building Jamaica’s First Climbing Wall Feb 16, 2024

Kai Lightner is back on to talk about his recent send of 'Life of Villains' 5.14d/9a at the Hurricave! We talked about the emotional rollercoaster of sending 'LOV', how it felt to send 9a in his current body, not rushing the process, his trip to Jamaica, bolting his first route, what's going on with Climbing 4 Change, and more!

Donate to C4C:

climbing4change.org

Kai’s Original Episode:

EP 55: Kai Lightner

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Kai’s upcoming trip and project

(00:03:41) – Self-preservation

(00:05:11) – The emotional rollercoaster of ‘Life of Villains’ 5.14d/9a

(00:07:57) – How it felt to send ‘LOV’ in his current body

(00:13:40) – Not rushing the process

(00:16:50) – Expanding his technical arsenal

(00:18:15) – Bad weather, broken holds, and the send

(00:23:07) – His trip to Jamaica

(00:27:00) – Building a climbing gym in the National Training Center

(00:28:42) – Bolting his first route

(00:33:31) – The food

(00:35:34) – What’s going on with C4C

(00:37:49) – Paying it forward

(00:41:35) – How to support C4C

(00:45:47) – Testifying in Washington to get climbing gyms recognized as sports facilities

(00:54:02) – Bouldering with Drew Ruana, and negative temperatures

EP 205: Adrian Vanoni — Finger Crack Wizardry, Blue Collar Sending, and Lucid Dreams About Beta Feb 12, 2024

Adrian Vanoni is an up-and-coming finger crack wizard who has been on fire for the last few years. We talked about him breaking into 5.14, freeing El Cap ground up and then in a day, training for the famous ‘Cobra Crack’ using a campus board, doing the first free ascent of a 5.14 finger crack in the alpine, lucid dreaming about beta, going after hard routes that will force you to grow as a climber, and much more!

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thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/adrian-vanoni

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:04) – Mustaches, haircuts, and wired headphones

(00:05:16) – Our conversation about trying to climb 5.14

(00:07:42) – Geeking out about ‘Badman’ 5.14a

(00:08:40) – Collecting unfinished business, and sticking with it on projects

(00:11:04) – Little Si, and a new crag in WA

(00:13:30) – Adrian’s lifestyle

(00:16:04) – The glamorous life of an amateur climber

(00:20:29) – His beginnings in trad climbing

(00:23:29) – Developing the skills to free El Cap

(00:24:16) – Freeing ‘Golden Gate’ ground up with Sam Stroh

(00:26:14) – Comparing his and Sam’s tick lists

(00:30:54) – Putting ‘El Corazon’ in a day into context

(00:40:44) – Will’s impressive belay season

(00:41:25) – Blue-collar sending

(00:46:39) – ‘Mr. Chicken’

(00:53:38) – Trying hard is trainable

(00:58:50) – Anticipation, expectation, and redpoint stress

(01:00:59) – Living in the present, and appreciating the journey

(01:04:00) – Sending ‘Cobra Crack’ 5.14b

(01:10:25) – Training for Cobra on the campus board

(01:17:31) – Visualization and lucid dreaming

(01:21:30) – More ‘Badman’ beta

(01:25:01) – The nuance of resting on sport routes

(01:29:09) – Beta depends on context

(01:35:58) – Prusik Peak and ‘Prayer for a Friend’

(02:00:24) – The style of big wall ascents

(02:10:06) – Street credit

(02:18:07) – Sending ‘Prayer for a Friend’ 5.14-

(02:22:56) – Goal routes and boulders

(02:31:42) – Social media vs. inspiration

(02:39:41) – Not everything is for everyone

(02:45:54) – My climbing as a more public person

(02:49:26) – Growing to meet a route where it is

(02:51:26) – Get on the hard thing you want to do

(02:57:57) – ‘Freerider’ in a day

(03:13:19) – Wrap up and EXTRA teaser!

EP 204: Anak Verhoeven — How to Build 9a Endurance, Why Motivation Trumps Fancy Facilities, and Being Public About Her Faith Feb 05, 2024

Anak Verhoeven is a professional climber from Belgium and one of the most accomplished female sport climbers ever. We talked about growing up with her mom as coach and dad as trainer, why she quit competitions, dealing with a strange injury that plagued her for 3+ years, winning her first World Cup, building 9a+ endurance with mediocre training facilities, making up rules in the gym, her onsighting strategy, being public about her faith, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:14) – Living in a small motorhome with her parents on long trips

(00:06:40) – Anak’s 9a and harder resume, and her level of fame in Belgium

(00:10:03) – How Anak makes a living

(00:13:51) – The advantages of doing everything herself

(00:15:48) – How her mom and dad became her coach and trainer

(00:17:58) – Practicing her autograph as a kid

(00:20:13) – Competing in her first international competition

(00:22:34) – Struggling in early competitions, and navigating disappointment

(00:25:54) – Setting the bar high

(00:27:47) – Family meetings

(00:31:24) – Rest days, exercises, and hair washing

(00:37:04) – Leading her first route at age 4

(00:41:08) – Getting injured and falling in love with climbing

(00:44:19) – The variety within climbing

(00:50:50) – Why Anak quit competitions

(00:56:51) – Anak’s strange arm injury

(01:06:46) – Working on her shoulder mobility

(01:10:21) – Keeping her arm injury a secret

(01:14:08) – Current status of her arm

(01:17:05) – Understanding what folks with chronic illness go through

(01:20:59) – What does Anak miss the most about competitions?

(01:25:46) – Longer trips, and the stress of competitions

(01:30:43) – Winning her first World Cup in Arco

(01:34:05) – The satisfaction of sending Ciudad de Dios pa la Enmienda

(01:42:15) – Getting fresh air during competitions

(01:44:59) – Anak’s training shed

(01:47:57) – Training on the same routes for 3 years, and motivation vs. fancy facilities

(01:53:01) – Anak’s strategy for onsighting comp routes

(01:57:11) – Making up rules at the gym

(02:01:36) – How Anak built her endurance

(02:07:15) – Mental endurance

(02:11:27) – 9b and trad climbing goals for 2024

(02:14:43) – Why she is open about her faith

(02:22:33) – How do climbers react to her faith?

(02:29:46) – The pressure I felt as a kid to spread faith, and moving away from religion

(02:33:09) – How Anak thinks about sharing her faith, and her lack of judgment toward other people

(02:34:57) – Choosing her faith for herself

(02:37:57) – Wrap up and EXTRA teaser!

EP 203: Jakob Schubert — World Champion to 9c and 9A, Adam Ondra’s Risky and Efficient Style, and Failing on ‘Sleepwalker’ Jan 29, 2024

Jakob Schubert is one of the greatest competition climbers ever. In 2023 he won the World Championships in both lead and combined, secured his ticket to the Paris Olympics, sent his first 9c with his FA of ‘B.I.G.’, and sent his hardest boulder with ‘Alphane’ 9A. We talked about his incredible year, learning from Adam Ondra’s risky and efficient climbing style, what he learned from failing on ‘Sleepwalker’ V16, plans for more 9c’s, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:44) – Jakob’s best year ever

(00:08:49) – Securing his ticket to Paris, and focusing on B.I.G.

(00:10:40) – Inspiration for rock climbing

(00:13:20) – Learning about efficiency from outdoor projects

(00:16:28) – Less emphasis on winning the overall World Cup

(00:18:55) – Giving away his trophies

(00:20:08) – Why did Jakob choose ‘B.I.G.’ 9c and A’lphane’ 9A as projects?

(00:24:16) – Teaming up with Adam Ondra and Stefano Ghisolfi

(00:26:48) – Learning from Adam’s risky and efficient climbing style

(00:36:13) – The quality of ‘B.I.G.’

(00:38:13) – Breakdown and logistics of ‘B.I.G.’

(00:43:46) – Breaking a hold on his send go of ‘B.I.G.’

(00:45:29) – Did live streaming change the experience?

(00:48:22) – Will Jakob do more live streams in the future?

(00:50:26) – His project schedule on ‘B.I.G.’

(00:53:45) – Logistics of traveling to Flatanger

(00:56:26) – Is ‘B.I.G.’ the best hard route in the world?

(00:59:36) – Plans to return to ‘DNA’ 9c

(01:00:00) – What does ‘B.I.G.’ stand for?

(01:01:45) – How Jakob prepared for ‘B.I.G.’, and revisiting the route with fresh eyes

(01:09:16) – Tweaking beta to send ‘B.I.G.’

(01:11:48) – Muscle memory, connecting hard moves, and repeating boulders with different beta

(01:14:48) – “Waking up” his fingers for ‘Alphane’

(01:17:14) – Analyzing videos of ‘Alphane’

(01:18:28) – Speed training

(01:20:02) – Recovery

(01:21:09) – Failing on ‘Sleepwalker’ V16 (8C+) and what he learned from it

(01:25:48) – Greedy

(01:27:47) – What he plans to do differently for ‘Sleepwalker’ when he goes back

(01:29:30) – Drew Ruana’s story about Jakob, and who Jakob has been the most impressed by

(01:35:27) – Wrap up and EXTRA teaser!

SEND ALERT: Jon Cardwell — Establishing ‘Wind Up Bird’ 5.15b, and Uphill Athlete Training Jan 27, 2024

Jon Cardwell is back on to talk about his new route ‘Wind Up Bird’ 5.15b at The Fortress of Solitude in CO, how moving away helped him send, what he learned from failing on ‘Super Crackinette’ in France, how he applied Uphill Athlete principles to his training for sport climbing, plans to go back for the extension, bolting 5.15 projects in New Mexico, and much more!

Jon’s Original Episode:

EP 50: Jon Cardwell

References:

Adam Ondra flashing ‘Super Crackinette’ 9a+

EP 169: Scott Johnston

Training for the Uphill Athlete (book)

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Sending ‘Wind Up Bird’ 5.15b (9b)

(00:17:40) – How moving away helped him find success

(00:22:21) – Failing to climb ‘Super Crackinette’ 5.15a (9a+), and what he learned from it

(00:27:29) – Adam Ondra’s flash of ‘Super Crackinette’

(00:30:00) – Drawing inspiration from Scott Johnston, and training for ‘Wind Up Bird’

(00:35:53) – Constantly learning

(00:40:42) – More about his training

(00:45:45) – Falling 50+ times on the same move, and building momentum

(00:47:35) – Taking your foot off the gas, maintaining strength, and training plans for the extension

(00:54:20) – Exhaustion and motivation

(00:56:51) – The complexity of sport climbing

(00:58:42) – Is V16 a goal for Jon?

(01:01:23) – New 5.15 projects at The Tunnel in NM

(01:03:00) – Is anyone trying ‘Wind Up Bird’?

(01:05:21) – Will the extension be 5.15c (9b+)?

(01:07:12) – Wrap up

EP 202: Tyler Nelson Returns — How to Get Stronger Fingers, Habits to Prevent Injuries, and Why Climbers Shouldn’t Train Like Gymnasts Jan 22, 2024

Dr. Tyler Nelson is back on the podcast! We talked about the biggest takeaways from all of his years of finger strength experimenting, how he warms up for a limit bouldering session, how to gain finger strength while minimizing risk, the value of wrist and hand training, common causes of climbing injuries, his advice for my trip to Hueco, what he learned from his trip to Squamish, why climbers shouldn’t train like gymnasts, what sets the best athletes apart, and much more!

Check out C4HP or Schedule an Appointment With Tyler!

camp4humanperformance.com

c4hpschedule.as.me

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The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:03) – The donut festival

(00:06:26) – Tyler’s granite spray wall

(00:07:46) – Mirrored boards

(00:13:06) – Alcohol and more donuts

(00:14:21) – Outline of topics

(00:16:17) – Finger training topics

(00:34:46) – How Tyler warms up for limit bouldering

(00:41:58) – Hand training, recruitment, and coordination

(00:49:23) – Summary of our session

(00:50:21) – When to end a session

(00:52:48) – Using a mix of tools

(00:54:26) – Intensity vs. volume

(00:59:49) – Building capacity off the wall

(01:01:39) – Supplementing your climbing with less risky hand/finger training tools

(01:05:22) – When to hangboard (and when not to)

(01:09:42) – Learning and changing your mind

(01:11:25) – Tyler’s guidance for me in Hueco

(01:17:25) – Should we climb less?

(01:20:24) – Lions don’t go jogging

(01:21:53) – Making sense of Alex Megos’ and Adam Ondra’s training volume

(01:23:31) – My takeaways for Hueco

(01:24:47) – What Tyler learned from his trip to Squamish

(01:30:02) – What is the campus board good for?

(01:40:14) – How important is RFD in climbing?

(01:44:33) – Common causes of injuries

(01:52:32) – Transitioning back to hard climbing

(01:54:55) – How your tendons change when you build capacity

(01:58:29) – Do our tendons get thicker?

(02:00:24) – Where does our long-term finger strength come from?

(02:02:57) – What sets the best athletes apart?

(02:07:46) – Takeaways

(02:11:48) – How Tyler changes his clients’ training habits

(02:14:41) – The future of finger training

(02:18:04) – Calisthenics vs. strength training

(02:26:19) – Are rings exercises strength training?

(02:30:12) – More strength training takeaways

(02:37:05) – Wrap up

EP 201: James Pearson — The Full Redemption Story, Proposing the Mythical Grade of E12, and Climbing Harder After Kids Jan 15, 2024

James Pearson is one of the world’s best trad climbers. We discussed a 15-year-old controversy that nearly ended his career, how meeting his wife Caroline saved him, climbing his first 9a after learning how to train, eGrader and quantifying E grades, his decision to suggest E12 for his new route ‘Bon Voyage’, why he was afraid of becoming a dad, what kids taught him, and much more! This was one of my all-time favorite interviews.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:35) – Getting settled

(00:03:13) – Why I feel like I know James

(00:05:33) – Introducing the Redemption Story

(00:08:10) – Internet backlash

(00:10:05) – Coming full circle

(00:13:33) – Why it felt important to grade ‘Bon Voyage’

(00:17:10) – The full story

(00:28:47) – Compassion for himself

(00:30:53) – Moving to Innsbruck to work on his sport climbing

(00:36:05) – Thinking his pro climbing life was over, meeting Caroline, and their trip to Turkey

(00:41:18) – Learning how to train

(00:46:33) – 7b+ to 8c+ in 6 months

(00:52:32) – Fun and performance

(00:53:23) – E grades

(00:56:16) – Trying to flash E10 in Pembrook, and falling in love with climbing again

(00:59:43) – Returning to ‘Rhapsody’

(01:02:10) – Flashing V13 (8B), and his struggle with projecting pressure

(01:08:50) – Climbing V15, craving the next level, and living the pro climber dream with Caro

(01:17:10) – Why he left the UK, and why it felt important to return to ‘Rhapsody’

(01:24:53) – Searching for his hardest trad route

(01:25:59) – Making the Redemption film

(01:29:21) – eGrader, and understanding E12 and beyond

(01:35:47) – Climbing a 9a right after ‘Bon Voyage’

(01:37:15) – Talking to Hazel Findlay, and PTSD

(01:38:58) – Presenting E12 again 15 years later

(01:45:04) – Backlash about grades, and Anna Hazelnutt’s thoughts about Walk of Life

(01:49:02) – Breaking down E12 and ‘Bon Voyage’

(02:00:53) – Finding ‘Bon Voyage’

(02:08:08) – How dangerous is ‘Bon Voyage’?

(02:20:23) – Being more scientific about grades

(02:24:54) – Why give ‘Bon Voyage’ an E grade?

(02:38:44) – Becoming a dad

(02:47:47) – What kids taught him

(02:53:57) – Rules for climbing with kids, and sending without expectations

(02:58:17) – Tips for climbers with kids

(03:03:36) – James’ advice for his younger self

(03:11:15) – Climbing matters

(03:16:45) – Accepting some selfishness, and Caro’s mom

(03:23:36) – Training with Ollie Torr for ‘Bon Voyage’, and Caro’s journey back to hard climbing after pregnancy

EP 200: Brooke Raboutou — An Olympian’s Mindset, Dancing on the Wall, and Competing Against Your Friends Jan 08, 2024

Brooke Raboutou is an Olympian and a V15 boulderer from Colorado. We talked about growing up in a family of world-class climbers, balancing college with training for the Olympics, her mindset for competitions, why she meditates every day, her favorite hype music, working on her confidence, using pressure as fuel, focusing on the bigger picture, competing to win while supporting friends and teammates, how she balances competitions with sending hard boulders, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:35) – The first podcast in my cabin, and Brooke’s two-a-day training

(00:04:03) – Why college felt so important, and balancing climbing with other interests

(00:07:45) – Studying marketing and psychology

(00:10:38) – Climbing as a lifetime sport, and pivoting within climbing

(00:14:05) – Brooke’s family and upbringing, and balancing college with Olympic training

(00:21:34) – Her parents starting ABC climbing, and what it was like having her mom as a coach

(00:24:42) – What felt better: winning her first World Cup gold medal, or sending Box Therapy?

(00:27:55) – Training for the Olympics, and her hype music for speed climbing

(00:32:20) – Brooke’s favorite music

(00:37:20) – Wanting to win while supporting your friends and teammates

(00:44:17) – The mechanics of qualifying for the Olympics, and Brooke’s mindset for Paris

(00:50:09) – How much longer will Brooke focus on competitions?

(00:51:20) – Working on her confidence, using pressure as fuel, and focusing on the big picture

(00:57:11) – The purpose we get from having a goal, and Brooke’s goal to mix psychology and climbing

(01:01:41) – Brooke’s mindset approaching competitions

(01:06:34) – Balancing fun and focus, different competitors' mindsets, and channeling good energy

(01:10:15) – Meditation and breath

(01:18:10) – Using her flexibility as a shorter climber, and growing up in gymnastics at CATS

(01:23:52) – Dancing on the wall for her warmup

(01:25:46) – How to use more flexibility in your climbing

(01:26:45) – How did Brooke become so strong in 3F drag?

(01:31:14) – Short pinkies and crooked fingers

(01:31:53) – Working with her coach Chris Danielson

(01:39:09) – Does Brooke train specifically for outdoor goals?

(01:41:19) – How outdoor climbing feeds back into competitions

(01:43:54) – More about Brooke’s training

(01:46:06) – Why Brooke switched from one-arm hangs to weighted two-arm hangs, and using the hangboard for injury prevention

(01:47:51) – Working on jumps and leg power, coordination, and mental game

(01:49:08) – Wrap up and EXTRA teaser!

EP 199: Will Anglin & Matt Jones — A Masterclass in How to Progress Your Climbing Dec 18, 2023

Will Anglin returns and is joined by coach and trainer Matt Jones. This is one of the most valuable episodes I’ve ever recorded. It’s a GOLD MINE for anyone who wants to progress their climbing. Will and Matt provide clear and in-depth guidance for beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbers in this three-hour masterclass. If you feel stuck at a plateau or simply want to progress to the next level, don’t skip this episode!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro/Ads

(00:03:55) – Introducing to Matt Jones

(00:06:43) – The goal of this episode, and who it’s for

(00:09:20) – How we are defining beginner, intermediate, and advanced

(00:12:37) – Reminder about timestamps

(00:13:31) – Overview of core themes (skills and strength feedback loop, the four stages of competence, selecting training tools)

(00:20:24) – My first plateau in climbing, and helping people identify and address what they’re missing

--BEGINNER STARTS HERE--

(00:23:45) – Beginner | Overview

(00:23:45) – Gaining initial awareness, and meat suit competence

(00:25:53) – Beginner | Strong Not Good

(00:27:35) – The Hammer

(00:28:51) – Not everything is a nail

(00:30:00) – The hammeriest hammer Matt and Will have ever seen, and taking away the hammer

(00:34:06) – Beginner | Good Not Strong

(00:34:06) – The goal for the beginner climber overall is to diversify the toolset

(00:34:47) – The Stringbean (aka The Crowbar)

(00:36:18) – Overutilizing sneaky tricks, and adding constraints/rules to your climbing

(00:41:48) – Interventions for beginners

(00:46:35) – Identifying the low-hanging fruit

(00:47:40) – Beginner | Summary

(00:51:11) – Using climbing as a training intervention

(00:53:41) – Checking your ego

(00:55:27) – Building strength and skill at the same time through climbing

--INTERMEDIATE STARTS HERE--

(00:59:06) – Intermediate | Overview

(00:59:06) – Exiting the beginner stage, and learning to quantify your progress beyond grades

(01:01:42) – “Oh no, now what?!”

(01:03:22) – The logarithmic aspect of climbing the grade scale, and the room for growth as a climber

(01:05:24) – My experience of collecting more tools in sport climbing in the last 6 years

(01:07:14) – Finding what trying hard means, and the Nationals training camp story

(01:10:09) – Trying hard vs. trying well

(01:12:10) – Identifying what you need to address in your climbing

(01:13:30) – Understanding exactly what you’re doing, and why it is working or not working

(01:17:54) – Intermediate | Strong Not Good

(01:18:51) – Chunking

(01:20:25) – Getting beyond the left-right-left, and increasing the resolution of your beta

(01:22:47) – The guess and check model, and turning new dials

(01:25:21) – The sloth monkey drill, and finding the line

(01:27:50) – Hip in vs. square drill

(01:29:43) – Building a process for problem-solving

(01:30:16) – Guidance for off-the-wall training for the intermediate climber

(01:33:38) – Keeping off-the-wall training in perspective, and becoming fluent in training

(01:39:20) – A tactical pitfall for intermediate climbers

(01:43:00) – Why you shouldn’t punt, the nuance of resting, and energy economy

(01:48:20) – Separating practice, training, and performance

(01:50:11) – Intermediate | Good Not Strong

(01:50:11) – Getting the reps in, and eating your vegetables first

(01:56:34) – Strength training to support your movement, and learning to reverse engineer moves

(02:03:19) – Asking why, being more intentional, and why Chris Sharma led the intermediate climbers astray

(02:04:33) – More on reverse engineering, amplifying your strength through mobility, and being in the correct position

(02:07:12) – Learning how to guide yourself, and choosing how to train

(02:10:31) – The optimal training plan doesn’t exist, and it’s ok to have fun

--ADVANCED STARTS HERE--

(02:16:25) – Advanced | Overview

(02:18:41) – Specific goals, and going from dial-up to fiber optic

(02:21:46) – Advanced | Strong Not Good & Good Not Strong

(02:23:57) – Occupying the position

(02:29:14) – Mobility and sensation

(02:33:33) – Proprioception, feeling mode, and micro beta

(02:37:57) – The Golfer study

(02:41:00) – The opportunity of the intermediate climber, and Will’s beef with strength metrics

(02:43:23) – Affordances, and becoming a better athlete

(02:46:31) – Off-the-wall training for an advanced climber, and Usain Bolt

(02:51:23) – Misusing tools from the pros

(02:56:50) – Wrap up, and EXTRA teaser

EP 198: Travis Tameirao — The Day His Life Changed Forever, Climbing V10+ With an Artificial Knee, and Taking the Wheel Dec 11, 2023

Travis Tameirao is a 33-year-old from Rhode Island. On August 13, 2018, his life changed in a freak accident in the climbing gym. Three years and a dozen surgeries later, Travis miraculously returned to climbing and sent his first V10 and V11. We talked about his accident, getting a full knee replacement, how he made a full recovery, his incredible wife Katie, why he swims four times per week, treating yourself like you have the V17 gene, taking responsibility for your life, the interplay of luck and hard work, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:07:14 – Having a son at 19, semi-pro boxing and bartending to make ends meet, and getting into climbing

0:13:31 – Maintaining his own identity once he became a dad

0:15:40 – Getting obsessed with climbing, and being reckless out of ignorance

0:24:51 – The full story of Travis’ accident on August 13th, 2018

0:35:20 – Getting his knee reconstructed in December 2019, and losing his Tibial Plateau

0:38:31 – The possibility of amputation, and choosing an experimental procedure

0:44:18 – Living in constant pain, surgery as a trauma, and holding onto hope

0:47:21 – Having a full knee replacement, and feeling like he was given a death sentence

0:49:52 – The limitations of Western medicine

0:51:55 – Waking up without pain

0:53:56 – The gift of walking, and reclaiming his life

0:56:55 – Working on regaining his range of motion, and reconnecting with climbing

1:05:05 – Getting hurt again sport climbing in Rumney

1:09:39 – Losing friends and community during his recovery, and proposing to his wife Katie

1:17:40 – The first time he asked Katie out

1:20:57 – Gratitude for Katie, and being with a partner through the hard times

1:23:41 – Hiking around Mont Blanc on their honeymoon

1:26:39 – Focusing on work while he was recovering, and appreciation for the support

1:27:40 – Regaining his full range of motion, and climbing his first V10 outside

1:31:42 – Mr. Miyagi and the pistol squat

1:33:04 – Climbing his first V11, leaving areas better than you found them, and finding boulders in Rhode Island

1:36:22 – “Don’t get injured”, learning how to fall, and being unsure of the takeaway

1:38:33 – The guy in the wheelchair, and wondering if he is blowing his second chance

1:43:01 – Choosing to live a rich and passionate life, the fountain of youth, and facing mortality

1:48:10 – A backlog of games and books, and wanting to live forever

1:54:19 – Accepting support from Katie, hard conversations, and the transition in their relationship after his recovery

2:03:08 – Mothers and empty nests, Travis’ parents relationship, and the feeling of firsts

2:07:45 – What climbing means to Travis now, and why Travis swims 4 days per week

2:10:46 – Long-term climbing goals, and sponsoring himself

2:14:43 – Growing up a block away from his wife, and all of the things climbing has brought him

2:17:24 – Treating yourself like you have the V17 gene

2:19:15 – How Travis made a full recovery when many others didn’t, drawing inspiration from anime, and being the main character in your own story

2:26:43 – Taking the wheel, and advocating for yourself

2:32:14 – Sharing his story, and being a resource

2:36:46 – Kind words about the podcast

2:39:58 – Luck and hard work

2:42:26 – More kind words

2:45:32 – Iontophoresis

2:47:01 – Wrap up and Travis’ phone number

EP 197: Melina Costanza Returns — Harnessing the Power of Nerves, Praising Your Effort, and Choosing Good Over Perfect Dec 04, 2023

Melina Costanza swept the US National Championships in October, making one hell of a comeback after her competition break. She returns to the podcast to talk about why Nationals was the hardest competition she has ever done, how to use nerves to focus and thrive, training for Nationals, praising effort, her fueling strategy, gaining weight to be more powerful, Alex Johnson’s hype shirt, balancing training with fueling and mental health, choosing good over perfect, upcoming goals, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:04:40 – Recovery from her foot surgery, and sweeping the National Championships in Boise Idaho

0:07:05 – Trying a new approach with fueling and training

0:08:17 – A message about Melina from Tyson Schoene

0:09:55 – Why Nationals was the hardest competition Melina has ever done, and finding flow in the sport climbing final

0:16:00 – Training primarily for bouldering, and proving to herself that she is a better climber than before

0:21:39 – The limit is higher when you focus on getting stronger vs. lighter

0:23:28 – The nerves and joy of competitions, and a weight lifted

0:29:10 – Training for lead and bouldering at the same time, and her training phases before Nationals

0:34:51 – How she won lead despite her lack of power endurance after getting covid, and the mental side of competition

0:37:11 – Praising her effort more than her performance

0:41:21 – Effort is trainable

0:42:48 – How Melina’s fueling strategy has changed, eating more carbs on comp days, and Sour Patch Kids

0:51:13 – Gaining weight to be more powerful

0:54:06 – What Melina does when she has dark thoughts around eating, and how to know when you’re “overtraining”

0:58:51 – Knowing when to take more rest vs. put your head down and do the work

1:01:51 – Doing every part of your training for a reason

1:06:30 – “You just have to go to win.”

1:10:55 – Coming out last in finals, and pressure as a privilege

1:13:46 – Alex Johnson’s shirt

1:16:03 – Balancing training, fueling, and mental health, and choosing good over perfect

1:19:01 – What Melina would tell others who struggle with eating disorders

1:22:07 – The false promise of success, achieving your goals while being true to who you are, carrying guilt, and giving each other permission to be imperfect

1:27:37 – Surrounding yourself with people who love you unconditionally

1:29:55 – Melina’s goals

1:33:11 – Melina’s thoughts on the Paris Olympics, and the 2028 Olympic games

1:35:56 – Thanks to Melina for bringing us along on her journey

1:37:16 – Check out this week’s Patreon bonus episode for more fun facts with Melina!

EP 196: Pete Whittaker — Chasing the Hardest Cracks in the World, Embracing the Suck, and Futuristic Desert Projects Nov 27, 2023

Pete Whittaker is widely regarded as one of the best crack climbers of all time. We talked about his current trip to Moab trying Stranger Than Fiction, how he trained for the FA of Crown Royale 9a, the skills needed to climb cutting-edge cracks, why he is still working on improving at ring locks, the futuristic Crucifix Project, his most fun/rewarding/miserable/traumatic trips with Tom Randall, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:05:34 – Pete’s breakfast and voice

0:06:29 – Pete and Tom’s current mission in Moab, and what makes that area so unique

0:10:02 – Goals on trips, and working on ring locks as a weakness

0:12:22 – How Pete and Tom ring lock differently

0:14:57 – Pete’s book on crack climbing techniques

0:15:56 – Trying Mason Earl’s route Stranger Than Fiction

0:20:14 – Breakdown and progress on Stranger Than Fiction

0:21:58 – Pete’s first visit to the Profile Wall in Norway to try Recovery Drink, and working his way through the established free routes

0:27:54 – The style of climbing on the Profile Wall, and the skills needed to climb hard there

0:30:08 – Placing 17 pieces of gear on the 100m Crown Royale 9a

0:32:35 – Breakdown of Crown Royale 9a, and running it out on the send

0:38:13 – Pete’s process on Crown, and projecting the top half as its own pitch

0:40:42 – How Pete and Tom decide which projects to try together vs. individually

0:43:19 – The most FUN trip with Tom (Century Crack trip)

0:45:20 – The most MISERABLE trip with Tom (Bridge Boys)

0:46:21 – The most TRAUMATIZING trip with Tom (Yosemite)

0:49:09 – The most REWARDING trips with Tom (exploring the White Rim)

0:50:27 – The Crucifix project

0:53:26 – How Pete trained for Crown Royale 9a

0:57:06 – Embracing the suck, why Pete is good at resting in stressful positions, and training stamina as a kid

1:00:17 – Pete’s early climbing, venturing into more dangerous routes as a teenager, and doing the first ascent of an E9 at age 17 with his mom on belay

1:06:12 – Why Pete loves offwidthing, and other styles of climbing that involve lots of suffering

1:10:42 – How geeky is Pete about training?

1:13:10 – Adding structure, and training with Lattice for Crown Royale

1:14:51 – Shoulder conditioning for Crown, and what exercises he plans to continue doing

1:17:51 – Keeping tabs on the world’s hardest trad routes, and Pete’s thoughts on trying Tribe

1:20:09 – How Pete picks objectives and goals, and riding the waves

1:23:07 – Pete’s recent trip to Yosemite with Mari

1:25:37 – Using Darth Grader to suggest the grade of 9a for Crown Royale

1:34:33 – How Pete’s experience with Crown Royale compared to Recovery Drink

1:37:33 – Unclimbed lines on the Profile Wall, and where the name “Crown Royale” came from

1:39:26 – Check out the Patron-only EXTRA with the Wide Boyz!

EP 195: Matt Segal Returns — The Recipe for a Peak Year, Cooking Tips, and High Summits and Higher Grades Nov 20, 2023

Matt Segal is back on the podcast! Matt is one of the boldest trad climbers of his generation and just had his best climbing year ever at age 39. We talked about his new YouTube channel cooking show, his top cooking tips and the key to making delicious food, how he prepared to send Kryptonite 9a, and his ascent along with teammates Jesse Huey and Jordan Cannon of the famous Todd Skinner route ‘Cowboy Direct’ on the Nameless Tower in Pakistan.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:06:37 – Jet lag and a whirlwind of travel

0:08:14 – What Matt has been in the three years since our last episode, his FA on Mt Hooker with Jesse Huey, and getting engaged

0:11:38 – Short recap of Matt’s paragliding accident in 2017

0:12:15 – Matt’s new YouTube channel, his magazine Brine, and his traveling + climbing + cooking idea

0:15:05 – Getting deeper into cooking during the pandemic, and the vision for the YouTube channel

0:18:44 – Upcoming guests on Matt’s channel, and my impression of the show

0:22:16 – Matt’s #1 cooking tip, and the key to making delicious food

0:27:40 – Matt’s go-to meals

0:29:56 – Balancing nutrition with his love for cooking and enjoying life, traveling with his portable Traeger Grill, and his YouTube giveaway

0:32:52 – Why Matt added protein shakes to his routine when he was trying Kryptonite

0:37:23 – How Matt eats when he travels internationally, and his go-to bars for expeditions

0:40:37 – Wanting to climb 9a, and what he learned from trying Kryptonite

0:46:18 – His fiance’s accident at The Fortress the day he sent Kryptonite

0:51:38 – Matt’s training leading up to trying Kryptonite, and setting mini-sub-goals

0:57:10 – Try hard

0:58:31 – The difference between sport climbing and hard dangerous trad climbing (headpointing)

0:59:17 – Cutting edge trad routes worldwide

1:01:05 – Going to Pakistan to try the famous route Cowboy Direct on Nameless Tower

1:06:47 – What it feels like to climb 5.12 and 5.13 at 20,000 feet, the logistics involved to prep the route, and necessary suffering

1:13:55 – How Matt felt after coming back from Pakistan, pivoting to hard trad, and moving away from dangerous climbing

1:16:53 – Closing this chapter for Micah Dash

1:20:18 – Astrisks in big wall and alpine climbing, the bond created between Matt, Jesse, and Jordan

1:22:02 – Tough gainer

1:25:23 – Patron question from Connor: Any cool Micah Dash stories?

1:27:55 – New products from Alpine Start

1:29:50 – Upcoming stuff for Matt

1:31:02 – The enjoyment of food and what that means, and being more deliberate about who you spend your time with

1:32:47 – Wrap up

EP 194: Will Anglin — Why We Should Treat Climbing Like Baseball, and the #1 Thing All Climbers Should Do Nov 13, 2023

Will Anglin is an expert boulderer and the founder of Tension Climbing. I love the way this guy thinks, and there are many nuggets in this episode. We talked about the key principles of climbing hard, the most common confusion points about training for climbing, why we should treat climbing like baseball, the number one thing all climbers should do, the evolution of Tension, why it took 10+ years to develop the Tension Board 2 (TB2), why every detail matters when building a new product, and much more!

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The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, and Alex Pluta

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:05:06 – Eggs and espresso

0:06:55 – Focus on protein to save mental energy

0:09:49 – Cat litter

0:10:56 – Two main topics I want to cover with Will

0:13:06 – An email I sent Will in 2015, and why I transitioned away from the Anderson brothers’ way of training

0:17:49 – Will’s early climbing, youth competitions, wanting to be strong, and getting into training

0:26:28 – Will’s first time deep water soloing at Summersville Lake

0:27:57 – Trad climbing in the Black Canyon

0:31:26 – Pivoting to bouldering, and the bouldering vs. sport climbing in Colorado

0:35:56 – Why Will has spent more time developing boulders than sport climbs, and why people chip routes

0:40:02 – Chipping in bouldering, and suspending your disbelief

0:47:09 – Why the “best way to train” is not a useful concept

0:54:26 – Why it doesn’t make sense to copy the pros

0:55:48 – The baseball analogy

0:59:04 – Why your hangboarding should change over the course of your climbing career

1:00:13 – Working on skills at sub-maximal intensity, and learning to connect training with rock climbing skill development

1:03:44 – “Keep the goal the goal.” - Dan John

1:05:19 – The best climbers are the most adaptable climbers

1:09:01 – Will’s ‘Hangboarding: A Way’ article, and the most common confusion points and questions that Will gets about advice he’s given in the past

1:10:59 – Why you shouldn’t take time away from your climbing time to do more strength training

1:14:48 – It’s normal to fail on climbs that are easier than your max redpoint grade

1:17:04 – Why I started seeking out more “basic” power climbs, and how modern training is affecting outdoor bouldering grades

1:19:37 – How styles and grades evolve over time

1:24:15 – “The concept of a well-rounded climber moves.”

1:25:52 – Why people used to say Joe’s Valley is soft, and how gym climbing shapes our conception of climbing

1:30:35 – Conflating doability with difficulty, and finding the beta that fits you

1:33:51 – Why Will feels like he learned how to climb in Gunnison, and the value of climbing on different rock types

1:35:54 – Discovering that hard climbs can be fun, and wow traveling has allowed me to discover what I actually enjoy most in climbing

1:39:39 – Why grades tend to become more confusing as you progress, and the weirdness at the top-level grades

1:43:09 – The unconstrained nature of climbing, and box checking

1:49:07 – “It’s not about the exercise.”

1:54:00 – “The number one thing is go rock climbing.”

2:00:54 – How not all climbing styles are created equal in the way they develop you as a climber, and why I’m so impressed with the Tension Board 2

2:04:43 – Our culture’s obsession with climbing, and validating climbing just because it’s fun

2:07:23 – The Climbing Community is Imaginary

2:08:49 – There are many valid ways to “be a climber”

2:11:14 – How Will feels about climbing after building Tension, having no breaks from it, and creating separation between his personal climbing and his business

2:13:59 – One of Will’s main priorities with Tension, having a life outside of Tension and climbing, playing musical instruments, having carpal tunnel, and building guitars

2:20:12 – The evolution of Tension, and how the company started

2:28:56 – How the Flash Board came to be

2:30:49 – More about the development of the Tension Board 2

2:36:54 – Designing the holds for the TB2, and why the design process should start with the raw materials

2:42:24 – Getting benighted in the Black Canyon

2:48:31 – “Everything fucking matters.”

2:50:29 – Take the time to build a solid foundation

2:52:48 – Wrap up

EP 193: Mat Wright — Risking It All to Send, The Power of Specific Goals, and Relaxing Hard to Climb Harder Nov 06, 2023

Mat Wright has quickly established himself as one of the best trad climbers in Britain and is a world-class all-rounder having climbed E11, 5.14c, and V15. We talked about his humble beginnings in low-income government housing, teaching himself how to rope solo as a teenager, reaching V13 and 5.14c in his first three years of climbing, pivoting to hardcore trad climbing, his upcoming film in the Brit Rock Film Tour, and much more!

Get Your Tickets for Brit Rock! (Streaming Nov 9-13)

britrockfilmtour.com

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, and Alex Pluta

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mat-wright

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:05:35 – Why Mat wears sunglasses when he climbs

0:07:02 – Mat’s difficult upbringing, and growing up in a council estate (low-income government housing)

0:11:41 – Meeting his dad at 13 and moving in with him, and how Mat got himself into rock climbing

0:15:47 – Building a board in his mom’s back garden, and sending 8c+ and 8B (5.14c and V13) within his first 3 years of climbing

0:17:21 – What climbing brought to Mat’s life

0:19:51 – Neil Gresham’s masterclass videos, and setting his eyes on Hubble

0:23:13 – Sending Hubble, and the negative side of punching the clock on projects

0:29:39 – Being optimistic, and why Mat resonates with hard scary trad climbing

0:32:39 – The line between optimism vs. recklessness

0:35:17 – How Mat “caught up” with his education, and the appeal of climbing for someone with a busy mind

0:39:39 – Mat’s partner Anna Taylor, and her role in The House of the Gods film (I said Argentina but it was in Venezuela)

0:41:37 – Coasteering with Anna

0:45:40 – Wildlife, nerding out, and how he and Anna relax

0:47:28 – Living in a van, fingerboarding, and going with the flow with his climbing

0:49:25 – Sprinting toward a goal, and spending 60-70% of his time chilling

0:54:34 – What Mat’s training looked like early on, how it’s evolved over time, and addressing specific weaknesses

0:57:34 – Understanding your climbing pace, and the dance of sport climbing

1:00:24 – How Mat guides his clients with their climbing pace

1:06:19 – Our tendance to overthink things, and not believe in ourselves

1:08:29 – The power of specific goals, and asking yourself what you really want to get out of climbing

1:12:35 – Balancing short-term and long-term goals

1:16:51 – How to get coaching from Mat

1:18:21 – Climbing his first V15 shortly after Hubble, and pivoting to trad and sending Lexicon E11

1:23:03 – The reaction to him sending Lexicon

1:26:27 – Feeling desensitized to exposure, and early free soloing

1:28:24 – The effect that online comments have on real people

1:32:31 – Our brains’ negative bias, and trolling as an outlet for frustration

1:35:21 – Anna’s harassment, and Mat’s controversial reputation

1:40:29 – What happens when you respond to negative comments with kindness

1:42:36 – Stepping into a protective role for his partner, and losing his sponsors

1:44:29 – Mat as a Berghaus athlete

1:49:19 – Mat’s film ‘Hard Git’ in the upcoming Brit Rock Film Tour

1:55:49 – A deep dive into Mat’s FA of Magical Thinking E10, and finding flow on the send

2:01:13 – Mat’s FA of Black Thistle E10, and converting E grades to the American YDS grades

2:04:04 – The animalistic nature of trad, why the Brits don’t bolt everything, and the American healthcare system

2:07:35 – Challenge vs. difficulty

2:10:26 – James Pearson as the best trad climber in the world, and Mat’s kinship to Dave MacLeod

2:12:25 – Mat and I each talk about our experiences trying the keto diet

2:16:18 – I recap my story with disordered eating and recovery, and Mat describes his experience with burnout after Hubble

2:22:05 – What happened with Rhapsody, and his thoughts on returning

2:27:21 – Mat’s rope solo setup

2:29:43 – Go-to music

2:30:15 – Mat’s dream climbing expedition, the adventure and fun of climbing, and sending Gaia E8

2:34:46 – Think more about yourself and less about other people

2:35:44 – Cycle touring, and Mat’s thoughts on taking long breaks from climbing

2:42:36 – Where to connect with Mat, and details about the upcoming Brit Rock Film Tour

EP 192: Alex Biale — Bootlegging Wine, Training With Ollie Torr, and the Keys to a Balanced Life Oct 30, 2023

Alex Biale is an elite boulderer based in CO. We talked about his family legacy of bootlegging wine in Napa Valley, how he got into climbing, his legendary training with Jon Glassberg, pushing himself to the breaking point to send V14, seriously injuring his knee, working with Ollie Torr to overhaul his style and become stronger than ever, the keys to a balanced and happy life, and much more!

Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, and Alex Pluta

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alex-biale

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:05:34 – Steak and wine

0:06:16 – Alex’s connection to the Jon Glassberg and Ollie Torr episodes

0:07:37 – Alex’s upbringing in Napa, his family legacy of bootlegging wine, and the origin story of Black Chicken

0:12:21 – Working in the vineyard as a kid, and growing up surrounded by family

0:15:36 – Alex’s dad, and doing family backpacking trips to Tahoe

0:20:02 – Getting into climbing

0:21:59 – Parallels to the Josh Champion episode, looking up to CA climbers, getting into highballing, and putting V13 and V1 4 on a pedestal

0:31:01 – Training with Jon Glassberg

0:35:11 – Sending Mind to Motion V14, breaking from the training, and feeling lost after achieving his goal

0:39:59 – Climbing classic V8s in Leavenworth, rediscovering his love for climbing, and adopting a beginners mindset

0:47:58 – History, aesthetics, the amount of climbing in CO, and redefining challenge

0:51:56 – Desiring to become a well-rounded climber

0:58:23 – What gets people stuck, and being honest about what you want from climbing

1:03:20 – Combining strengths and weaknesses

1:09:32 – The perfect storm of training with Jon

1:13:20 – Playing the long game, and drawing inspiration from Martin Keller

1:17:33 – Why you shouldn’t train like a pro climber (unless you’re a pro climber)

1:22:50 – The advice Alex got from Will Anglin, and climbing with rules

1:34:42 – Why Alex hired Ollie Torr to coach him

1:45:43 – What’s different about training with Ollie on a principle level

1:52:24 – Injurying his knee, and transforming his climbing style

2:00:26 – The keys to staying consistent with climbing and training, and the value of a spray wall

2:16:12 – The keys to staying on top of things at work, and Alex’s business ventures

2:23:47 – Carrying a load, hitting rock bottom, and adding value

2:31:26 – The keys to maintaining a healthy relationship

2:37:59 – Wrap up, and very kind words from Alex about the podcast

EP 191: Jesse Firestone Returns — Finding Silver Linings, How to Move Like Adam Ondra, and Key Benefits of Visualization Oct 24, 2023

Jesse Firestone is back on the podcast! We talked about his injury this spring and finding silver linings, why he focused more on weight training than climbing this summer, shifting his priorities to spending more time on projects, biggest lessons from the past three years of coaching, Adam Ondra’s hip flexibility, how to become more flexible through climbing, why visualization is an excellent use of your time, and much more!

The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Zach Emery

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jesse-firestone-returns

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:05:53 – Jesse’s Winter and Spring season, his wrist injury, and his trip to Fontainebleau

0:11:53 – Losing muscle, falling into our own pitfalls, and a sales pitch for having a coach

0:15:45 – Stoic philosophy, finding the silver lining, and why Jesse climbed a lot less than usual over the summer

0:18:49 – Being stubborn about rock climbing, and plans to balance that with more weight lifting

0:20:32 – Why Jesse is moving toward less volume and more projecting

0:25:31 – Work capacity

0:29:48 – My summer trip, and what I would do the same vs differently to prepare next time

0:34:22 – Chasing the highs, and the reset of a bad injury

0:37:29 – Being content with not sending my project in Rocklands, and Jesse and I talk about struggling to find inspiration there

0:43:53 – What I’ve realized about active rest days in Rocklands

0:47:57 – Why Jesse didn’t set any goals on paper in 2023

0:49:57 – Thai

0:51:25 – How Jesse’s coaching business has evolved, and how he uses Instagram

0:56:03 – “A good coach knows when to be a window and when to be a mirror.”

0:56:33 – Lessons from Jesse’s first few years of coaching

1:05:23 – How coaching has led him to being a more compassionate person

1:08:43 – Summary of coaching lessons

1:09:33 – Intent vs. content of training

1:12:55 – Adam Ondra’s hip flexibility, writing a book, and how to improve flexibility through climbing

1:22:10 – Having a positive attitude about your flexibility

1:29:55 – 3 benefits of visualization for climbers

1:39:53 – The nuts and bolts of visualization

1:46:47 – Jesse puts his coach hat on and encourages me to climb faster

1:51:47 – Visualization for onsighting, and Adam Ondra’s onsight of Just Do It

1:54:20 – Wrap up

EP 190: Josh Champion — Quitting After Sending V13, and Reengaging With Climbing in a Healthier Way Oct 16, 2023

Josh Champion is an MD and elite boulderer based in Portland, Oregon. Josh and I hung out in 2017 during my infamous Bishop trip. Since then he moved to Colorado for residency, got even stronger, and then quit climbing shortly after sending his first three V13s. We talked about why he quit for three years, how he improved his relationship with climbing, helpful books, building Just Beta, and much more!

The Nugget is brought to you by BetterHelp!

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Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

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WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Zach Emery

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/josh-champion

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Intro/Ads

0:03:51 – Intermittent fasting, Josh’s “salad”, and diet soda in the morning

0:07:15 – Reminiscing about the 2017 Bishop trip, Josh’s send of Mandala, and clarifying the timing of my journey with disordered eating

0:12:07 – What happened to Josh after the 2017 trip, and moving to Colorado for residency

0:17:55 – How the pandemic affected his work, and sending his first three V13s

0:19:28 – Putting V13 on a pedestal

0:23:51 – Expectations vs reality of achieving a goal

0:26:21 – Delayed gratification vs learning how to enjoy the process

0:27:52 – Josh and I explore what drives us to pursue goals, and pure inspiration vs seeking approval from others

0:33:41 – Why Josh quit climbing

0:36:16 – What it felt like to quit, filling the gap, and creating BetaCache

0:42:35 – Finding a new physical outlet, and his mindset shift after being away from climbing

0:47:27 – Discovering who you are without climbing

0:49:34 – Not missing climbing, Josh’s antagonistic climbing friendship, and being free from comparison

0:52:48 – What brought him back to climbing

0:55:41 – Working on his relationship with climbing

1:01:14 – The Zen of Climbing

1:07:22 – Inner balance and friction

1:09:48 – Feeling cautious but optimistic, and shifting the emphasis

1:11:52 – Trying Woods Climb in Red Rocks, and plans for his upcoming trip to Moe’s Valley

1:16:34 – Meeting Jonathan Siegrist, starting to climb because we enjoyed it, and when that shifted for Josh

1:23:43 – Seeking challenge is healthy until you start putting numbers on it

1:27:44 – Treating climbing like a martial art or a craft

1:30:28 – Finding satisfaction and accomplishment in the process

1:31:44 – Josh’s thoughts about trying hard projects in the future

1:34:29 – Letting go of needing to check climbs off the list

1:37:27 – What inner work looks like, and Josh’s claim to fame

1:41:31 – The value of learning lessons the hard way

1:44:19 – Realizing you are not alone

1:45:54 – Why Josh created BetaCache, and the updated version JustBeta.net

Follow-Up: Martin Keller — Sending V16 at Age 45, Getting More Out of Less, and the Skill of Delayed Gratification (Teaser) Oct 12, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Martin Keller is back on the podcast! We met up in Magic Wood over the summer and recorded another great conversation. We talked about his send of Gateway V16/8C+, using video review to make breakthroughs, why you shouldn’t spend 50+ days on a project as he does, gaining 13 kgs to send his hardest boulder, his simple training routine, how he is still getting stronger at 45, and Martin gave me feedback and advice on my climbing.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:54:13.

Listen to the Patron Show on Spotify!

Martin's Original Episode:

EP 109: Martin Keller

EP 189: Lily Kral — Building a Board Climbing Gym, Exotic Dancing, and Being a Work in Progress Oct 09, 2023

Lily Kral is the owner of Boardworks in Bend, Oregon. We talked about her childhood and her mother’s struggle with addiction, being hospitalized for an eating disorder, exotic dancing her way through college, finding an identity as a strong climber, why she decided to build a board climbing gym, biggest challenges, burning the candle at both ends, being a work in progress, training for 5.14 at Smith Rock, and much more!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lily-kral

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:13 – Lily sets the scene

0:06:46 – Minimalist vs. mooch

0:08:50 – Lily’s childhood, her mom’s struggle with addiction, and seeking control

0:14:48 – Hussling vegetable at 10 years old

0:16:55 – Feeling unpopular in high school, wanting external validation, and being hospitalized for an eating disorder

0:21:17 – Exotic dancing in college

0:26:20 – The stigma around exotic dancing, and more about Lily’s experience in that world

0:33:46 – Type 1 vs type 2 thinking

0:36:15 – Coming out of retirement for a weekend

0:38:08 – Her time as a full-time route setter, burning the candle at both ends, and existing in fight or flight

0:40:53 – Moving to LA to become a head route setter

0:43:44 – Issues with substances, and how Lily was able to stay sober as a dancer

0:46:25 – Building Boardworks, and where the idea came from

0:52:16 – Why she chose Bend for her first location

0:57:14 – The Boardworks model, and what makes it special and unique

1:06:14 – The biggest challenges of opening and running a gym

1:11:02 – Delegation, and letting go of control

1:15:34 – More unforeseen challenges, and annoying questions from people who assume your work is easy

1:20:22 – Email

1:25:26 – Portaling

1:26:55 – The discomfort of feeling flaky, and practicing radical honesty

1:30:23 – Wanting the invite, keeping our options open, and how texting has made us flaky

1:32:08 – What Lily wishes she had known about marketing, and why construction is always behind schedule

1:35:56 – Undervaluing design and aesthetics

1:38:13 – Tying her identity to how hard she’s climbing

1:41:32 – Being a work in progress with disordered eating, and obsessive and compulsive behaviors in climbers

1:50:47 – Unpacking why we want to climb 5.14

1:56:12 – My thoughts on trying Badman again at Smith Rock, and climbing hard and being happy at the same time

1:59:40 – Lily’s thoughts on board training for Smith Rock

2:01:53 – Doing weighted pullups on a hangboard, and training endurance for To Bolt or Not To Be (first 5.14a in America)

2:06:26 – Working on getting validation from herself, and bringing more energy to other parts of her life

2:08:46 – Being in the present moment

2:10:34 – Having more grace for others and for ourselves

2:12:31 – Follow @boardworks_climbing on Instagram

EP 188: Joey Jannsen & Rich Breuner — Underground Hip-Hop, Cage Fighting, and Hustling ‘Til You Make It Oct 02, 2023

Joey Jannsen and Rich Breuner are the founders of Ocelot Grips. We talked about their “why” for starting a climbing hold company, why the small details matter, how to make dual tex, why you can’t buy their holds online, building relationships with your customers, being fans of sports, the future of indoor climbing, the entrepreneurial spirit, producing underground hip-hop concerts, cage fighting, and much more!

Check out Ocelot Grips!

ocelotgrips.com

*Not a paid endorsement, I just think they're cool!

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Use this link to get 10% off your first order of backcountry radios!

Check out Wonderful Pistachios!

WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app!

Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/joey-and-rich

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:20 – Soundcheck and bevies

0:05:30 – Rich talks about producing underground hip-hop shows during the summers in college

0:09:08 – Joey talks about cage fighting

0:11:53 – My background in manufacturing climbing holds, and our conversation six years ago about their idea for Ocelot

0:14:05 – Why they decided to outsource their production

0:15:37 – Joey’s background in route setting and shaping

0:18:52 – Joey’s “why” for starting Ocelot Grips

0:22:06 – Rich’s “why” for starting Ocelot Grips, and his background in business operations and management

0:24:53 – Expressing your identity through business

0:26:15 – The Hedgehog concept

0:28:12 – Why they chose the name Ocelot

0:29:09 – How The Nugget got its name

0:33:08 – What sets Ocelot apart from other brands, and the Shade Theory series

0:38:56 – Having a flavor

0:40:55 – Wanting to be involved in the setting community

0:44:47 – Why you can’t buy Ocelot holds online

0:48:50 – Getting feedback

0:51:53 – Attention to detail

0:56:26 – How you do something is how you do everything

0:56:58 – Ocelot’s manufacturing partner Peak Performance Polymers

1:00:23 – Joey’s dual tex process, and how climbing holds are made

1:05:29 – The logo

1:07:05 – The business planning phase, processing orders, and learning as you go

1:09:33 – Biggest challenges, and building Ocelot as a side hustle

1:11:46 – Bluey

1:12:40 – How far they’ve come, and what it will take for Ocelot to be their full-time jobs

1:15:48 – Making career choices to maximize time

1:18:40 – Where to climb on Ocelot holds, and gratitude

1:21:38 – Joey describes the four current families of Ocelot holds

1:25:38 – Wanting to see their holds in competitions

1:29:54 – Being sports fans, and being excited about where climbing is heading

1:38:45 – Novel moves in competitions

1:41:15 – Putting on more than 50 competitions

1:44:11 – Joey shares a few nuggets for route setters (relevant for creative people)

1:54:01 – Rich shares a few nuggets about business

2:01:48 – Where to find Ocelot, and wrap up

EP 187: Stefanie Myr — Miniature Carpentry, Becoming Polyamorous, and Finding “Church” at the Gym Sep 26, 2023

Stefanie Myr is the head route setter, manager, and team coach at Climb Tacoma in WA. We met up in Leavenworth and talked about our similar upbringings in Christianity, why we both moved away from religion, finding “church” in the climbing community, confidence and self-belief, unique challenges as a short climber, being less certain and more curious, Stef’s polyamorous relationship with her husband and partner, compersion, honest communication, doing what you can to make the world a little better, and much more!

Listen to the Patron Show on Spotify!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Wonderful Pistachios!

WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!

Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/stefanie-myr

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:05 – Miniature carpentry, and a gift for me

0:11:49 – Stef role at Climb Tacoma, and the gym as a core part of her community

1:17:19 – How she first got a job at Climb Tacoma, and having a diverse group of people on the team

0:20:16 – Stef’s unique financial situation, and the sustainability of working at a climbing gym

0:22:38 – Moving away from her Christian upbringing, and finding “church” at the climbing gym

0:25:09 – Our parallels with church music and moving away from organized religion

0:30:31 – Bullet point lists, and how the gym functions like a “church”

0:32:07 – Meeting people who changed the way we thought about organized religion

0:35:16 – Stef’s upbringing and programming, and not realizing she was bisexual until college

0:38:39 – Stef’s husband Julien

0:40:34 – Stef’s confidence, choosing Giant Man as an objective, and gaining something from every climb

0:46:17 – Frustration with height and grades, and needing to be V12 strong to climb V10

0:48:02 – My conversation with Nic Rummel about grades, and an announcement about the Patron show being on Spotify

0:51:19 – Sending Pimpsqueak V8/9 in Leavenworth, ABR (always be rolling), and why recording send videos feels important

0:56:02 – The power of seeing someone like you climb hard things

1:00:42 – More about confidence, embracing powerful moves, learning from coaching little kids, and unlocking pieces of the puzzle

1:08:18 – The moments that show you that you’ve gotten better at climbing, and Stef’s mountain

1:10:23 – Stef’s dream boulder in Goldbar WA, and other goals in Leavenworth

1:12:01 – How Stef got on The Nugget

1:21:52 – Self-belief, wanting to be good, and the power of affirmation

1:26:17 – Our brain’s reaction to negative comments, and how Stef deals with trolls

1:38:02 – The lawyer in my brain, and making people think differently by asking better questions

1:39:51 – Less certain more curious

1:42:47 – Stef’s polyamorous relationship, and why she wanted to talk about it

1:50:50 – Normalizing sex, and redefining cheating in an open relationship

1:56:18 – Equating sex and intimacy to love, how cool her husband is, and the story of how she came to be with her partner

2:03:22 – Jealousy, and honest communication

2:05:32 – Why Stef wanted to talk about her open relationship, and why people who are poly are not free-for-alls

2:09:53 – Bringing all of who you are to yourself as a climber

2:11:53 – Compersion

2:15:11 – The depth of her relationship with her husband before they opened their relationship, and the distinction between security and trust

2:17:53 – Marriage, and Stef’s future with her partner

2:24:47 – Double the love and laundry, and Stef’s life in a go bag

2:26:50 – Check-ins, RADAR, smoking weed, and “ask don’t assume”

2:32:23 – Double-committing, and learning to communicate her plans

2:39:18 – What Stef wishes people spent more time thinking about

2:41:10 – Make the world a little better

2:42:20 – My episode with Ethan Pringle about his dad, and the importance of airing out the messiness

2:47:35 – Stef’s sponsors

2:51:08 – Pursuing the child-free life, and final thoughts

Four Women Have Climbed V15 Sep 23, 2023

In this short episode, I correct a mistake from my latest episode with Katie Lamb and talk about the four women who have climbed V15. Thanks to Katharina for bringing this to my attention, and all the respect and admiration to Ashima Shiraishi, Kaddi Lehmann, Mishka Ishi, and Oriane Bertone. You are legends!

Follow-Up: Katie Lamb — Box Therapy V16, and the Willingness to Persist (Teaser) Sep 22, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Katie Lamb is back on to talk about her groundbreaking ascent of Box Therapy V16. In case you’ve been living under a rock (or haven’t been) Katie recently sent the hardest boulder of her life and became the first woman to send a V16. We go in-depth into her projecting processes, why she picked Box Therapy as a project, her greatest challenges, why she only tried the boulder once per week, her personal key to sending hard boulders, joy vs. excitement, and much more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:40:34.

Katie’s Other Episodes:

EP 145: Katie Lamb

Follow-Up: Katie Lamb (Apr 20, 2023)

EP 186: Q&A 7 (feat. Ethan Pringle) — Rocklands Wrap-Up, Bat Hang Shenanigans, and Challenging Your Perceived Limits Sep 18, 2023

The final episode from Rocklands! Ethan Pringle joins me for a fireside chat on my last day in South Africa. We share a wrap-up of the trip, and tackle Patron questions about Ethan’s back injury and rehab, his favorite climbing areas in California, why I still do “No Hangs”, my send of Octopussy, projecting tips, how I use the Tindeq, Ethan’s most epic bat hangs, mental health struggles and setbacks, challenging your perceived limits, why Ethan thinks I should spend more time training on commercial gym sets, my thoughts about Rocklands overall, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-7

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:51 – Rocklands Recap:

0:03:51 – My recap of being sick, and how fast time flies on a trip

0:11:55 – Comparing my trips to Magic Wood and Rocklands, and my main takeaway

0:13:07 – Ethan’s trip recap, and remaining goals

0:18:22 – Recap of my journey on Black Shadow

0:22:32 – Some of the other hard boulders I tried

0:24:06 – The line between having a “bad” vs “good” trip

0:25:29 – Expectations vs. reality, and resetting your reference points to find gratitude

0:28:02 – Patron Questions:

0:28:02 – Shawn’s Question: Ethan’s back injury/rehab, his plans to lift weights, and the rigors of bouldering in Rocklands

0:34:04 – Shawn’s Question: No Hangs, finding your max load for training, and my current approach to finger strength

0:38:40 – Rajiv’s Question: Top routes that have inspired Ethan, Connor Herson’s repeat of Black Beard’s Tears, and Ethan’s FA in Greenland

0:41:47 – Rajiv’s Question: China Beach in Rumney

0:43:05 – Rajiv’s Question: Chris Linder’s route Window of Opportunity

0:47:59 – Travis’ Question: My send of Octopussy, the process, and projecting tips

0:56:40 – Colin’s Question: Where Ethan developed his love for climbing, being a gym rat at heart, and his early climbing in CA

1:00:10 – Colin’s Question: Go-to climbing areas near San Francisco, Ethan’s thoughts on Jailhouse, and areas in northern CA

1:03:42 – Colin’s Question: Bouldering exploration in the Eastern Sierras, and unfinished business at Shuteye Ridge

1:09:58 – Colin’s Question: Ethan’s thoughts on the bouldering near LA

1:13:11 – Cody’s Question: Tindeq protocols, edge sizes, and some notes about my finger training on the trip

1:19:40 – Patreon plug, and info about Q&As

1:21:26 – Daniel’s Question: Ethan’s thoughts on bat hangs

1:28:02 – Alan’s Question: Which climber’s superpowers we wish we had

1:31:44 – Jacob’s Question: Ethan’s thoughts on mental health struggles, and how that plays into his climbing

1:35:28 – Why loving yourself won’t make you lose your edge

1:39:02 – Wren’s Question: My thoughts on sport climbing in the future, and meeting climbing partners on the road

1:44:20 – Jacob’s Question: Favorite sport climbing destinations in the US

1:46:25 – Unpacking the word “favorite”

1:47:15 – Lars’ Question: Dealing with setbacks and mental struggles

1:49:33 – The beauty of Rocklands

1:51:07 – Connor’s Question: Most memorable boulders, and life list boulders

1:57:03 – Cooper’s Question: Favorite home crags near the Bay that Ethan never gets tired of, and remaining highballs in Bishop

1:59:13 – Luke’s Question: Challenging your perceived limits

2:09:08 – More Thoughts About Rocklands:

2:09:08 – Why Ethan thinks I should spend more time on commercial gym sets

2:10:40 – My thoughts on the climbing in Rocklands, and why I was hesitant to talk about it

2:19:28 – Sweet spot grades in different areas, and wanting to be good enough to enjoy weird or unpleasant climbs

2:22:59 – We need that 18-year-old Moonboard energy

2:24:32 – Wanting to come back, and wrap up

EP 185: Mattias Braach-Maksvytis — All Things Dynos, Why Boulderers Should Train Their Legs, and How to Enjoy Your Climbing Sep 12, 2023

Mattias Braach-Maksvytis is an expert boulderer and a doctor of PhysioTherapy from Australia. This episode is all about dynos! Ethan Pringle joins us for another fireside chat as we talk about how Mattias became “the dyno guy” in Rocklands, categories of difficulty and how to grade dynos, how training his legs made him a better all-around boulderer, the key to having the best trip of your life, changing his mindset and enjoying his climbing more than ever, and much more!

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Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mattias-braach-maksvytis

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:26 – Exhales and accents

0:08:02 – How Mattias and I first met outside a bathroom in Hueco

0:11:26 – Becoming “the Dyno guy” in Rocklands, and his dyno resume

0:18:16 – His first hard dynos, and early trips to Font

0:21:06 – Hotspots for dynos around the world, and the new 8C/V15 dyno in Spain

0:23:57 – Trying an obscure dyno in Bishop, and beta mining

0:25:36 – ‘The End’ 8A in Rocklands, and what makes a good dyno

0:28:08 – Dyno FAs in Rocklands, and dynos that are ahead of their time

0:32:12 – ‘Industry of Cool’ 8A+, getting better at coordination dynos, which types of dynos hold their grades

0:35:15 – How to grade a dyno, and categories of difficulty

0:41:01 – Mattias’ 8C dyno project, and having his best year of climbing ever

0:43:01 – Changing his mindset, and becoming more playful

0:51:58 – Needing reference points to determine grades

0:53:45 – Training for his 5-year dyno project

1:00:10 – Dyno technique, and breaking down the move

1:04:19 – Right-handed 8A dynos in Rocklands, and the morpho nature of dynos

1:08:36 – Nobody trains legs, how much Mattias weighs, and how increasing his leg strength helped his overall climbing

1:11:11 – Getting hit by a van, and how rehab made him stronger

1:13:36 – Why he was so psyched to send ‘Caroline’ 7C+

1:16:16 – Other trip highlights, and why lumbrical injuries have become more common

1:23:55 – Being a sub-max comfortable guy, and not needing to do projects right now

1:27:15 – Enjoying the chossy lowball, and letting go of pressure to send the mega

1:32:43 – Coercing Mattias to try ‘Black Shadow’ on his last day, and his level of fatigue at the end of the trip

1:36:41 – Why the Basecamp boulder took so long to get developed

1:37:43 – Spraying the tick list

1:42:45 – The key to having the best trip of your life

1:43:49 – Aligning your inspiration with your ability

1:46:27 – Is it possible to climb near your potential after 2 months in Rocklands?

1:49:45 – Starting his business ClimberCare

1:54:47 – Studying to become a doctor of PhysioTherapy, and his evolution as a climber

1:57:46 – Wobblers

2:03:34 – Ethan’s punt on ‘Rodan’ 33/8c/5.14b in Waterval Boven

2:07:00 – Self-deprecation and kindness

2:10:02 – Drawing inspiration from the mutants

2:11:21 – V14 goals

2:15:50 – Better yeet your meaties

EP 184: Nic Rummel — Embracing Thickness, Lessons From 9 Years of Hangboarding, and Doing Whatever It Takes to Feel Like a Badass Sep 04, 2023

Nic Rummel is an applied mathematician and expert boulderer. Ethan Pringle joins as co-host for another fun episode from Rocklands. We talked about embracing his nickname “Thick Nic”, lessons from working with Matt Fultz, sending V13 crimp boulders at 185 lbs, epic math projects, taking ballet to practice movement, the keys to a good spray wall, go-to hangboard protocols for epic finger strength, how lifting weights led to his best trip ever, finding mentorship in an 80-year-old climbing legend, and much more!

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Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/nic-rummel

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:39 – Test, test, testing…

0:08:24 – How Thique Nic got his nickname, and embracing the body you’re given

0:15:02 – Viking-built, trucks vs. Mazdas

0:17:43 – Working with Matt & Hailey (Franklin) Fultz, and the confidence that comes with hitting strength benchmarks

0:20:39 – Everyone wants to be like someone else, and being proud of the climber you’ve become

0:23:29 – I’m on one, training for his local project in Fort Collins CO, and why he had such a successful trip to Rocklands

0:30:08 – Deloading, Nic’s job in missile tracking and detection, and going back to school for a graduate degree

0:35:23 – Needing more rest now that he is in school

0:36:14 – Nic’s longest boulder project vs. his math problem

0:41:29 – Applied math vs. pure math

0:46:00 – The math problem that took Nic the longest to solve

0:49:01 – Finding better beta on the JABE problem

0:54:06 – Mathing vs. bouldering, comparison, and balancing multiple passions

0:58:49 – Having a physical goal, an artistic goal, and an intellectual goal

1:00:04 – Artistic outlets, and making an art film

1:02:13 – Ballet

1:11:32 – Nic’s crimping journey

1:16:29 – Beating Matt Fultz to the 200 lb OTG, doing 58 pullups in a minute, and getting confidence from metrics

1:21:19 – Nic’s crimping journey continued, and long-term hangboard training

1:24:32 – Nic’s key takeaways from reading Ned Feehally’s book Beastmaking

1:26:07 – Doing a hangboarding workout before trying your project, and adapting over time

1:27:53 – Nic’s go-to hangboard protocols

1:32:09 – Nic’s top hangboard recommendation that he got from Will Anglin

1:34:15 – Nic’s thoughts on training micros

1:35:53 – When to do the Will Anglin workout, and doing long-duration hangs as part of his warmup

1:37:34 – Being warmup kings, and training less than usual

1:41:05 – Ethan’s feelings

1:42:41 – Nic’s secret crimp project, and doing the stand to Andramada

1:44:41 – Working on climbing movement, and how he set up his home wall to work on his weaknesses

1:47:56 – How the home wall facilitated community, and buying his house in Fort Collins

1:51:54 – The evolution of Nic’s home wall, and why he doesn’t like big holds on boards

1:56:04 – Ethan tries to convince Nic to try Scorsese 5.14c in the Poudre

1:57:45 – Setting as a creative outlet, and what he wishes he could change about his home wall

2:00:07 – Why Nic doesn’t recommend using T-nuts on a home wall

2:02:15 – Using electric scooters to get to Lincoln Lake

2:09:06 – Ethan hates on CO alpine bouldering, and the boys compare it to Eldo and the Flatirons

2:13:59 – How Nic ended up in Boulder, living on Paul’s land, and renovating his trailer

2:23:22 – Showering, splitting time between the trailer and his house, and having Paul as a mentor

2:28:54 – Wanting to feel like a badass, and finding balance

2:32:30 – Feeling content with his trip, getting sick, and sending Sky V13

2:35:59 – Lifting weights to keep up with his sister

2:38:02 – Taking measurements of his body, and how he’s changed over the years

2:39:04 – Nic’s brother, his siblings’ climbing, and a lesson from powerlifting

2:43:54 – Dream climbs, plans to try more V14s, and why he got hurt on his project

2:47:58 – Music City Hot Chicken

2:48:34 – Go-to breakfast

2:49:37 – Go-to climbing shoes

2:52:17 – Climbing in Red Feather

2:53:07 – Trap music

2:54:31 – Obtaining big goals

2:56:55 – Ethan talks about Nic’s send of Airstar V13

2:58:41 – Wrap up

EP 183: Jenn DeBellis — Chasing Dream Boulders, Turning Small Wins Into Big Wins, and Sustaining a Full-Time Job on the Road Aug 28, 2023

Jenn DeBellis is an elite-level boulderer and software engineer. We sat down in Rocklands and talked about her biggest lessons from childhood gymnastics and collegiate athletics, trying V13s in Magic Wood and Rocklands, getting comfortable with failure, learning to embrace her style, her elaborate warmup routine, how she plans her 6-week training cycles, her role with KAYA, tips for sustaining a full-time job on the road, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jenn-debellis

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:57 – Bugs and SAT words

0:06:39 – Jenn’s gymnastics background, and pole vaulting in college

0:11:12 – Paying attention to the best qualities in our friends

0:13:15 – Tough coaches, and learning to be tough on herself

0:15:00 – Being comfortable with failure, and Jenn’s Olympic aspirations in gymnastics

0:19:26 – Setting the scene

0:20:09 – Getting inspired by Ray of Light V13, and Jenn’s initial goals for her trip to Rocklands

0:22:24 – The breakdown of Ray of Light, and the standards in Rocklands

0:24:10 – V10 and 8A, and the decision to try really hard and inspiring things

0:26:30 – The 8a leaderboard, and shift her philosophy to chase dream boulders

0:30:50 – My new shoe mod for Black Shadow

0:34:08 – Getting excited about “sending” crux moves, and turning small wins into big wins

0:35:59 – Trying beyond limit boulders, and making tradeoffs

0:40:21 – Jenn and I compare our experiences with Black Shadow and Ray of Light, and share takeaways

0:48:00 – The climbers we’ve learned from, and the truth about people who climb hard

0:51:04 – Owning your style, not falling into the pitfall of trying to copy your peers, and trying Full Throttle V13 in Hueco

0:57:23 – How living on the road has changed my perception of climbing, and different ways you can express difficulty in climbing

0:59:06 – Working on her strengths and supplementing her weaknesses

1:01:20 – Thinking about her training in checkboxes

1:03:14 – Not knowing where home is, and having many homes on the road

1:08:28 – Jenn’s lifestyle, leaving her PhD program to live in a van

1:15:05 – How Jenn balances indoor training and outdoor performance

1:17:49 – How she plans her training cycles, and using autoregulation to ramp up after a trip

1:21:29 – “Injury is the enemy.”

1:22:12 – How Jenn balances her climbing life with a full-time remote job

1:23:46 – Life is 30% less efficient on the road

1:25:49 – Tips for finding cheap rent in cities

1:26:54 – The dirtbag mindset, how to make working on the road sustainable

1:31:13 – How Jenn structures a 6-week training block, and the key ingredients in her training

1:33:07 – Weight lifting, and cutting out accessory exercises

1:35:07 – Board climbing, and how to train for something like Full Throttle

1:36:46 – Jenn’s long-ass climbing warmup

1:40:21 – The different stages of Jenn’s warmup

1:41:28 – Keeping training and outdoor trips separate

1:43:45 – Improving year on year

1:44:54 – Upcoming trips and goals, and training 4x4s on her home wall

1:47:53 – KAYA, Jenn’s role on the engineering team, and her passion for her work

1:54:44 – Favorite rock type, and thinking better on granite

1:57:08 – Ultimate dream climbs, and meaningful first female ascents

1:59:34 – Joe’s Valley doughnuts

2:01:11 – Kodiak Cakes

2:02:06 – Go-to climbing shoes

2:02:17 – Jenn’s connection to Joe’s Valley, and how she became a software engineer

2:05:02 – Desert Island DVDs

2:06:31 – Hype music

2:08:27 – Best decision she’s ever made, and how long she sees herself living this lifestyle

2:11:42 – Thoughts about having a family and drawing inspiration from strong moms

2:12:42 – What Jenn wishes people spent less time thinking about

2:14:25 – Building out her van

2:17:36 – Toying with the idea of bringing back blogs

2:19:45 – Wrapping up in the dark

EP 182: Carlos Tkacz & Steph Letourneau — Lessons From 7 Trips to Rocklands, Being Good at Being Consistent, and Writing Novels Aug 21, 2023

Carlos Tkacz returns and is joined by his partner Steph Letourneau for a sitdown here in Rocklands. We talked about their diet habits, lessons from their 7 trips to Rocklands, learning to try harder, comparison games, respecting the difficulty of climbing, being good at being consistent, balancing your carbon footprint, making the most of a climbing trip to South Africa, writing novels, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/carlos-and-steph

Carlos's Previous Episode:

EP 58: Carlos Tkacz

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:36 – Breakfast and food habits

0:06:24 – Trading climbing days with your partner

0:08:48 – Resting more to climb harder

0:11:01 – 7 trips to Rocklands apiece, and how to make long flights better

0:13:12 – Teaching and going back to school

0:19:01 – Why Carlos and Steph keep coming back to Rocklands year after year

0:21:23 – Steph’s experience on her first trip to Rocklands, and why both of them prefer bouldering to trad climbing

0:28:01 – Describing Rocklands’ style, Carlos’ first 8B ‘Monkey Business', and learning to try harder

0:33:10 – Steph’s lesson in trying hard, practicing her yell in the car, and getting hyped on Adele

0:37:21 – Carlos' experience watching a guy yell in Thailand, Coach Carlos, and asking if people want feedback

0:39:50 – Steph’s send of ‘Ghost in the Darkness’ 7C/+, and trying ‘Caroline’ 7C+

0:43:02 – Carlos’ tick list from the trip, sending ‘Airstar’ 8B, and reconnecting with the joy of climbing

0:46:16 – What helped Carlos change his mindset, and sending ‘Into the Void’ 8B

0:50:01 – Sending ‘Airstar’, and drawing inspiration from “the kids”

0:52:36 – Favorite Rocklands films

0:57:21 – Struggling with comparison games, respecting the difficulty of climbing, and doing your best

1:07:35 – Climbing is centralizing, and mental energy as a finite resource

1:09:42 – Unpacking my feelings about not progressing quickly enough, and our American obsession with speed

1:12:21 – Being good at being consistent

1:14:12 – Dopamine hits vs. building relationships with climbs

1:19:22 – Growing as a climber in Rocklands, and the stories we tell ourselves

1:22:13 – My shift in mindset in Rocklands, and redefining a lifetime worth of climbing

1:24:47 – Steph talks about how every season in Rocklands is a completely different experience

1:27:02 – Getting the most out of the experience in South Africa, and learning about the place and its history and politics

1:35:27 – Taking breaks from climbing to have other experiences

1:41:53 – Planning the whole year around their Rocklands trips, and doing two 12-week training blocks

1:45:47 – Teaching

1:55:41 – Flying, carbon footprint, and how our brains make shortcuts

2:06:29 – Being a park person, and how we’ve impacted nature

2:09:26 – Steph’s thoughts on climate from a physics perspective, and trying to be carbon neutral on balance

2:16:59 – Offsetting CO2 emissions

2:20:44 – How they fit their 12-week training blocks into a school semester

2:23:27 – The Training Trip, and building a community in Vegas

2:28:59 – Nesting and baby fever

2:33:04 – Training Weight, and the commitment to family

2:36:16 – Carlos’ new book list

2:40:31 – Speculative fiction

2:42:09 – Carlos’ latest book projects, and Steph’s first novel

2:45:59 – Carlos’ horror film

2:48:19 – Steph’s new book project, and where to find her first book

2:49:54 – Publishing a book

2:53:04 – The feedback Steph got from her publisher

2:54:58 – The Day You Became A Better Writer by Scott Adams

2:56:23 – Having a family, ‘Sky’ as the final boss of the 8Bs, and making the horror movie

2:58:24 – Enjoying the process

2:59:40 – What’s next?

EP 181: Charlie Schreiber, Adam Shahar, Noah & Benn Wheeler — Accidentally Flashing V13, Board Training, and Ultimate Dream Sends Aug 14, 2023

It’s another Northeast takeover in Rocklands! Charlie Schreiber returns to the podcast and is joined by Adam Shahar, and brothers Noah and Benn Wheeler. Ethan Pringle joins us and keeps the fire stoked for this unhinged six-person podcast. The lads gave us the tick list from their first ten days in Rocklands, and we geeked out about board training, favorite FAs, and ultimate dream boulders and routes. Tune in for a dose of fun and inspiration with these young crushers!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/charlie-adam-noah-benn

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:26 – Izzo’s legendary ascent of Eternia in Upper Chaos, and debating whether V12 or 1200 in chess is harder

0:09:15 – Youth worlds and these boys trips outdoors

0:14:47 – Charlie’s tick list (first 10 days in Rocklands)

0:19:06 – Adam’s tick list (first 10 days in Rocklands)

0:26:21 – The boys' skin

0:29:22 – Noah’s tick list (first 10 days in Rocklands)

0:34:01 – Ben’s tick list (first 10 days in Rocklands)

0:37:20 – Charlie’s coach role on the trip

0:38:21 – Remaining Rocklands goals, and goals back home

0:40:46 – Noah’s first weekend of outdoor bouldering, and Benn’s worn-out Nikes

0:42:56 – Getting hooked

0:51:47 – Home crags in the Northeast

0:55:16 – V17 monsters, and futuristic projects

0:57:11 – College plans, and projects in the South Platte

0:58:41 – Brother dynamics

1:00:45 – Sponsorships in climbing vs other sports

1:02:38 – Is there V17 potential in the Northeast?

1:04:06 – Plans to try established V16s

1:09:23 – Boulders the boys struggled with, and Charlie’s big win on Mooiste Meisei

1:16:37 – Favorite boulders in Rocklands, Troy’s send of Black Shadow, and plans to return for Livin’ Large and The Finnish Line

1:21:09 – How the Wheeler boys are different, and Benn’s World Cup aspirations

1:24:24 – Noah’s finger strength

1:26:16 – Board gods

1:34:33 – Board grades vs. Rocklands grades

1:37:38 – Noah’s experience of gaining finger strength and risking injury on the Moonboard

1:38:51 – Using the hangboard for rehab and testing

1:40:17 – Nationals, and comp specialists

1:42:04 – Is board climbing the key to climbing hard on rock?

1:42:43 – Adam’s weaknesses

1:43:26 – Noah’s weaknesses

1:46:52 – Winning with your strengths and not losing because of your weaknesses

1:49:37 – Benn’s weaknesses

1:52:37 – Adam’s proudest FAs

1:54:14 – Noah’s proudest FAs

1:56:03 – Another proud FA from Adam

1:57:34 – Benn’s proudest FAs

1:59:23 – Charlie’s proudest FAs

2:01:36 – Ethan’s FA of Wet Dream when he was 17

2:06:29 – Ethan’s proudest highball FA, and other highballs in Bishop

2:08:13 – Ethan’s big wall FA in Greenland in 2012

2:09:33 – My FA of Pale Horse

2:10:49 – Ultimate dream boulders (and routes)

2:18:05 – Sport climbing aspirations

2:19:24 – Three more goals each

2:24:07 – Airstar

2:26:05 – Ethan and I share our three goals for our remaining time in Rocklands

2:32:16 – These boys are the future

EP 180: Troy Fauteux, Austin Hoyt, & Bryce Viola — Times We Almost Died, Toe Hook Training, and Laughs and Sends in Rocklands Aug 07, 2023

It’s a Northeast takeover here in Rocklands! Austin Hoyt returns to the podcast and is joined by Troy Fauteux and Bryce Viola. The boys sat down with me and Ethan Pringle for a fireside chat at our cabin. These guys are all total crushers and most importantly, they have a lot of fun. Join us for a crackling good time!

Huge thank you to Liam Andrews-Bancroft for the incredible music at the end of this episode.

Troy's Video:

Pawtuckaway Bouldering - Warrior V3

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/troy-austin-bryce

Austin's Previous Episode:

EP 97: Austin Hoyt

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:13 – Flipping cars and stealing clothes

0:12:00 – “Brad… it's, it’s bad.”

0:18:15 – Troy’s top 3 most scary climbing experiences

0:26:26 – Plans for Tuesday and Monkey Wedding

0:28:13 – Living Large and Finish Line

0:31:13 – Progress on Monkey Wedding, and Austin’s longest project

0:32:43 – Austin’s efforts on Lucid Dreaming, and Alex Megos taping video

0:35:13 – Quintessential and Industry of Cool

0:38:25 – Bryce’s trip so far

0:39:52 – Favorite zones in Rocklands

0:43:24 – Pure, and how fast the level is changing

0:45:36 – Highlights from Rocklands, and having fun

0:48:59 – Industry of Cool, hiking 300+ miles to send The Nest, and unfinished business in Spain

0:52:45 – Sport climbing aspirations, and Max Zolotukhin falling off of Super Nova while trying to free solo it

0:58:17 – Challenging access, and do New England climbers have more fun?

1:02:03 – Potential and rock quality in the NE, and Bryce’s job

1:09:07 – Troy’s job detailing cars, and climbing in West Virginia

1:11:32 – Austin’s tick list

1:14:14 – The variety of styles in Rocklands, and toe hook training

1:16:48 – How long everyone has been climbing, and the BMX connection

1:20:02 – The new crop of young talent

1:24:42 – Most recent comps, and the shorter shelf life of top-level competitors

1:29:41 – Ultimate dream boulders

1:31:31 – Trying climbs way above and below your level, and the V15 goal

1:34:49 – Ethan’s goal to find 5.15 in the Sierra Nevada, and the rarity of all-natural hard routes

1:38:01 – Choss and rain and Hueco, and Ethan’s top 3 favorite bouldering areas

1:41:30 – Almost dying on the topout of The Mandala

1:42:58 – “Dad I’m bread. ”

1:44:31 – Will we climb until we die?

1:45:57 – Mystery climbs in Rocklands

1:48:18 – The drunk comp, and the Anchorman of climbing

1:51:59 – The Lifetime Project guy

1:53:44 – Milkshakes and final goals for the trip

1:57:28 – Airstar getting action

1:58:51 – Ethan’s most epic bat hangs

1:59:58 – Austin’s send of Direct North

2:01:00 – Near misses

EP 179: Cat Runner — Life After Winning The Climb, Embracing Trans Pride, and Sending Big at 5’0” Jul 31, 2023

Cat Runner is the winner of the HBO show The Climb. Cat sat down with me and Ethan Pringle at our cabin here in Rocklands to talk about what his life has looked like after The Climb, his experience filming the show, the stereotypical trans narrative in the media, why he chooses to be visible, his ungendered childhood, gender roles in sports, why people feel threatened by trans or queer identities, dealing with trolls, owning your accomplishments, building the Queer Climber’s Network, Rocklands highlights, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/cat-runner

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:44 – Cat’s tea situation

0:07:53 – Ethan’s coffee addiction, and why he doesn’t drink it before doing something scary

0:11:20 – The Queer Climbers’ Network

0:16:15 – Life after winning The Climb

0:22:23 – Finding community through climbing, and helping others find that too

0:25:37 – Cat’s experience filming and watching the show

0:28:54 – Being trans as part of Cat’s identity, and how that came across in the show

0:30:38 – More behind the scenes, and what the climbing experience was like on the show

0:32:15 – Meeting Jason Mamoa, and meme accounts

0:34:14 – The reaction to the show, and getting messages from trans kids and their parents

0:36:35 – The stereotypical trans narrative in the media, and pushing people into the role of spokesperson

0:39:22 – Choosing to be visible, being proud of being trans, and seeing a future

0:42:36 – Being who he needed when he was younger, and trying to change one person’s world

0:44:14 – What Cat would have benefitted from as a kid, experiencing severe depression, and knowing he’s a part of the future

0:46:36 – Reading The Alchemist, and having intimate connections with individual people

0:51:43 – Cat’s childhood, transitioning within the binary, and how his gender identity has evolved

0:58:14 – Connecting with he/him pronouns

1:00:36 – Why people feel threatened by trans or queer identities, trolls, and the reaction to my video clip with Alayna Joy about climbing as a queer space

1:07:30 – Why Cat is particular about who he climbs with

1:10:28 – The trolliest of troll questions

1:11:16 – People’s insecurities, and “we’re all performing”

1:15:03 – Knowing when to give your energy to people, and leading with respect

1:19:36 – “Trans people are humans”, and the stat that 80% of Americans have never met a person they know to be trans

1:22:00 – An issue of isolation and ignorance

1:25:16 – Hopeful conversations, anti-trans legislation, and false information about gender-affirming care

1:27:56 – Cat’s parents

1:31:50 – Gender roles and sports, and the gender gap in climbing

1:38:25 – Height in climbing, the subjectivity of grades, and why outdoor rock climbing is so cool

1:43:49 – Rapid Fire: Best decision

1:44:19 – Rapid Fire: Most proud of

1:49:09 – Rapid Fire: What frustrates you

2:01:00 – Taking responsibility

2:03:28 – “Take! Falling!”

2:05:02 – Rapid Fire: Favorite rock type

2:07:46 – Rapid Fire: Ultimate dream climb

2:15:36 – Rapid Fire: Favorite send reward

2:17:04 – Rapid Fire: Go-to climbing shoes

2:23:00 – Rapid Fire: Desert Island DVD

2:25:31 – Rapid Fire: Favorite album for a long drive

2:28:49 – The one thing Cat wants people to know about trans stuff

2:31:29 – Taking representation seriously, and how sharing human stories cracks people open

2:38:17 – Doing your best, and sharing information with your circle

2:44:30 – Cat’s ankle injury, and his tick list from Rocklands

Follow-Up: Ollie Torr — How to Improve Your Critical Force, Training Endurance at Home, and Listener Q&A (Teaser) Jul 27, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Ollie Torr returns to answer questions from Patrons! If you enjoyed my first episode with Ollie, don’t miss this Follow-Up. We discussed critical force and how to measure and improve it, tips for training endurance at home, training for overhangs with limited resources, the power of expectations, balancing multiple sports, BMI and performance, identifying weaknesses, and much more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:49:54.

Ollie’s Original Episode:

EP 153: Ollie Torr

EP 178: Ethan Pringle Returns — Two Things He Does Every Day, Taking Your Time, and Honoring His Dad Jul 24, 2023

Ethan Pringle is back on the podcast! We talked about our first few weeks in Rocklands, the style of climbing here, his plans to try Monkey Wedding 8C, nemesis boulders, micromanaging holds, two habits that Ethan does every day, taking your time while executing hard moves, adjusting on holds, and Ethan talked about his dad’s life after his stroke, his final weeks, and his passing on November 6, 2022.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Ethan’s Other Episodes:

EP 21: Ethan Pringle (Jun 2020)

Follow-Up: Ethan Pringle (Oct 2020)

EP 44: Steven Dimmitt (feat. Ethan Pringle) (Nov 2020)

A Call from Ethan (Jul 2021)

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ethan-pringle-returns

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:49 – Princess Pringle

0:06:13 – Rocklands Trip update

0:11:24 – Feeling fit for bouldering after sport climbing

0:14:14 – Ethan’s haphazard approach, and following the psych

0:20:04 – Monkey Wedding (8C/V15)

0:21:43 – Being surprised at the tactics of some really strong climbers

0:24:03 – Rapid firing dynamic moves

0:26:09 – The style of climbing in Rocklands

0:32:37 – Bonus cruxes and nemesis rigs (Black Mango Chutney and Dangle)

0:40:20 – Munchy holds

0:41:12 – Micromanaging holds

0:44:56 – Pause

0:45:57 – Ethan-ism #1: Rolling out

0:48:33 – Ethan-ism #2: Drinking lots of water

0:51:03 – The lacrosse ball, and lubricated tendons

0:54:00 – The injurious style of Rocklands

0:55:54 – Ethan-ism #3: “Take your time.”

1:03:12 – Perfectionism and being detail oriented, and accessing beast mode

1:07:12 – Wanting moves to feel good, and committing when they’re not

1:08:39 – More about the style in Rocklands, and funky moves

1:10:02 – Adjusting on holds, and Adam Ondra on Perfecto Mundo and La Dura Dura

1:15:18 – His dad’s stroke

1:20:12 – Ethan’s sleeping injury

1:26:08 – His dad’s quality of life in the final years of his life

1:33:10 – Honoring his dad, which parts of Ethan feel most like him, and how his dad didn’t how to process and talk about feelings

1:39:22 – How Ethan developed his emotional intelligence, and giving space to other people’s thoughts and feelings

1:44:21 – A shared life philosophy

1:47:58 – The loniless of thinking your inner messiness isn’t ok

1:49:11 – What made Ethan feel the best when his dad passed away

1:53:46 – His dad’s passing on November 6th, 2022

2:03:19 – Living

2:06:22 – Thinking about the future

2:10:10 – Goals and evolution

2:12:39 – Inspiration, the unpleasant nature of hard rock climbing, and Seb on Bibliographie

2:16:59 – Goals for the rest of the Rocklands trip

2:19:07 – Plans to do trip updates, and my first two weeks in Rocklands

2:22:57 – Indoor camping vibes, and plans for the podcast

EP 177: Tiba Vroom — Confronting Fear of Failure, Being the 8, and Taking Responsibility for Your Life Jul 17, 2023

Tiba Vroom is a Dutch professional climber and cofounder of Wildflower Climbing Gym. We talked about the pressure that comes with early success, her first trip to Magic Wood and sending Riverbed 8B, confronting fear of failure, separating self-worth from performance, being the 8, starting a non-profit gym in the Netherlands, taking responsibility for your life, dream climbs in Fontainebleau, and more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tiba-vroom

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:02:28 – Tiba’s first tattoo, and her first season in Magic Wood

0:05:47 – Climbing as a mirror, and learning to confront the deeper parts of herself

0:07:30 – Projecting Riverbed 8B, and confronting fear of failure

0:12:59 – Tiba’s introduction to climbing, performance pressure, and expecting to be the best

0:17:08 – We only hear the success stories

0:19:38 – Working through fear of failure, mental training, and separating self-worth from performance

0:24:34 – Consciousness, positivity, personal development, and power

0:25:48 – The 6, the 8, and the 10

0:28:30 – Why it doesn’t make sense for most of us to compare ourselves to the best climbers in the world, and Tiba’s experience competing in her first World Cup

0:31:16 – Tiba’s current feelings about competitions

0:32:48 – How to prepare for an outdoor bouldering trip in the gym

0:40:45 – Planning trips around the weather, and drying holds on Octopussy with Tiba

0:42:19 – Stretching for 2+ months to be able to try a heal hook on her project

0:49:40 – The gym climbing culture in the Netherlands, and starting Wildflower Climbing came to be

0:53:10 – Creating a space for high-performance climbing that is welcoming to a wide diversity of people

0:56:31 – Having a non-profit gym

1:03:32 – Question from Lizzie: What is it like owning a gym in the Netherlands where gym ownership is fairly male-dominated?

1:05:15 – Tiba’s favorite things to teach

1:08:25 – A recent breakthrough

1:09:22 – What she wishes she had known before building the gym

1:10:49 – What excites Tiba about the climbing scene right now

1:12:24 – How sports highlight social issues

1:14:06 – Women who have inspired Tiba

1:16:16 – Taking responsibility for your life, and the ultimate climbing goal

1:19:56 – What Tiba is working on in her climbing, and working on being the 8

1:21:28 – Summer training and projects

1:22:18 – “The world can use more conscious people.”

1:28:04 – My birthday, and the Women’s Bouldering Festival in Font

1:30:49 – How to connect with Tiba, and her new podcast

Follow-Up: Dave MacLeod — Lessons From Recent Diet Experiments, the 9a+ Goal, and Getting Stronger After Age 40 (Teaser) Jul 15, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Dave MacLeod is back on the podcast! We talked about lessons from his latest diet experiments, his motivation for only eating Mcdonald's patties for two months, the effects that nutrition has on mental health, common nutrient deficiencies, LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk, his favorite tea, what he learned from doing the Lattice Assessment with Ollie Torr, his goal to climb 9a+ sport, why he no longer travels abroad, setting finger strength PRs after 18+ years of hangboarding, and much more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:13:42.

EP 56: Dave MacLeod (Part 1)

Dave’s Other Episodes:

EP 57: Dave MacLeod (Part 2)

EP 176: Eric Hörst Returns — Top 7 Most Common Training Mistakes Jul 10, 2023

Eric Hörst is back on the podcast! We talked about his upcoming road trip, fitting in training around work, sending Kaleidoscope 5.13c at age 59, motivation as the ultimate wildcard, autoregulation and tracking how you feel, what to do when you have a bad training day, and the top 7 most common training mistakes climbers make.

Listen to Eric’s original two-part episode:

EP 71: Eric Hörst (Part 1)

EP 72: Eric Hörst (Part 2)

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

The Nugget is brought to you by BetterHelp!

Use this link for 10% off your first month!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

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WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!

Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/eric-horst-returns

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:21 – A wet Spring, and broken holds

0:06:43 – Preparing for a long road trip, working on the road, and current work projects

0:08:21 – Self-coaching, and figuring out what works for you

0:09:19 – Fitting in training around work, cramming before a trip, and maintaining vs. growing a business

0:14:02 – Sending Kaleidoscope 5.13c (8a+) at age 59, and how climbing standards are changing

0:18:33 – The normalization of hard climbing, burnout in kids, and motivation as the ultimate wild card

0:23:57 – Why Eric wanted to cover training mistakes

0:32:04 – Training Mistake #1: Going to the gym and not having an intelligent plan of action

0:37:21 – Autoregulation, doing the same warmup every session to check in, and tracking how you felt

0:42:04 – When to pivot vs. when to stick to the plan

0:45:47 – Training Mistake #2: Every training session is a competition with yourself

0:50:24 – Bad days happen

0:54:26 – Training Mistake #3: Cramming in your training before a weekend or trip

0:57:14 – Training Mistake #4: Engaging in inappropriate training while injured

1:10:42 – Nutrition for injury prevention

1:14:01 – Training Mistake #5: Following someone else’s training plan

1:25:36 – Training Mistake #6: Training your strengths but ignoring your weaknesses

1:31:06 – A physical and a mental weakness that Eric is working on in his own climbing

1:36:10 – Training Mistake #7: Doing everything right at the gym but getting sleep and nutrition wrong

1:43:04 – The wisdom of the current generation of young climbers, stress, and the iPhone trap

1:51:02 – Wrap up

EP 175: Ady Wright — The Pressure of Opportunity, Acts of Rebellion, and Eating Oreos for Breakfast Jul 05, 2023

Ady Wright is a climbing instructor and routesetter based in New York. We met up in Red Rock and recorded a nice long chat in the van, covering her introduction to climbing and routesetting, why she pivoted from veterinary science, being raised by a cautious father, analyzing risk, the benefits of meal prepping, losing her grandmother to cancer, the pressure that comes with opportunity, the rebellious act of existing, and much more!

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Check out Rocky Talkie!

Use this link to get 10% off your first order of backcountry radios!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ady-wright

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:56 – Ady’s breakfast, and serendipitous timing

0:05:56 – Ady’s first vacation, and how an outdoor climbing trip fuels routesetting

0:13:04 – Her head setter Ryan, and earning her stripes

0:18:16 – Learning to set above her level, the complexity of grades, and setting boulders vs. routes

0:24:32 – Studying veterinary science, wanting to be a zoo veterinarian, and pivoting to be a full-time climber

0:33:03 – Being the first in her family to do many things

0:36:58 – Going camping for the first time, and a reminder of how recent slavery was in this country

0:40:56 – Going with the flow, and everything in moderation

0:44:45 – The benefits of meal prepping

0:46:02 – Being hard on herself, and sharing experiences with people that look like her

0:49:53 – My conversation with Brittany Leavitt, travel safety, and where the feeling of not doing enough comes from

0:54:24 – The pressure that comes with opportunity

0:59:22 – Losing her grandmother to cancer, and crying for the things she didn’t get to have

1:01:01 – The influence Ady hopes to have on the routesetting industry, and how being cautious has saved her

1:06:06 – Privilege layers, and needing to talk with people to actually know them

1:09:29 – Writing novels and producing music

1:10:57 – Mom

1:19:00 – A question from Marie-Louise: When Ady climbs, is she in her body or is it more of an out-of-body experience?

1:24:11 – Who inspires Ady in climbing and routesetting

1:28:17 – Ady’s goal to make routsetting more accessible

1:31:20 – Ady’s climbing goals, and her style

1:34:32 – Being intimidated by overhangs

1:35:57 – Immersing in a specific style

1:37:40 – Lifting weights, and the 3 pieces of advice Ady got from Tyson Schoene

1:41:15 – The exercise that helped Ady with her elbow tendonitis

1:46:50 – Gymnast tension, and the yin and yang of climbing

1:48:26 – PT Day, splits, and recovery

1:52:06 – “It’s really expensive to be a great athlete”, and running from coyotes

1:54:23 – Thoughts on sponsorship

1:58:08 – Stories of walking in New York City

2:01:00 – Being in the shelter system for a year

2:06:38 – Loving most of New York

2:09:18 – What frustrates Ady

2:13:39 – Feeling hopeful and falling in love with people

2:17:07 – Skateboarding

2:19:50 – Getting mentorship from Sam Elias, and learning from each climb

2:24:47 – Practice makes better

2:29:38 – Believe and validate

2:32:58 – The clubhouse

EP 174: Bernd Zangerl — Developing World-Class Bouldering in the Himalayas, Entering the Easiness, and the Power of the Mind Jun 26, 2023

Bernd Zangerl a bouldering legend from Austria. We talked about his early climbing and making the 2nd ascent of Dreamtime, some of his proudest FAs, how he recovered from a career-ending injury in 2016, his mindset for highballs, meditation and the power of the mind, believing in love, our impact as climbers, sustainability, and discovering world-class bouldering in the Himalayas.

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Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/bernd-zangerl

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:02 – Where we each are in the world, and Bernd’s travels to the US

0:05:15 – Magic Wood, and the impact climbers have on the environment

0:08:02 – How to pronounce Bernd’s name

0:08:53 – Bernd’s background in climbing, a near miss in the mountains, and falling in love with bouldering

0:13:21 – The impossibility and culture of bouldering

0:15:00 – “Bouldering is the kindergarten, but also the pinnacle of climbing.”

0:16:50 – Dreamtime (8C), and learning about hard boulders by reading magazines

0:21:25 – Reducing boulders to each single move, and holding positions for training

0:24:41 – The bouldering culture in the early 2000s

0:27:29 – Finding the most pure motivation in finding and developing new boulders

0:29:22 – Spending eight years and 1000+ tries to send First Try (8B+)

0:34:02 – What he learned from First Try

0:38:56 – Nalle on Burden of Dreams, and the randomness of bouldering

0:39:43 – Sending La Proue (8B) in Cresciano, and lightness of the heart

0:41:20 – Openness of the heart, Buddhism, and believing in love and the good things of life

0:42:57 – Bernd’s childhood, and why traveling is important to him

0:44:29 – Traveling with Fred Nicole to Hueco Tanks and Rocklands

0:48:00 – Feeling and knowing

0:49:41 – Developing boulders in the Himalayas, and finding Rakchham

0:57:17 – Why Bernd decided to publish a film about Rakchham, and what it’s like to travel there

1:04:06 – Sustainability

1:08:39 – How internet changed traveling

1:10:34 – Disconnecting

1:11:52 – Shangri-La

1:13:29 – Working on a guidebook for Rakchham, when to go, and plans to go back

1:16:04 – Getting the locals interested in climbing

1:20:41 – Bernd’s projects in Rakchham, and the potential and rock types

1:25:06 – Doing the FA of Shantaram in Norway

1:34:05 – Patron question from Simon, and Bernd’s serious injury in 2016

1:39:41 – The healing power of the mind

1:42:31 – Into the Sun, and Bernd’s headspace for highballs

1:50:39 – 29 Dots (14m/45’ highball)

1:58:45 – More about his recovery from his injury, and connecting of the East and the West

2:03:53 – Bernd’s advice, and brushing

2:07:47 – Bernd’s diet and lifestyle

2:10:39 – Meditation

2:14:59 – Bernd’s unique approach to warming up and finger training

2:23:50 – Shake, shake the body

2:25:31 – Being pulled into the present

Follow-Up: Hazel Findlay — Top 3 Performance Hacks (Teaser) Jun 19, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Hazel Findlay is back on the podcast to talk about her new course, Performance Hacks. We talk about her top 3 performance hacks, the goal of the course, and Patrons can get a 10% discount code and hear Hazel share some recommendations for me as I try to send my project here in Switzerland.

Join the Early-Bird Waitlist for Performance Hacks:

go.strongmindclimbing.com/early-bird

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:11:03.

Hazel’s Other Episodes:

EP 81: Hazel Findlay (Aug 9, 2021)

Reflections Series (for $10 and up Patrons!)

EP 173: Louis Parkinson — How to Break Down Dynamic Movements, the Benefits of Indoor Climbing, and Cultivating Confidence Jun 12, 2023

Louis Parkinson is a London-based climber and coach and is one of the best in the world at teaching dynamic movement. We talked about the benefits of indoor climbing, how practicing comp-style boulders can help your rock climbing, sending his first 8B in Magic Wood, timing your breathing with hard moves, skill drills for experienced climbers, how to break down dynamic movements, cultivating confidence, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/louis-parkinson

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:10 – The culture of indoor climbing

0:06:45 – The benefits of climbing indoors, and Louis’ success on short outdoor trips

0:10:27 – Rehabbing my bicep tendon injury in the gym, and what I noticed on the rock afterward

0:13:55 – London

0:15:24 – A week in the life of Louis Parkinson

0:20:52 – Beginners try hard

0:24:38 – Efficiency, and dancing vs wrestling

0:30:18 – How did Louis get the nickname Captain Cutloose?

0:34:16 – Louis’ first trip to Magic Wood, and sending the Foxy Lady dyno (7C?)

0:38:56 – Riverbed 8B (V13), and his amazing tick list for the trip

0:43:30 – Comparing ourselves to our previous bests

0:48:04 – How to time your breathing with your climbing

0:55:20 – Practicing new skills medium intensity climbs

0:58:05 – How Louis thinks about practicing skills

1:01:50 – Skill Drill: Sticky hands sticky feet

1:06:25 – The Moonboard and Brad Pitt

1:08:20 – Skill Drill: Body awareness and understanding compromises

1:15:20 – Skill Drill: Using momentum

1:17:28 – My experience on Burl Master 5.13c (8a+), and learning about contextual difficulty

1:21:05 – Risk, Intensity, and Complexity

1:23:47 – How practicing modern comp-style boulders can help your rock climbing

1:29:10 – Jan Hojer flashing Jack’s Broken Heart 8A+

1:36:22 – How to break down dynamic moves into smaller pieces

1:40:18 – Forgetting the details and going for it

1:41:58 – The Inner Game of Tennis

1:47:17 – How Louis spends his limited climbing time these days

1:52:04 – Cultivated confidence

1:58:06 – Being intensional with your language

2:02:36 – Growth mindset

2:04:34 – Wrap up

EP 172: Brittany Leavitt — Seeking Change in Climbing, Unmasking, and Top Lessons From Teaching Kids Jun 05, 2023

Brittany Leavitt is a climber, backpacker, educator, and the co-founder and CEO of Brown Girls Climb (BGC). We talked about Brittany’s climbing origin story, her unique family upbringing, unmasking and educating about race, teaching kids at the Smithsonian, the mission of BGC, creating more accessible spaces, lessons from her first road trip, using TikTok to stay informed, climbing goals, inspiration, and much more.

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Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/brittany-leavitt

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:20 – Working from home, and having a home office

0:07:38 – Why hasn’t Brittany taken the leap to traveling and climbing full-time while working remotely

0:10:20 – Being within community, and Brittany’s dream of part-time vanlife

0:15:15 – Brittany’s climbing origin story

0:20:24 – Outdoor Afro

0:21:04 – Brittany’s unique family dynamic, and having accessibility to the outdoors

0:24:06 – Unmasking, adoption as a trauma experience, and educating her family

0:31:00 – Protecting your own energy, giving space, and knowing when it’s worth it to argue with someone

0:34:25 – Family holiday recitals, and Brittany’s guitars

0:37:45 – The crossover of art and climbing, and singing around the campfire

0:40:12 – Wanting to be an educator, and teaching at the Smithsonian

0:46:33 – Musical theater with the kids

0:50:01 – Learning patience and empathy from working with kids

0:52:05 – Teaching life lessons through climbing, and working with community kids

0:54:15 – How to decide what to say yes to, and passing ideas on to someone else

0:58:25 – How Brown Girls Climb got started, and what it has become

1:06:26 – The mission of Brown Girls Climb

1:07:21 – What it feels like to have a space with people who share your experience

1:15:09 – Patron question from Adam: How can we make climbing events (like the Rendezspew and International Climbers Festival) more accessible to diverse communities?

1:24:11 – Brittany’s road trip to Bishop and Red Rocks in 2019, and writing a piece for Patagonia

1:30:27 – What Brittany wishes she had known before the trip, planning which gas stations to stop at, and safety considerations

1:35:11 – Favorite non-climbing memories from the trip, visiting famous movie locations, and first-time van living

1:41:55 – Doing her first highball boulder, and favorite climbing memories from her trip

1:44:37 – Brittany’s advice for folks who want to go on their first climbing road trip

1:50:01 – Brittany’s climbing goals in Rumney and The Gunks

1:52:32 – Mountain climbing and adventure goals

1:54:24 – Who inspires Brittany

1:57:28 – What Brittany wishes people understood more and spent more time thinking about

1:59:18 – Getting her news from TikTok

2:05:17 – Wrap up and what’s next for Brittany

EP 171: Leo Houlding — A Life of Adventure, Climbing Big Walls With Kids, and Epic Stories From El Cap May 29, 2023

Leo Houlding is one of the greatest adventure climbers of all time. He’s put up new free routes worldwide from the Amazon Rainforest to the remote regions of Antarctica. We talked about his upcoming trip to Baffin Island, his childhood in the UK, using the fix-and-follow system to climb 2000’ big walls with his kids, epic stories from his El Cap days, what he learned from his worst injury, and much more!

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Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/leo-houlding

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:02:54 – Prepping for his trip to Baffin Island

0:07:16 – Enjoying the logistics, and planning the food for a month-long expedition for three people

0:13:50 – Leo’s beta knowledge for expeditions, and going beyond roads

0:16:01 – Leo’s “little issue”, and base jumping off the top of Mount Asgard

0:23:56 – The challenge of attempting to free climb Asgard again

0:27:29 – Leo’s Instagram cover photo

0:29:16 – Writing his book, his mom and dad, and his adventurous spirit as a kid

0:33:39 – Leo’s first big adventure climb, Old Man of Hoy

0:37:24 – How his life has turned out compared to how he imagined it as a kid

0:38:24 – Being born at the right time

0:42:45 – Generations in Yosemite

0:45:18 – “Climb that goddamn mountain.”

0:49:49 – Adventuring with his kids

0:53:59 – Using the fix-and-follow system with the kids to climb big walls

1:00:56 – Climbing in the Wind River Range with Llamas and the kids

1:05:11 – Tips for keeping the morale high for kids

1:13:13 – Compromises with kids, and plans to take them out of school for an around-the-world mission

1:16:41 – “The days are long but the years are short.”

1:17:10 – My travels with my family around South America as a 5-year-old, and seeing the developing world as a kid

1:20:34 – A final tip for parents who want to adventure with kids

1:22:41 – Rest in peace Ammon McNeely ❤

1:23:34 – The Alfa Romeo badge story

1:35:41 – Question from Sam Stroh: What are Leo’s thoughts on going ground up on The Prophet?

1:42:51 – Getting caught in one of the worst storms in Yosemite history, and doing the first free ascent of The Prophet

1:48:41 – Closer to the Edge

1:49:29 – The end of his Yosemite chapter

1:52:03 – Leo’s accident on Cerro Torre

1:56:41 – Leo’s expeditions to Antarctica

2:02:11 – Kite skiing

2:07:11 – Rock climbing at the end of the world

2:08:42 – “I wanted the most hardcore trip ever, and I got it.”

2:09:52 – His trip to the Amazon rainforest, and making The House of the Gods film

2:13:58 – Dropping loads out of an airplane into the rainforest

2:18:21 – Free climbing a new route on Mount Roraima

2:20:31 – More about Leo’s book Closer to the Edge, and the film 2.4 about adventuring with kids

2:23:35 – Why we should travel to the developing world

2:24:41 – Wrap up

BONUS: Ron Kauk — Spiritual Revolution for Evolution May 25, 2023

An interesting conversation with Ron Kauk. Enjoy :)

Donate to Sacred Rok:

sacredrok.org

Support the Nugget and Sacred Rok:

Ron's Other Episodes:

EP 69: Ron Kauk (May 17, 2021)

Follow-Up: Ron Kauk (Jul 29, 2021)

EP 170: Karly Rager & Casey Elliott — What the Data Says About Weight, Height, and Ape Index, and Which Metrics Matter for Climbing Performance May 22, 2023

Karly Rager is back on the podcast and is joined by Casey Elliott to talk about the factors that affect climbing performance. We’ve got three engineers in one podcast, and we geek out on the data! Do things like weight, height, and ape index affect how hard you can climb? Is max finger strength more important than days spent climbing outside? Listen to find out!

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Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/karly-and-casey

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:18 – Karly’s time in El Salto, Mexico

0:09:39 – Casey joins us from a legit recording studio, his engineering studies, and coaching vs. engineering

0:16:06 – An update from Karly on Project Direct, and how she got connected to Casey

0:19:19 – Decision fatigue, and wearing lots of hats

0:20:42 – Casey’s climbing and coaching background

0:25:51 – Mikey Schaefer calls out Casey, and the connection between dating and projecting routes

0:30:03 – What was the goal of this multi-variate statistical analysis?

0:32:59 – What is a multivariate statistical analysis, and how does it work?

0:40:09 – The 600 people whose data was used in this analysis, and getting away from statements like “I have 5.13 finger strength”

0:49:12 – What % of climbers have climbed 5.13?

0:50:56 – List of the variables used in this analysis

0:53:45 – Casey’s simple model using three variables

0:55:15 – How important is climbing outside vs. max finger strength?

0:56:35 – Why climbing outside ended up being the most heavily weighted variable in the multivariate model

0:59:10 – Higher-end statistics require interpretation

1:00:47 – Check out their blog post and the climbing calculator!

1:02:08 – Do height, weight, wing span, or BMI affect how hard you can climb?

1:07:57 – Thoughts on how age affects how hard you can climb, and playing to your strengths as a short climber

1:09:37 – What the data doesn’t tell us

1:11:06 – The range of climbing abilities in the 600 participants

1:12:36 – How the coefficient for max hangs turned out to be negative, and what that likely means

1:18:08 – What should people spend their time on to get better at climbing?

1:20:59 – How training can lead to expectations, and getting good before you get strong

1:24:38 – Getting creative with skill drills

1:25:34 – Watching climbing videos, and filming your Kilter Board sessions

1:27:49 – Diving deeper into what you should do to climb harder boulders and sport routes

1:32:06 – Looking for low-hanging fruit

1:35:03 – How Karly used the online calculator before her trip to El Salto

1:36:08 – How to use the online climbing calculator, and how to take the assessment

1:39:34 – How many outdoor days does it take to be a master?

1:42:35 – Injury prevention isn’t captured in the model

1:43:41 – What variables would Karly and Casey like to see in their dream multi-variate statistical analysis?

1:46:39 – What is Mikey Schafer up to?

1:48:16 – Skiing this winter, and finishing his masters

1:48:52 – The momentum that comes with doing hard things, and looking at high performers

1:51:56 – Final thoughts and wrap up

Follow-Up: Steve Bechtel — Active Recovery: Everything You Need to Know (Teaser) May 18, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Steve Bechtel is back on the podcast for a deep dive into active recovery. We discuss what the research says about active vs. passive recovery, what methods work best, why it’s better than sitting on the couch on your rest days, and we also tackle the practical side of things and discuss realistic options for active recovery between burns at the crag, how to have active rest days without doing too much, what deload weeks should look like, and common pitfalls to avoid.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:30:02.

Steve’s Other Episodes:

EP 35: Steve Bechtel (Sept 14, 2020)

Follow-Up: Steve Bechtel (Jan 21, 2021)

Follow-Up #2: Steve Bechtel (Nov 11, 2021)

EP 169: Scott Johnston — A Masterclass in Training Principles, and Why Boulderers Should Train Their Aerobic System May 15, 2023

Scott Johnston is a world-class coach who specializes in mountain endurance sports. This episode is a masterclass in training principles and is packed full of nuggets for climbers, including boulderers. We talked about why it’s a mistake to mimic top athletes, tips for balancing climbing with other sports, capacity vs. utilization, why to back off after a personal best, developing layers of endurance, the flaw with HRV, how to test your recovery before training, how to fail successfully, the future of alpinism and mountain running, and much more!

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Check out Tindeq!

Use code “NUGGET” for $10 off!

I recommend the Progressor 150 for finger training and testing.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/scott-johnston

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:56 – Inventing telescopes, and refurbishing European sports cars

0:11:25 – Being a cross-country ski racer, climbing with Steve House, and getting into coaching

0:13:22 – Why Scott and Steve decided to write Training for the New Alpinism

0:15:30 – Partnering with Kilian Journett on a second book Training for the Uphill Athlete

0:19:00 – The mistake of trying to mimic people like Killian Journett or Adam Ondra

0:23:05 – Sound bites, the dumbing down of our attention spans, and applying traditional training methods to unconventional sports

0:25:09 – Who is the Uphill Athlete book for?

0:27:56 – Being a general outdoor athlete and a climber

0:28:54 – Patron question from Alex: Tips for training for bouldering and sport climbing during ski season and vice versa?

0:34:42 – Why more training isn’t always better

0:37:39 – Building capacity, and why you rarely perform well while you’re training

0:39:19 – Block periodization

0:42:09 – Monitoring your recovery, using a hangboard to check in, and the restorative effect of easy aerobic activity

0:46:59 – Capacity vs. utilization training

0:54:26 – Training vs. randomly exercising

0:57:16 – Fundamental qualities of sports, and building capacity in different qualities

1:03:32 – Putting money in the bank vs. spending it

1:07:18 – Why you should back off after you hit a PR in your training

1:12:24 – Deloads

1:16:40 – Non-linear periodization

1:18:54 – The aerobic system, and the vacuum cleaner analogy

1:25:54 – Developing layers of endurance

1:27:52 – How and why boulderers and sport climbers should train endurance

1:31:56 – More about the layers of endurance

1:38:25 – My upcoming Follow-Up with Steve Bechtel, why training needs to be more specific at higher levels, and how recovery makes you stronger

1:41:33 – How important is active recovery?

1:44:32 – The flaw with HRV for measuring recovery

1:50:20 – Tuning in to your body, and how to test your level of fatigue

1:53:34 – Using the Tindeq to test your finger strength before training (use code NUGGET for $10 off)

1:56:47 – Why monitoring your progress leads to mental toughness

2:03:19 – How to get the experience you need to climb technical mountains and alpine routes

2:06:25 – The Dreaded Water Carries, and improving muscular endurance

2:19:29 – How long and how often should our training blocks be?

2:22:20 – Losing two climbing partners on K2

2:27:33 – How to fail successfully

2:34:09 – Inventing challenges, and the essential parts of being human

2:38:02 – Scott’s current outdoor lifestyle, and trying to slow the decline as aging athletes

2:42:26 – Doing max strength to recover from hard endurance work

2:46:15 – A teaser for how to increase your weighted pull-ups

2:50:29 – Where to find Scott

2:52:33 – What excites Scott the most about the future of alpinism and mountain running

2:56:40 – Understanding training principles, and the key takeaway from this episode

EP 168: Don McGrath — Rewriting Unhelpful Scripts, How to Tackle Fear of Falling, and Playing as We Age May 08, 2023

Don McGrath is the author of Vertical Mind and an expert on mental training for climbing. We talked about the two simple diet changes he made to get back in shape in his 60s, our untapped potential in mental training, debunking and rewriting unhelpful scripts, how to tackle fear of falling and fear of failure, pre-climb rituals, how to use your climbing partner as a coach, how to stay in love with climbing as we age, duct tape and baling wire, embracing the suck, and much more!

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Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

Check out Rumpl!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/don-mcgrath

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:56 – The love/hate relationship to climbing in Rifle and Smith Rock

0:07:49 – Living in Colorado Springs, spending the winter in the gym, and working with a coach

0:08:52 – The two simple diet changes Don made to lose his “60-year-old belly”

0:10:56 – Increasing his climbing volume, getting on harder routes in the gym, and the accountability of a coach

0:12:31 – Whiskey time, habits, and alcohol substitutes

0:16:16 – Turning 60, being retired, and setting the goal of climbing 5.12+/13- (7c/+) again after a decade

0:18:07 – Don’s coach Kevin Branford

0:20:40 – Don’s introduction to climbing, and how he became interested in writing and mental training

0:27:27 – Shame Theory, and Fear of Failure

0:30:43 – How the mental aspect of training is overlooked, and diving into movement, emotions, and thoughts

0:34:03 – How to tackle fear of falling, scripts, working on one thing at a time, and the arsenal of uneventful falls

0:39:16 – The story of the woman in The Gunks, and understanding irrational fear

0:42:29 – Debunking scripts

0:45:40 – The script that was holding Don back when he was one-hanging routes in Rifle

0:47:49 – Don’s mantra, and “one move at a time”

0:52:20 – Pre-climb ritual

0:56:38 – Don’s first breakthrough with his mental game

0:58:11 – Most common unproductive scripts

1:04:23 – The best piece of onsighting advice I’ve gotten

1:05:25 – Opening and closing your focus

1:08:53 – What musical instruments and karate have to do with climbing

1:10:30 – Warmups as a big missed opportunity

1:13:56 – Cocreative coaching with your climbing partner

1:17:43 – Shoulds elicit a shame response

1:21:02 – Recommendations for couples who are also climbing partners

1:23:25 – The area of mental game that I’ve been focused on, more about scripts, and breaking into new grades

1:29:32 – Patron question from Gromstoph: Do you have any strategies for getting comfortable on a route more quickly?

1:33:05 – “Just go find out.”

1:37:29 – Patron question from Caden: Are there any ways to practice commitment with new moves when doing new climbs?

1:40:37 – Main takeaway about mental training

1:41:24 – How to love your sport as you age, play, and innovate

1:46:24 – Why climbing is unique

1:48:06 – Duct tape and baling wire

1:49:40 – Don’s advice for those of us in our 20s and 30s

1:51:52 – Socio-behavioral changes, and employing winning tactics

1:54:28 – Don’s book The Climb

1:56:38 – What’s the next book?

1:57:15 – Don’s writing practice, and how a book develops a life of its own

1:59:01 – Advice from Les Brown: “Every point should have a story, and every story should have a point.”

2:00:41 – Have fun, enjoy the process, and embrace the suck

2:03:30 – Getting inspiration from watching kids

2:04:53 – Inspiration from good coaches, and the book Running With the Buffalo

2:06:25 – What’s next?

2:07:23 – Wrap up, and how to connect with Don

Climbing Gold — Hot Henry May 04, 2023

Have you listened to Climbing Gold?! The new season is here! Check out the first episode of the new season, and subscribe to Climbing Gold on your favorite podcast app for more great climbing stories. Enjoy :)

In the 1970’s, no flame burned brighter than Hot Henry Barber. Often heralded as the first traveling climber, Henry redefined standards for free climbing and free soloing not just the US, but every country he visited. Along the way, he shattered egos before learning to check his own.

Check out Climbing Gold!

climbinggold.com

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EP 167: Alex Honnold — Epic Solos That Nobody Heard About, Near Misses, and Sh*tting His Pants While Free Soloing May 01, 2023

Alex Honnold is on the podcast! Who? The guy that free handed Yellowstone? Close enough. Seriously though, this was such a great interview. We talked about his two most epic solos that nobody heard about, near misses, lessons from other climbing legends like Tommy Caldwell, Jonathan Siegrist, and Peter Croft, pooping while free soloing stories, how the film Free Solo exceeded his hopes and dreams, the commitment to excellence, and much more!

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Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:21) – Interviews and TED Talks

(00:07:25) – Finding new terrain for this interview

(00:08:05) – Epic solo linkup in Zion

(00:11:16) – Soloing ‘Moonlight Buttress’… again

(00:12:08) – Why do these big solo linkups?

(00:12:56) – Epic solo linkup in Red Rock

(00:14:54) – Foot pain on big walls and vitamin I

(00:17:41) – Onsight free soloing ‘Shune’s Buttress’ and ‘Resolution Arete’

(00:20:34) – The hardest thing Alex has downclimbed

(00:21:29) – Solos that fly under the radar

(00:22:47) – Free soloing ‘Sendero Luminoso’ in Mexico

(00:25:17) – The limits of free soloing

(00:28:31) – Quantum leaps

(00:30:16) – Yosemite soloing, and Alex vs. top sport climbers

(00:32:22) – Chris Sharma's FA of ‘Necessary Evil’ 5.14c (8c+), and the role of talent

(00:35:40) – Will Alex climb 5.15a (9a+)?

(00:38:33) – Dad strength

(00:39:46) – Vegas gyms and homewall dreams

(00:49:34) – Near misses

(00:55:34) – Soloing ‘Fiesta De Los Biceps’ in Riglos Spain

(00:57:46) – Competing with Ethan Pringle, soloing ‘Shune’s Butress’ in the snow, and the tree story

(01:03:16) – Soloing ‘Monkey Finger’, Big Horn tracks, and spirit animals

(01:04:22) – The physiological limits of ‘The Nose’ speed record

(01:08:06) – Breaking ‘The Nose’ speed record

(01:10:47) – Biggest lessons from Tommy Caldwell, Jonathan Siegrist, and Peter Croft

(01:14:26) – Inspiration, and soloing with Shawn Raboutou

(01:18:15) – Following the climbing news

(01:19:01) – Who Alex is most impressed by, and interviewing the Mellow crew (Daniel Woods, Shawn Raboutou, Jimmy Webb, and Giuliano Cameroni)

(01:20:35) – New season of Climbing Gold

(01:22:13) – Favorite interviews on Climbing Gold

(01:23:28) – Corporate speaking and interviewing Stone Masters

(01:26:24) – Climbing Gold uncut interviews

(01:28:37) – Pooping while free soloing stories

(01:34:56) – Shit-puting, and pooping while soloing El Cap

(01:36:29) – Filming Free Solo and the Warrior Spirit

(01:38:54) – The commitment to excellence

(01:41:05) – Plans for the PNW

(01:43:57) – “More intention never hurt.”

(01:44:47) – “The guy that free-handed Yellowstone?”

EP 166: Will Bosi — Sending ‘Burden of Dreams’ V17, Dream Projects, and Functional Finger Strength vs. Party Tricks Apr 24, 2023

Will Bosi is a 24-year-old climber from Scotland who has emerged as one of the best climbers in the world. This interview is hot off the press! Will made the second ascent of ‘Burden of Dreams’ V17 less than two weeks ago and joins us for a proper geek out about the send. We talked about his process of projecting the replica and the actual boulder, his feats of finger strength and where to draw the line between party tricks and useful strength, doing the second ascent of ‘Mutation’ at Raven Tor, his absolute dream project, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt Mickolas

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/will-bosi

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:05:18) – The emotions we experience after a big send, and looking for new projects in Scotland

(00:07:56) – How sending Burden of Dreams has changed his self-perception, and the style of hard project that Will is searching for

(00:10:53) – Being from Scotland and currently based in Sheffield

(00:12:17) – Following Will’s journey trying the replica with Aidan and Stefano, live streams from Finland, and taking seven years for Burden to get repeated

(00:15:38) – Mutation continuing to go unrepeated again after Will did it

(00:17:23) – Is Will the first person to have climbed V17 and 5.15c? (9A boulder and 9b+ sport)

(00:20:07) – Will’s first time trying the Burden replica in Aidan’s shed

(00:23:32) – Will’s thoughts on Shawn’s progress on Burden

(00:25:10) – The warmup game on Burden, and the last move

(00:30:16) – Will’s standard training session, and what his process looked like training on the Bruden replica

(00:33:45) – Doing the first move 5 times in a session, and feeling stronger every session

(00:36:26) – How similar the replica is to the actual boulder, and what surprised Will the most when he tried Burden

(00:41:12) – How Will’s beta compared to Nalle’s, and the heal hook beta

(00:46:17) – What a full session looked like on the replica, and how that compared to a session on the actual boulder

(00:51:28) – His skin when he sent the boulder, feeling strongest on his first try of the day, and the send

(00:54:48) – How long a pair of shoes lasts on the boulder

(00:57:33) – Will’s shoe selection for Burden, and struggling with the second move

(00:58:53) – The pulley setup on the replica, comparing it to Katie Lamb’s experience on Spectre, and the usefulness of power spots

(01:08:50) – Will replicas change the way we think about flashing boulders?

(01:12:03) – The future of replica training, and the Alphane replica in Aidan’s shed

(01:15:35) – Will’s thoughts on the grades of Burden, Alphane, and his FA Honey Badger

(01:26:27) – Will’s feats of finger strength on the hangboard

(01:30:57) – Where is the line between party tricks vs. functional finger strength?

(01:34:21) – A breakdown of Mutation 9a+/b

(01:38:24) – Bigger edge training vs. micros

(01:40:52) – How often throughout the year Will does his go-to style of training session, and building volume vs. intensity

(01:46:28) – Will’s absolute dream in climbing, and his experience on Excalibur 5.15c (9b+)

(01:49:10) – Breakdown of the moves on Excalibur

(01:52:21) – What’s next for Will, and potential plans for the summer

(01:53:59) – Will’s thoughts on endurance training, and his story of sending Estado Critico 9a

(01:55:13) – Being more thoughtful about your climbing

(01:57:17) – Feeling excited to relax and chill, and plans to release a film of Burden

(01:58:22) – Subscribe to Will’s YouTube channel for send footage!

Follow-Up: Katie Lamb — Sending ‘Spectre’ V14, and Breaking Down Crux Moves (Teaser) Apr 20, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Katie Lamb. We talked about her recent send of Spectre V14 in Bishop CA, breaking down crux moves into multiple pieces, how she trains on a spray wall, her top 5 go-to lifts in the weight room, projecting tricks, dopamine snacks vs. substance, what she learned from Spectre, having the travel bug, goals for 2023, and more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:12:49.

Katie’s Original Episode:

EP 145: Katie Lamb

EP 165: Charlie Schreiber — Asking "Why", Squeezing Lemons, and How to Have a Good Poop in the Morning, Every Time Apr 17, 2023

Charlie Schreiber is a world-class climbing coach who has helped day 1 athletes become National Champions, 5.14d sport climbers, and V15 boulderers. We talked about the value of asking “why”, giving kids hard work and then reward, finding fresh lemons to squeeze, puzzle books and getting inside the mind of the puzzle maker, our shared goal to climb V13, how to have a good poop in the morning (every time), and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, and Zach Emery

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/charlie-schreiber

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:19 – My painting of Monkey Face at Smith Rock, and hominess

0:04:34 – Charlie’s apartment, and making and collecting art

0:08:08 – What Charlie thought I looked like from listening to the podcast

0:10:48 – How Charlie got into coaching, routesetters as choreographers, and building a successful climbing team from scratch

0:16:49 – Austin Hoyt and Adam Shahar, Charlie’s own competition background, and being obsessed with coaching and giving back to the kids

0:18:37 – Where Charlie got his coaching ideas, and the emphasis on humor, games, and play

0:22:37 – “The only reason anyone’s going to give effort to something is if they believe in it.”

0:24:38 – Hard work, and then reward (e.g. capture the flag)

0:26:38 – Motivating adult clients, and working with one of his clients to get better at slab

0:30:15 – The school system, and understanding why you are doing things

0:32:26 – Slab climbing fundamentals

0:35:38 – Spending time on fundamental skills, the learning zone, and perfect repeats

0:40:26 – Adding structure to the warmup, and adherence as #1

0:43:39 – Customizing training for each individual, and finding all of the lemons to squeeze

0:47:31 – How routesetting helped Charlie’s climbing, and asking “why”

0:50:53 – How asking “why” applies to outdoor climbs

0:53:53 – Making up your own climbs in the gym, puzzle books, and getting inside the mind of the puzzle maker

1:03:15 – The forced move drill

1:05:35 – Charlie’s goal to climb V13, and the path to get there

1:12:10 – My Follow-Up with Emil Abrahamsson, my experience with fueling my training better, and momentum

1:14:37 – More about Charlie’s approach to climbing V13, and finger training with large hands

1:17:13 – My goal for Rocklands, how Charlie approaches a trip, and the value of getting on really hard climbs

1:23:34 What Charlie is working on improving to climb V13, and my plans to project a V12 and V13 in Rocky Mountain this Fall

1:29:23 – “Never, ever, ever give up.” - Winston Churchill

1:33:58 – Charlie’s honeymoon

1:35:36 – Using your spouse/partner as an accountability tool

1:39:44 – Valuing climbing for the experiences rather than self-worth

1:44:11 – How to have a good poop in the morning, every time

1:49:11 – My paleo autoimmune diet experiment, and having full meals at the crag

1:51:40 – My bicep tendon injury

1:52:45 – Charlie’s experiment with an alkaline diet

1:55:39 – How Charlie blew up on Instagram

2:03:05 – Being awarded the “Dyno King” by Chris Sharma, and drawing inspiration from Tyson Schoene

2:05:37 – Setting the record straight with Austin Hoyt

2:09:58 – Plugs and wrap up

EP 164: Melina Costanza — Why Eating Food Makes You Awesome, Competing to Win vs. Not Lose, and Fun Facts With Melina Apr 10, 2023

Melina Costanza is a competition powerhouse and the 2021 US Boulder National Champion. She opened up recently about her struggles with an eating disorder and decided to step away from competitions. We talked about her foot injury and surgery, why patent law is similar to climbing, how sports glamorize suffering, getting stronger during recovery, how gratitude can impact your training, and fun facts about Melina from ketchup to baby teeth necklaces.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, and Zach Emery

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/melina-costanza

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:25 – Update on Melina’s foot surgery and recovery

0:10:27 – The patent bar exam, and similarities between patent law and climbing

0:15:15 – Legos, and being a nerd growing up

0:16:45 – How taking her first physics class improved her climbing

0:19:30 – Modern volume climbing

0:24:06 – How Melina is thinking about her climbing moving forward, and training for upcoming competitions

0:26:20 – Plans to get back into sport climbing, and Melina’s Tumbler account

0:28:31 – Why Melina decided to quit climbing in college

0:33:36 – Fun in competitions, and only doing competitions that she wants to be at

0:36:48 – Expectations and pressure, and competing to win vs. competing to not lose

0:42:25 – Competitions as data, and “shoulding”

0:45:21 – Melina’s Instagram post about her eating disorder, and the story of breaking her foot

0:50:40 – The distortion your mind experiences with an eating disorder, and how sports glamorize suffering

0:57:42 – How your identity becomes entangled in an eating disorder, and rewriting the stories you tell yourself

1:01:53 – The importance of including fat and carbs in your diet, and getting stronger quickly once she started fueling properly

1:09:54 – Taking a leap of faith, and being vulnerable publically to help others

1:15:40 – A comment from Nicole

1:16:23 – Patron question from Katja: What inspired her to go public with her story?

1:19:13 – Not letting her eating disorder define her

1:20:09 – Did talking about it publically help?

1:22:53 – Patron question from Ana: Did anyone bring up Melina’s weight as a concern?

1:24:50 – Patron question from Eric: How would someone bring up concerns about an eating disorder in a tactful way?

1:27:10 – Patron question from Zachary: How does Melina deal with intrusive thoughts around weight? How does she balance performance with recovery?

1:30:52 – Disconnecting morality from food, and sweets

1:34:31 – How not eating enough disrupts sleep

1:37:30 – Fun facts with Melina Costanza!

1:37:37 – Tattooing people in high school

1:39:02 – Ketchup

1:40:44 – Container store

1:42:05 – Whiteboards and houseplants

1:43:54 – Taylor Swift

1:47:41 – Doja Cat

1:49:46 – Sharks

1:50:18 – The meat packing industry in the early 1900s

1:51:59 – Parents and academics

1:54:17 – Training at home during covid with her brother, and the role of gratitude in training

1:59:07 – Current training, and getting strong

2:04:29 – Training her fingers for the first time, and using the Tindeq (use code NUGGET for $10 off!)

2:07:47 – How hard can Melina climb with one foot?

2:09:18 – More fun facts with Melina!

2:09:50 – Frozen peas

2:10:46 – Baby teeth necklace

2:11:50 – Forensic pathology DVDs

2:15:02 – Raw octopus

2:15:49 – Medival torture museum, and developing confidence

2:19:15 – Fencing

2:20:20 – Olympic aspirations

2:21:23 – A couple of questions from Tyson Schoene

2:26:19 – Wrap up

Follow-Up: Matt Heyliger — How I Rehabbed My Bicep Tendon Injury, and How to Make the Transition From Rehab Back to Training (Teaser) Apr 08, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Matt Heyliger is back on the podcast and joins me to talk about my bicep tendon injury back in December in Hueco, my rehab process, and how I was able to get back to climbing V10 in less than three months. We discuss the different stages of recovery, using BFR as part of my rehab, how to make the transition back to training, and how I am currently training for an upcoming bouldering trip to Magic Wood and Rocklands.

Matt's Website:

mattheyliger.com

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:31:47.

Johnny's 7-Minute Video on The Guardian

Matt’s Original Episode:

EP 143: Matt Heyliger

EP 163: Johnny Dawes — Legendary No-Hands Climbs, How to Master Footwork, and Life Lessons From Omelets to Icebergs Apr 03, 2023

Johnny Dawes is a legendary British rock climber known for his exceptional footwork and unique dynamic style. We talked about his first ascent of Indian Face (the first-ever E9) when it was likely the most dangerous route in the world, climbing 5.13b (8a) slabs without using his hands, tips for mastering footwork, his writing practice and current book project, and life lessons involving three-legged stools, omelets, pasta, icebergs, and more.

Watch This Video!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, and Zach Emery

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/johnny-dawes

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:22 – A couple of fun stories from our past lives

0:08:01 – Having a blue day, dicking about, and thoughts on what he wants to accomplish in his life

0:10:25 – The head, the heart, and the gut

0:11:22 – Knowing where you’re going, the water bottle, and the grannies

0:15:51 – Why I was so excited to talk with Johnny

0:17:24 – Crawling out the driver's window of his car with a brick on the accelerator

0:21:42 – Breaking down one of his legendary no-hand climbs (watch the Guardian video!)

0:26:35 – Johnny’s ideal staircase, and flattening the world to flatter our egos

0:30:07 – Bolts and baked potatoes

0:32:04 – Johnny’s thoughts about modern bouldering, and being impressed with Shawn Raboutou

0:33:38 – Chess problems, eyes bigger than tummy, and what brought the best out of Johnny in his climbing

0:37:55 – Sticking an 8A (V11) hang on two terrible holds

0:42:06 – What Johnny looks for in climbing, and the musicality of climbing

0:52:04 – Hank Pascal

0:53:27 – Watchin Jerry Moffatt climb Masters Wall, and why Johnny felt compelled to climb Indian Face, the world’s first E9

1:01:09 – North Wales, the apple tree, and wanting to be a part of the history of the sport

1:10:01 – Sending Indian Face, partying at the disco, trying The Meltdown 9a, and some of Johnny’s recent new routes at Cloggy

1:15:19 – Breakdown of the difficulty and gear on Indian Face, and how it got its name

1:20:36 – Kurt Albert on the escalator

1:23:59 – Patron comment from Artjom, and no-hands tips and exercises from Johnny

1:27:48 – The hardest things Johnny has climbed without his hands, and climbing 1600+ “walks” in Britain

1:31:15 – Spectacular Walks on British Rock

1:32:38 – Making grip

1:35:47 – How no-hands climbing applies to hard technical rock climbing

1:37:55 – How Johnny Dawes approaches improving footwork

1:41:19 – Writing the Footwork Handbook

1:43:38 – His autobiography, his writing practice, and the mysteries of consciousness

1:47:58 – Zen and the Art of Archery

1:51:03 – A window into being alive, and games that keep you present

1:53:12 – “Your enthusiasm tells you who you are”, and climbing in gardening gloves

1:55:19 – Patron question from Will: What climbers inspired Johnny early on?

1:57:50 – Music, writing, and artistic inspirations

1:58:40 – Who does Johnny pay attention to these days in climbing?

2:01:05 – Patron question from Nick: What do you think climbing will or should look like in another 30 years?

2:03:12 – Climbing shoe evolution, and the world’s strongest man

2:05:19 – Life lessons with Johnny Dawes, the three-legged stool, and making omelets and pasta

2:12:20 – Formative causation

2:14:19 – Go to bed when you’re tired, and treat people like icebergs

2:15:35 – “It is never too late to be who you might have been.”

2:19:37 – Roof man, and being useless

2:22:12 – Reading Jeff Smoot’s book, and why humans do dangerous things

2:25:22 – Wanting to do impossible things, and “modern life can go f*** itself”

2:26:57 – “Can I go?”

EP 162: Fundamentals — How to Structure Your Climbing Year Mar 27, 2023

Fundamentals (Part 6 of 6) — In this episode, Jesse and I dive into how to structure your climbing year. We talk about the circumstances that led to some of our best years in climbing, the importance of having a plan and taking notes, why focus tends to produce excellence, how to build from one phase to the next, and making sure your training supports your climbing. Happy planning!

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse’s Original Episode:

Tom Randall's Follow-Up:

Follow-Up: Tom Randall

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-6

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:55) – Sending my first three V11s in 2021, why 2022 was less successful than 2021, and "focus tends to produce excellence"

(00:09:56) – Why 2022 was a great year for Jesse, and flashing Free Willie V10 in Hueco Tanks

(00:11:56) – Jesse’s new philosophy, and realization that he will never try everything on his list

(00:13:37) – Steven’s Tip #1: Write out a rough plan for your year

(00:16:31) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Map out the major phases for your year

(00:17:16) – Steven’s Tip #2: Reflect and take notes on your previous year

(00:20:01) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Keep a daily journal

(00:21:17) – Bonus Tip: Celebrate your successes, and write down your top 10 climbing experiences at the end of each year

(00:22:14) – What Jesse includes in his daily journal, and reviewing once a season

(00:24:21) – My preferred journaling method, and the +/- system

(00:26:43) – Jesse’s Google Keep beta

(00:28:05) – Steven’s Tip #3: Give yourself time to transition between disciplines

(00:34:36) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Write down three things that you want to work on to be prepared for each phase

(00:40:05) – Jesse’s Tip #4: Your training should support your climbing (put the climbing first)

(00:43:27) – Steven’s Tip #4: If you want to hit a peak performance, set aside three months to build toward that goal

(00:44:34) – Steven’s Tip #5: Listen to my Follow-Up with Tom Randall on how to program your training

(00:45:23) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Just winging it

(00:45:43) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Not having a plan

(00:47:21) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Not rolling with the punches

(00:48:28) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Not taking notes (or not summarizing your notes in a way that is actually useful)

(00:49:22) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Not taking a rest phase

(00:52:14) – Bonus Tip: If you want to keep a session short, make a plan for right after the session

(00:53:55) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Bouncing around too often with disciplines, styles, rock types, etc.

(00:55:24) – Jesse’s Pitfall #4: Putting all of your time, and energy, and using all of the good conditions for one limit thing (throw yourself a bone every once in a while!)

(00:57:12) – The progression zone

(00:58:04) – Steven’s Top Tip: Make a plan and take notes, and listen to my Follow-Up with Tom Randall

(00:58:47) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Focus on the stuff that matters: no more than three

(00:59:22) – Jesse’s two goals for 2022

(01:00:13) – Let us know if you want a season 2!

Follow-Up: Emil Abrahamsson — Gaining Weight to Climb His First V15, Overhauling His Training, and Thinking Long-Term With Projects (Teaser) Mar 23, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Emil Abrahamsson is back on the podcast to talk about sending his first V15. We talked about how gaining 15 lbs (6.5 kg) led to sending his hardest boulder, how and why he overhauled his training, how he’s achieved long-term finger strength gains, sending his most meaningful project with Power of Now V14, my goal to climb my first V13, his advice for me, and much more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:06:03.

Emil’s Original Episode:

EP 85: Emil Abrahamsson (Sept 6, 2021)

EP 161: Sam Stroh — Botching It and Sending Anyway, and Biggest Lessons from Hard Boulders to Free Climbs on El Cap Mar 20, 2023

Sam Stroh is caffeinated, psyched, and ready to send everything from double-digit highballs to free routes on El Cap. We talked about his early climbing and onsighting Moonlight Buttress (5.12+), our coffee and chocolate addictions, finding the perfect climbing partner, the biggest lessons from each discipline of climbing, suffering on the side of El Cap, botching it with tactics, and harrowing sends.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, and Zach Emery

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/sam-stroh

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:17 – Coffee and morning rituals

0:10:25 – Sam’s stretching and evening routines, and the self-care bell curve

0:13:42 – Sam shares his intentions for the conversation and topics he wants to cover

0:19:27 – Onsighting the Moonlight Buttress 5.12+ in Zion at age 20 with bad tactics

0:28:36 – Meeting his climbing partner Adrian, and trying Desert Gold and Jet Stream in Red Rocks

0:32:31 – Switching between disciplines, and Sam’s thoughts on how he and Adrian are so perfectly aligned

0:35:59 – Sam’s background in sports

0:37:54 – The benefits of bouldering for big wall climbing

0:40:44 – The method to the madness with switching disciplines, and cultivating long-term relationships

0:43:09 – What inspires Sam the most long-term, and having great stories

0:48:39 – Wet moss on El Niño, and trying Wet Lycra Nightmare with Jordan Cannon

0:55:00 – Injuring his hand on the Salathe

0:59:15 – Working on Wet Lycra Nightmare, and Sam and I connect over our love-hate relationship with Smith Rock

1:06:41 – The mindfulness and patience of bouldering

1:12:06 – The quintessential sport climbing experience

1:16:28 – Sam’s biggest lesson from big wall climbing: get a waterproof portaledge fly

1:24:44 – Thoughts on big wall ethics and style

1:34:12 – Sam’s ape index, and the height-dependent nature of El Cap

1:37:34 – The Freerider story

1:45:28 – Favorite big wall and bouldering snacks

1:46:58 – Sam’s knee injury

1:51:01 – Upcoming trip to Spain, Greece, and France

1:52:21 – Thoughts on the lack of information on endurance training for climbing, and rehabbing his shoulder

1:58:30 – Lessons from switching between bouldering or training and sport climbing

2:02:11 – No more treadwalls in gyms

2:03:44 – Watching the river vs. diving in

EP 160: Fundamentals — How to Pick a Project Mar 13, 2023

Fundamentals (Part 5 of 6) — In part 5 of this series, Jesse and I share our tips and pitfalls for picking a project. As Jesse says in this episode, picking the right projects is a key part of having a satisfying climbing experience. We cover some of our best projecting experiences, as well as times we botched it, and we try to pass on what we learned along the way. Have fun projecting!

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse’s Original Episode:

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

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Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, and Zack Emery

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-5

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:26) – Plans for season 2 of Fundamentals!

(00:04:12) – Why picking the right project matters

(00:05:41) – Jesse’s experience on Turbulence V11/12 in Leavenworth, WA

(00:07:05) – My experience on Eternia V11 in RMNP, CO

(00:09:39) – Jesse’s epic to climb his first V10 in OR

(00:11:34) – Times I’ve botched it with picking projects, and a good experience on Crime Wave 5.13d at Smith Rock, OR

(00:15:58) – Jesse’s experience with Boxcar 5.13c at the Rat Cave, OR

(00:17:04) – Steven’s Tip #1: If you are trying to do the hardest thing you have ever done, make everything else easy

(00:18:09) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Ask yourself the ABC questions: Is it accessible, badass, and challenging?

(00:21:03) – Bonus Tip: Know thyself

(00:22:08) – Steven’s Tip #2: Remember that grades are a relative difficulty marker and they’re not absolute

(00:24:01) – Jesse’s Tip #2: A V-grade is a poor substitute for motivation

(00:27:16) – Steven’s Tip #3: Think about what your last 3 months, 6 months, and year have looked like in terms of your climbing

(00:27:56) – Steven’s Tip #4: Think about what the 1 and 2 month lead up time to the project is going to look like (and choose a pre-project if you can)

(00:29:55) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Once you’ve committed to trying to do something, it’s ok if you only want to do it because of the grade/difficulty

(00:33:55) – Steven’s Tip #5: Pick a challenge that excites you

(00:37:27) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Overcommitting to a tick list, and not leaving room for serendipity

(00:40:40) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Picking a limit project that is a pain in the ass in one or more ways

(00:42:13) – Jesse’s realization from trying The Teacup V13 in Leavenworth, WA

(00:43:00) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Letting all of your other climbing suffer because you are just trying one project (I.e. Be careful about oneitis!)

(00:45:35) – Bonus Tip: Take the things you see on Instagram with a grain of salt

(00:48:00) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Picking a limit project with a single low-percentage move

(00:50:45) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Listening too much to other people (Don’t let yourself be put in a box!)

(00:53:02) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Not adjusting the grade appropriately to find the correct level of challenge

(00:54:20) – Jesse’s Pitfall #4: Picking a project just because it’s there

(00:54:50) – Jesse’s Pitfall #5: Not giving yourself a break between hard projects

(00:56:37) – Summaries are in the show notes!

(00:57:17) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Learn to pay attention to that little voice in your head that tells you what’s inspiring

(00:58:04) – Steven’s Top Tip: If you trying to do the hardest thing you’ve ever done, stack all the cards in your favor

EP 159: Tom Randall & Sam Van Boxtel — Why YouTube is the Future of Climbing Media, and How Much $$ YouTubers Make Mar 06, 2023

Tom Randall and Sam Van Boxtel are back on the podcast to discuss all things YouTube! We talked about YouTube as the future of climbing media, why Shawn Raboutou’s vlog is such a big deal in climbing right now, why I started a channel for The Nugget, how much money YouTubers make, the keys to being successful on YouTube, top advice for all content creators, and much more!

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

Tom’s Other Episodes:

EP 75: Tom Randall (June 21, 2021)

Follow-Up: Tom Randall (Feb 17, 2022)

Sam’s Other Episodes:

EP 134: Sam Van Boxtel (Sept 5, 2022)

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Renzollama

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tom-and-sam

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:10 – Pee bottles, Tom’s advice for vanlife peeing activities

0:10:11 – The Ultimate Peeing Van Bodily Fluid Dilema

0:12:57 – Welcoming Tom and Sam back on the podcast, and their other episodes (see show notes for links)

0:13:59 – Tom’s busy life, and being extremely intentional about what he chooses to do

0:15:58 – Tom’s quest to find the ultimate climbing experience in a single pitch, and climbing ‘Once Upon a Time’ E9

0:20:04 – Why are we recording an entire episode about YouTube?

0:23:49 – How often Tom gets recognized from YouTube, and why he’s so interested in where things are going

0:26:10 – It’s still early on YouTube

0:28:32 – Why is Shawn Raboutou starting his Vlog one of the biggest things to happen in climbing media in recent years?

0:33:11 – Why more pro climbers will likely move over to YouTube, and YouTube vs. Instagram payouts

0:36:35 – Why is YouTube the future of climbing media?

0:40:50 – Why long-form podcasts are similar to YouTube vlogs

0:43:44 – Why I launched a YouTube channel for The Nugget (link in show notes!)

0:46:20 – Why YouTube wins over static content

0:49:46 – What Tom has learned from growing the Lattice Training channel

0:52:57 – The importance of packaging your content well, the behind-the-scenes of YouTubing, comparing Anna Hazelnutt and Adam Ondra’s channels, and how much it costs to run a YouTube channel

1:00:25 – How technology levels the playing field for content creators

1:01:49 – How much do people make on YouTube, and where does the money come from?

1:07:27 – The keys to being successful on YouTube

1:12:55 – How hard Magnus Midtbø works to make his channel successful (see show notes for his podcast episode)

1:14:09 – Sam’s 3 keys to being successful on YouTube: Title, Topic, and Thumbnail

1:16:40 – The importance of organization and systems

1:19:12 – Sam’s recommendations for The Nugget’s channel, and filling out the ecosystem of the channel

1:23:58 – Tom’s advice for me, and making content specific to the platform you plan to share it on

1:32:49 – Why aren’t brands doing more on YouTube?

1:36:09 – What should climbing brands be doing as far as YouTube is concerned?

1:40:21 – Behind the scenes with brand sponsorships

1:43:55 – Tom’s advice for anyone who is thinking of starting a YouTube channel, and the hard work it takes to be successful

1:48:59 – What Tom is most excited to see on YouTube

1:50:36 – What Sam is most excited to see on YouTube

1:51:39 – What I am most excited to see on YouTube

1:53:23 – Wrap up, Tom’s upcoming trip to Austria, and Sam’s upcoming trips in the States

1:57:57 – Watch full uncut podcast videos on Patreon

EP 158: Fundamentals — How to Improve Your Technique Feb 27, 2023

Fundamentals (Part 4 of 6) — In part 4 of this series, Jesse and I discuss our top tips for how to improve your climbing technique, and share common pitfalls that can prevent progress. These are fundamental tips that you can practice at the climbing gym, the boulders, or the crag. We hope this episode helps you more closely examine your movement so you can level up your climbing!

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse’s Original Episode:

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out LMNT!

Use this link and get a free sample pack with any purchase!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Renzollama

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-4

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:23) – Jesse’s realization about his climbing style, and wanting to climb taller

(00:06:23) – My interest in getting better at straight-on roof climbing

(00:07:47) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Structure your technical practice

(00:10:38) – Skills are specific to the intensity of the movement

(00:12:25) – My philosophy for improving technique and how it differs from Jesse’s

(00:14:23) – Steven’s Tip #1: Become really interested in becoming a better climber

(00:15:35) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Technique starts with creativity

(00:16:53) – The lesson Jesse learned from Pangalactic Gargleblaster

(00:19:30) – Steven’s Tip #2: Watch climbing videos

(00:22:21) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Film yourself incessently

(00:26:27) – Steven’s Tip #3: Do perfect repeats

(00:29:33) – Steven’s Tip #4: Film yourself and review the video between tries

(00:30:59) – The confidence that comes from having footage of yourself climbing well

(00:33:48) – “We tend to believe the things we tell ourselves.”

(00:36:26) – Jesse’s Tip #4 (from Kim!): Speak the language

(00:38:31) – Steven’s Tip #5: Do the one and two-star climbs at your home crag

(00:40:33) – Bonus Tip: Frustration is usually a sign that there is room for improvement

(00:42:12) – Bonus Tip: Have your friends set problems for you on the spray wall

(00:42:12) – The satisfaction of climbing a scrappy or unpleasant climb really gracefully

(00:43:34) – “Take me to a moderate that I’ve never heard of.”

(00:43:56) – Jesse’s Tip #5: Treat your flexibility as a skill, and practice it on the wall

(00:48:38) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Assuming you’ve learned everything there is to learn

(00:51:33) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Assuming that if something looks good it must be good technique

(00:55:08) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Going through the motions

(00:56:38) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Becoming too robotic with your technique practice

(00:58:36) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Expecting gym technique to transfer to outdoor climbing

(01:02:25) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Not training your technique in your strong areas

(01:03:51) – Steven’s Pitfall #4: Avoiding the things that you’re bad at and turning everything into your style

(01:06:14) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Be endlessly curious about how you’re moving on the wall

(01:06:31) – Steven’s Top Tip: Become very interested in climbing better and bring that intention to your climbing

Follow-Up: Tim Emmett — Lessons From 80+ Days on Era Vella 9a, and Changing His Diet to Thrive at Age 48 (Teaser) Feb 23, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Tim Emmett is back on the podcast to geek out about his project Era Vella 9a (5.14d). We talked about his Fall 2022 season in Spain, lessons from 80+ days projecting the route, how he changed his diet to feel his healthiest at age 48, discovering his own personal climbing mantra, finding flow state, the value of trying something at your limit, and much more!

Check out Tim's Instagram post about Era Vella

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:24:37.

Tim’s Original Episode:

EP 107: Tim Emmett (Feb 21, 2022)

EP 157: Jeannie Wall — Getting Stronger in Her 50s, the Value of Doing Challenging Things, and Slowing Down to Go Fast Feb 20, 2023

Jeannie Wall (aka “The Energizer Bunny”) is a world-class skier, life-long mountain athlete, and obsessed climber. She cofounded Broad Beta to cultivate a community for women and genderqueer folks to share their stories of outdoor adventures in the mountains. We talked about lessons from her upbringing, the importance of partnerships and mentorship in climbing, slowing down to go fast, engaging with the edge of our comfort zone, ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and much more!

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, and Renzollama

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jeannie-wall

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:38 – Overview of our conversation, and growing up as the youngest of 11 children

0:14:22 – Baggage and benefits from her upbringing, and being competitive as a racer

0:16:52 – The chapter of life that Jeannie is in now, and learning patience

0:19:22 – Competing at the Olympic Trials for nordic skiing, and why she doesn’t miss competing and racing

0:23:58 – Shifting toward climbing, and how she has changed in her 50s

0:25:38 – Examples of people climbing hard in their 60s, and Jeannie’s hut ski trip

0:28:07 – Why Jeannie finally got hooked on climbing

0:34:12 – Getting Swine Flu, dealing with chronic fatigue for two years, and finding a different path in climbing

0:36:14 – “If you wanna go fast, you have to go slow most of the time.”

0:41:31 – How media influences us in climbing, and giving the last 10% to be excellent at something

0:47:02 – My inner tension with bouldering, the role of mentorship, and Jeannie’s story of climbing Fitz Roy

0:54:42 – Challenge and risk as key parts of the human experience

1:01:18 – “If we’re not learning are we really happy?”

1:05:25 – Engaging with the edge of our comfort zone

1:07:13 – The pressure to be someone other than who you are

1:12:33 – The value of pursuing your passion

1:15:05 – Wildness, and why Jeannie and Leslie started Broad Beta

1:24:20 – Heroes, looking at the whole person, and the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things

1:28:42 – Why stories are so powerful

1:33:02 – Sharing the whole story, and Jeannie’s menopause article

1:38:09 – Jeannie’s vision for Broad Beta

1:45:12 – Where to find Broad Beta

1:47:10 – Wrap up and final questions

EP 156: Fundamentals — How to Go on a Sport Climbing Trip Feb 13, 2023

Fundamentals (Part 3 of 6) — In part 3 of this series, Jesse and I discuss tips and pitfalls for going on a sport climbing trip. Whether you are a weekend warrior, planning your first-ever sport climbing trip, or a seasoned veteran, we hope this episode will help you send your dream routes and enjoy your climbing along the way.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse’s Original Episode:

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out LMNT!

Use this link and get a free sample pack with any purchase!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-3

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:03:29) – The worst sport climbing I’ve been on, destroying my rental car, and having too high of expectations

(00:09:16) – Jesse’s experiences making weekend trips to Smith Rock

(00:10:29) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Have a good partner or crew

(00:11:38) – Steven’s Tip #1: Try to sport climb as much as possible leading up to the sport climbing trip

(00:13:12) – My trip to Rifle in 2018, and why it was successful

(00:14:30) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Prioritize the right skills before the trip

(00:15:30) – Jesse’s endurance/money analogy

(00:16:14) – A tip for how to practice and train for sport climbing on a spray wall

(00:18:38) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Be mindful of crag’s ethics and history when you travel to a new sport climbing crag

(00:19:48) – Steven’s Tip #2: Be brutally honest with yourself about how much time you have

(00:22:27) – Steven’s Tip #3: Be intentional with what routes you try

(00:23:21) – Bonus Tip: Leave the ground with purpose

(00:23:57) – Jesse’s Tip #4: Think about links on your project as their own goal

(00:25:40) – Steven’s Tip #4: Have a goal or an intention for every try

(00:27:29) – Jesse’s Tip #5: Dial in your snack game

(00:29:02) – Steven’s Tip #5: Do mileage, or try something that is hard for you, but don’t try to do both

(00:31:59) – Bonus Tip: If you are a boulderer primarily, be open-minded and give the routes time to grow on you 0:31:50 – The sunk cost fallacy, being okay with recon tries, and why you’ll probably get better at sport climbing over time

(00:38:35) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Not having the right clothing layers

(00:40:47) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Not being specific enough with preparation before the trip

(00:43:19) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Getting redpoint blinders

(00:45:45) – The value of not trying your project on the last day of your trip

(00:48:11) – Some thoughts and tips related to onsighting

(00:50:10) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Letting the group derail your plans and keep you in your comfort zone

(00:51:31) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Not discussing your plans and intentions with your partner before the trip

(00:52:10) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Having too high of expectations

(00:53:55) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Endurance is important, but it’s secondary to actual sport climbing skills

(00:54:25) – Steven’s Top Tip: Be brutally honest with yourself about how much time you really have, and make your tries count

EP 155: Caleb Robinson — Reaching V13 in Four Years, Biggest Lessons From Competitive Soccer, and the Power of Consistency Feb 06, 2023

Caleb Robinson is an ex-competitive soccer player, elite boulderer, route setter, and photographer. He started climbing at age 17 and sent his first V13 in just four years. We talked about the biggest lessons he learned from competitive soccer, how deadlifting fixed his back, a typical week of training, his finger training journey, the power of consistency over time, finding his artistic expression in photography, and much more!

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/caleb-robinson

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:20 – A Thursday in the life of Caleb Robinson

0:08:55 – New Year’s Resolutions, and building habits over time

0:11:24 – Climbing V13 in the first few years of climbing, and how competitive soccer informed his climbing and training approach

0:16:05 – How deadlifting fixed Caleb’s back

0:21:08 – Being enamored with soccer, and why he quit soccer and started climbing

0:24:07 – There’s no middle ground in conventional team sports, and why climbing is so special

0:29:16 – Uncle —> karate gym —> climbing

0:34:00 – “The hard work that you don’t want to do pays off.”

0:36:04 – “Intelligence is just as important as physical prowess.”

0:36:45 – Quadzilla, and connecting between the upper body and lower body

0:40:42 – How “hard work pays off” applies to Caleb’s climbing

0:42:41 – Being a self-learner, and having intention

0:49:12 – Training resources and athletes that have guided Caleb’s approach

0:52:26 – Experimenting with training, focusing on being good at climbing, and avoiding common mistakes and pitfalls

0:59:24 – How Caleb developed his technique, and the importance of climbing with people who are better than you

1:02:57 – Having a mobility routine, dedicating time to recovery, and missing snowboarding

1:08:40 – Caleb’s finger-training journey

1:19:50 – The value of consistency + simplicity, and sticking with it when progress slows (and Caleb’s love affair with Dave MacLeod)

1:27:17 – What Caleb’s finger training progress looked like over the two years that he did max hangs

1:31:41 – Caleb’s grip positions for hangboarding

1:33:52 – How his finger training has changed in the past year, and learning to apply his finger strength to climbing

1:38:13 – What a typical training week looks like for Caleb

1:45:16 – Why Caleb started route setting

1:47:21 – A typical training week now as a route setter

1:49:31 – Caleb’s philosophy about skills, finger strength, and core strength, and his stable workouts right now (board climbing, campusing on the spray wall, etc)

1:52:32 – Caleb’s core training routine

1:58:01 – Why Caleb focuses on maximal effort training

1:59:12 – The importance of quality practice

2:00:32 – “Success comes with consistency over a long period of time”, and Caleb’s photography career

2:03:07 – Moody Russian painters

2:04:31 – Finding his own artistic expression in photography, and the collaborative side of taking portraits

2:10:42 – Taking the long view as an athlete and artist

2:13:32 – The one thing Caleb wishes people spent more time thinking about

2:19:24 – Wrap up and what’s next

Follow-Up: Aidan Roberts — Sending Alphane, Training for V18 Projects, and Listener Q&A (Teaser) Feb 02, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Aidan Roberts is back on the podcast for a proper geek-out about cutting-edge bouldering! We talked about sending Alphane V17, how he and Ollie tweaked his approach to focus on power over the winter, his plans to try futuristic (V18) projects back in Switzerland, and Aidan answered your questions about his training, finger strength, board climbing, flexibility, nutrition, lifestyle, and more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:53:31.

Aidan’s Original Episode:

EP 142: Aidan Roberts (Oct 31, 2022)

Announcing YouTube + Win a Training Bundle! Feb 01, 2023

The Nugget is now on YouTube! We'll be sharing top clips from the podcast along with never-before-seen content. Subscribe before Feb 28th to enter to win a Training Bundle from Chalk Cartel, Frictitious Climbing, and Rhino Skin Solutions!

Check out The Nugget on YouTube:

EP 154: Fundamentals — How to Go on a Bouldering Trip Jan 30, 2023

Fundamentals (Part 2 of 6) — In part 2 of this series, Jesse and I dive deeper into specific tips and pitfalls for going on a bouldering trip. We covered a wide range of topics including training and preparation, crash pad and kit recommendations, how to manage skin and energy, good bouldering ethics, how to boulder in a group, and much more.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse’s Original Episode:

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Petzl!

Or shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:22) – A favorite memory from Jesse’s trip to Rocklands, and my week-long trip to Bishop in 2017

(00:11:12) – Top out views

(00:12:06) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Try to have a mix of crash pads

(00:16:55) – Steven’s Tip #1: Make your preparation as specific as possible

(00:20:21) – Bonus Tip: Two things that people miss in their bouldering training

(00:22:51) – Steven’s Tip #2: Decide really quickly whether or not the boulder you’re trying is important for you (and have an intention for the trip and each climbing day)

(00:24:56) – Bonus Tip: Be mindful of the language that you use with yourself (e.g. “I should be able to do this.”)

(00:25:35) – Jesse’s Tip #2: Organize your gear and car before your trip (and stash some emergency snacks in your bag!)

(00:30:01) – Steven’s Tip #3: Bring everything you think you might need to the boulders

(00:32:41) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Know basic bouldering ethics, and know how to move efficiently in a group (and be polite at the boulders)

(00:35:01) – Steven’s Tip #4: Take breaks to run around and look at cool stuff

(00:36:28) – Bonus Tip: Take your climbing shoes off between every try

(00:36:49) – Steven’s Tip #5: Sleep on a decent bed (and bring your pillow!)

(00:39:06) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Blowing through all of your skin on day 1

(00:40:22) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: Getting socially exhausted (i.e. be mindful of how much social energy you have)

(00:41:46) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Spending the whole day “warming up” to do the hard thing

(00:42:59) – Bonus Tip: Learn how to warm up with minimal climbing (and be ruthlessly realistic about how much time you have and what you can do in a day)

(00:44:35) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Not being mindful of how much total energy you have

(00:46:45) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Blowing it with timing when it comes to conditions and sun/aspect

(00:48:02) – Bonus Tip: Try to find out when your project goes into the shade

(00:48:26) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Not taking responsibility for your own safety

(00:52:40) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Know good bouldering ethics

(00:53:23) – Steven’s Top Tip: Decide quickly whether the bouldering you are trying is important to you

EP 153: Ollie Torr — The Secret to Finger Strength, How to Climb Like Aidan Roberts, and Staying on the Bus Jan 23, 2023

Ollie Torr is an ex-gymnast, high-end rock climber, and co-founder of Lattice Training. We went deep in this conversation and covered Ollie’s top exercises for different types of climbers, how to climb more like Aidan Roberts, how to find your own superpowers and become a specialist, the secret to finger strength, balancing strength and fitness, overtraining vs. under recovering, taking action is six-week blocks, and much more!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Green Chef!

greenchef.com/nugget60

Use code "NUGGE60" at checkout for 60% off plus free shipping!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ollie-torr

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:06:00) – Update on my bicep tendon injury and recovery

(00:09:55) – Ollie’s work with the GB Judo team on grip strength and injury recovery

(00:14:25) – Ollie’s thoughts on the final stage of recovering from an injury

(00:20:33) – My introduction to Lattice in 2016, and Ollie’s funny story about his first interview on Training Beta

(00:23:00) – Perfectionism, paralysis by analysis, and action breeds motivation and progression

(00:26:06) – “What got me here won’t get me there.”

(00:28:35) – Plans for a round two! Stay tuned for a listener Q&A!

(00:32:00) – Assessments, and gathering information from new clients

(00:39:54) – The key metrics that Lattice assesses with new clients

(00:46:10) – Flexibility testing for climbers

(00:49:59) – Trying to figure out what works for yourself and your body as an athlete, and Ollie’s process of examining movement, joint, and action

(00:56:25) – Coaching Aidan Roberts, Aidan’s approach to training for Isles of Wonder Sit (V16/8C+ FA), and the value of combining strength movements with replica training

(01:00:29) – Vacuum climbing, how to climb more like Aidan Roberts, and training with Toby Roberts

(01:13:24) – Specializing vs. working on weaknesses and rounding out your style, and finding your superpower

(01:21:00) – Limbic friction

(01:22:13) – What Ollie learned from Tom Randall, and training to “pass the exam”

(01:30:20) – Exercises for people who struggle with narrow climbing

(01:39:31) – Key exercises for all climbers

(01:43:43) – Dorsi flexion (ankle) test you can do at home

(01:45:03) – Do tight ankles help with climbing on small foot holds?

(01:51:59) – One exercise that Ollie wants every climber to do

(01:54:43) – Exercises for office workers to do throughout the day

(01:56:54) – “Safety comes through strength”, and the value of blood flow and daily movement

(02:02:17) – Having agency in your recovery

(02:03:51) – Leg kicks, staple exercises that climbers should do regularly, and playing around with your body

(02:07:05) – Setting the bar super low

(02:08:23) – Staying on the bus

(02:11:39) – Ollie’s gymnastics background, training his fingers after college, and climbing his first V10, V11, and V12 in a two-month period

(02:20:10) – Testing his fingers in Tom’s cellar

(02:21:41) – Switching training with Tom Randall, how he improved his fitness and efficiency to climb 5.14b (8c), and climbing his first V13 by combining fitness and strength

(02:28:22) – The secret to finger strength is….

(02:31:45) – Helping Tom get stronger, and why Tom was able to apply the strength quickly to his rock climbing

(02:35:16) – Why Ollie doesn’t think low volume all year round is a good strategy, and thoughts on prepping for a sport climbing trip as a boulderer

(02:40:58) – Writing yourself a letter

(02:43:12) – My (Steven’s) story of getting injured right after the best week of climbing of my life

(02:45:00) – 3 key lessons from Ollie

(02:51:49) – How to back off after a peak performance

(02:56:47) – “The main reason most of us can’t train like professional athletes is because of our headspace and not because of physical limitations.”

(03:01:45) – Two reminders that Ollie took away from a period of burnout, and overtraining vs. under-recovering

(03:09:41) – “Progression isn’t always the answer.”

(03:16:36) – Taking the pressure off, and Ollie’s story about his first 5.14b (8c)

(03:25:01) – My 2021 summer season in RMNP

(03:28:18) – Removing the friction in your life around climbing

(03:31:53) – Take action on something

(03:34:48) – Thankful for the Lattice Team

(03:36:42) – Wrap up

Follow-Up: Jordan Cannon — Sending ‘Wet Lycra Nightmare’ on the Leaning Tower (Teaser) Jan 19, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Jordan Cannon tunes in from Alex Honnold’s podcasting closet to chat about playing hockey in Las Vegas, how he is rethinking his training for 2023, and his recent send of ‘ Wet Lycra Nightmare’ (5.13d, 9 pitches) on the Leaning Tower in Yosemite. We hope you enjoy this geek-out!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:03:36.

Jordan’s Original Episode:

EP 115: Jordan Cannon (April 18, 2022)

EP 152: Fundamentals — How to Go on a Climbing Trip Jan 16, 2023

Fundamentals (Part 1 of 6) — In this episode, Jesse and I each share our top tips and pitfalls for going on a climbing trip. Whether you are planning your first-ever climbing trip, or are a seasoned climber, we think you’ll find some helpful nuggets here. We learned these lessons the hard way. Hopefully, you won’t have to.

Listen to more Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse’s Original Episode:

Check out Athletic Greens!

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Check out Petzl!

Or shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/fundamentals-part-1

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:02:53) – Jesse’s story of breaking his toe in Thailand, and my first-ever bouldering trip to Bishop CA

(00:06:28) – Lessons from our first failed climbing trips

(00:09:11) – Jesse’s Tip #1: Set the tone for the trip early

(00:12:11) – Jesse’s Tip #2: On a week-long trip, always rest the second day

(00:13:58) – Patience, and taking a week or two to acclimate on longer trips

(00:17:55) – Steven’s Tip #1: Be open

(00:21:48) – Steven’s Tip #2: Climb some easy things

(00:23:47) – Bonus Tip: Pay some attention to what your climbing values are

(00:24:10) – Steven’s Tip #3: Go look at tons of stuff

(00:25:51) – Jesse’s Tip #3: Minimize the decisions you have to make right after climbing

(00:27:24) – Try to avoid survival mode

(00:29:09) – Steven’s Tip #4: Measure the success of the trip in experiences, and not in sends

(00:31:28) – Bonus Tip: Set process-oriented goals rather than achievement-oriented goals (and scrap the tick list)

(00:34:12) – How complicated it is to climb well on a trip

(00:37:34) – Jesse’s Pitfall #1: When people recommend climbs to you, keep in mind that they almost always recommend climbs that they had good experiences on, not things that are objectively good

(00:39:11) – My first trip to The Red, Jesse’s first trip to Hueco, and thoughts on training for your first trip to a new area

(00:41:55) – Jesse’s Pitfall #2: Don’t train right up until the trip, and don’t try to cram your training in at the last second (show up rested)

(00:45:10) – Steven’s Pitfall #1: Spending the entire trip on one climb

(00:46:07) – Steven’s Pitfall #2: Climbing way too much

(00:47:21) – Bonus Tip: Be genuinely interested in other people’s climbing

(00:49:01) – Bonus Tip: It’s ok to climb a lot on a trip, but be sure to rest appropriately afterward

(00:52:39) – Jesse’s Pitfall #3: Wrecking your skin

(00:54:47) – Steven’s Pitfall #3: Not getting the intensity right

(00:57:52) – The sunk cost fallacy on a trip

(00:58:57) – Jesse’s Top Tip: Set the tone early in the trip

(00:59:37) – Steven’s Top Tip: Be open

(01:00:31) – Wrap up

Announcing Fundamentals! Jan 16, 2023

Welcome to a new mini-series called Fundamentals! My pal Jesse Firestone joins me for a six-part series that covers some of the fundamental elements of becoming a better climber. We hope these episodes answer common questions, and provide helpful nuggets for climbers of all ability levels. Stay tuned for more episodes coming soon!

Listen to Fundamentals episodes!

Jesse's Original Episode:

EP 151: Anna Hazelnutt — Toe Training for the World’s Hardest Slabs, and Giving Others Permission to Be Real Jan 09, 2023

Anna Hazelnutt is a professional climber who specializes in difficult single-pitch trad and slab climbing. But don’t let her specialization fool you—she’s an all-around badass! We talked about two of her biggest climbing achievements to date, leaning into her superpowers, top training exercises for slabs, dealing with negative comments online, embracing empathy, comedy as a mechanism for change, and much more!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/anna-hazelnutt

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:08:20) – Anna’s childhood room

(00:10:00) – Plans for Austria

(00:11:21) – What we would talk about if we were doing a 6-hour podcast

(00:12:50) – Switching places, and the names of our Subarus

(00:14:35) – What is Anna’s last name? (Hazelnutt? Hazlett?)

(00:17:39) – Lynn Hill gave a shoutout to Anna on The Nugget

(00:19:41) – How Anna got started in climbing, and how she found her slab/trad niche

(00:24:40) – Anna’s climbing identity, not letting herself grow comfortable, and her competitive side

(00:28:57) – Balancing intensity and comedy

(00:30:10) – What Anna does to relax (reading books, writing poetry, art), and having trouble sitting still

(00:33:30) – Getting an overuse injury from too much slab climbing, and sending ‘Once Upon a Time’ E9 6c in the UK

(00:35:53) – Anna’s “belaytioship” with Tom Randall

(00:39:29) – Going back for ‘Walk of Life’ E9

(00:41:33) – More context about Once Upon a Time and Walk of Life, using skyhooks as trad climbing gear, and taking an hour to lead a 50-meter slab

(00:45:38) – Anna’s approach to projecting, and breaking down the climb into chapters

(00:50:14) – The chapter names of ‘Walk of Life’ E9

(00:55:32) – Teasing more about toe training, and Anna’s thoughts on hangboard tests

(01:01:01) – Some context about the 9c test

(01:02:53) – Toe training!

(01:07:11) – How Anna inspired Tom to work on flexibility

(01:09:15) – Leaning into our superpowers

(01:14:53) – Anna’s dreamboard, and seeking out hard climbs that fit her style

(01:19:30) – How and when Anna did her toe training, and nighttime training at Tom’s house

(01:24:09) – How hard are the hardest slabs in the world, and what will it take for Anna to climb them

(01:28:45) – Why vertical bouldering is so different from steep bouldering when it comes to pushing your limits

(01:31:23) – Anna’s thoughts on slab grades, and how they are often unfairly sandbagged

(01:38:04) – Patron question from Jonathan: Does Anna have any training tips for slab climbing? (Anna shares her top slab training exercises: toe training, flexibility, balance, and more)

(01:41:20) – Pull-ups on micro edges, and the smallest holds Anna can do pull-ups on

(01:43:19) – Shoulder exercises for slab

(01:44:12) – Do coordination gym slabs help with outdoor slabs?

(01:46:59) – Shoes for hard slabs like ‘Meltdown’ 9a (5.14d)

(01:52:54) – Question from Ethan Pringle: What are some synonyms for success in rock climbing that aren’t violent or war-like?

(01:58:52) – Another question from Ethan: Where does Anna’s work ethic come from?

(02:02:55) – Anna’s sensitivity

(02:04:14) – Dealing with negative comments and hate from dudes on the internet

(02:09:31) – An example of a disgusting comment that Anna received from someone on her YouTube page

(02:16:14) – Anna’s story about a recent comment she and her sister got at the gym

(02:21:18) – Patron question from James: How can we make women feel more comfortable and included at the crag and at the gym?

(02:23:31) – Anna’s thoughts on intention, awareness, curiosity, and acting with empathy and compassion

(02:28:27) – What makes Anna feel safe vs unsafe in a climbing gym setting

(02:31:32) – How the burden often falls on the people who are inflicted and don’t assume

(02:35:45) – Derek Sivers, and why we should just treat everyone the same while respecting their lived experience

(02:39:17) – Some more thoughts about progressivism, and being willing to own your mistakes

(02:41:34) – Comedy as a mechanism for change, and studying biochemical neuroscience and English

(02:42:32) – The change that Anna is trying to make through her videos

(02:47:07) – Giving others permission

(02:49:28) – What Anna feels excited about right now in her climbing

(02:51:01) – What Anna feels excited about right now with her YouTube channel

(02:52:59) – Anna’s sources of income

(02:54:54) – Being a hand model for a Sofie Tucker music video

(02:56:41) – The difference between YouTube and podcasts

(03:00:35) – Final question from Ethan: Does Anna have specific goals that are lifetime achievement goals?

(03:06:43) – Empathy

(03:09:20) – Wrap up

Follow-Up: Tyler Nelson — Cutting Edge Finger Training Ideas, and the Difference Between Active Recruitment vs. Passive Tension (Teaser) Jan 04, 2023

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! Tyler Nelson is back on the podcast to discuss his recent experiments in finger training. We talked about the difference between active recruitment vs. passive tension in finger loading, why deadhangs may not be the best way to improve your finger strength, how to train using active finger flexion, the results he’s had with his clients, and much more.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode, the uncut video interview, and a 6-minute clarification video that I made for Patrons!

*The full version is 1:34:15.

Tyler’s Other Episodes:

EP 79: Tyler Nelson (July 26, 2021)

Follow-Up: Tyler Nelson (Jan 28, 2022)

EP 150: Luke Mehall — How Climbing Gave Him His Life, Creating The Climbing Zine, and Sustaining Creative Work Jan 02, 2023

Luke Mehall is the creator of The Climbing Zine and The Dirtbag State of Mind podcast. In this episode, we take turns interviewing each other. I ask Luke why he started The Climbing Zine, what lessons climbing has taught him, what themes connect the stories he selects, and how to sustain creative work. He asks me about my origin story with The Nugget, what all of these interviews have brought to my life, and the difficulties I’ve faced along the way.

Check out The Climbing Zine!

climbingzine.com

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/luke-mehall

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:18 – What Luke learned from Tim (the owner of Zia Taqueria) about business

0:10:48 – Why Luke started The Climbing Zine

0:13:11 – What characterizes a zine?

0:17:59 – The theme that connects all of the stories Luke chooses for The Climbing Zine

0:20:43 – Finding authors and stories, and why Luke almost never assigns stories/topics

0:22:46 – How climbing gave Luke his life and saved him from substance abuse and depression

0:26:37 – Why you can’t rely just on climbing for your happiness

0:27:55 – Sharing vulnerable stories that others can relate to

0:29:26 – Luke’s vision for his brand, and how he hopes to share his personal story through film

0:34:53 – How to protect the thing you love when your creative work becomes your job

0:38:57 – How Luke uses therapy to talk about his goals, and having a hype man

0:42:13 – Steven’s origin story with The Nugget, and what I am trying to do by sharing people’s stories

0:50:15 – What all of these interviews have brought to my life

0:55:01 – The most challenging parts of building The Nugget into a sustainable business

1:02:19 – Desiring routine and seasons

1:04:27 – My favorite podcasting moments

1:08:19 – Sustaining the effort, paying it forward, and closing thoughts from both me and Luke

EP 149: Steven on Kegels and Coffee — We Are Not Robots, As It Turns Out Dec 26, 2022

New interview featuring me! Isabel von Rittberg is a good friend of mine and the host of Kegels and Coffee. She interviewed me on her podcast earlier this year to talk about my experience with my first-ever panic attack in December of 2021. We talked about what led up to the panic attack and how it was a wake-up call for me, how to stay sane while getting the work done, and much more.

*This was one of the most vulnerable interviews I’ve done. And it’s one of my favorites. Hope you enjoy :)

Listen to more episodes of Kegels and Coffee!

kegelsandcoffee.com

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/steven-on-kegels-and-coffee

Show Notes:

EP 148: Alan Watts (Repost) — A Life at Smith Rock, Eating Every Other Day, and Meeting Adam Ondra Dec 19, 2022

I often get asked, “what is your favorite interview you’ve ever done?” Firstly, I don’t have a favorite. But if I HAD TO CHOOSE ONE, it would be this episode. Alan Watts is a fascinating character in climbing history and a personal hero of mine. This interview was such a treat. I loved revisiting it for this repost. Enjoy!

*This episode was originally published in EP 04, in February 2020.

Alan Watts is widely regarded as the founding father of Smith Rock, and was a key player in the development of sport climbing in America. He established the first 5.13d in America with ‘East Face Crack’ in 1985—just shy of the world standard. We talked about eating every other day, his paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to face climbing, wearing Wolfgang’s shirt, meeting Adam Ondra, and his “little slice of contribution” to the sport of climbing.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

http://gofund.me/47f5487d

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alan-watts-repost

Nuggets:

0:09:16 – The evolution of dirtbagging, early road life, Smith as a safe zone, “there were no routes”

0:14:07 – Eating every other day

0:26:47 – Abstainers vs moderators

0:31:02 – Bill Ramsey, UO, and climbing “every variation imaginable” at the Columns

0:36:03 – Connecting with the people you need

0:38:40 – Inferiority complex and pushing to improve

0:40:04 – A paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to climbing faces

0:46:11 – Stumbling upon sport climbing and going from being a decent climber to a really good climber

0:48:29 – Redpoint tactics, ethics, and borrowing from the Europeans

0:52:39 – ‘Corner No. 1’, how ‘Chain Reaction’ got its name, and reaching the world standard at Smith Rock

0:54:28 – 11b to 13d in six years, ‘Punks in the Gym’, and pushing world standards

0:55:44 – Meeting Heinz Zak and Wolfgang’s t-shirt

0:58:52 – Pioneering Smith Rock film by Hydro Flask, and going back to the summer of ’85, and ‘East Face Crack’ 5.13d

1:04:01 – Other hard crack climbs and ‘Double Stain’

1:05:25 – 7 days prepping ‘Sunshine Wall’ and the story of ‘To Bolt or Not to Be’

1:11:34 – Climbing every day, injuries, and killing the goose that laid the golden eggs

1:22:15 – Hip surgery and meeting Adam Ondra

1:31:00 – Adam’s post about meeting Alan, and Adam’s onsight of ‘Just Do It’ 5.14c

1:36:52 – Adam’s photo book (Alan-“What the hell? How did I make the cut?”)

1:38:17 – The Awl project, “I do not want to FAIL!”

1:40:44 – Bolting futuristic projects, thinking anything was possible, and bolting ‘Just Do It’ for a TV show in 1989

1:48:23 – “I used to visualize before that was what you were supposed to do”

1:52:00 – “Fucking hard green route”

1:54:15 – Alan’s finger strength, hanging from one hand for (almost) a minute, and gym vs. outdoor climbing

2:01:18 – The updated Smith Rock guidebook

2:02:26 – Alan’s box of tights

2:05:20 – The 100 book list and projecting difficult books

2:10:27 – Working on the guidebook and connecting with the people

2:15:19 – The (lack of) ways to connect with Alan

2:17:01 – A slice of contribution in a little tiny sport

2:19:53 – “He’s cheating”, and Alan’s funny recurring dream

BONUS: Alita Contreras — Guerreras Film! Dec 16, 2022

Alita Contreras is back on the podcast! We talked about her Fall project in the Red River Gorge, the lessons that routes can teach us, and a film project that she is currently working on with her friend Elisa Varlotta called Guerreras. The film will feature Colombian women and the beautiful local climbing in Colombia.

Support the Guerreras GoFundMe!

Follow on Instagram!

@guerreras.film

@alitaclimbing

@elisa_varlotta

Announcing Merch! Dec 15, 2022

Merch is here! I am SO excited about how the "hello friends" series turned out. Check out the Nugget shop for t-shirts, hoodies, and hats. All Patrons get free shipping!

Buy Merch!

thenuggetclimbing.com/shop

Become a Patron and get free shipping!

EP 147: Alayna Joy — Coming out to 400k Subscribers, Queerness in Climbing, and Compulsory Heterosexuality Dec 12, 2022

Alayna Joy is a queer content creator and YouTuber, and newly obsessed climber. We talked about her journey of discovering she is gay, coming out publicly on her already-successful YouTube channel, how climbing has become an anchor for her, compulsory heterosexuality, questions we should ask ourselves, queerness in climbing, why our climbing progress slows down over time, and much more.

Check out So Cards!

socards.org

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, and Yinan Liu

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alayna-joy

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:36 – Julio

0:09:27 – Places that feel like home

0:16:32 – Feeling like I already know Alayna from watching her channel, and parasocial relationships

0:19:37 – Sharing her story to make others feel less alone

0:21:39 – Starting her YouTube channel in high school, her first three videos, and hitting 800 subscribers

0:27:30 – Working as a server during university, and getting her first YouTube brand deal

0:31:38 – The phenomenon of being an introvert and a content creator

0:34:39 – Bisexuality, and the first time Alayna came out

0:37:54 – Being in a serious relationship with a man, and feeling disconnected from her queerness

0:42:54 – Coming out to her partner as gay, and talking herself out of it

0:46:25 – The constant little voice in her head convincing her she was happy

0:48:08 – “The big oopsie”

0:51:26 – Being afraid that she was playing into bisexual stereotypes by coming out as gay

0:54:41 – Compulsory heterosexuality (comp het), and why it took Alayna so long to realize she was gay

0:58:08 – Why Alayna thought she was demiromantic for most of her adult life

1:00:19 – Seeing the world through new eyes

1:05:16 – “I’m in therapy, and I’M TIRED!”

1:06:05 – Alayna pays me a very nice compliment, and I talk about drawing people in and hoping they learn something that goes beyond rock climbing

1:10:43 – I come out as not a lesbian, and Alayna asks everyone listening to ask themselves a question

1:12:54 – “Climbing is gay.”

1:18:36 – How climbing became an anchor for Alayna

1:21:17 – Working on her relationship with climbing

1:23:32 – Making quick progress as climbers early on, why our progress slows over time, and the magic of climbing

1:32:01 – The stories our brains tell us

1:34:36 – So Cards! (socards.org, use code NUGGET for 20% off)

1:36:29 – So Cards question 1: “If you never had to worry about money, what’s one goal that you would dedicate yourself to?”

1:40:00 – So Cards question 2: “When you were a kid, what scared you about growing up?”

1:46:05 – So Cards question 3: “What do you think people tend to take for granted in their relationships?”

1:53:14 – You’re not alone, and living your life as your most authentic self

1:56:00 – Patron question from Wren: How was your experience finding a queer community within the larger climbing community, and do you have any tips for queer climbers finding these spaces?

2:00:26 – Where to find Alayna on the internet

EP 146: Todd Perkins — The Mind-Opening Effects of Cannabis, Why Gratitude is the Key to Climbing Longevity, and Near-Death Experiences Dec 05, 2022

Todd Perkins is one of those local legends who you’ve probably never heard of. That is unless you’ve climbed on some of his routes around St George, Utah. We talked about growing up in the Mormon church, the mind-opening effects of cannabis, climbing his first 5.14 in the 90s and maintaining that level for 25 years, near-death experiences, the intelligence of the cosmos, aliens, and much more.

Support the Access Fund!

accessfund.org/donate

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Petzl!

Or shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/todd-perkins

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:22 – Todd’s pancake beta

0:08:29 – Growing up in the Mormon church

0:10:40 – Cannabis

0:17:50 – Solar-powered weed smoking

0:19:41 – “Get down from there!” and how Todd got introduced to climbing

0:23:08 – Getting into route development in the 90s, and learning from Jorge Visser and Randy Leavitt

0:28:34 – Developing routes at the Cathedral,

0:31:26 – Climbing Planet Earth at the VRG, and progressing from 12a to 14a (7a+ to 8b+) in two years

0:33:18 – Chris Sharma’s psych for climbing as a 15-year-old kid

0:35:07 – Longevity, gratitude, and being present

0:39:08 – Setbacks, trying Golden for a Moment 14b (8c), and using a portable fan 20 years ago

0:45:51 – Coming back from hip surgery and other setbacks

0:48:28 – More about being present

0:56:00 – What motivates Todd in his climbing these days

0:57:52 – Having an out-of-body experience on Planet Earth, and other most meaningful ascents

0:59:24 – My (Steven’s) two hardest routes and how different those experiences were, and Todd’s thoughts on mental tenacity

1:05:24 – Adventure in sport climbing and route development, and Todd’s near-death experience

1:11:01 – Spirituality, the intelligence of the cosmos, and the goods and bads of religion

1:16:15 – Steven shares some thoughts on the damaging parts of growing up in a religion

1:19:37 – What Todd learned from studying Buddhism

1:21:00 – Aliens

1:33:14 – Nuclear testing in the 50s and 60s

1:36:48 – Why Todd never left St George

1:39:07 – Plans to try Flight of the Conchords 14c (8c+) this winter

1:42:27 – Trusting your intuition, getting lots of sleep, and not pushing too hard

1:47:07 – Wrap up, and we should all spend more time thinking about something other than climbing

Follow-Up: Amity Warme — Sending ‘The Honeymoon Is Over’ in a Hailstorm, and Lessons From Another Season in Yosemite (Teaser) Nov 28, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Amity Warme. We talked about sending The Honeymoon Is Over on the Diamond during a hailstorm, and we covered the highlights and lessons from her spring season in Yosemite.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:25:59.

Amity’s Original Episode:

EP 104: Amity Warme

EP 145: Katie Lamb — Breaking Into V14, Embracing Micro Beta, and How Climbers Can Be Leaders in the Climate Movement Nov 21, 2022

Katie Lamb is one of the top female boulderers in the world. We talked about her early climbing and falling in love with bouldering, climbing her first V14 and what led to her breakthrough in the last two years, projecting tips, superpowers, lifting weights, balancing training with outdoor climbing, what it will take for her to reach the next level, and working in climate data science.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:35 – Getting over being sick, and covid

0:09:40 – Sewing

0:14:51 – Katie’s lifted Toyota Prius

0:18:17 – Her background in sport climbing, falling in love with bouldering, and why she quit competing

0:24:05 – Katie’s progression during college from V10 to V14

0:25:12 – Katie’s climbing philosophy

0:28:12 – External pressure vs. internal motivation, and Katie’s experience on Jade V14 (8B+)

0:31:11 – The great paradox of performance climbing

0:31:59 – Katie’s first V13 (8B), Nothin But Sunshine

0:34:22 – Her summer of 2019, and adventure bouldering

0:42:37 – Katie’s accomplishments in the past two years, and what she attributes her breakthrough to

0:46:01 – Focused sessions, and diving into the nitty gritty

0:47:35 – Getting better, getting stronger, and having more time

0:50:23 – The balance of indoor training and outdoor climbing

0:51:19 – Katie’s superpowers, and growing an inch in her 20s

0:54:57 – The mechanics of crimping

0:58:58 – Patron question from Justin: How much time does Katie spend trying things that are in her style vs. outside of her style?

1:01:32 – What drives Katie to pick specific projects

1:02:10 – Injuring her finger in June of 2022, and rehabbing in Rocklands

1:08:57 – Sending Book Club V14 (8B+) less than two months after her finger injury

1:13:49 – Balancing projecting with quick ticks

1:16:41 – Why making excuses can be helpful

1:21:08 – Playing the long game with projecting, and going easy on herself

1:22:29 – How Katie is training for the next level

1:24:27 – Lifting weights

1:30:20 – The Never Ready

1:31:21 – What will it take for Katie to climb V15?

1:34:13 – Patron question from Jacob: When are we going to see a female ascent of V16?

1:37:22 – Balancing professional climbing with working in climate science, and how Katie created flexibility in her job

1:44:53 – Working in climate data science

1:47:25 – What Katie wishes more people knew about climate

1:48:40 – What we can do on an individual level to affect the climate (Katie’s answer might surprise you!)

1:50:40 – Where our electricity comes from, and the fossil fuel industry

1:53:27 – How climate change is putting our electrical grid at risk

1:54:51 – Hopeful things happening in climate

1:56:43 – How climbers can be leaders in the climate movement

1:58:28 – Wrap up

EP 144: Marisa Michael — Why Losing Weight Won’t Make You Climb Harder, How to Navigate Food, and Intuitive Eating Nov 15, 2022

Marisa Michael is a registered dietitian nutritionist with 20 years of experience who specializes in eating disorders in athletes and climbers. We talked about the characteristics of eating disorders, the line between eating for performance and disordered eating, why losing weight won’t make you climb harder, recommendations for climbers and youth athletes, intuitive eating, Marisa’s sweet tooth, and much more.

Eating Disorders Helpline:

nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:03 – What Marisa had for breakfast

0:07:04 – Overview of the conversation to come

0:08:37 – The difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist

0:11:03 – Working with athletes and disordered eating in her practice

0:12:32 – Why Marisa chose to specialize in working with athletes who struggle with disordered eating

0:15:13 – What Marisa hopes to accomplish in this episode

0:17:03 – A bit about my (Steven’s) experience with disordered eating and the biggest question I have for Marisa

0:18:44 – What distinguishes an eating disorder or disordered eating?

0:23:33 – Discipline and eating for performance vs. disordered eating… Where is the line?

0:30:13 – Personifying your eating disorder

0:31:57 – How my mindset shifted from self-care to anxiety after losing weight

0:35:27 – Discipline doesn’t have to mean ignoring your body cues

0:36:25 – What the data says about weight and climbing performance, and why we should all calm down about weight

0:38:02 – One thing that might have prevented my eating disorder if I had known them sooner

0:39:38 – BMI and finger injuries, and disordered eating in elite climbers

0:41:38 – Is weight cycling ever appropriate?

0:45:48 – Another thing I wish I had known sooner, and breaking training PRs this summer

0:49:03 – Food is fuel, and it’s also more than fuel

0:49:58 – “It depends”

0:52:03 – Intuitive Eating as a framework

0:54:11 – The 10 principles of Intuitive Eating

0:56:23 – How to navigate our modern food environment with Intuitive Eating (so you don’t eat Oreos for breakfast)

1:01:41 – Marisa’s sweet tooth and she navigates it

1:04:52 – Is it ok to celebrate with food after a send?

1:06:35 – Marisa’s thoughts on “moderators” and “abstainers”, and the plate of cookies example

1:11:57 – How restricting leads to bingeing

1:17:04 – Marisa’s general eating recommendations, and recommended macros for climbers

1:20:17 – Food timing

1:22:03 – Intermittent fasting: yay or nay?

1:23:45 – Patron question from Karl: How do you navigate intuitive eating if you don’t get hungry?

1:25:15 – How to calculate your daily energy needs

1:27:19 – Patron question from Shawn: How do we get enough protein in a healthy way?

1:29:10 – Marisa’s thoughts on eating meat

1:31:47 – Marisa’s thoughts on eating fat

1:32:47 – Patron question from Vicente: Prefered supplements?

1:36:47 – Patron question from Jaime: Any tips on how to lose body fat for people who are stuck?

1:38:05 – Marisa’s thoughts on the ketogenic diet

1:41:57 – Marisa’s thoughts on veganism and vegetarianism

1:44:38 – Patron question from Cody: What is a good starting point for someone who is trying to heal an unhealthy relationship with food?

1:47:22 – Patron question from Wren: How can all climbers contribute to a healthy environment surrounding food/body image?

1:51:13 – How to respond to jokes about food restriction

1:53:39 – Are there any foods we should avoid?

1:55:43 – Marisa’s master’s thesis, studying eating patterns in youth climbers, and recommendations for parents and coaches

2:00:58 – Favorite pre-climbing snack

2:02:08 – How important is protein before or during climbing/training?

2:03:31 – Studying amenorrhea in female IFSC athletes

2:07:47 – “Eat enough.”

2:08:53 – Wrap up

EP 143: Matt Heyliger — Tissue Capacity vs. Biomechanics, Why Mobility Comes Before Strength, and the Eyeball Story Nov 07, 2022

Matt Heyliger, DPT is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve talked to when it comes to climbing-related injuries and rehab. We talked about climbing together in Ten Sleep, how he is currently helping me treat carpal tunnel syndrome, how to achieve long-term health and performance, his skiing injury and the eyeball story, top recommendations for climbers, lessons from living in Spain, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:01 – Camping iterations

0:08:29 – Daughters, and fairy house construction

0:10:06 – Spending a year in Spain, landing in Red Lodge Montana, and the bear den story

0:14:13 – Moose battles, and mountain biking

0:15:29 – The campsite, and our cold weather sends

0:18:53 – An introduction to Matt and his path to physical therapy

0:26:31 – How Matt diagnoses an injury (using my carpal tunnel as an example), and what Matt noticed about my shoulder mechanics

0:38:54 – The skill of injury assessment

0:40:15 – Tissue capacity vs. biomechanics, and ironing out issues early on in your climbing

0:45:35 – Why you should pick up heavy stuff

0:47:26 – Combining loading and optimal mechanics for long-term health and performance

0:49:41 – The path forward for me to fix my carpal tunnel

0:55:21 – Matt’s thoughts on manipulations and chiropractic work

0:59:46 – Imaging in diagnosing injuries, and when imaging can be overused

1:01:36 – Getting attached to a diagnosis

1:04:06 – A bit about pain science, and the importance of hope

1:06:48 – Language cues and mindset

1:10:16 – How chest opening and mobilizing the thoracic spine will likely help fix my carpal tunnel

1:12:12 – How to get my lower trapezius firing again, and the role of dry needling

1:16:59 – My rehab plan for Hueco

1:19:15 – Matt’s hopes for me in returning to Ten Sleep next year

1:22:22 – Why mobility comes before strength

1:25:26 – When to fit stretching into your schedule

1:28:36 – Antagonist training, finger loading, and having a rest day movement activity

1:32:23 – Yoga recommendations for climbers, and having a simple movement practice

1:38:27 – The eyeball story

1:58:16 – Spain

2:05:01 – Embracing the slower pace

2:08:46 – Work-life balance, and the emotional investment of doing work that you love

2:16:36 – Matt’s vision for his PT business

2:18:53 – Where to connect with Matt (mattheyliger.com)

2:19:56 – How to find a good PT

2:22:43 – Matt’s current climbing goal, and getting excited about performance climbing

2:29:35 – Wrap up

EP 142: Aidan Roberts — Training for Alphane V17, the Power of Replicas, and Embracing Your Style Nov 01, 2022

Aidan Roberts is a 23-year-old from the UK, who has emerged as one of the strongest boulderers in the world. We talked about training for his trip to Switzerland to try Alphane V17, differences among top boulderers, how Aidan developed his climbing style, addressing finger weaknesses, training using replicas, his goal-setting philosophy, plans to train for Burden of Dreams V17, considering our environmental impact as climbers, and much more.

*He sent Alphane V17 two weeks after this interview. Congrats Aidan!!!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:06:13) – Seasons are shifting

(00:08:52) – Prepping for his trip to Switzerland to try Alphane V17 (9A), and setting his replica

(00:11:44) – Trying Alphane, and bullet points

(00:13:10) – We’ve already planned on a round 2!

(00:15:23) – Crushing hard boulders to Elton John, and finding focus through relaxation

(00:19:43) – Aidan’s first trip to the Rocklands and leaving competitions behind

(00:26:01) – How Aidan developed his style, and how he thinks about training his weaknesses

(00:28:02) – Differences among top boulderers, what Aidan learned from climbing with Dave Graham, and the shared trait of perseverance

(00:36:10) – Aidan’s climbing style, high-angle crimps, and leg crimping

(00:42:41) – How Aidan’s style is different from how Shawn Raboutou climbs

(00:46:38) – Redefining what it means to be strong, and making your training specific

(00:47:56) – Aidan’s thoughts on why none of the current V17’s (9A’s) have been repeated yet

(00:50:18) – Getting away from “simple tasks” and reductionism in training

(00:56:24) – How Aidan got so good at his style of climbing and high-angle crimping

(01:03:07) – Discovering sling testing with Dan Varian, and training with mono slings

(01:07:23) – Summary of how Aidan got so good at his climbing style

(01:09:28) – Training in a high-angle position, and how he strengthened his index fingers

(01:11:37) – Aidan’s pinkie strength, and testing with Ollie Torr

(01:16:09) – How strong is Aidain on the Beastmaker 2000 center edge?

(01:18:09) – Why simple finger strength testing doesn’t necessarily apply to our finger strength on the rock

(01:22:19) – More about training his index fingers

(01:26:21) – Quality and applicability in training

(01:28:08) – “There is no rapid magic formula for finger strength”

(01:29:07) – How Aidan approaches a project, and collecting bullet points for each move

(01:35:01) – Aidan’s pre-send rituals

(01:39:01) – Using bullet points to set the replica for Alphane, carving wooden holds, and measuring moves

(01:45:59) – Training his legs for Alphane, and Copenhagen planks for abductors

(01:47:50) – Using feet follow rules on his board

(01:49:57) – Climbing Alphane from two moves in, and how to train for long boulders on a home wall or board

(01:59:28) – Going to Finland to try Burden of Dreams V17 (9A), and what he learned from trying it

(02:09:49) – Mastery

(02:14:17) – Plans to train for Burden of Dreams

(02:19:37) – Screwdriver injury

(02:22:17) – Aidan’s philosophy with training on replicas, and climbing Isles of Wonder Sit V16 (8C+)

(02:27:21) – Balancing highly specific training (replicas) with other training

(02:29:48) – Aidan’s formula for goal setting (result, reality, and response)

(02:33:09) – His goal setting formula applied to Alphane

(02:36:37) – Influence and contribution, and Aidan’s podcast and magazine

(02:42:13) – Traveling, and considering our environmental impact as climbers

(02:52:24) – Thinking about offsetting my CO2 for my trip to Rocklands next summer

(02:55:39) – Plans to live in the US for a year

(02:57:21) – Wrap up

EP 141: Robbie Phillips — Exploring Scottish Sea Cliffs, Keeping Things Fun, and Capturing Memories Through Filmmaking Oct 24, 2022

Robbie Phillips is a professional adventure climber and filmmaker from Scotland. We talked about his recent trip to the Western Isles of Scotland, his path from competitions to adventure climbing, top rope soloing to project hard routes, things he learned from climbing with Dave MacLeod, processing grief, capturing memories through filmmaking, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:14 – The Suzuki photo shoot, broken car, and tea without milk

0:10:00 – Onsighting the podcast

0:10:34 – Robbie’s recent trip to St. Kilda

0:16:15 – Rock types and the style of climbing in the Western Isles of Scotland

0:21:08 – Climbing a sea cliff in Dùn

0:26:27 – Robbie’s path from competition climbing to adventure climbing

0:35:12 – Climbing Bellevista 13d/14a (8b/+) in the Dolomites

0:38:56 – Imposter syndrome, and not being a natural at bold adventure climbing

0:40:48 – Being good at suffering

0:42:26 – Following the psych

0:45:10 – Patron question from Christoph: How does Robbie train for hard trad climbing specifically?

0:47:47 – What We Do in the Shadows E10 (14b/8c)

0:50:19 – The E grading system, and why Robbie isn’t a big fan of that system

0:55:20 – Indian Creek, and Robbie’s first day “flailing around” in Yosemite

0:57:06 – Patron question from Christoph: What does Robbie do to steel his mind for scary leads?

1:00:08 – Robbie’s almost life-altering accident when he started trad climbing, and the lesson he learned

1:03:44 – Breakdown of What We Do in the Shadows

1:11:06 – The process of projecting the route, his dad passing away, and the darkest period of his life

1:18:37 – How Robbie’s mom is doing now

1:20:32 – Robbie’s dad

1:26:32 – A few things Robbie learned from projecting with Dave MacLeod

1:33:46 – Why Robbie prefers working projects via top rope solo, and why he loves the Taz LOV3

1:49:02 – Balancing performance with having fun

1:53:52 – The Long Hope, and fulmars

2:02:06 – Robbie’s filmmaking, and capturing memories

2:14:18 – How Robbie makes a living

2:16:10 – I respect all the other podcasters!

2:17:02 – Why the new Long Hope film was so fun to work on, and entering it in the Kendal Mountain Festival

2:22:02 – Patron question from GeneO: Why does Robbie consider himself a professional climber but not a professional athlete?

2:24:59 – Upcoming climbing goals

2:28:02 – Does Robbie want to try Lexicon?

2:30:34 – Wrap up

EP 140: Tommy Caldwell — Undone Lines on El Cap, Father-Son Relationships, and Exploring the Limits of Human Endurance Oct 19, 2022

Tommy Caldwell is the most accomplished big wall free climber alive. He is best known for having free climbed The Dawn Wall, the most difficult big wall free route in the world. We talked about his achilles injury, doing the FA of Flex Luthor, training for V12 boulder problems on The Dawn Wall, undone lines on El Cap, exploring the limits of human endurance, being vulnerable through writing a book, parenting, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:07:08) – What is your Dawn Wall?

(00:07:59) – Tommy’s injury and his canceled trip to Germany

(00:09:53) – Tommy’s Instagram post about his injury, why he shared it, and creating accountability

(00:15:21) – Trying Magic Line and what Tommy’s climbing looks like these days (pre-injury)

(00:17:35) – Why El Cap is so significant to Tommy, and his time spent at the Fortress of Solitude in CO

(00:20:17) – Bringing his adventure mindset to bolting and climbing Kryptonite and Flex Luthor

(00:23:05) – Matty Hong’s repeat of Flex Luthor, and Tommy’s thoughts on the grade

(00:25:20) – The differences between Chris Sharma and Tommy, and trying Biographie (first 5.15a/9a+) with Chris

(00:28:48) – Similarities between El Cap and competition bouldering

(00:30:04) – Why Tommy is drawn to “blue collar” climbing, and finding the niche that barely anyone wants to do

(00:31:56) – Patron Question from Christoph: Why is/was Tommy so far ahead of everyone else when it comes to big wall free climbing?

(00:34:00) – Patron Question from Atlin: What’s the next big objective that hasn’t been done in Yosemite?

(00:35:16) – Leo Houlding’s vision for El Cap, and freeing the Passage to Freedom with Alex Honnold

(00:38:46) – More free routes on El Cap, family time in Yosemite, and their yearly trip to Fontainebleau

(00:41:13) – What made the difference the season he sent the Dawn Wall, and training for the V12 boulder problems on the crux pitches

(00:46:42) – Will the Dawn Wall be climbed in a day?

(00:47:55) – What did it feel like to see Adam Ondra send the Dawn Wall so quickly?

(00:52:18) – Tommy’s TC Pro quiver, and wearing the same size shoe for everything

(00:55:17) – Toenail fungus, and Tommy’s experience with Lamasil

(00:58:59) – Making a living as a pro climber, and which parts have felt like work

(01:01:15) – Writing the book, and how the book affected his relationship with his dad

(01:08:38) – Tommy’s parenting philosophy, and Becca as “tiger mom”

(01:12:13) – Patron Question from Eli: Tips for climber dads?

(01:13:53) – Patron Question from John: Who taught Tommy vulnerability?

(01:19:16) – Patron Question from TJ: How does Tommy keep the psych through injury?

(01:20:40) – The story behind Tommy’s repeated achilles injury

(01:25:25) – Does Tommy have things in climbing that feel undone?

(01:27:22) – Bouldering projects around Estes, and climbing in Upper Chaos

(01:29:26) – Is Tommy still improving at climbing?

(01:30:27) – The king line on El Cap

(01:34:45) – Future linkups in Yosemite

(01:36:57) – Tommy’s favorite Disney movie

(01:37:36) – Favorite snack for big walls/linkups, and the CUDL experience

(01:40:19) – Exploring the limits of human endurance, and learning the logistics from ultra runners

(01:42:35) – How hard does Tommy climb on the Moonboard?

(01:42:58) – Big wall pooping stories

(01:45:22) – Another book?

(01:46:34) – What Tommy is trying to do with environmentalism, and the Oak Flat mine

(01:49:31) – Wrap up

EP 139: Lynn Hill — Breaking Barriers in Climbing, How to Find Self-Belief, and Challenging Social Norms Oct 10, 2022

Lynn Hill is a living legend. She is best known for being the first person to free El Capitan via The Nose in 1993. We talked about what it is like to be Lynn Hill in the modern climbing world, her upbringing, what sets her apart, the story of freeing The Nose, tips for shorter climbers, her mindset and affirmations, self-belief, how she makes a living these days, upcoming video projects, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lynn-hill

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:06:27) – Lynn’s technique video

(00:12:58) – How Lynn thinks about climbing technique

(00:16:47) – The documentary Lynn is working on, and Lynn’s thoughts on Free Solo

(00:18:53) – Having the vision to free climb The Nose

(00:21:01) – What it feels like to be Lynn Hill, and why she likes her gates facing out

(00:28:07) – Being famous before the internet

(00:29:48) – Harrison Ford, and how to act toward famous people

(00:33:33) – Being the first woman to climb 12d (7c), traveling to Europe in 1986, and learning French

(00:38:01) – Finishing college, getting “kidnapped by climbing”, and her first sponsorship

(00:42:33) – Being connected to the people who are pushing the sport forward, and Lynn's project with Sasha DiGiulian

(00:50:24) – Who excites Lynn the most in climbing right now

(00:56:22) – Why Lynn decided to try to free The Nose

(01:00:33) – The reality of aging, and appreciating the journey

(01:06:11) – Why The Nose was such a special experience

(01:08:53) – Lynn’s visualization process, climbing her first 5.14 in France, and yawning before redpoint attempts

(01:11:14) – Breathing and screaming

(01:14:12) – Lynn’s process of freeing The Nose

(01:23:41) – Projecting the Changing Corners pitch

(01:28:11) – Going for it, and Brooke Sandahl’s role in The Nose going free

(01:32:07) – Why Lynn decided to free The Nose in a day, and how she trained for it

(01:35:56) – Her mindset for efficiency on The Nose, and sending during the full moon

(01:40:01) – “It’s actually pretty strenuous…” and the Lynn Hill traverse

(01:41:59) – Lynn’s height and ape index (5’1 1/4”, 0 ape index)

(01:43:29) – Advice for shorter climbers

(01:45:53) – First Ascent (Naked Edge film by Bob Carmichael), and the training Lynn was doing in the early 80s

(01:53:14) – Lynn’s family upbringing, her temperament, and what sets her apart

(01:55:58) – The “what if” game, and taking an unconventional path

(01:59:07) – Lynn’s current sponsorships, and how she makes a living these days

(02:03:09) – There are a lot of ways to make it as a pro climber

(02:07:56) – Patron Question from Nick: What parts of climbing culture would you like to see maintained? What would you be happy to see disappear?

(02:13:33) – Patron Question from Bradley: What do Lynn’s passions look like today?

(02:15:23) – Patron Question from Jessica: Onsighting the FA of Mingus in 1994 in the Verdon

(02:21:59) – Patron Question from Matt: What was it like climbing on The Nose with Nina Caprez? Are you mentoring any other women?

(02:29:07) – Building ab strength after having a baby, and Lynn’s replica of the Changing Corners intro move

(02:32:20) – Other women Lynn has mentored

(02:33:51) – Patron Question from Craig: Who have you climbed with that had amazing footwork?

(02:36:12) – Patron Question from Christoph: Can Lynn speak about the mental side of pushing boundaries?

(02:41:32) – Patron Question from Emily: How did Lynn learn to be independent from the limiting gendered cues coming from society at the time in order to realize her true potential?

(02:44:33) – Lynn’s positive affirmations, challenging societal norms as a teenager, and seeing injustice in the world

(02:51:12) – Patron Question from Mark: Have women reached parody in climbing? If not, what can be done?

(02:58:45) – What Lynn is most excited about right now, her Italian name, and the value of learning other languages

(03:02:26) – Feeling excited about her new route on The Maiden, and ideas for her next trip to France

(03:05:32) – More about the documentary Lynn is working on

(03:09:04) – Where to buy “It goes boys” shirts, and signed photos from Lynn!

(03:11:01) – Lynn’s plans for Hueco

EP 138: Q&A 6 (feat. Taylor Fragomeni) — Ways to Improve Your Climbing if Access is Limited, and More Patron Questions Oct 03, 2022

My close friend Taylor Fragomeni joins me for Q&A 6! We talked about ways to improve your climbing if your access to the gym or crag is limited, and we tackled Patron questions about bouldering at night, best bang-for-your-buck strength exercises, beta videos, daily hangboarding, how to warm up for max hangs on a lifting day, and route and boulder pyramids.

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-6

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00:00 – Introducing Taylor!

0:03:00 – Ways to Improve Your Climbing if Access is Limited:

0:03:00 – Metal Game

0:06:09 – Watching Videos

0:09:55 – Visualization

0:13:29 – Decision Maps (and having a backup plan)

0:23:43 – Adding Stability Elements to Strength Exercises

0:28:37 – Getting Creative

0:29:41 – One-Time Coaching Calls

0:30:24 – How to connect with Tay!

0:30:59 – Patron Questions:

0:30:59 – Hakan’s Question: Any nuggets for nighttime bouldering sessions?

0:36:42 – Cody’s Question: Training recommendations for a 5.10 mountain guide, and biggest bang-for-your-buck strength training exercise for climbing?

0:43:19 – Justin’s Question: How often do you look at other people's beta videos when you're trying a boulder or sport climb? Do you ever avoid them on purpose?

0:49:57 – Toby’s comment and the benefit of taking notes on podcasts/books/etc

0:57:06 – Sytse’s Question: Do you still do Emil Abrahamsson’s twice-a-day hangboard protocol?

1:00:26 – Murpheys_law24: How do you warm up for max hangs on a lifting day?

1:04:25 – Briana’s Question: Do “old sends” count for your current pyramid? And thoughts on the 1-2-4-8-16 pyramid vs. 1-3-9-27?

Follow-Up: Ned Feehally — More Beastmaking Questions, and Longer Hangs for Long-Term Strength Gains (Teaser) Sep 29, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! I sat down with Ned Feehally to cover questions I wish I had asked him in our first episode. We talked about Ned’s three different protocols for Max Hangs, why he thinks 20-seconds hangs are best for long-term strength gains, when to use each of his different protocols, how I have incorporated his advice into my own finger training, and much more! Join us for more finger training geekery!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:03:39.

Ned’s Original Episode:

EP 113: Ned Feehally

EP 137: Drew Ruana & Cameron Hörst — Lessons from Recent Sends, Training for Bouldering vs. Sport Climbing, and Leveling Up to V18 and 5.15c Sep 26, 2022

Drew Ruana is back on the podcast and is joined by his friend Cameron Hörst, who is one of the best young sport climbers in the country. We talked about lessons they’ve each learned from recent sends, what it was like growing up as kid crushers, training for bouldering vs. sport climbing, how to stay strong while projecting, Drew’s thoughts on climbing V18, and Cam’s thoughts on climbing 5.15c.

Listen to more top episodes!

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Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out Arc'teryx!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/drew-and-cameron

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:31 – What they climbed on today

0:07:59 – Drew’s skin injury in Bishop back in 2020

0:09:38 – Cam’s bouldering trip to CO, and plans to do more bouldering

0:12:04 – Why Drew pivoted to bouldering

0:14:38 – Why ‘The Ice Knife’ and ‘Dire Wolf’ stand out to Drew

0:18:58 – How Drew balances hard projects with quick ticks, and trying ‘Megatron’ V17 for 70+ days

0:23:57 – Cam’s experiences climbing ‘Bone Tomahawk’ 15a and ‘Resisting Arrest’ 14d

0:27:43 – Training mode for Big Claw 14d

0:30:00 – Patron question from Tristan: For Drew, what are 1-3 things you’ve learned from doing so many hard boulders in CO?

0:34:23 – What keeps the fire burning for Drew, and the drug rush of sending a new hard boulder

0:36:36 – How many V16s are there in the world?

0:37:22 – Drew’s thoughts on switching back to sport climbing, and how many 5.15s there are in the US

0:41:53 – The Grand Illusion

0:44:15 – Taking a gap year to try to climb 5.15, and what Cam learned from climbing with Joe Kinder and doing ‘Bone Tomahawk’

0:49:57 – Patron question from Howard: Cam, what position did you play in high school football? Did any skills from football transfer to climbing?

0:52:35 – Having a team (or climbing partner) who builds you up

0:54:59 – Wes Schweitzer (NFL offensive lineman)

1:00:23 – Patron question from Xander: Cam, do you still play football? Did you train for climbing during football season?

1:03:58 – How team sports helped make Cam a well-rounded athlete, and being exposed to lots of different things growing up

1:07:13 – Drew and Cam’s thoughts on their different upbringings as kid climbers

1:13:50 – Patron question from Eli: What did they love/hate about being kid crushers? What do they appreciate about how their parents handled their climbing lives?

1:19:02 – Patron question from Christoph: Cam, what was it like having a famous coach as a dad? And Cam’s plans to carry the torch

1:23:48 – Patron question from Xander: How do you balance training and sending? Do you cycle between training and sending, or can both happen concurrently? (Drew’s bench press and pull-up numbers)

1:29:22 – Drew’s thoughts on spending the last three years only focused on outdoor bouldering

1:33:14 – Cam’s thoughts on the difference between training for bouldering vs. sport climbers, and how he balances training and performance cycles

1:39:36 – Drew’s thoughts on maintaining his aerobic base when focusing on bouldering

1:46:25 – Patron question from Bryce: I’m about to hit the road for a year. Should I mix in training to keep my strength up?

1:49:52 – The guys give me their recommendations for keeping my strength up on a three-month sport climbing trip

1:54:28 – Cam’s goal to climb 5.15b (9b), what it would take for him to climb 15c (9b+), and plans for his career

2:00:35 – Drew’s thoughts on what it will take for him to climb V18

2:06:58 – Drew’s recent FA of Distortion V16, and plans to climb more V16s

2:12:13 – Cam’s plans for the Fin Cave

2:13:24 – Drew’s thoughts on his career

2:17:33 – Flow state

2:19:39 – Who Cam is most impressed by in climbing

2:21:31 – Who Drew is most impressed by in climbing

EP 136: Dan Varian — High Angle Crimps, Silver Bullets in Finger Strength, and How to Activate Lazy Fingers Sep 19, 2022

Dan Varian is an elite boulderer from the UK and the cofounder of Beastmaker. We talked about a finger strength test that Dan had me do, how to measure the load distribution across our fingers, silver bullets in finger strength, how to activate lazy fingers, why Dan is focusing his training on high angle crimps, his recommendations for me, and wrist training for Fontainebleau.

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dan-varian

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:04 – Building dens out of cushions

0:10:36 – Dan’s resume

0:13:12 – Moving from Sheffield, playing the training game with his limited time, and detail over vagueness

0:18:05 – How the strength flows through your hand, and the starting point of people’s training

0:19:06 – Climbing as a fledgling sport, having plenty of room to improve our training quality, and Dan and Aidan’s attention to detail

0:20:33 – The value of training with like-minded people, and the many different rock types in the UK

0:23:28 – Blunderbus vs rifle, and mentoring Aidan Roberts

0:26:40 – Aidan’s pinkie strength, and why the sling test is a valuable assessment tool

0:32:36 – Who Adian is, and an introduction to high angle crimps

0:35:49 – Silver bullets in finger strength, and specializing in specific styles

0:39:25 – Clarification of the high angle crimp position

0:41:34 – The sling test, and my takeaways from my results

0:45:24 – Dan’s interpretation of my results, and my two lazy fingers which are lacking silver bullets

0:49:07 – My goals as they relate to finger training

0:52:32 – My climbing background and how that explains my results

0:55:36 – A pinkie mono demonstration from Dan

0:59:23 – Three-finger drag, wrist movement, and different grip positions for different rock types and routes vs. boulders

1:03:28 – What Dan thinks I should focus on with my finger strength for sport climbing

1:04:29 – Summary of the takeaways from my finger testing, and Dan’s guesses about my climbing based on the numbers

1:07:09 – My pinkie in the half crimp

1:10:02 – How to activate lazy fingers on the hangboard, and why the Beastmaker hangboards look the way they do

1:12:35 – Dan’s strength on three-finger drag, why it doesn’t apply to small crimpy holds and boulders, and how we are all working on our own things

1:14:56 – Dan’s advice for me to strengthen my pinkies and middle fingers

1:17:37 – How my finger strength compares to Dan’s, and what he is working on with his finger training

1:19:21 – Why Dan thinks I should train my lazy fingers on the hangboard instead of lifting off the floor

1:30:24 – Dan’s recommended protocol for me to activate my lazy fingers

1:35:52 – Stealing ideas from arm wrestlers, and why Dan loves Fontainebleau

1:38:53 – Meeting Tim Doyle in Font

1:39:57 – Focusing on weaknesses vs. strengths, and trying to tick the county

1:46:35 – Dan’s top finger training exercise recommendation

1:48:11 – Dan’s thoughts on wrist training

1:53:01 – Meat hooks and kneebars

1:59:19 – Why Dan wishes he had focused on building an athletic foundation as a younger athlete

2:03:34 – Dan’s training goals, his thoughts on the campus board, and goal boulders in the Lakes

2:13:13 – Potential topics for a round 2 (let us know what you want to hear more about!)

2:15:02 – Dan’s final thoughts on splitting the grip and waking up lazy fingers

2:16:49 – Dan’s goals for me with my finger training

EP 135: Alice Hafer — How to Train Your Mind Muscle, Tips for Staying Motivated, and Box Jumps for Power Sep 12, 2022

Alice Hafer is a climber, writer, and coach who specializes in mind power training. We talked about climbing her first 5.14s, her experiences with depression and anxiety and how she changed her own mind through mental training, finding an identity outside of climbing, tips for staying motivated, focusing on effort over outcomes, and using box jumps to train for climbing power.

Listen to more top episodes about Mind/Mindset!

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Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alice-hafer

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:35 – Perfectionism in writing and interviewing

0:09:30 – What Alice learned from her friend Brad Gobright

0:13:05 – Using second-tier routes to stretch our comfort zone

0:14:07 – “Fear is a signal that you are becoming a better climber.”

0:16:45 – Getting covid twice in three weeks

0:18:03 – Setting boundaries for ourselves, and reaching our higher selves

0:20:27 – What expectations are

0:21:05 – Patron question from Ryan: Can you share a favorite story about Brad Gobright?

0:26:51 – Alice’s climbing journey, getting sick after her trip to Madagascar, her dad’s stroke, and carrying emotional weight

0:34:23 – How her relationship with climbing has evolved, and seeing Brad’s passion for climbing

0:37:00 – Pro climbers aren’t always sending, and passion and motivation

0:39:42 – How Jonathan Siegrist stays psyched, thinking smaller within our constraints, and pivoting

0:45:34 – Living in the UK, and being most comfortable with what you spend the most time doing

0:49:33 – “Who am I outside of climbing?”

0:52:31 – Finding a new identity, and Alice’s experience with depression

0:58:35 – Detaching your identity from whatever you are dealing with, and changing your thought and behavior patterns

1:02:42 – Examining the three biggest beliefs you have about yourself, and valuing the climbing experience

1:05:18 – Neuroplasticity, and rewriting our self-beliefs

1:12:12 – Focusing on process over outcome

1:15:55 – Climbing matters

1:18:15 – Exposing yourself to new ideas, and saying “stop” to negative thoughts

1:22:07 – “I have plenty of time.”

1:23:55 – Setting clear and small goals, letting go of perfectionism, and giving ourselves permission to fail

1:36:06 – Awareness, pausing, and intervening

1:41:18 – Struggling with belonging, finding supportive friends, and putting your best effort forward

1:46:03 – The pressure that comes with success, and focusing on becoming a better athlete

1:54:47 – The value in trying hard projects

1:57:42 – How Alice uses goals to give her focus

1:59:10 – What Alice learned from trying Weekend at Bernies (5.14a or b)

2:01:35 – Jonathan Siegrist’s 50:50 split, and why balancing projecting with sending easier routes is important for motivation

2:05:19 – How Alice is training her weaknesses for Weekend at Bernies

2:08:55 – Using box jumps to train power for climbing, and catching holds with a firm body

2:13:01 – Thoughts on campusing vs. fast pull-ups for power

2:15:35 – How little volume it takes to get stronger, and my story with pistol squats

2:16:27 – Mental training for fast results, and how Alice sent her second 5.14 by focusing on effort

2:20:23 – “You quit when you stop learning.”

2:21:40 – Patron question from Fiona: Can we train our mental game? How do we measure progress?

2:25:39 – Everyone needs something different when it comes to mental training

2:26:41 – How to measure mental training progress

2:29:00 – Where to connect with Alice

2:30:43 – Alice’s final advice for listeners

2:36:34 – Feeling like a superhero, and the story of sending her second 5.14

EP 134: Sam Van Boxtel — Creating Value on Social Media, Having a Strong “Why”, and the Road to 100k Followers Sep 05, 2022

Sam Van Boxtel is a social media expert and the founder of Climbers Crag. We talked about the business side of being a content creator, why Instagram is the best platform for the climbing industry right now, the importance of having a strong “why”, why posts go viral, how to optimize for growth, creating value on social media, playing the game, and the balance between quality and success.

Climbers Crag:

climberscrag.com

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Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

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Check out Shortform!

shortform.com/nugget

Use this link to get a free 5-day trial, and 20% off an annual subscription!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/sam-van-boxtel

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:57 – Organizing the important stuff, and putting systems in place

0:11:11 – Overview of our conversation

0:13:30 – Soccer, discovering climbing, and losing 20-30 lbs to become a route setter

0:17:14 – Sam’s ability to focus on his goals, and why he got into business

0:20:03 – Moving up the chain with route setting

0:22:20 – How Sam got into social media, and getting 1000+ followers in less than a month

0:24:11 – The business side of being a content creator

0:26:57 – Pivoting from route setting to starting Climbers Crag, and how Sam teamed up with Tom Randall

0:37:03 – What Climbers Crag is today

0:40:41 – The organic next step

0:41:58 – Summary of everything so far, and Climbers Crag’s two main services as an agency

0:45:47 – The Climber’s Crag team, and why Sam reduced the size of his team

0:46:58 – Who this is worthwhile for, and having a strong “why”

0:53:13 – The two categories of individuals trying to grow their Instagram following, and having a clear funnel

0:59:17 – Why I decided to make the Nugget for a year before trying to monetize, and making sure you love 80-90% of what you’re doing

1:01:45 – “Goodwill compounds faster than revenue.”

1:02:19 – Virality and customer surplus

1:06:13 – The sustainability/longevity of the different social media platforms, supply and demand, why reels go viral, and why Instagram is king

1:12:41 – Why Sam pressed pause on TikTok for Climbers Crag

1:18:25 – Real numbers for Instagram growth goals, and where Sam thinks brands should be with Instagram before adding another platform

1:20:22 – Another summary, and using Instagram as a jumping-off point

1:23:05 – Crux Academy, and why Sam tries to talk most of his clients out of trying to grow on YouTube

1:24:54 – My current strategy for The Nugget’s Instagram, balancing viral, brand, and value posts, and having a CTA (call to action) strategy

1:32:17 – Sam’s recommendations for me to grow to 100k followers, and the two factors for growth

1:45:11 – Best practices for resharing content from an ethical standpoint

1:50:08 – Best time of day to post

1:52:15 – Hashtags, optimizing content for growth on Instagram, and removing exit points

1:59:48 – Watchtime and engagement

2:02:08 – Using Capcut for Reels

2:05:09 – Playing the game, and the difference between quality and success on a social media platform

2:12:13 – Hiding the vegetables

2:13:30 – Wrap up and how to connect with Sam

Follow-Up: Jonathan Siegrist — How to Climb Hard Sport Routes and Improve for Decades (Teaser) Aug 31, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Jonathan Siegrist. We talked about his recent trip to Spain, sending Event Horizon 5.15b, training on his home wall, his 50:50 rule for projecting, how to train for sustained crux sections on sport routes, thoughts about The Fins Project, plans to move to France, and much more.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:32:46.

Jonathan’s Other Episodes:

EP 14: Jonathan Siegrist (Apr 20, 2020)

EP 36: Climb Strong Team (Sept 21, 2020)

Follow-Up: Jonathan Siegrist (Nov 12, 2020)

EP 133: Neil Gresham — Using Ballet to Climb Harder, Developing Your Finishing Game, and Extensor Training for Stronger Fingers Aug 29, 2022

Neil Gresham is a British climber and coach who has been at the cutting edge for over two decades. We talked about using ballet as part of his training for his FA of ‘Lexicon’ E11, the importance of developing your finishing game, extensor training for stronger fingers, go-to ring and TRX exercises, sticking our training in the bank, thumb crimping, climbing his first 5.14c (8c+) at age 45, and much more.

Listen to more top episodes!

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Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out Arc'teryx!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/neil-gresham

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:45 – The Mythical Challenge

0:18:15 – “Flitting” between different styles of climbing to keep motivation high

0:20:25 – Improving two sport grades and one trad grade between the ages of 45 and 50, and what it would take to climb 9a (14d)

0:24:49 – Feeling satisfied after climbing Lexicon (E11)

0:27:33 – Olympians, and being a series of sliders

0:30:08 – Lexicon breakdown, and Steve McClure’s 80-foot whipper

0:39:10 – Why is bold trad climbing so glorified in the UK? And the “rules” for trad areas vs. bolted areas

0:46:02 – Patron question from Elina, why Neil used ballet to train for Lexicon, and looking outside the box for ways to improve

0:50:45 – Struggling to improve at climbing, and how that led to coaching

0:58:52 – “People don’t realize how hard they can climb.”

1:01:47 – Goal setting and finishing game

1:06:33 – Getting more specific with your goals, and being willing to learn from each project

1:12:19 – The tactical and psychological skills in redpointing, and how many of the top climbers just go climbing

1:14:59 – Don’t expect your project to feel easy

1:16:31 – Unlocking things on your project when you’re feeling weak

1:21:24 – “Hard routes have been climbed in every conceivable mindset.” - Dave MacLeod

1:22:57 – Patron question from Doug: What old-school training methods get overlooked nowadays? What modern training methods got overlooked back then?

1:25:15 – Injury prevention, and extensor training for stronger fingers

1:30:23 – Rings and TRX training

1:32:42 – Neil’s go-to exercises on the rings/TRX, and feeling like an athlete after discovering rings training

1:34:29 – How to combine extensor training with your other training and climbing, and Adam Ondra’s rule for antagonist training

1:36:57 – Neil’s strength protocol for finger extensor training

1:39:23 – How to incorporate rings or TRX training into your climbing and training, and finding the appropriate amount

1:44:41 – Patron question from Jan: What should climbers who started at a later age (30s) focus on to improve, and would that be different from someone who started in their 20s?

1:46:59 – Should beginners use hangboards?

1:49:31 – How Neil and I both developed a weakness in the half crimp grip by avoiding the hangboard early on

1:52:56 – “Stick the training in the bank.”

1:56:58 – The way to make killer gains in your hangboarding: stop climbing! (And which types of climbers benefit from hangboarding)

2:01:49 – Dan Varian from Beastmaker, and other people who have influenced Neil’s climbing and training

2:02:59 – How to combine hangboarding with climbing to make gains over the long term

2:06:51 – How Neil addressed his weakness in the half crimp, and his thoughts on full crimping on the hangboard

2:11:08 – Thumb crimping

2:14:37 – Pinkie wrapping three-finger crimps, and how everything we do should be built up incrementally

2:16:34 – Why Neil’s climbing shot up between ages 45 and 50

2:23:33 – Neil’s golden rule in coaching, and taking breaks from structured training

2:27:33 – Finding balance

2:30:58 – A teaser for the keto diet conversation (let us know if you want to hear us talk about that!)

2:31:39 – Where to connect with Neil

EP 132: Rebecca Williams — A Deep Dive Into Fear of Falling, the Self-Soothing System, and Climbing Smarter Aug 22, 2022

Dr. Rebecca Williams is a clinical psychologist, performance coach, and the author of Climb Smarter. We talked about the deeper fears that often underlie fear of falling, the underdeveloped self-soothing system, breathing exercises to reduce anxiety, pre-climb routines, meditation and mindfulness, and the benefits of shifting our focus from achievement to mastery.

Climb Smarter:

Buy on Amazon (best if you are in the US or Canada)

Buy from Sequoia Books (best if you are in the UK or Europe)

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

Check out Shortform!

shortform.com/nugget

Use this link to get a free 5-day trial, and 20% off an annual subscription!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/rebecca-williams

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:32 – Kids

0:09:29 – Rebecca’s background in clinical psychology

0:13:04 – Why Rebecca quit gymnastics as a teenager

0:17:55 – How the mental blocks from gymnastics came back to haunt her as a climber

0:20:17 – The deeper fears at the roots of fear of falling, and trust and control

0:24:30 – Why it’s important to know where your fear of falling comes from, and the woman with the worm phobia

0:28:32 – Diving deeper into different fears

0:30:54 – Fear of fear, and learning to tolerate difficult feelings

0:33:14 – Learning to tolerate difficult emotions

0:37:09 – My (Steven’s) own experience with fear of falling when I started sport climbing, and tools for letting go of control

0:44:16 – The overdeveloped drive and threat systems, and the underdeveloped self-soothing system

0:46:32 – “We’re always conquering”, common narratives, and why fear of falling is rational

0:53:16 – Rebecca’s mental warmup, and bringing arousal levels down

0:58:30 – Not wanting to stray from “normal”

1:03:04 – Introducing doubts to our assumptions

1:08:38 – Breathing exercises to bring down arousal and anxiety

1:14:31 – Pre-climb routines, focusing before a send attempt, and mindfulness as an attitude

1:19:16 – Meditation and why it’s useful

1:24:31 – What practicing mindfulness has done for me (Steven) and how it has impacted my life

1:28:14 – “Falling practice is the last thing you do, and not the first thing you do.”

1:30:01 – Does practicing non-attachment take away our drive? And shifting our focus from achievement to mastery

1:33:00 – Why Rebecca decided to write her book Smart Climbing

1:37:05 – The nutrition chapter of the book, and the link between perfectionism and eating disorders

1:43:45 – What Rebecca is currently working on in her own climbing (related to mental game)

1:48:07 – Who the book is for, and where to buy it

1:49:25 – What’s next for Rebecca

1:50:34 – Rediscovering your early excitement for climbing

EP 131: Ryan Devlin — Life as a TV Actor, Progressing From 11b to 12c in a Year, and How Pro Climbers Relate to Struggle Aug 15, 2022

Ryan Devlin is a television actor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, rock climber, and host of his new podcast The Struggle Climbing Show. We talked about parallels between climbing and being a TV actor, the role of chemistry in dating, how to deal with rejection, progressing from 11b to 12c in a year in his 40s, and biggest takeaways from interviewing top climbers on his podcast.

Listen to more top episodes!

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out Petzl!

Or shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Feals!

feals.com/NUGGET

Use this link to get 50% off your first order and free shipping!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ryan-devlin

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:15 – My Parent’s Basement Productions

0:09:35 – Junk food

0:12:20 – Returning to the Midwest

0:17:59 – How far Midwesterners commute to climb at the Red River Gorge

0:20:36 – The TV show ‘Are You the One?’, and why you might recognize Ryan in the grocery store

0:30:08 – A question from Allison Vest, and the role of chemistry in dating

0:37:20 – Similarities between the climbing world and the TV/acting world, and creating your own luck

0:43:20 – How Ryan deals with rejection, and building happiness that is not based on outcomes

0:49:19 – Being afraid of falling, Ryan’s first-ever trad lead, and how climbing has impacted his acting (and his life)

0:56:05 – How Ryan got into climbing, and his first day climbing at Tahquitz

1:07:25 – Getting into sport climbing and training in his 40s, and progressing from 11b to 12c in a year

1:16:50 – Early lightbulb moments in Ryan’s training journey

1:23:11 – Getting more days in at the crag

1:29:44 – Why Ryan decided to create The Struggle Climbing Show

1:38:00 – How the pros relate to struggle, and what the rest of us can learn from that

1:48:39 – Drinking from a firehose of information, and letting go of finding “the best way” to train

1:55:21 – Mental game, fear, gratitude, and Alex Honnold and Hazel Findlay’s mental approaches

2:00:01 – Hollywood love scenes, and being starstruck by Lynn Hill and Harrison Ford

2:07:53 – Podcasting and community

2:10:17 – Starting a Forest School, and looking at the world through kids' eyes

2:14:56 – Camping, van windows, and blackout curtains

2:18:33 – Vanlife, and climbing with Jordan Cannon and Alex Honnold

2:30:24 – The climbing experience scales

2:31:29 – Ryan’s hopes and dreams as a rock climber

2:37:50 – Ryan’s plans for Season 2 of The Struggle Climbing Show

2:44:30 – Wrap up

EP 130: Stian Christophersen & Martin Mobråten — Writing The Climbing Bible, Finger Strength vs. General Strength, and Strategies for Improving Technique Aug 08, 2022

Stian Christophersen & Martin Mobråten are the coauthors of The Climbing Bible. We talked about their careers and proudest climbing achievements, their goal in writing their book, what holds back climbers at different levels, finger strength vs. general strength, mental strengths that separate climbers, strategies for improving technique, and the Play Box vs. the Think Box.

The Climbing Bible:

Buy on Amazon (best if you are in the US or Canada)

Buy from AdventureBooks (best if you are in the UK or Europe)

Check out Frictitious Climbing!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for free shipping on your next order!

Check out Arc'teryx!

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/stian-and-martin

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:56 – Where we’re all tuning in from

0:09:29 – Stian and Martin introduce each other

0:17:14 – What Stain and Martin admire about one another

0:22:43 – Stian’s proudest climbing accomplishments

0:26:29 – Stian’s process of projecting his hardest route (FA of a new 9a)

0:31:04 – A day in Martin’s life

0:33:16 – The pros and cons of being a route setter, and trying to balance route setting with climbing

0:38:24 – Martin’s proudest climbing accomplishments

0:43:31 – Writing The Climbing Bible, and how the book got its name

0:46:40 – Why The Climbing Bible was published as two different books, and how they interact with one another

0:48:58 – Who the books are for

0:52:06 – Question from Rannveig: When coaching, how do you balance the physical, technical, and mental sides of the sport?

0:55:29 – The shortcomings of modern gyms, and the value of making up your own boulders

1:02:09 – Stian’s thoughts on what holds climbers back from breaking into 5.11 or 5.12

1:04:28 – The importance of different physical characteristics for climbing performance, and finger strength vs. general strength

1:12:22 – The 9c test, and the benefits and limitations of physical assessments

1:20:00 – Mental strengths that separate climbers with the same physical and technical abilities, and tapping into aggression

1:29:21 – How Stian and Martin have worked on improving their own technical abilities

1:37:39 – Spray wall training vs. commercial gym sets, and separating strength sessions from technical slab sessions

1:50:00 – Separating indoor and outdoor climbing

1:51:23 – Another question from Rannveig: What are the biggest gimmicks in climbing and training right now, and what old-school methods are the most legit?

1:56:51 – “Never respect grades.”

2:01:03 – The Play Box vs. the Think Box, and the story of Stian’s FA of Eurofighter V13/14 (8B/+)

2:11:06 – What to expect if you buy The Climbing Bible

2:14:49 – We should be movement optimists

2:16:47 – Where to buy the book, and wrap up

Follow-Up: Matt Fultz — How to Train for the Hardest Crimp Boulders in the World (Teaser) Aug 05, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up is with Matt Fultz. We talked about his recent V16 sends, go-to training sessions on the spray wall, takeaways from his recent finger injury, how he incorporates hangboarding into his week, favorite hangboard protocols, why he does most of his finger training on 20mm edges, why he rarely trains on holds smaller than 10mm, and much more.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:04:24.

Matt’s Originial Episode:

EP 39: Matt Fultz

EP 129: Dorian Evers — How to Navigate Different Stoke Levels in Your Relationship, and Getting Vulnerable with Your Partner Aug 01, 2022

Dorian Evers is an individual and couples therapist in Boulder, CO. We talked about navigating different stoke levels in your relationship, how to create a safe space for your partner to be vulnerable, how to have difficult conversations, common insecurities and fears in relationships, tips for long-distance relationships, vanlife dating tips, and much more.

Check out Petzl!

Or shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dorian-evers

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:57 – Getting caught in thunderstorms

0:09:51 – Dorian’s office and therapy practice

0:11:04 – An example of Emotionally Focused Therapy

0:15:19 – Bringing our baggage into our relationships

0:18:32 – Talking about our relationships as climbers, and why this conversation feels important to Dorian

0:21:22 – Parts of ourselves, the different parts of Dorian, and her identity

0:25:09 – Do we have to give up our climbing identity to be in a healthy relationship?

0:28:04 – Having a mismatched level of stoke with your partner, and getting vulnerable with your partner

0:36:48 – How to make our partners feel secure in our relationships

0:39:55 – Making meaning of what we don’t know

0:41:07 – People pleasing vs. being radically honest

0:45:15 – Becoming aware of our fears/worries, and checking in with our partners

0:49:21 – Finding delight and empathy in your partner’s experience

0:55:59 – Being curious about what lights up your partner

0:59:48 – Communication, and creating a safe space for your partner to be vulnerable

1:05:10 – Active listening skills

1:07:13 – When to have difficult conversations with your partner

1:10:38 – Navigating insecurity and jealously

1:15:20 – Telling your partner that you’re thinking of them

1:18:30 – Staying in the room

1:20:26 – “We’re not mind readers.”

1:21:22 – Patron question from Joy: How do you stay psyched as a climber when your partner doesn’t climb?

1:24:01 – “Every relationship is going to have conflict, but it’s about the repair.”

1:27:31 – How to stay connected to your partner when you’re on a trip

1:31:36 – How to stay connected in a long-distance relationship

1:36:42 – Question from Doreen, and lessons we learn from climbing

1:40:53 – Balancing different individual passions in your relationship

1:42:46 – Carving out intentional time for conversation

1:45:07 – Living in a tiny house, and Dorian’s tips for living in a small space with your partner

1:51:59 – My experience with Better Help, and how to find a therapist

EP 128: Callie Joy Black — Training During Pregnancy, Climbing Hard with Kids, and Being Your Own Project Jul 25, 2022

Callie Joy Black is a strength coach who specializes in training during pregnancy and postpartum. We talked about the most common concerns she hears from pregnant women, falling risk while pregnant, returning to climbing postpartum, strength training during pregnancy, climbing hard with kids, being selfish and creating boundaries, and being your own project.

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/callie-joy-black

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:28 – Overview of this podcast episode, and her son’s pants-shitting story

0:12:00 – Why Joy studied Spanish in college, getting pregnant, being a single mom, and studying nutrition

0:15:19 – Being obsessed with movement, getting into climbing, and her path to becoming a strength coach

0:19:09 – Why Joy chose to specialize in training during pregnancy and post-partum recovery

0:24:26 – How male listeners can benefit from this conversation, and how the pelvic floor affects movement

0:28:43 – Being scared of pregnancy, and two things Joy wishes someone had told her when she was pregnant for the first time

0:32:39 – Fall risk with climbing when pregnant

0:41:37 – Where Joy lives and where she usually climbs

0:42:59 – Joy’s three pregnancies

0:49:14 – Making the best decision for you and your pregnancy

0:50:33 – When is it ok to climb after pregnancy?

0:56:43 – Educating your doctor

0:59:29 – How to support your climbing during pregnancy with strength training, and the role of the pelvic floor

1:07:08 – Empowering women to lift heavier things

1:18:00 – How Joy gets buy-in from women who are nervous to strength train

1:26:04 – Changing from a performance mindset to an exploratory mindset

1:27:52 – One of my favorite quotes from Steve Bechtel, and writing the forward to his book Mettle

1:30:16 – Losing members of your climbing community when they have kids, and sharing climbing with your kids

1:33:06 – Is it possible to climb just as hard after pregnancy and having kids?

1:40:38 – Joy’s current climbing goal to climb 5.12, and working with Maddie from Lattice Training

1:42:32 – Get a hangboard!

1:42:59 – Being selfish and creating boundaries

1:50:27 – A question from Mina about key lightbulb moments

1:55:17 – Relaxin (hormone) and hangboarding during pregnancy

2:02:34 – More resources for breath work and pelvic floor training

2:11:27 – Breathing into your butthole

2:12:54 – Joy’s tips for using Instagram as a business owner

2:19:23 – Love and muscles

2:20:51 – “The best project you will ever work on is you.”

2:23:02 – My current life project

2:27:44 – Joy’s current life project

2:31:13 – Wrap up

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch — My Summer Training Plan, and How to Get Stronger on the Moonboard (Teaser) Jul 21, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This week we’ve got another Follow-Up with Steve Maisch! We talked about my summer training plan, how to get stronger on the Moonboard, combining board climbing with weight lifting and hangboarding, when to double down on strength vs. when to mix in endurance training, my plans to try a 5.14 this Fall, and much more!

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:03:36.

Steve’s Other Episodes:

EP 70: Steve Maisch

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch (the first one, published Sept 9, 2021)

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch (the second one, published Jan 7, 2022)

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch (the third one, published Apr 21, 2022)

EP 127: Jesse Firestone — Bouldering Tactics, Quantum Leaps, and Non-Physical Factors That Affect Our Performance Jul 18, 2022

Jesse Firestone is an elite boulderer, a climbing coach, and a climbing philosopher. He’s also a good friend of mine from Oregon. We talked about quantum leaps in our progression as climbers, Jesse’s top 3 tips for climbers at different stages, non-physical factors that affect our performance, tips for flashing hard boulders, training changes after age 30, and much more.

*If you liked my episodes with Emil Abrahamsson and Martin Keller, don’t skip this one!

Check out Petzl!

Or shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!

Check out Feals!

feals.com/NUGGET

Use this link to get 50% off your first order and free shipping!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jesse-firestone

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:17 – Breakfast, considerations when building a home wall, and how to make climbing holds out of plywood

0:12:24 – Skin conditioning, and dishwashing gloves

0:15:19 – Applying too much stuff to our skin

0:16:56 – Climbing volume, and trying to add more things to make our injuries better

0:18:39 – Being obsessive

0:21:15 – Jesse’s first rest day

0:23:31 – Jesse’s early mentors in climbing, and taking opportunities when they come

0:25:28 – Identifying as a boulderer early on, and wishing he had rested more

0:27:53 – The Portland phase, and how to get pure raw strength in the climbing gym

0:31:27 – Dropping out of college to hit the road for 7 months, and why Jesse’s climbing ability skyrocketed

0:33:08 – The Bend phase

0:35:41 – How Jesse got into coaching

0:38:02 – Emotional regulation, mindset, and common mistakes

0:41:01 – An introduction to Jesse’s Performance Pyramid

0:43:30 – The tiers of the Performance Pyramid

0:47:52 – Jesse’s consistency, and which elements of the pyramid climbers are most resistant to

0:50:11 – Changing our circumstances, and thinking of our lifestyles as an investment

0:52:25 – Quantum leaps

0:54:07 – Spray walls, and the distractions of the climbing gym

0:56:24 – Jesse’s spray wall soapbox

0:58:01 – Emotional regulation strategies (breathing and mantras)

1:03:20 – Emotional regulation strategies (easy climbing with no agenda, and learning to climb alone)

1:04:57 – Beta selection, and the language we speak on the wall

1:07:39 – Pivoting of the torso

1:11:09 – Tough Strips

1:13:31 – MacGyvering solutions, and thinking outside the box

1:17:30 – Beating your head against bad beta, and the importance of finishing climbs

1:21:13 – “We’re all going to hit a point where we’re not climbing harder anymore.”

1:25:53 – 3 tips for beginners

1:32:54 – 3 tips for outdoor-focused climbers

1:37:02 – Summary of 3 tips lists

1:37:43 – Practicing technique on rock

1:38:35 – Flashing boulders, flash ethics, and tips that helped Jesse flash his first V10

1:49:43 – Two hard highball first ascents that Jesse climbed in 2021 (see show notes for videos)

2:00:58 – Why Jesse named one of his highballs Imposter Syndrome

2:03:24 – Being proud of the two highball FAs, and Jesse’s thoughts on repeating established highballs

2:04:36 – Exploring the feeling of being afraid, and exposure therapy

2:05:44 – Patron question from Xander: Have you had to make changes to your training after turning 30?

2:09:54 – Thinking in campaigns/seasons

2:13:31 – Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD)

2:14:37 – Doing more training after 30

2:15:57 – Patron question from Joe: At what level of strength do we experience diminishing returns, and is it worth training the hinge if you can maintain that level without training it directly? (Ex. double bodyweight deadlift)

2:18:25 – Patron question from Joe: What is one piece of advice Jesse wishes he had taken earlier? (mastery, and being a barbarian)

2:20:44 – Patron question from Christopher: How do you handle it mentally if you start regressing on a project? (setting early goals for a session)

2:22:33 – Going into projects with inertia, and knowing when to walk away

2:25:03 – Why Jesse is moving to Leavenworth

2:26:37 – Using a yoga block to train for narrow compression moves on a V12

2:29:47 – Jesse’s thoughts on what it would take for him to climb V14

2:35:47 – Why Jesse and I are thankful for one another, and finding a climbing partner who will cut through your bullshit

BONUS: Michelle LeBlanc — An Upcoming 2SLGBTQ+ Pride Event in Squamish Jul 14, 2022

In this short bonus episode, my friend Michelle LeBlanc joins me on the podcast to talk about Project Pride! Project Pride is an upcoming outdoor bouldering event in Squamish, B.C, and is an opportunity for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals to connect and climb. Join us to learn more and check out the links below to reserve your spot!

Preregister Here!

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/project-pride-tickets-352167872587

Gripped Article:

https://gripped.com/profiles/squamish-project-pride-opportunity-for-2slgbtq-individuals-to-connect-build-community-crush-boulders/

Instagram Links:

@project.pride.squamish

@croissant.83

S1E2: The Great Equalizer (Repost from The American Climbing Project) Jul 11, 2022

This is my favorite episode of The American Climbing Project so far, and Devin Dabney graciously offered up the audio from his podcast so I could share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Check out more episodes of ACP!

americanclimbingproject.com

And support Devin on Patreon!

patreon.com/americanclimbingproject

EP 126: Devin Dabney — Getting Uncomfortable, How Climbing Saved His Life, and How Competition Makes Us Better Jul 11, 2022

Devin Dabney is a rock climber, routesetter, rapper, music producer, writer, and creator of The American Climbing Project podcast. We talked about using humor to talk about uncomfortable subjects, inviting people into conversations, how climbing saved his life after considering suicide, breaking down barriers to climbing, how competition makes us better, and making a difference in the climbing community.

Support Devin's Podcast!

patreon.com/americanclimbingproject

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/devin-dabney

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:20 – Green screens and SpongeBob

0:12:52 – How Devin and I connected, and binging his podcast

0:17:41 – Devin’s vision for The American Climbing Project (ACP)

0:23:30 – Using humor to poke at difficult subjects, and inviting people into conversation

0:28:37 – Devin’s target audience, exposing listeners to different perspectives about race, and my (Steven’s) ignorance having grown up as a white kid from the PNW

0:32:22 – Climbing as an escape, and connecting to the world around us as climbers

0:33:50 – Plans for season 2 of ACP, and covering gender and sexual orientation in climbing

0:35:03 – Rob, and the ACP blog

0:38:23 – The skits

0:39:40 – Devin and Rob’s mission to provide a tool to grow and improve the climbing community and redistribute wealth

0:41:52 – The mixtape format of the ACP

0:45:22 – The Black Square skit

0:47:26 – Creativity, and sprints of inspiration

0:48:44 – How Devin puts together one of his episodes

0:52:10 – Growing up playing the violin, and getting into music production and rap

0:55:58 – Devin’s 7 different jobs

1:00:03 – The Great Equalizer, and Devin’s introduction to climbing

1:07:13 – Feeling lost, drafting a suicide note, and how climbing changed his life

1:09:15 – Studying architecture, traveling around the world, and sharing the real shit

1:14:29 – Why providing access to climbing feels important to Devin, and the many reasons climbing is awesome

1:17:09 – Barriers that keep climbing from being accessible/welcoming to marginalized groups of people

1:24:27 – The discomfort of climbing, the civil rights movement, and why the history of climbing is white

1:28:37 – Trading weed for moonshine, and the different experience of being with other white vs. black climbers

1:31:24 – “I would never go hunting without a white person.”

1:33:48 – The Halloween episode story, and photo releases in gym waivers

1:41:58 – How the podcast has been received, and responding to criticism

1:48:25 – Being reactive to headlines

1:52:40 – Topics that Devin hopes to cover in future seasons of the ACP podcast

2:00:12 – How to support the ACP

2:05:28 – Plug Tone Audio, why Devin loves competition, and shared inspiration

2:17:15 – Who Devin looks up to

2:20:50 – Guests that Devin would love to hear on The Nugget

2:23:48 – The depth we have as rock climbers

2:25:45 – Climbers are leaders

2:26:35 – What’s next for ACP

Follow-Up: Alita Contreras — Sending Her First 5.14a, and Training With Lattice (Teaser) Jul 07, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Alita Contreras. We talked about mental training and how Alita trains her mind every day, what it was like working with Lattice Training, exercises and drills for improving foot tension, dealing with frustration during projecting, what it felt like to send Ferrari 5.14a, goals to climb more 5.14s, and much more.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:02:56.

Alita's Original Episode:

EP 87: Alita Contreras

EP 125: Zofia Reych — The Heritage of Climbing, Breaking Down Gender Roles, and What It’s Like to Be Autistic Jul 04, 2022

Zofia Reych is a Polish climber and anthropologist and author of Born to Climb. We talked about renovating their mid-18th century house in Fontainebleau, researching the book, identifying as non-binary and directing the Women’s Bouldering Festival, what it’s like to be autistic, key chapters in climbing’s history, losing friends in the mountains, and much more.

Check out Petzl!

Or find Petzl helmets at your local climbing shop!

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use this link to get a free year supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/zofia-reych

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:05 – Getting back from bouldering

0:08:19 – Zofia’s 240+-year-old house in Fontainebleau, and fixing the leaking toilet

0:11:31 – 12th-century castles, and what will be left of our civilization in 700 years

0:12:45 – Growing up in Poland, and living and bouldering in Fontainebleau

0:16:30 – Expecting to get better at climbing by living in Font, and my (Steven’s) experience with the 9-5 grind

0:18:27 – Our education system in the US, having direction, and Zofia’s fascination with people who start things very young

0:20:09 – Zofia’s mom, piano, and romanticizing about having a single focus in life

0:22:02 – The immersive process of writing a book, and the impact on Zofia’s climbing

0:25:26 – Negative vs. positive motivation

0:28:27 – The cycle of falling in love with climbing, feeling drive, pushing hard, and forgetting why we fell in love with it in the first place

0:30:05 – “Don’t push it.”

0:30:53 – Why Zofia felt like they needed to write Born to Climb

0:32:00 – An overview of the book

0:36:14 – Doing research for the book

0:40:38 – Zofia’s master’s thesis, and why it feels outdated

0:44:15 – Zofia’s gender identity (they/them), and being the director of a women’s bouldering festival

0:48:13 – Zofia’s Instagram post about gender identity (see show notes for link)

0:51:01 – “There shouldn’t be one recipe for how to be a human.”

0:53:21 – Autism, and using an inner formula to have conversations like this one

0:55:35 – Acting

0:58:31 – What Zofia is like when they are alone or with their mom, being childlike without filters, and dancing in public

1:01:35 – Stimming (stimulating)

1:02:18 – Being diagnosed with autism at age 31, and how that has changed Zofia’s life experience

1:04:43 – Being introverted in a society that rewards extroversion, and telling your life story to someone you meet in an elevator

1:11:16 – What Zofia does to recharge

1:12:35 – Climbing alone vs. with a group

1:17:58 – The scope of Born to Climb, stories from the mid-14th century hill walking, how polar exploration influenced climbing in the Alps, and climbing’s elitist roots

1:24:35 – On Stolen Land, and the uncomfortable history of Yosemite

1:33:21 – Loss in climbing, the fragility of being human, and exposing ourselves to risk

1:43:40 – Being responsible for your own safety, and feeling empowered

1:45:55 – TrueBlue

1:46:57 – Why writing the last chapter of the book was the most difficult part

1:49:56 – What Zofia hopes readers take away from Born to Climb, and being a tiny spec on the timeline

1:53:00 – The existential sandwich

1:54:32 – Who should read Born to Climb, and where to buy it (see links in show notes)

1:58:21 – Time for a nap

EP 124: Karly Rager — Mental Strategies for Developing Focus, Learning vs. Performing, and Building a Coaching Business Jun 27, 2022

Karly Rager is a structural engineer turned climbing coach, and the founder of Project Direct Coaching. We talked about Karly’s background and what led her to start her own coaching business, being a female in two male-dominated industries, mental strategies for developing focus and overcoming fear, transitioning between climbing disciplines, using injuries as opportunities, cultivating longevity in our climbing, valuing coaches more highly, and much more.

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/karly-rager

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:11 – Literature, poetry, and public speaking

0:10:07 – Engineering school, and rediscovering art

0:11:37 – Karly’s background, studying engineering and working as a structural engineer, and discovering climbing

0:15:48 – How climbing connects with the engineering and the artistic parts of the brain

0:19:11 – Mentoring friends, and becoming a climbing coach

0:21:52 – Mental strategies for developing focus, and being an observer of your own mind

0:25:53 – Making mental training measurable, and mindfulness practice

0:28:31 – Starting her coaching business (Project Direct), and figuring out which lever to pull

0:31:58 – Developing skills, emersion, and learning vs. performing

0:36:41 – The “Trenches of Transition”, and my (Steven’s) transition from Smith Rock to steep cave climbing

0:39:26 – Having different grade pyramids for different styles of climbing

0:43:51 – Karly’s 4 Pillars, and questions to ask yourself if you are considering getting a coach

0:48:24 – How to get initial coaching experience, Karly’s leap from engineering to coaching, and recommended certifications for climbing coaches

0:53:43 – Stacking her resume, and being female in a male-dominated engineering world

0:58:23 – Being scrutinized as a female climbing coach, standing up for herself, and letting her guard down

1:01:49 – Using respectful language, and Karly’s tip of pretending your email is addressed to a male recipient

1:07:18 – Setbacks in climbing, breaking her leg, and the finite number of tears we have to cry

1:14:30 – My (Steven’s) first finger injury, and the wisdom I got from my roommate

1:17:45 – Using injuries as an opportunity

1:22:47 – My (Steven’s) favorite climbing areas right now, and favorite crags in St. George, UT

1:26:45 – New rock types take time

1:33:01 – Trying to onsight ‘The Rainbow Wall’

1:40:41 – Placing more value on ourselves as climbers and coaches, and being paid based on the scarcity of our skills

1:48:12 – How we value overworking in western society, and why we should be encouraged (and paid well) to do work we enjoy

1:52:56 – Karly’s “zone of genius”

1:54:51 – Cultivating longevity

1:59:36 – The eye contact drill

2:01:50 – Give each skill 8-10 weeks of focus

2:02:35 – Our body’s ability to remember skills and movements

2:04:51 – Different learning styles, using imagery, and using video as a tool

2:12:22 – Karly’s strategies for keeping her coaching businesses sustainable, having set days for specific tasks, and taking time off

2:20:13 – Making coaching more accessible while paying coaches well, and other ways to pay it forward

2:28:00 – Being a mentor and a mentee

2:30:33 – How Karly is currently being a mentee

2:33:46 – Karly’s hope for the climbing industry

EP 123: Magnus Midtbø — The Hard Work Behind Success, Go-To Climbing Workouts, and Takeaways from Training with Adam Ondra Jun 20, 2022

Magnus Midtbø is a professional climber turned YouTuber from Norway. He has climbed 5.15b (9b), and his YouTube channel recently hit 1M subscribers. We talked about burning out on competitions and starting his YouTube career, the hard work behind success, favorite collaborations, go-to climbing workouts, and takeaways from training with Adam Ondra.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/magnus-midtbo

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:06:39) – Burning out on competitions, and starting his career as a YouTuber

(00:10:45) – Who is Magnus’s audience?

(00:13:10) – Editing and perfectionism

(00:15:59) – The hard work behind success

(00:18:05) – Pacing and music, and making the films personal

(00:21:09) – Being an interovert as a YouTuber

(00:23:35) – Why YouTube Channels die out

(00:26:16) – Making other types of videos outside of climbing, and not being afraid of trying new things

(00:28:05) – Parallels between YouTube and climbing, and logging routes on 8a.nu

(00:29:32) – Being known for his strength, and suffering during collaborations

(00:30:19) – Free soloing with Alex Honnold

(00:32:45) – Patron question from Cody: Which collaborations were the most fun?

(00:35:59) – Jujimufu

(00:37:54) – What Magnus learned from collaborating with Juji and Tom

(00:39:37) – Getting criticism from climbers, and letting go of worrying about what other people think

(00:40:49) – Anton the Russian Ninja Warrior

(00:42:09) – What Magnus has learned from spending time with Adam Ondra, and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel lazy

(00:44:19) – Finding balance vs. focusing on one thing

(00:50:58) – A week in Magnus’s life, and why he doesn’t film many outdoor videos

(00:56:37) – Common themes between top climbers, and how many of us overcomplicate our training

(00:58:23) – What climbing means to Magnus now, and wanting to climb a V15 (8C) boulder

(01:00:04) – Quitting coffee

(01:02:05) – Magnus’s go-to strength maintenance session

(01:04:12) – Why Magnus primarily climbs on commercial gym boulders

(01:05:47) – What Magnus would do if he wanted to climb his hardest again

(01:08:45) – Feeling healthier and happier at his current bodyweight

(01:11:04) – How much harder Magnus climbs without a shirt

(01:11:49) – Training on rock

(01:13:45) – Patron Question from Andrew: Biggest takeaways from training with Adam Ondra?

(01:16:39) – Watching tutorials on cameras and editing

(01:18:33) – How collaborations come about

(01:20:24) – Dream collaborations

(01:21:34) – What’s next for Magnus’s channel

(01:25:14) – Why Magnus doesn’t outsource his editing

(01:27:26) – How it works to get paid as a YouTuber, and investing in climbing gyms

(01:29:24) – What Magnus wishes he would have known earlier about YouTube, and wishing he hadn’t had respect for climbing grades

(01:33:17) – How top climbers almost have two personalities, and balancing humility with confidence

(01:35:18) – Learning to make fewer excuses, and other gifts from YouTube

(01:37:22) – Traveling, hiking, and exploring

(01:38:48) – What’s next

(01:39:30) – Where to find Magnus on the internet

Follow-Up: Chad Andrews — The Pros and Cons of Living on the Road to Climb, and Having a Healthier Relationship with Money (Teaser) Jun 16, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Chad Andrews. We talked about selling his house and living on the road full-time with his wife during covid, the pros and cons of vanlife, being your own boss, and climbing full-time, how to have a healthier relationship with money, investing principles, book recommendations, and health insurance tips for the self-employed.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:14:38.

EP 118: Chad Andrews Interviews Steven Dimmitt

Chad's Other Episodes:

EP 20: Chad Andrews

EP 122: Jared Vagy — How to Prevent Knee, Shoulder, Elbow, and Finger Injuries as Climbers Jun 13, 2022

Dr. Jared Vagy is a physical therapist who specializes in climbing injury rehab and prevention. We talked about freestyle rapping, the most common injuries in rock climbing, how to prevent knee, shoulder, elbow, and finger injuries as climbers, warming up your fingers at the crag, what to do to help your body recover on rest days, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jared-vagy

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:00 – J-Rock the hip-hop artist

0:09:58 – Running track in college and getting into climbing

0:11:25 – Getting excited about physical therapy

0:12:24 – Hip-hop parties with grandma, and applying physical therapy to his own climbing

0:14:36 – Becoming “The Climbing Doctor” and writing for DPM

0:17:22 – Overly engaging our shoulders

0:20:56 – Shoulder position for hangboarding

0:23:08 – How has climbing changed, and how climbing injuries have changed

0:26:30 – My (Steven’s) balance of climbing and training

0:28:12 – Balancing training and climbing, and seeing more injuries from training vs. climbing

0:29:33 – Most common climbing injuries (shoulders, elbows, and fingers)

0:31:42 – Exercises for preventing climbing-related knee injuries

0:42:01 – Knee exercises for drop knees

0:47:19 – How to program your knee injury prevention exercises

0:49:04 – Patron question from Tyler: Compound lifts vs. accessory exercises for injury prevention?

0:54:57 – Most common climbing-related shoulder injuries, and why shoulder injuries are difficult to diagnose

0:59:26 – Who to go to if you get a shoulder injury, and what to look for in a physical therapist

1:06:03 – Research on shoulder injuries

1:07:55 – How to prevent climbing-related shoulder injuries

1:11:58 – Resistance Band Rows, how difficult they should feel, and sets and reps

1:16:20 – Pressing exercises for the shoulders, how to fix scapular winging, and flys for elbow pain

1:24:20 – How to prevent finger injuries, hand positions on the hangboard, pockets, and finger lengths

1:29:56 – Torsion on the hangboard, and gaps between fingers

1:34:49 – The rubber band exercise for finger gaps

1:39:26 – Hangboarding as brushing your teeth

1:40:17 – Warming up your fingers for a climbing session

1:45:20 – Grab your finger and shake your elbow

1:48:04 – Warming up to raise the temperature in your hands and fingers

1:50:23 – Warming up with a portable hangboard

1:56:00 – Golfer’s Elbow, and diagnosing other sources of elbow pain

2:04:32 – Patron question from Felix: How do we know when to listen to pain, vs. ignore pain? (Graded Motor Imagery)

2:10:27 – How to diagnose PIP or DIP joint inflammation in the fingers, and recommendations for capsulitis

2:14:45 – Advice for pulley aches

2:16:21 – Patron question from Ana: Thoughts on the long-term effects of bouldering falls?

2:20:55 – Motion is lotion

2:23:07 – Patron question from Shawn: What exercises should we do on rest days to help with recovery? What should we avoid doing on rest days?

2:26:31 – Training and educating other physical therapists, and doing more research on climbers

2:30:32 – Jared’s climbing and rope soloing

2:31:40 – Wrap up

EP 121: Carol Simpson — Being a Girl in the South in the 1950s, Yoga as the Fountain of Youth, and Ageism in Climbing Jun 06, 2022

Carol Simpson is a 77-year-old rock climber and yoga instructor from Lone Pine, CA. We talked about growing up in the South in the 1950s, identifying as a “tomboy”, feeling pressure to be feminine as a teenager, embracing athletics in her 30s, discovering climbing at age 42, sending her first 5.12a at age 53, yoga as the fountain of youth, and ageism in climbing.

*I loved this conversation. If you enjoy exploring different perspectives from your own, and hearing about others’ lived experiences, don’t skip this episode.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/carol-simpson

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:50 – A day in the life of Carol Simpson, and her home in Lone Pine

0:10:27 – Moving from Vegas to Lone Pine, having different chapters in our lives, and becoming apathetic about the beauty around you

0:13:23 – Being born in 1944

0:14:43 – Growing up in the South in the 50s as a “tomboy”, and feeling pressure to be more traditionally feminine

0:19:28 – Being raised to believe that women get married and have kids, and finding feminism

0:22:08 – Our adult life begins at 30

0:23:46 – Not being able to get a loan for a car without a man to sign for the loan

0:25:11 – Going back to school in her 30s with two kids, and starting to play tennis and running and trying other sports

0:30:30 – More about being a teenager in the 50s and 60s

0:32:58 – How the culture continues to change for women, and Carol’s daughters and granddaughters

0:37:45 – Discovering climbing at age 42, and how climbing completely changed her life

0:42:31 – Hitting the road to climb in her 40s, and early climbing training books

0:46:00 – Art, studying interior design in college, and working in the big city

0:52:04 – Scrambling a 4th class route, and getting a hard time for being a mountain goat

0:56:04 – John

0:59:58 – The book Lying by Sam Harriss, being honest with your partner, and some of Carol’s favorite climbing trips

1:04:25 – How Carol and John navigate their political differences

1:10:03 – What Carol appreciates most about John

1:12:39 – “You can’t get off of the bus.” - Mark Twight

1:16:36 – Redpoint climbing shop near Smith Rock, and redpointing Latin Lover 5.12a at age 53

1:24:29 – Question from Taylor: What are the things when it comes to aging as an athlete that people don’t think about?

1:31:22 – Practicing yoga since 1968

1:34:26 – Carol’s current yoga practice, and the yin and the yang

1:39:38 – The time commitment to see improvement through yoga, and taking care of your health

1:44:35 – Working with Chris Heilman, and expanding her comfort zone

1:53:59 – How Carol keeps her wits sharp, and how to remember names

1:58:40 – 80% of life is showing up

2:01:32 – Ageism, and showing respect for our elders

2:08:59 – No limits

EP 120: Lea Volpe — The World of Paraclimbing Competitions, How We Perceive Wheelchairs, and Empathy in Coaching May 30, 2022

Lea Volpe is a paraclimber for Great Britain and a 2x medalist at the IFSC Paraclimbing World Championships. Lea holds down a 9-5 job working in health policy, coaches junior athletes, and is essentially a professional climber on the side. We talked about paraclimbing competitions, being diagnosed with Ataxia, how we perceive wheelchairs, empathy in coaching, and much more.

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!

Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lea-volpe

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:04 – Getting over covid

0:08:06 – A normal weekday in Lea’s life

0:11:32 – How Lea recharges her mental batteries

0:14:14 – Balancing an intellectual and sedentary job with the physical activity of climbing

0:16:54 – How most climbers feel guilty for taking downtime

0:18:59 – Lea’s energy reserves, and learning to budget her energy

0:21:28 – An introduction to paraclimbing, Lea’s disability of Ataxia, and strategies she uses to climb around a coordination and balance impairment

0:26:32 – Why Lea uses a wheelchair day-to-day, and climbing with her disability

0:31:33 – Experiencing imposter syndrome as a strong para athlete

0:34:04 – How climbing levels the playing field, and how many of us start at V0

0:36:58 – Failure is part of climbing

0:39:06 – Lea’s life as a kid and teenager, and getting diagnosed with Ataxia and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome in her early 20s

0:44:21 – How Lea discovered climbing

0:46:10 – How we perceive people in wheelchairs, and feeling self-conscious at the climbing wall

0:53:00 – What we can learn from Lea in regards to how we think about disability

0:58:01 – The paraclimbing competition format, and some of the different athlete categories

1:02:04 – Climbing to be in the paraolympics, and classification systems

1:07:03 – How athletes get assessed to determine their classification

1:17:35 – How route setters influence competition outcomes, and setting guidelines in paraclimbing competitions

1:20:47 – Working with a coach vs. being self-coached

1:24:51 – Keeping training sustainable

1:28:49 – What a “bad day” looks like for Lea

1:35:48 – How Lea got into coaching

1:42:24 – What Lea hopes to pass on to the kids she coaches, and the role of coach/teacher

1:48:10 – Having the questions vs. asking questions, and qualities that make a good coach

1:51:40 – Empathy in coaching, and how climbing brings out our deepest and darkest fears

1:56:12 – Inspiration porn and how it can reduce people down to a tool, and how Lea wants to use her platform

2:02:42 – The barriers involved in climbing outdoors

2:13:22 – What’s next for Lea

EP 119: Carrie Cooper — Thinking of Ourselves as Athletes, Research in Climbing, and Mobility and Warming Up May 23, 2022

Dr. Carrie Cooper is a former professional climber and a doctor of physical therapy. We talked about her background in gymnastics and dance, bouldering in the early 2000s, her path to physical therapy, referencing research in climbing, why climbers should think of themselves as athletes, and the most important things we are missing in our physical training.

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Check out Crimpd!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/carrie-cooper

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:04:56 – Morning rituals

0:07:10 – Audio setups, and presenting at the Tokyo Olympics

0:13:42 – Climbers are athletes

0:16:21 – A day in the life of Dr. Carrie Cooper

0:18:46 – Carrie’s clinic and what she does

0:23:20 – Gymnastics and dance

0:26:27 – Going to school with Danny McBride, and more about dance

0:28:17 – Starting to climb in Sweden, and falling in love with the culture of climbing

0:31:15 – Back injury, finding pilates, and walking away from dance

0:34:33 – The American bouldering scene in the early 2000s, and the small but mighty group of women bouldering in Hueco

0:41:28 – Carrie’s genetics, and what she brought with her from dance and gymnastics to climbing

0:45:20 – Trying to try a little harder, and sneaking up on the boulder problem

0:47:52 – Carrie’s path to becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and what she specialized in

0:52:17 – Patron question from Kaska: How did Carrie’s climbing and recovery compare between her two pregnancies?

0:56:37 – Climbing like honey during pregnancy

1:00:15 – Research that exists in climbing, and Carrie’s philosophy on basing recommendations on empirical evidence

1:06:22 – Age parameters for climbing injuries, and finger injuries in kids/adolescents

1:07:52 – Where do you go to find climbing research, and how relevant is it for athletes?

1:10:29 – Carrie’s pulley classification schema, and applying science to what we are doing

1:14:03 – Knowing what is normal for climbers by referring to research, and why you might not need to jump to getting an MRI

1:17:57 – Relying on trusted practitioners, holding the loudest voices accountable to the research, and drawing inspiration from national teams

1:22:31 – “The clinician is always ahead of the curve.” - Charles Poliquin

1:28:10 – Taping fingers

1:30:10 – My wrist injury, and when to stop using tape

1:32:53 – Retraining movement patterns after a finger injury

1:39:39 – Mobility and a proper warmup

1:45:06 – Warming up your thoracic spine and hips

1:50:21 – Patron question from Alistair: What are common prescriptions Carrie has given national-level athletes?

1:54:06 – Patron question from Shawn: How does Carrie decide when and how much antagonist and mobility work to incorporate for her athletes?

1:56:30 – Undoing the doing, and recovering after climbing

1:58:25 – Minimums: a connective tissue health session

2:01:10 – Discussing Emil Abrahamsson’s results from his “no hangs” experiment

2:07:40 – Keith Baar, and an example Minimums session

2:11:45 – How to do Minimums with a Tension Block or other no hangs grip implement

2:15:38 – How you should feel after Minimums, and how easy it should feel

2:17:02 – Should we be doing Minimums over the long term?

2:18:46 – Patron question from Chris: Compound movements vs. more specific antagonist type exercises?

2:20:40 – Patron question from Katja: How has Carrie kept her psyche and strength up over two decades of climbing at such a high level?

2:22:40 – How our lives dictate what we can do in our training, and “just doing something, is better than not doing something”

2:24:34 – Patron question from Kaska: How did she manage to still boulder hard as a Mom of two?

2:26:25 – Patron question from Kaska: Who are her inspirations in climbing now, and how has that changed over the years since she first started climbing?

2:28:50 – Patron question from Katja: What are some of Carrie’s big dreams for the future (climbing and/or nonclimbing)?

2:31:02 – Overcoming things in the future

2:32:00 – Carrie’s passion project and wrap up

EP 118: Chad Andrews Interviews Steven Dimmitt — Repost from the Clipping Chains Podcast May 16, 2022

The tables are turned in this episode! Steven Dimmitt joins Chad Andrews from Clipping Chains to talk about leaving his engineering career to start the podcast, building a craft vs. pursuing a passion, reaching more than 1M downloads, monetization, outsourcing things you hate doing, the glorification of van life, and key climbing principles he has learned from hosting The Nugget.

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chad-andrews-interviews-steven-dimmitt

Show Notes:

Follow-Up. Joe Kinder — Sending 'Mamajamma', and What I Learned from 5 Weeks of Projecting with Joe (Teaser) May 09, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Joe Kinder. I sat down with Joe in a cave in Utah to talk about his process for sending his new route ‘Mamajamma’ (5.15a?), what it felt like to send, how he would have trained this summer if he hadn’t sent, favorite workouts for power endurance, plans to try his 5.15b ‘Big Bone’ project, and what I learned from five weeks of climbing with Joe.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:21:47.

Joe's Original Episode:

EP 96: Joe Kinder

EP 117: Yves Gravelle — Lessons From Grip Sports, Basing Your Training on the Demands of Your Goal, and Top 3 Finger Training Methods May 02, 2022

Yves Gravelle is a V15 boulderer from Canada and a 3x APL World Champion (i.e. grip competitions). We talked about lessons from grip training that we can apply to climbing, the importance of simplicity and consistency, how to break down a bouldering project, basing your training on the demands of a specific goal, top 3 finger training methods, how to train full crimps, and much more.

Check out Athletic Greens!

Use the link above to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/yves-gravelle

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:18 – How to pronounce Yves’ name, and living in Ottawa

0:09:20 – The most legendary training montage I have ever seen, and an introduction to APL

0:12:32 – Why Yves thinks climbs could represent themselves well in grip sports, and what a competition is like

0:15:22 – Specializing vs. being a well-rounded athlete in grip

0:18:11 – Balancing climbing goals with grip competitions

0:19:28 – What Yves has learned from grip sports, and taking training ideas from powerlifting

0:22:26 – How Yves bases his training around the demands of a specific boulder or goal

0:24:49 – Is it possible to combine outdoor climbing with quality finger strength training?

0:31:07 – An example training week with outdoor bouldering on Sunday

0:35:05 – Preparing your body for the amount of training you want to do, and progressively working your way up

0:36:19 – Building capacity, and learning about nutrition

0:37:55 – Reading nutritional research about bouldering

0:39:33 – How Yves has changed his diet

0:42:28 – Maintaining finger strength during off-seasons, and pushing hard for goals

0:45:51 – Finger training principles, keeping things simple, consistency, writing things down, and using RPE to measure your training

0:51:38 – Training strength when you are fresh, finishing fresh, and not going to failure (adding a buffer)

0:54:14 – Yves’ session load calculator spreadsheet

0:57:36 – Preparation cycles, and competitive cycles

1:00:45 – Jazz

1:02:13 – How Yves trained for ‘So What’ V15, and building shoulder strength and mobility

1:05:15 – Patron question from fdclimbs: Any tips for building climbing-specific shoulder strength?

1:07:34 – Yves top 3 finger training exercises for climbing

1:12:01 – Progressive warmup for finger training

1:13:58 – Micro edge training

1:15:39 – Contact strength training

1:19:20 – Summary of Yves’ top 3 finger training methods

1:21:08 – Patron question from Alan: Does Yves have a favorite way to train full crimps?

1:22:39 – Yves’ full crimp story, and how he prevents finger injuries

1:26:14 – Patron question from fdclimbs: Tips for training individual fingers? (And Yves’ grip positions and anatomy)

1:29:53 – Patron question from Alan: How does Yves balance different methods of training fingers and grip strength?

1:33:19 – Prepping for ‘Terremere’ and Hueco

1:34:17 – Patron question from Daniel: Any plans to travel to world-famous bouldering areas and try the classic V15s or V16s?

1:35:38 – 1-7-11 on the campus board (with slightly different spacing)

1:37:00 – Patron question from Daniel: Is there such thing as “enough power”? What about finger strength?

1:38:18 – Patron question from Xander: Do your finger strength gains still transfer to climbing?

1:39:28 – One of Yves’ favorite coaches to learn from

1:40:59 – When you are starting off almost anything will work

1:41:44 – Patron question from Michael: What is the smallest edge you can hang with one hand? What about two hands?

1:42:54 – Being muscular and still being strong on tiny holds, and putting on muscle mass in the right places

1:44:30 – Patron question from David: How does Yves look after his skin, especially splits and tears?

1:46:48 – Contributing to local bouldering areas, and winning the world championships

1:47:41 – Yves’ daughters and gymnastics

1:50:26 – Listen to your body, and enjoy the process

1:53:10 – Be present

1:54:39 – Wrap up

EP 116: Paul Robinson — Coming Back From Injuries, Opening Up About Autism, and Working Boulders Top Down Apr 25, 2022

Paul Robinson is one of the top boulderers in the world and has been climbing at a V15 level for more than a decade. We talked about building his new house, recovering from neck surgery, his recent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, climbing 1000+ V11s or harder, his analogy of climbing as a book, hardest FAs, trying to climb V16, travel routines, filmmaking, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/paul-robinson

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:18 – Designing and building his house

0:10:56 – How Paul got into filmmaking

0:13:10 – Feature films vs. YouTube, and Hueco Dailies

0:15:14 – The Road to Recovery film series

0:17:48 – Paul’s neck injury

0:24:00 – Leg injury

0:26:25 – Being back to 90%, and finding new ways to improve

0:28:09 – Hope, optimism, and a new perspective on finding challenges in climbing

0:32:33 – Going through the stages of grief with an injury, getting older, and hoping to continue climbing at 60 years old

0:35:29 – John Sherman

0:36:32 – Paul’s 8a.nu account, and his goal to climb 1000 boulders 8A (V11) or harder

0:40:38 – Running out of things to climb, and getting psyched on finding new boulders

0:43:14 – What Paul’s drive alive, and his goals for his Hueco trip

0:46:38 – The uniqueness of climbing, being a perfectionist, and seeking mastery

0:49:57 – Climbing as a book, and whether Paul is still getting better at climbing

0:52:24 – Why we don’t often repeat things we’ve done, and Paul’s story about flashing Nagual and repeating it for the Rock Rodeo

0:55:56 – Does V16 feel important?

1:01:41 – How Paul is thinking of training for ‘Box Therapy’ V16, and why Paul tries to maintain a baseline of endurance for bouldering

1:08:36 – Paul’s projecting tactics

1:13:10 – ‘Lucid Dreaming’

1:25:01 – Dave Graham, ’Spectre’, and ’Total Eclipse’

1:30:40 – Patron question from Nick: If you could only climb one boulder for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

1:31:27 – Fontainbleau

1:32:43 – Opening up about being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and some of the symptoms Paul experiences

1:38:32 – OCD tendencies, Paul’s outfits, touch, social anxiety, and hyper-focus

1:43:34 – Stuck laying on the couch, and opening up conversations

1:50:35 – Routines that help Paul feel grounded

1:53:53 – Challenging the clothing norms, and decision fatigue

1:59:47 – Paul’s go-to climbing shoes

2:02:37 – Toe hooking, and customizing his Solutions for ‘The Story of Two Worlds’

2:04:29 – Patron question from André: Any plans to try ‘Burden of Dreams’ V17?

2:07:13 – The challenge of living in the desert and trying to climb in humid environments

2:09:33 – Bugalisen

2:10:48 – Patron question from André: Which one of your FA’s do you think is the hardest one?

2:11:58 – Paul’s project in the South Platte, CO, and how he names his boulders

2:13:46 – ‘Karoshi’

2:14:28 – Patron question from Ana: What areas does Paul think have the most remaining potential? Where is the next frontier for bouldering?

2:18:30 – Paul’s favorite rock type

2:20:37 – Patron question from Prithipal: How strong are Paul’s fingers?

2:23:51 – Tiny crimps, and why you don’t need to be able to do one-arm pullups to climb V16

2:26:58 – Meeting Paul back in 2013, and what’s next

Steven's Blog: Mar '22 Apr 23, 2022

"Steven's Blog" is now available for Patrons!

In this blog episode, Steven shares a recap of his final weeks in Hueco, and his first two weeks trying a 14a in Utah.

Become a Patron for $10/mo to hear more blog episodes! Plus, it helps out the show!

Check out the "Announcing Reflections and Steven's Blog" episode to learn more!

Reflections: Mina Apr 23, 2022

"Reflections" are now available for Patrons!

In this Reflections episode, Mina talks with Steven about an area of her climbing that she still struggles with, and about building general strength. She also talked about the different versions of ourselves we experience in life and embracing the current version of herself.

Become a Patron for $10/mo to hear more Reflections episodes! Plus, it helps out The Nugget and The Curious Climber Podcast!

Check out the "Announcing Reflections and Recaps" episode to learn more!

Announcing "Reflections" and "Steven's Blog" Apr 23, 2022

Announcing more new content for Patrons!

"Reflections" are collaboration episodes with Mina Leslie-Wujastyk and Hazel Findlay of the Curious Climber Podcast. These are short episodes where one of us shares our thoughts on something we've been thinking about, or are working on in our own climbing or lives.

"Recaps" is a new episode series where I share what I have been up to for the past month, how I have been training, top 3 climbing highlights, what I could have done better, plans for the next month, and more. Think of this as Steven's monthly blog update, but in audio form.

UPDATE: I originally called my blog posts "Recaps" but people were confusing those with recaps of the podcast so I changed the name to "Steven's Blog".

Become a Patron for $10/mo to get access to Reflections and Steven's Blog! Plus, it helps out the show!

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch — Hueco 2022 Debrief (Teaser) Apr 21, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of my third Follow-Up with Steve Maisch. We talked about my 2022 trip to Hueco, combining hangboarding with outdoor climbing, trip highlights, the Hueco Downward Spiral, lessons learned, and what I plan to do differently next year.

*I recommend listening to Steve’s original episode and my first and second Follow-Ups with him before this episode.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:41:46.

Steve’s Other Episodes:

EP 70: Steve Maisch

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch (the first one, published Sept 9, 2021)

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch (the second one, published Jan 7, 2022)

EP 115: Jordan Cannon — The Triple Crown in Yosemite, Big Wall Pooping Stories, and How to Build the Skills to Climb El Capitan Apr 18, 2022

Jordan Cannon is a professional climber who exploded onto the Yosemite scene in recent years with multiple in-a-day free ascents of El Capitan, and hard big wall linkups. We covered Jordan’s climbing origin story, playing college soccer, seeking adventure in Yosemite, van life tips, big wall pooping stories, free climbing El Cap in a day vs. multiple days, the value of dirtbagging, and much more.

Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

Tell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board!

Upcoming ClimbWell Retreat! (June 9-12)

Use discount code “NUGGET10” at checkout to save 10% off your ticket!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jordan-cannon

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:46 – Peter Croft’s episode, and how Jordan got connected with Peter

0:10:30 – Climbing with your heroes, and getting turned on to sport climbing by Peter

0:12:40 – Jordan’s origin story, and teaching himself how to sport climb in a tree at age 7

0:21:01 – Telling his mom he wanted to become a climber at age 4

0:23:02 – Appreciating climbing more because he found it later in life

0:25:43 – Being burned out on team sports, being let down by teammates, and seeking adventure in rock climbing

0:29:08 – Starting to climb at the James Island County Park Climbing Wall

0:32:01 – Road tripping to CA

0:34:38 – Going to Joshua Tree for the first time

0:38:46 – Jordan’s rock climbing education, and what Jordan and I each studied in college

0:44:35 – Jordan’s path to becoming a professional climber, feeling alone in his passion for trad and adventure climbing, and getting out of San Diego

0:48:07 – What drew Jordan to Yosemite, and seeing Valley Uprising for the first time

0:54:04 – People who made history by not trying to make history

0:57:28 – Being overwhelmed by the amount of things to repeat in climbing, and Jordan’s first experience in Yosemite

1:01:31 – Why you shouldn’t wait until you are “good enough” to go to Yosemite

1:03:35 – Why Yosemite is Jordan’s favorite climbing area, and why he needs breaks from it

1:05:21 – Working seasonally and living the dirtbag life, working odd jobs, and how Jordan structures his year

1:09:26 – Living out of a Honda CRV, living in a cave in Yosemite, and the value of dirtbagging

1:15:26 – Jordan’s top vanlife tips, and pee bottle beta

1:20:52 – Going number two

1:22:30 – Big wall pooping stories, and “shit-putting”

1:30:03 – Free climbing El Cap in a day vs. over multiple days

1:37:36 – Sending the Triple Crown link-up

1:46:56 – The coolest goal Jordan can think of in Yosemite

1:49:21 – How Jordan structures his year now that he is a professional climber

1:54:47 – Jordan’s bouldering and sport climbing goals, and meeting Tom Herbert

1:58:57 – Advice for aspiring big wall or traditional climbers

2:01:01 – Diet, sleep, and having different modes (send, training, rest)

2:05:54 – “Long term consistency trumps short term intensity.” - Bruce Lee

2:07:32 – Taking off-seasons or easy phases

2:13:13 – The Classroom Analogy

2:17:05 – The skills and steps required to climb El Cap

2:20:29 – Wrap up and Jordan’s Yosemite goals for the Spring of 2022

EP 114: Q&A 5 — My Current Finger Training Routine, How to Deal With Bad Body Image, and Golden Nuggets for Newer Climbers Apr 11, 2022

In Q&A 5, I tackle Patron questions about my own current hangboard training, how to fit everything in that we need to train, how to deal with bad body image, how my training and climbing have changed since starting the podcast, golden nuggets for newer climbers, where I found the theme song for the podcast, my van life internet setup, and much more.

*Treat this episode like a buffet! Listen straight through or jump around as you like. I organized these questions into categories and added timestamps below.

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Use code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-5

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:03:55 – Intro and updates

0:07:41 – My Personal Climbing / Training / Goals:

0:07:41 – Vincent: Current finger strength routine?

0:15:16 – Vincent: What does your current training cycle look like?

0:18:24 – Konstantinos: What are your European dream sends?

0:20:24 – Daniel: If you could send the next grade by sacrificing something pleasurable, what would it be?

0:22:20 – Christoph: How did it go trying to free Moonlight Buttress? Are you going back?

0:24:18 – Christoph: Plans for Yosemite this year?

0:26:00 – Matt: Top 3 go-to climbing shoes?

0:28:04 – André: What grade do you honestly feel is your absolute limit in bouldering?

0:29:27 – André: Do you miss some of the body strength exercises you used to do a lot? (Pistol squats, deadlift, etc.)

0:32:17 – Xander: How have these podcasts shaped the way you climb and train?

0:36:25 – Training / Climbing Advice:

0:36:25 – Konstantinos: What would be your golden climbing nugget towards newer climbers?

0:40:19 – Briana: How do you fit in all of the different types of training that seem necessary, without getting too fatigued?

0:44:34 – Neal: Verm mentioned curing his chronic elbow tendonitis by primarily training his shoulders. Do you have any insights into this?

0:47:42 – Nutrition / Body image:

0:47:42 – Savva: How do you deal with bad body image?

0:52:25 – Savva: How do you decide how to eat and rest without getting obsessive or spending a fortune?

0:54:37 – My Background / Route Setting:

0:54:37– Justin: Furthest you got from the WWU rec center and found tape on your shoe?

0:55:30 – Justin: Biggest positive change in commercial climbing gyms vs. when you started? Biggest negative change?

0:58:06 – Justin: Did WWU shape your climbing experience for the better? How do you think modern collegiate climbing experiences compare?

1:00:30 – Will: Did you have a favorite setting style as a route setter back in college?

1:01:52 – Will: Did you set at a bouldering or a rope climbing wall?

1:03:58 – Vanlife / Traveling / Lifestyle:

1:03:58 – Savva: How do you plan your climbing trips?

1:07:08 – Savva: Biggest expenses doing van life?

1:08:23 – Ainsley: Cultural differences between different climbing areas? Biggest takeaways from traveling?

1:10:46 – Briana: Is it difficult to find partners on the road? Any tips for finding partners for roped climbing?

1:12:38 – Fil: Any thoughts on how to fill your non-climbing time when living in a van?

1:15:08 – Skyler: Where do you like to climb during the summer?

1:16:06 – Joe: Favorite go-to dinners in the van?

1:17:42 – Liam: Internet setup in the van?

1:19:32 – Personal / Fun / Random:

1:19:32 – Casey: If you could have been a pro athlete in any other sport when you were young, what would you be?

1:20:57 – André: Top 2 climbing places outside of the US you would like to know and why?

1:22:17 – André: Who's is the freakiest climber you've seen perform live, and how was it?

1:25:32 – Savva: How does your family feel about climbing?

1:26:41 – Savva: What do you want to try / learn / experience / send next year?

1:29:35 – Savva: What’s the last book you enjoyed or found important?

1:31:22 – Vincent: As your fame grows, how do you see yourself changing?

1:33:21 – Vincent: What things you didn't think about when you started this venture have become important for you?

1:34:43 – Vincent: Are there any things that felt important when you started, such as training and climbing outdoors, that have changed in priority?

1:35:51 – Daniel: Are you thinking of settling down any time soon?

1:37:14 – Daniel: Are you dating now? Do you want kids?

1:38:44 – Darren: What are you grateful for and why did you stop asking that question?

1:41:12 – Podcast / Podcasting Goals:

1:41:12 – Taylor: How did you choose the theme song for the Nugget?

1:42:58 – Taylor: What podcasts does a podcaster listen to?

1:45:54 – Ainsley: When you say “I’ll link to that in the show notes”, are you just leaving yourself a reminder to do it when you listen back? Was this conscious when you started?

1:47:36 – Daniel: Have you ever had to postpone an interview because of your mood, mental health, or tiredness? Are there any interviews that you think you should have postponed?

1:53:34 – Christoph: What do you like best about how Tim Ferriss approaches podcasting? What do you like least?

1:56:12 – Linda: Does the finished podcast that we hear follow the actual order/flow of the interview in real life?

1:58:32 – Hunter: Do people recognize you at the crags? Do you find that you have to keep up a different persona/image while at the crags?

2:01:28 – Hunter: How do you view your progression in podcasting? And what do you think it takes for you to get to the next level (whatever that means to you!)?

2:03:30 – Wrap up

EP 113: Ned Feehally — Beastmaking, Long-Term Finger Training, and Climbing With Ankle Weights Apr 04, 2022

Ned Feehally is Shauna Coxsey’s husband. (Just teasing Ned!) Ned is a top-level boulderer from the UK, the cofounder of Beastmaker, and the author of Beastmaking. We talked about his background in climbing, how Beastmaker got started, Ned’s approach to finger training, the benefits of board climbing, using ankle weights for body tension, and much more.

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Check out Grasshopper Climbing!

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Upcoming ClimbWell Retreat! (June 9-12)

Use discount code “NUGGET10” at checkout to save 10% off your ticket!

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ned-feehally

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:07:43) – Staying in a gite in Fontainebleau

(00:09:45) – Shauna Coxsey’s husband

(00:11:07) – A background on Ned’s climbing, some of his accomplishments, and going to college in Sheffield

(00:16:51) – Starting Beastmaker with Dan Varian, and the training paradigm in the early 2000s

(00:21:01) – Looking up to Ben Moon, Jerry Moffatt, and Malcolm Smith, and looking for ways to improve

(00:22:57) – Ned’s philosophy for improving at climbing, being well-rounded, and enjoying doing lots of climbs quickly

(00:28:20) – Ned’s dimensions, “If that’s how you’re built then so be it”, and the advantages of carrying more muscle as a climber

(00:32:08) – The leap in Ned’s climbing from hangboarding for three years (V11 to V13, or 8A to 8B), and getting a second jump from training on his cellar board (home woody)

(00:35:29) – What do people miss most frequently in their finger training?

(00:39:40) – How to combine long-term finger training with outdoor or indoor climbing

(00:45:25) – Warming up on the fingerboard for climbing sessions

(00:47:35) – Active vs. passive finger strength, and which grips Ned focuses on in his finger training

(00:52:05) – An annual overview of Ned’s finger training, and how he prepares for specific goals

(00:56:11) – How much variety should you have in your finger training?

(00:59:24) – Training one grip type per session

(01:02:12) – The genetic component of finger strength

(01:05:54) – How Ned structures a week of finger training

(01:10:19) – Mixing max hangs and repeaters, and sticking with protocols for 10 sessions

(01:14:25) – Ned’s thoughts on only training half crimp

(01:16:33) – The balance of Ned’s finger training and outdoor climbing

(01:20:19) – Ned’s home wall, and making his own wooden holds

(01:22:19) – Patron question from Finn: Three best tools for making wooden holds?

(01:24:21) – Ned’s thinking on using the commercial gym and climbing on “normal” gym boulders

(01:26:11) – Structuring a board session (bouldering)

(01:28:28) – The board culture in the UK, and how every board has its own character

(01:32:09) – Targeting move types in a sessions

(01:32:55) – Bouldering with ankle weights

(01:39:42) – Expectations when it comes to finger training, and trusting the process

(01:42:38) – Taking time completely off from climbing, and the perspective you get when you get your hand forced by injuries

(01:48:26) – Patron question from Gunter: How long has Ned been hangboarding? How much has his finger strength increased during that time? How well have those gains translated to climbing performance?

(01:54:01) – Using training as a chance to learn how hard you can pull if you try really hard

(01:55:55) – Patron question from Mihail: How do your training approaches change depending on if you need to work on active vs. passive gripping?

(01:57:09) – Patron question from Moritz: Where does Ned put his thumb when crimping on the fingerboard?

(02:00:19) – Patron question from Simon: Can Ned attribute any breakthroughs in his climbing to changes in his mindset or other lifestyle factors?

(02:02:29) – What it was like supporting Shauna through her Olympic preparation

(02:03:59) – Patron question from Alistair: Does Ned train contact strength?

(02:05:13) – Patron question from Andrew: How important is flexibility for tall climbers? And what does his bare minimum stretching session look like?

(02:06:12) – Ned’s stretching routine

(02:10:14) – Science podcasts

(02:11:19) – Patron question from fdclimbs: Favorite bouldering area in the Lakes District?

(02:12:29) – Whether V16 is a goal for Ned, how surprised he is to be climbing at his current level, and finding hard challenges regardless of the grade

(02:17:12) – Flashing ‘Trust Issues’ V14 in Rocklands, and the flashing mindset

(02:20:40) – Adding to the community through Beastmaker and writing the book Beastmaking, and a kid on the way!

(02:23:58) – What's next for Beastmaker

(02:25:19) – Where to buy the book (links in show notes)

Follow-Up: Steve McClure — Sending ‘Lexicon’ E11, Projecting Tips, and How to Enjoy a Long Life of Climbing (Teaser) Mar 29, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Steve McClure. We talked about highlights from the past year since our first interview, sending ‘Lexicon’ E11, takeaways from critical and peak force testing with the Lattice Team, tips for breaking through plateaus on a hard project, how to enjoy a long life of climbing, and what it means to “cook tea” in England.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:40:26.

Steve’s Original Episode:

EP 68: Steve McClure

EP 112: Favia Dubyk — Specializing in Lowball Roof Bouldering, Surviving Cancer, and Learning How to Dyno Mar 28, 2022

Dr. Favia Dubyk is a pathologist, cancer survivor, Ninja Warrior, cat lover, and badass boulderer. We talked about the connective tissue disorder that led her to specialize in lowball roof climbing, what it was like to go through cancer and chemotherapy, how she became one of the strongest people in the world at pull-ups, learning how to dyno, and her current V13 lowball roof project.

Check out Chalk Cartel!

Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!

Check out PhysiVantage!

Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!

Check out Crimpd!

Or download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, and Skyler Maxwell

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/favia-dubyk

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:54 – Trying Matini Right, and recording beta on video

0:11:50 – Identifying as a “Lowball Roof Boulderer”, and Favia’s connective tissue disorder (Ehlers-Danlos)

0:15:55 – Discovering that she had Ehlers-Danlos

0:17:52 – Having hip dislocations as a track athlete, and “pain is temporary but success is forever”

0:19:36 – Physical Urticaria, getting hives from an ice bath as a runner, and why climbing is a better fit than running

0:22:50 – Being ridiculed for being a hyper-specialist, and embracing being weird (alien)

0:26:09 – Watching dance videos, and realizing that the most interesting adults were probably all “misfits” as kids

0:28:26 – Feeling like an outsider, finding her people in high school, making clubs, and laminating

0:31:58 – Mission Impossible and Chemo Brain

0:34:46 – Hanging up her spikes and discovering climbing

0:37:09 – Learning that sports come first, and using her time management skills as a climber

0:41:03 – Starting her own Pathology Education clinic, and what Favia does as a Pathologist

0:46:49 – Wanting to be a doctor as a kid, and being bribed by her mom to get worse grades

0:49:31 – Have a 13cm mass in her chest, and getting diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma

0:51:08 – Running the 100m dash and being the fastest woman in Harvard’s history for 7 years

0:52:23 – Getting sick with cancer, and having her “death day”

0:57:44 – Taking life second by second, and getting chemo every two weeks

1:01:27 – What made Favia feel better when she was sick

1:04:41 – Feeling the lowest after treatment, and needing distance from people

1:07:16 – Poor memory and carrying a camera around as a kid to remember things, her personality after cancer, and making the choice to recover

1:11:40 – Feeling anger, channeling that into getting back in shape, and wanting to climb ‘Helicopter’

1:13:44 – Learning how to be comfortable in the outdoors as an adult, and being kind to people who are new to the outdoors

1:16:36 – Doing gymnastics as a kid, and being risk-averse

1:18:12 – Favia’s climbing progression after cancer, and limitations from surgery and chemo

1:20:28 – Weighted pullups, and measuring her one-arm pullups in cats

1:25:28 – Natural upper body strength, lock-offs, and learning how to move dynamically

1:30:05 – Working with Lattice Training, and some of the progressions in learning to dyno

1:37:50 – Arnold Schwartzenager, Alex Johnson, and other climbing inspirations

1:41:29 – Dominique Dawes, and wanting to inspire other black climbers

1:47:41 – Hurting her back training for Ninja Warrior, the “power discs” (TENS Units), and why Favia uses them on her legs

1:58:43 – Soylent (meal in a bottle)

2:03:41 – A typical day of eating for Favia

2:07:32 – Favia’s philosophy on diet and protein, and recovering from anemia by eating steak “rare plus”

2:11:49 – Favia’s favorite foods

2:15:00 – Favorite shows

2:16:38 – Being married to a non-climber, and how to navigate vacations together

2:20:37 – Working for Kinesio Tape, and doing more motivational speaking

2:25:18 – Think about your jokes

2:28:12 – Assuming other people are going through hard things, and giving people the benefit of the doubt

2:33:00 – Living every day to the fullest, and what Favia’s dream life would look like if she turned out like Arnold Schwarzenegger

2:38:34 – Being decisive, and never asking “what if”

2:39:42 – What animal Favia would have in her house, and rescuing animals

2:41:50 – Kids and trying IVF

2:44:06 – Favia’s V13 project

2:49:17 – Weighted pull-ups on hangboard edges

2:50:03 – Favia’s current go-to strength and rehab exercises, and why front levers are “key”

2:54:02 – Tips for training front levers

2:55:52 – Wrap up, and parting advice for caretakers

2:58:21 – “Climbing days for everyone!”

EP 111: Jerry Moffatt — Being a “Crag Rat”, Developing Your Mental Game, and What the Top Climbers Have in Common Mar 21, 2022

Jerry Moffatt is one of my all-time climbing heroes. He is a British legend and was arguably the best rock climber in the world during the mid to late 80s. We talked about his early days, wanting to be a “Crag Rat”, living for free before sponsorship, pushing world standards, writing his book on mental training, and what the top climbers have in common when it comes to their mental game.

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:43 – Wanting to be a “crag rat”, and living off of white rice and curry mix

0:13:32 – Reading Master or Rock, and climbing every day and bouldering in the evenings

0:14:49 – Going to boarding school, and climbing on his parents' brick wall and on the limestone blocks at school

0:16:57 – Using talcum powder as “chalk”, and climbing in massive mountaineering boots

0:19:14 – No safety instruction

0:20:23 – Looking up to Ron Faucet and Pete Livsey

0:21:31 – The barn at Eric’s Cafe

0:24:00 – Climbing at Tremadog, and learning proper ethics and reclimbing ‘Strawberries’

0:27:11 – Climbing in France, and transitioning from yo-yoing to redpointing

0:29:07 – Starting to get recognition for climbing, and Jerry’s first trip to the US to climb ‘Psycho’ and ‘Genesis’

0:35:08 – A night of free drinks, and surviving off of happy hour food and free bagels

0:36:55 – Onsighting ‘Supercrack’, and climbing ‘Psycho’ and ‘Genesis’

0:38:36 – Meeting John Bachar, burning people off, and being a rock star

0:42:12 – Running cross country and playing rugby, and ditching them for climbing

0:43:42 – Some of the biggest milestones in the progression of climbing

0:47:32 – Patron question from Chris: What do you see climbers doing today as far as training goes that you wish you had known about?

0:50:46 – “You’ve gotta enjoy it”, and always changing things around

0:53:30 – Living in a cave at Pentruin, and other dossing accommodations

0:57:10 – Hitching to the crag

0:59:39 – Climbing ‘Liquid Amber’

1:01:17 – Elbow injuries, feeling like he’d never climbing again, and the beginning of climbing competitions

1:05:58 – Stepping back from climbing to do other things, gaining financial independence apart from sponsors, traveling to surf, and building the first indoor climbing wall in the UK in 1991

1:12:01 – Writing Revelations with Neil Grimes, and being interested in sport psychology

1:13:56 – Writing Mastermind, and interviewing the top climbers about their mental game

1:16:55 – Narrowing your focus, process goals, and confidence

1:21:05 – Patron question from fdclimbs: Does Jerry have any tips for maintaining a cool head and dealing with fear of failure when approaching a project?

1:23:46 – Getting nervous for climbing competitions, learning to switch it on from Ron Kauk

1:25:00 – The book that helped Jerry turn things around with competitions, changing his mindset, and being pessimistically optimistic

1:28:55 – What sets the best climbers apart when it comes to their mindset

1:31:25 – Using mindset work and visualization in work and everyday life

1:32:45 – The recipe analogy

1:34:10 – Winning Leads in 1989 (the first indoor climbing competition in Britain), and other favorite days of climbing

1:36:38 – “If you are a climber you found a great sport.”

1:38:01 – Backing off from being a “try hard”, and trying to be mellow and enjoy things

1:39:50 – Breaking his neck surfing, and recovering

1:41:48 – What Jerry is up to now, and where to get the book Mastermind

1:45:18 – Wrap up

1:31:18 – Backing off from being a “try hard”, and trying to be mellow and enjoy things

1:33:07 – Breaking his neck surfing, and recovering

1:35:05 – What Jerry is up to now, and where to get the book Mastermind

1:38:35 – Wrap up

EP 110: “The Verm” Returns — Life Lessons at Age 62, Fun Facts About Birds, and Injury Stories Mar 14, 2022

This is round 2 with John Sherman aka “The Verm”. We sat in the desert near Hueco Tanks and chatted over a few beers. We talked about ‘Wheatiesgate’ and the lost art of heckling, finding and developing areas before the internet, dealing with aging, photographing and studying birds, life lessons, injury stories, and John’s favorite beers.

*I recommend listening to my first episode with Verm (EP 108) before this episode.

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:39 – The Michael Salem catalog

0:09:33 – West Texas in the early 80s

0:17:02 – ‘Wheatiesgate’ and the lost art of heckling

0:27:16 – Patron question from Eli: As bouldering has evolved, what has stayed the same?

0:28:39 – Adventureland, and the experience of climbing boulders without names or stars or grades

0:34:39 – Finding Ibex, UT, and discovering new areas before Google Earth

0:41:40 – Patron question from Brandon: What advice would The Verm give to a new climber?

0:48:09 – Aging, prostates, and swollen knuckles

0:55:34 – Hangdogging, new-age tactics, and why John feels like Jason Kehl is a kindred spirit

0:58:33 – What has surprised John about aging, and how baby birds poop

1:02:09 – Cognitive decline, and other scary things that come with age

1:06:32 – Taking his foot off the gas, getting out of shape, and calorie counting

1:10:29 – Getting an amazing personal trainer, and fixing his elbow issues by fixing his shoulders

1:17:52 – Patron question from Brandon: What got you into birding? And what about it got you hooked?

1:24:27 – Patron question from Brandon: Has birding taught you any life lessons?

1:42:27 – Injury stories and life lessons

2:31:29 – Developing bouldering in Ibex, UT

2:37:02 – A year in Verm’s life, and tick marks

2:44:10 – Return of the harrier, and more bird facts

2:52:10 – Favorite books and short stories

2:57:59 – Verm’s memoir idea, favorite books, and sports

3:07:50 – Climbing with Paul Robinson and Michaela Kiersch

3:14:59 – The compression revolution, John Gill, slab dynoing, and the Hoover Maneuver

3:23:59 – Patron question from Brandon: Top three beers? (and the De Garre story)

3:38:20 – Patron question from Craig: What bird best represents your personality? (and duck penises)

3:46:15 – Patron question from Craig: What bird would John Gill be?

3:53:04 – The baboon story

Follow-Up: Josh Wharton — Attempting to Flash 'Freerider' on El Cap (Teaser) Mar 12, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Josh Wharton. We talked about how his flash attempt went on ‘Freerider’ this past November, big wall tactics and Josh’s strategy, inventing the fix-and-follow system and why it’s a game-changer, and other considerations for people who want to attempt ‘Freerider’ or other big wall free climbs.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 44:56.

Josh's Original Episode:

EP 90: Josh Wharton

EP 109: Martin Keller — How to Train on Rock, Your Subconscious Brain, and Lessons from 150+ Days on a Boulder Mar 07, 2022

Martin Keller is a Swiss boulderer, climbing coach, and teacher, and is known for his long-term dedication to his bouldering projects. We talked about spending 150+ days projecting his FA of ‘Ninja Skills Sit’ V15/16, how to change our brain chemistry, how Martin trains on his outdoor projects, and how changing his mindset unlocked his hardest climbs.

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:13 – Martin’s “mini-epic” on ‘Ninja Skills Sit’ V15/16

0:14:02 – Finding inspiration in a project

0:17:55 – Martin’s first bouldering trip, and being a slow learner

0:23:28 – Preferring really cool projects to just sending another random climb, and asking what people like most about climbing

0:25:34 – Being able to jump up a grade when you find something that fits you

0:28:13 – Turning something ugly into something gracefully, and turning the impossible into something possible

0:35:03 – Do whatever resonates with you, and climbing lots of new things on trips

0:38:13 – Why willpower isn’t enough, and making your brain like what you do

0:41:28 – Your brain wants you to do easy things, and how to trick your unconscious into wanting to train

0:46:00 – How to get rid of cognitive friction, and tricks to make your brain want to go training

0:51:39 – How to use breathwork to ramp up the nervous system for training

0:54:20 – Long term vs short term stress

0:58:16 – Using light to upregulate the nervous system, and dimming lights before sleep

1:02:23 – How body temperature affects sleep, and avoiding screen time in the evening

1:03:59 – Food before bed, and including carbs with dinner to help with sleep

1:06:15 – What Martin does on his project when the conditions are bad, how he “trains” on his projects, and setting mini-goals

1:16:40 – The Russian mindset, why more isn’t always better, and the difference between us and the pros

1:20:52 – Why active rest days are important, why you should get a dog, and why doing good things for your climbing is also good for your life

1:26:13 – Opportunity costs, choosing priorities, and being flexible with your training

1:29:04 – Martin’s strategy for hard power endurance boulders, and bringing the sections of the boulder down to 80% effort (or 8 RPE)

1:36:13 – Martin’s latest project on the Highlander boulder

1:37:41 – Key Takeaway: Ask yourself what you really like about climbing and bouldering, and being proud of yourself for building a life around climbing

1:39:48 – Letting out the steam

1:42:32 – Why collecting excuses (explanations) can be helpful

1:45:13 – Martin’s story about berating himself on Ninja Skills Sit, and learning how to speak more kindly to yourself

1:51:13 – The example of spilling water on your laptop, and talking to yourself like you would talk to a friend

1:55:43 – Martin’s hamstring injury, sunk costs, and how irrational our brains actually are

2:02:01 – Figuring out what is important for yourself, and magic bullets

2:05:43 – Being the first one to bring a battery-powered van to the boulders

2:07:23 – How changing his mindset has helped Martin climb all of his hardest boulders after age 40

2:13:13 – The benefits of cold showers, and connecting dopamine to actions

2:20:16 – Patron question from Nicole: How does Martin deal with making negative progress on projects? When does he walk away?

2:36:05 – The pressure we create for ourselves

2:41:07 – How to connect with Martin

2:43:18 – Final words

EP 108: John Sherman — Hueco Tanks in the 80s, Highballing Before Crash Pads, and Adding Layers to the Bouldering Experience Feb 28, 2022

John Sherman is a bouldering legend. His nickname “Verm” (short for “Vermin”) is where the “V” in our bouldering grade system came from. We sat down in a cave in Hueco Tanks and talked about what bouldering was like 30+ years ago, early climbing shoes, highballing before crash pads were invented, out-of-body experiences, and how some of the boulders got their provocative names.

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:08:00 – Recording in a cave in Hueco Tanks, and the Triple Crown of roof cracks

0:12:54 – Experiencing what climbing was like 30 years ago, and early climbing shoes

0:19:24 – What brought John to Hueco for the first time, falling in love with the bouldering there, and Mike Head

0:27:30 – John Gill, the legitimization of bouldering, and four technological advances in gear that changed climbing forever (sticky rubber, cordless drill, crash pads, and cams)

0:35:35 – What Hueco was like in the winter of 1982

0:39:42 – A day in the life back then, and making the first “crash pads”

0:45:14 – Chalk, and why sport climbing was the end of climbing as Verm learned it

0:47:47 – Using the same terminology to describe different ethics, and doing ‘See Spot Run’ ground up without crash pads

0:55:03 – Geckskin

0:57:15 – Historical tidbit (the Swiss guides)

0:58:04 – More context about ‘See Spot Run’

1:02:24 – Adding layers to the bouldering experience

1:07:49 – The definition of “Kehl-geling”, and John’s out-of-body experience when climbing ‘The Thimble’

1:20:00 – Why John wears two chalk bags when he climbs, and wanting to climb like Alex Sharp and Andy Parkin

1:23:59 – Wearing a helmet bouldering, and John’s New Jersey story about hitting his head

1:35:00 – Patron question from Aiden: What inspired you to write Stone Crusade?

1:41:57 – The Fiesta XXX Drive-In, and getting boulder problem names from a sex toy magazine

1:47:36 – How ‘Daily Dick Dose’ got its name, and living in the Quonset hut

1:52:44 – How John got the name “Verm” (short for “Vermin”)

1:53:46 – Patron question from Carmelo: Are we ever going to see Old Man Lightning?

1:54:54 – Patron question from Craig: Which bird most represents your personality?

1:56:32 – Why California Condors are John’s favorite birds, and individual personalities

EP 107: Tim Emmett — How to Climb Harder After 40, The Magic Formula for Climbing 9a, and Life Philosophies Feb 21, 2022

Tim Emmett is a professional climber from the UK who practices everything from cutting edge ice climbing to deep water soloing to hard sport climbing. We talked about the gritstone scene in the UK, the “why” behind taking risk, climbing his hardest after age 40 and becoming a parent, training finger strength to try to climb ‘Era Vella’ 9a (5.14d), and passing on life philosophies to others.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, and Scott Donahue

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:07:15 – Being a morning person as a parent

0:10:33 – Coffee and morning rituals

0:12:00 – Podcasting as an excuse to have amazing conversations

0:17:29 – The Gritstone scene “back in the day”, living with Neil Gresham in Sheffield, and falling off of the ‘End of the Affair’ E8

0:22:50 – Tim explains the gritstone E grade system

0:24:15 – Trying for the second ascent of ‘Meshuga’, and close calls on the grit

0:35:43 – The “Why” behind grit climbing

0:42:45 – The opportunity to do things you find easy, vs. things you find difficult or challenging, and how breakdowns lead to breakthroughs

0:45:32 – Creativity, and why taking risk is an essential step in doing your best work

0:47:10 – “People want to look good”, embracing vulnerability, and choosing the meaning we give to our lives

0:51:10 – Letting go of being “right”

0:52:54 – Switching to an “us” perspective, and asking questions rather than telling

0:55:31 – The ego journey, and doing things that bring us into the moment

1:04:40 – Trying ‘Era Vella’ 5.14d (9a), and Tim’s journey of discovery, and changing the word “failure” to “learning”

1:09:47 – What Tim has changed to try to get higher on ‘Era Vella’, the magic of finger strength training, and the 10 dials

1:12:15 – How Tim became a stronger climber after turning 40 and becoming a parent, and some of Tim’s inspirations in climbing

1:20:46 – Being out in nature, Tim’s philosophy for staying stoked, and choosing to see the positive

1:28:13 – “The magic formula is having strong fingers.”

1:33:03 – How some specific training and some consistency can transform your climbing

1:34:21 – Tim’s 4-month protocol for getting ready for ‘Era Vella’ (eating whole foods, cutting alcohol, running, etc.)

1:41:51 – Recent injuries, and Tim’s progress on the hangboard

1:48:39 – How Tim’s climbing fitness ebbs and flows, how he structures his 4-month lead up to a goal, and his specific strength training plan for ‘Era Vella’

1:59:26 – How Tim and his friends would train for hard ice climbing in Helmken Falls

2:01:00 – Core exercises, pushups, and antagonist training

2:02:20 – Power endurance training, and how Tim trained power endurance for ‘Era Vella’ in his gym in Squamish using circuits

2:07:23 – Combining hangboarding to failure with bouldering to simulate route climbing

2:07:59 – Applying breathing techniques (hypoxic training) from freediving to sport climbing or high-altitude climbing

2:11:33 – Cold-water swimming

2:13:17 – Bringing breathing techniques from freediving into rock climbing and ice climbing, pressure breathing, and Wim Hof breathing techniques

2:21:35 – What connects all of Tim’s different interests, collecting life experiences, and curiosity of human performance

2:25:23 – Public speaking, inspiring kids to open up their lives, and giving them the tools to take on their dreams

2:29:34 – Having an open mind, and Tim’s other life philosophies

2:32:30 – Being friendly, and listening to people

2:34:29 – Where to connect with Tim, and more about his coaching

2:37:08 – “Life is what’s happening right now.”

Follow-Up: Tom Randall — How to Program Your Training Like a Pro (Teaser) Feb 17, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up with Tom Randall. We went deep into how to program your training as a self-coached climber. We talked about how to use your friends to discover your strengths and weaknesses, how to work backward from goals, how long it takes to make major changes in your climbing like switching from bouldering to sport climbing, and much more.

*This is one of the most valuable episodes I have ever recorded, for anyone who wants to improve at climbing. Seriously. Don’t skip this episode if you are interested in training.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:44:52.

Tom's Original Episode:

EP 74: Tom Randall

EP 106: Hans Florine — Speed Climbing on ‘The Nose’, Big Wall Tips, and the Evolution of Speed Climbing Competitions Feb 14, 2022

Hans Florine has held the speed record on ‘The Nose’ on El Capitan 8 separate times. He has climbed the route 112 times, with 100+ people. He loves ‘The Nose’ so much, he wrote a book about it. We talked about winning the first International Speed Climbing Championships in 1991, his earliest ascents of El Cap, top 3 big wall efficiency tips, and the value of doing hard things.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:29 – Why Hans uses “exacting time” to schedule things, and respecting other people’s time

0:11:24 – Being a chameleon when traveling

0:12:52 – 182 laps up El Cap, and 112 ascents on ‘The Nose’

0:14:37 – Hans’ first speed climbing World Cups, and the first climbing World Championship in Frankfurt, Germany in 1991

0:24:34 – How European culture shaped Hans’ perception, and receiving international recognition for holding the speed record on ‘The Nose’

0:27:55 – Patron question from Ana: What are Hans’ thoughts on the evolution of speed climbing competitions, and different formats?

0:34:37 – Hans’ first trip up El Cap via the Salathe in 1986

0:41:09 – His first failed attempt on ‘The Nose’, and going for the speed record with Steve “Shipoopoi” Schneider

0:48:15 – Hans’ favorite Peter Croft story

0:50:37 – A question from Craig DeMartino, and what it is about ‘The Nose’ that captivates Hans

0:54:02 – Some failure stories on ‘The Nose’

0:57:57 – How the Stove Legs got their name, and the haul cart with wheels

1:02:05 – Wrapping up the story of the first speed record with Steve Schneider

1:06:40 – Developing an obsession with the speed record on ‘The Nose’

1:12:16 – Biggest logistical and tactical improvements in speed climbing ‘The Nose’

1:19:04 – Writing the book on speed climbing, and going for the speed record with Alex Honnold

1:25:51 – Patron question from Christoph: Top 3 tricks for being efficient on a big wall route?

1:34:09 – The Tom Frost story, and how much water to bring on a big wall

1:37:12 – Hans’ perspective on the current record on ‘The Nose’

1:45:53 – How fast can The Nose be climbed?

1:48:03 – Will Hans try for the speed record again?

1:48:40 – Patron question from Henry: Has Hans’ attitude toward speed climbing changed after his accident? Does speed climbing become less sensible as one gets older?

1:56:25 – A question from Hazel Findlay, and the award Hans would give her

1:58:04 – Hans thoughts on free climbing El Cap, and an argument for climbing ‘The Nose’ “as free as can be”

2:04:49 – Hans’ time focused on onsighting in the 80s and 90s

2:08:55 – 8a.nu and plans for his time in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky

2:11:15 – Takeaways from climbing ‘The Nose’ with more than 100 different people

2:13:22 – Who has affected Hans most in his climbing

2:16:27 – A message from Craig DeMartino

2:17:50 – Patron question from Craig: Who is your greatest non-climbing influence and why?

2:19:31 – Ryan Reynolds

2:20:14 – Doing hard things, and the DHT Challenge

2:22:41 – Applying manufacturing experiences to climbing

2:24:34 – How Hans is making a living now with construction

2:26:31 – How to connect with Hans, and more about the DHT Challenge

2:31:17 – What Hans is excited about right now

2:32:20 – What is next for Hans Florine

EP 105: Brent Barghahn — How to Retire Before Age 30, Extreme Unicycling, and How to Free Climb Big Walls By Yourself Feb 07, 2022

Brent Barghahn has rope soloed ‘The Nose’ in a day, freed multiple routes on El Cap, and is a former engineer at Black Diamond. We talked about how Brent combined van life and “house hacking” to effectively retire at 28-years-old, about motocross and extreme unicycling, cutting his teeth on hard trad routes in LCC, and his setup for redpoint rope soloing.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, and Scott Donahue

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:41 – Living in the BD parking lot, using van life as a way to save money, and a snapshot of Brent’s life 2.5 years ago

0:09:40 – My (Steven’s) stint living in a van in my employer’s parking lot

0:10:59 – Brent’s urban van life tips, stealth camping, and choosing van life as a financial tool

0:16:27 – Two different van life ethos

0:17:16 – What Brent’s life looks like now, house hacking, and how Brent “retired” at 28-years-old

0:35:21 – Extreme Unicycling, welding, and his charge account at the local hardware store

0:43:37 – Motocross, and similarities between action sports and trad climbing

0:46:01 – How dangerous climbing stacks up to motocross, and rope soloing The Nose in a day

0:49:04 – Getting hurt every year, quitting motocross, and discovering climbing

0:51:58 – How Brent improved so quickly in climbing, and why he loves technical granite climbing

0:57:38 – Patron question from Christoph: How do you train for hard trad climbing specifically?

0:58:50 – Patron question from Christoph: How does his preparation for hard trad redpoints differ from sport?

1:00:11 – Finishing climbs after a failed flash/onsight attempt

1:01:08 – Brent’s formative years trad climbing in LCC

1:05:48 – Why Brent chooses rope solo free climbing for some of his ascents, and his first rope solo NIAD (Nose in a day)

1:13:27 – Brent’s rope solo free climbing setup, and freeing ‘Father Time’ on Middle Cathedral via rope solo

1:23:31 – Brent’s take on big wall free climbing ethics, groud up ascents, his stance to stance philosophy, and the “Affect Minimal Parties” ethos

1:33:39 – Brent’s biggest aspirations in the Valley

1:34:46 – Brent’s go-to shoes for technical granite, and how he is training for ‘Magic Line’

1:42:24 – Choosing Flagstaff as a home base

1:45:15 – How Brent decides when to go on trips vs. stay local, and finding meaningful “work” now that he is “retired”

1:49:21 – Brent’s blog and other sedentary rest day activities

1:54:22 – What’s next

EP 104: Amity Warme — Crushing in Yosemite, Growing up in Gymnastics, and Eating More to Do More Jan 31, 2022

Amity Warme is one of the most badass trad climbers you’ve never heard of. She also has a master's in nutrition. We talked about her incredible season in Yosemite including ground-up free ascents of ‘Freerider’ and ‘Golden Gate’, the importance of logistics in big wall free climbing, what she learned growing up in gymnastics, training plans, and eating more to do more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, and Scott Donahue

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:06:14 – Winter weather in the PNW

0:11:19 – My first impression of Amity, and her Yosemite season tick list

0:13:11 – How to get good climbing photos (of yourself)

0:18:05 – The prerequisite skills required to have a successful season free climbing in Yosemite, and being willing to suffer

0:22:27 – Some of Amity’s background in climbing before showing up to Yosemite

0:25:33 – Meeting Hans Florine, deciding to go to Yosemite, and a surprise ground-up free ascent of ‘Freerider’

0:30:00 – Sending ‘Golden Gate’ ground up

0:31:56 – Learning how to haul on the side of Will’s van

0:33:44 – Patron question from Cody: What is the best way to acquire the hard skills of multi-pitch and big wall climbing?

0:34:55 – “It’s always worth being willing to go for it”, and redefining what success is to you

0:36:49 – How to care a lot about something while being detached from the outcome

0:38:03 – The importance of technical climbing vs. logistical skills when it comes to big wall free climbing

0:41:42 – What Amity taught Tyler about free climbing efficiency up on ‘Golden Gate’, and what she learned from Tyler about logistics, rope systems, and living on the wall

0:45:53 – Patron question from Nolan: Where does Amity’s ground-up ethic come from?

0:49:04 – Patron question from Rob: How do you prepare for a ground-up ascent?

0:51:02 – Patron question from Savva about what it was like climbing ‘Golden Gate’, and Amity’s first time climbing the Monster Offwidth

0:57:10 – How Amity plans to prepare for her next Yosemite season, and planning to train for the first time

1:01:07 – Amity’s background in gymnastics, and sending a 5.10 her very first time climbing

1:07:36 – Climbing as a lifetime sport

1:10:52 – Residual injuries from gymnastics

1:13:46 – Patron questions from Martin and Ainsley: What from gymnastics has served you most in climbing?

1:15:33 – Oppositional exercises from gymnastics that Amity still does, and doing ring exercises on the road

1:17:11 – Amity’s weaknesses and plans for training this winter

1:22:05 – Rest nights vs. rest days, and getting energy out vs. recovering to try a hard project

1:25:18 – Studying nutrition and helping climbers eat more to support their climbing

1:28:32 – The prevalence of under-fueling in climbers, and eating more without gaining weight

1:33:29 – The complexity of the energy-in-energy-out equation, and why losing weight is a bad long-term strategy

1:37:48 – Thoughts on protein amounts, timing, and sources, targeting carbohydrates around activity, and eating a variety of different foods

1:42:46 – Replacing weight goal with performance goals

1:45:19 – My experience with elevated blood sugar from a food sensitivity

1:50:07 – How to connect with Amity, and her vision for future work and nutrition coaching

1:51:51 – Patron question from Rob: How does Amity plan her nutrition for big wall projects?

1:57:07 – Amity’s next climbing goal, and the next step in her registered dietitian journey

1:59:36 – What inspires Amity

2:03:09 – How Amity hopes to empower others

2:07:26 – Wrap up

Follow-Up: Tyler Nelson — How to Train Based on Your Finger Anatomy (Teaser) Jan 29, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Tyler Nelson. We talked about a recent study Tyler did with 23 different climbers to measure their finger tendon and bone lengths, and their ability to generate force on different edge sizes. We covered Tyler’s latest recommendations for max strength finger training, how to get stronger on small holds, and when and how to use hangboard repeaters.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:16:59.

Tyler’s Original Episode:

EP 79: Tyler Nelson

EP 103: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk — Chasing Flow State, The Role of Cleverness in Climbing, and Becoming a Mom Jan 24, 2022

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk is a professional climber from the UK. She is also a writer, speaker, and co-host of the Curious Climber Podcast along with Hazel Findlay. We talked about her early life, impermanence, flow state, learning to try really hard, how she made the switch from hard boulders to hard sport routes, what sets high-level climbers apart, and the decision to become a mom.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, and Scott Donahue

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mina-leslie-wujastyk

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:52 – Baby life

0:09:40 – How Mina and I met, and her road trip to the US in 2012

0:14:18 – Mina at age 25, and competing on the World Cup circuit

0:18:10 – Project mentality, quick sends, and unfinished business

0:21:02 – Patron question from Konstantinos, and Mina’s first gym and early climbing mentors

0:24:27 – Living in India as a kid and how that shaped Mina’s worldview

0:30:28 – Impermanence, and the lesson Mina learned from her dad as an early teenager

0:33:09 – Being exposed to both indoor and outdoor climbing as a kid

0:35:22 – Doing both route climbing and bouldering as a teenager, bouldering as social-climbing, and making the British team

0:38:03 – Mina’s first trip to Rocklands South Africa and more about her road trip around the US

0:40:14 – Bouldering in the South East (US) and climbing in the Red River Gorge

0:42:01 – Loving climbing, pushing too hard, and crashing

0:47:52 – The challenge makes the experience

0:51:55 – Flow and highballing

0:58:16 – How climbing ethics shape our experience

1:00:43 – Why do we seek flow?

1:03:12 – Tapping into our most primal selves

1:04:46 – An excerpt from Mina’s article: ‘Pushing It’, and British ascents

1:08:11 – Learning to try really hard, and the yin and the yang

1:12:52 – Unfinished business

1:16:28 – ‘Just Do It’

1:19:27 – What lead Mina to shift her focus to sport climbing

1:22:44 – Climbing the 70m ‘Totally Free 2’ in one pitch, and stashing candy in her sports bra

1:28:48 – How aerobic capacity training (Aero Cap) helped her transition to sport climbing

1:35:19 – What sets high-level boulders apart, and how good tactics make the difference

1:40:25 – What specific tactics Mina learned from her partner David, and a funny story

1:45:35 – What sets high-level sport climbers apart, and Mina’s experience on ‘Nordic Plumber’

1:49:20 – “Climbing isn’t just about being fit and strong, it’s about being clever and creative”

1:50:54 – Mina’s thoughts on returning to ‘Rainshadow’, and two bad accidents

1:57:52 – The decision to have a kid

2:03:52 – RED-S, and how her recovery led to the decision to have Isaac

2:07:26 – The best surprises with becoming a mom, and the miracle of pregnancy

2:11:13 – Question from Anna about training during pregnancy

2:15:58 – Studying nutrition, and thoughts on nutrition during pregnancy

2:18:22 – What led to starting The Curious Climber Podcast, and recommended episodes (linked in show notes)

2:23:54 – Wrap up

EP 102: Matty Hong — The History of ‘Flex Luthor’, Climbing Waterfalls in Japan, and the Camera as a Gift Jan 17, 2022

Matty Hong is a professional rock climber, photographer, and filmmaker. We talked about what it was like to grow up in a climbing family, about making the first repeat of ‘Flex Luthor’ 5.15b as well as a history of the route and his thoughts on the grade, training for sport climbing projects on his home wall, climbing waterfalls in Japan, and balancing photography and filmmaking with climbing.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, and Jeremiah Johnson

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/matty-hong

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:05:51 – How Matty listens to podcasts

0:08:53 – Growing up in a climbing family, and his connection with his parents

0:13:10 – What his parents have instilled in him as a climber, and keeping the ego in check

0:15:23 – Early milestones in Matty’s climbing

0:18:41 – Loving all of the challenges and variety to be found in climbing

0:20:41 – Second-guessing the path, being grateful for climbing, and having a beginner’s mindset with photography and filmmaking

0:24:43 – Trying ‘Flex Luthor’ for a year, and the history of the route

0:30:26 – Meeting Matty up at the Fortress, and his process on ‘Flex Luthor’

0:40:45 – Patron question from Landolini: How likely is it that Tommy climbed 9b (5.15b)?

0:48:51 – Matty’s thoughts on grading

0:51:55 – Matty’s most memorable climbing achievements

0:53:53 – Climbing waterfalls in Japan with Yuji Hirayama

1:01:31 – Thoughts on adventure climbing, and his trip to India

1:06:19 – Matty’s campus board and home wall

1:09:29 – How Matty trained for ‘Flex Luthor’ on his home wall, and his relaxed approach to training

1:19:46 – Patron question from Adriel: Any tips for using bouldering as training for sport climbing? (And more about his training for Flex)

1:24:02 – Why Matty thinks sport climbing in a gym (vs. bouldering) is a waste of time

1:25:54 – Sport climbing is a strategy-based puzzle

1:28:37 – Goals and challenges

1:31:09 – Patron question from Ben: Do you have any bouldering or trad goals?

1:35:08 – Patron question from One_rocky_boi: How does Matty balance photography and filmmaking with climbing?

1:43:14 – The camera as a gift

1:45:03 – Matty’s proudest photos, and the challenges in filmmaking

1:49:39 – What’s next?

1:54:11 – Nocturne Op 62 No 1 in B (Performed by Matty Hong)

EP 101: Nina Caprez — Being a Swiss Machine, Leaning into Womanness, and a Beautiful Story of Failing on ‘The Nose’ Jan 10, 2022

Nina Caprez is a professional rock climber from Switzerland, who is known for her many impressive ascents of hard multi-pitch climbs. We talked about her current trip to Greece and her newest passion project, trying to free climb ‘The Nose’ with Lynn Hill, why failing on the route was a gift, and about softening and leaning into womanness.

*Nina also shared some exciting news in this episode!

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, and Robert Freehill

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/nina-caprez

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

6:39 – Where in the world is Nina Caprez?

9:44 – Nina describes her camping scene in Greece, and finding a new balance between travel and adventure

12:41 – The climbing in southern Greece, and the Andrea Project and bringing climbing to refugee camps

17:31 – Speaking 4 languages, and Nina’s recent Andrea Project in Romania

22:38 – Trying to free The Nose, burning out, and starting the Andrea Project with Jeremy and building the truck

29:20 – Being fulfilled from her new lifestyle, and sharing her passion

32:17 – Why “failing” on The Nose was the best thing that has happened for Nina

36:26 – “It was really time to let go”, and spending 7 days on the wall with Lynn Hill

40:45 – Nina and Jeremy’s vision for the Andrea Project

44:19 – Inspiration, letting goals happen naturally, and complete satisfaction

46:08 – Leaning into different parts of herself as a woman

47:43 – Food guilt, Nina’s natural cycle with the seasons, and listening to her body

52:11 – Using a low carb diet to drop 2kg of weight for The Nose, and realizing it was too much

53:49 – Flirting with the line, and wanting to prove something to someone else

55:27 – Climbing as an escape, guilt and jealously, and softening

59:31 – Question from Steve McClure: How does Nina balance performance with adventure?

1:01:56 – Her first climb at age 13, and growing up in the mountains, and leaving home to evolve

1:04:42 – Living “gypsy style” in France

1:06:41 – Traveling, and some of the places Nina has fallen in love with

1:13:57 – You don’t have to go far away to find an adventure

1:15:04 – Feeling attracted to the East, and wanting to bring climbing to people in need

1:16:50 – How Andrea got its (her?) name

1:17:42 – Another question from Steve McClure: Have you thought about having kids?

1:21:23 – Stories from Nina’s proudest climbing achievements

1:26:51 – Patron question from Randall: What's your process for big walls? Rap in vs. ground up? How do you physically prepare for such an experience?

1:28:36 – Endurance as a strength, not feeling fear, and becoming comfortable living in the vertical space

1:32:24 – “Training” through climbing, and thriving on variety

1:36:49 – “We keep it as a secret…”

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch — My Training Plan for Hueco Round 2 (Teaser) Jan 07, 2022

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of my second Follow-Up with Steve Maisch. We talked about my training plan for Hueco in 2022, how to structure my weeks and days, how to continue progressing my V12 and V13 pyramids, how to use bouldering intervals to maintain aerobic capacity for sport climbing, and Steve laid out a hangboard plan to prime my crimp strength for Hueco.

*I recommend listening to Steve’s original episode and my first Follow-Up with him before this episode.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:40:55.

Steve’s Other Episodes:

EP 70: Steve Maisch

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch (the first one, published Sept 9, 2021)

EP 100: Ben Moon — How Ben Moon Uses the MoonBoard, and the Evolution of Sport Climbing Jan 03, 2022

Ben Moon is a famous rock climber from the UK. He was the first person to climb 5.14c (8c+) with his route ‘Hubble’. He is also the inventor of the MoonBoard. We talked about his early climbing experiences as a kid, his first road trip to Buoux in France in 1984, how training and sport climbing have changed, how Ben uses the MoonBoard, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, and Robert Freehill

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ben-moon

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

6:02 – Putting a face to the voice, Ben’s travels in the US back in the day, and feeling like he missed out on traveling

9:17 – A dry November in the UK, and Will Bosi doing the first repeat of ‘Mutation’

11:14 – How Ben first started to climb at age 7

14:38 – Being “bitten right away” by climbing, and breaking his wrist skateboarding

16:17 – Flopping out of school and living off the dole and climbing full time

18:57 – Hunter House Road

22:16 – Standards and climbing styles in the early 80s, and training on a brick wall

26:16 – Climbing equipment in 1984

27:53 – Buoux, meeting Jerry Moffatt, and Ben’s first-ever road trip

35:38 – Doing the FA of ‘Statement of Youth’

37:54 – Friendly competition

39:08 – Dreadlocks and punk rock

40:10 – Shifting to bouldering for its own sake

42:32 – From 8a to 8c+ (or 9a) in 6 years… what was happening?

45:28 – The School Room

46:36 – How Ben and Jerry were training in the School Room, how it compares to how people train now, and Ben’s thoughts on deadhanging (hangboarding) and campus boarding

51:00 – How the Moonboard first came to be

56:56 – Moon Climbing as a company

1:00:42 – Patron question from Griffin: Favorite Moonboard hold set? Best for training?

1:02:06 – Patron question from Rebecca: New hold sets coming? Have you thought about circuits?

1:03:28 – Patron question from Karl: Looking back, what would you change about the Moonboard holds or design?

1:05:22 – Why the Moonboard is a vastly more powerful training tool than Ben’s old cellar board

1:07:37 – Patron question from Will: How does Ben use the Moonboard, and what are some of his go-to session formats?

1:12:35 – Bouldering as Ben’s top training priority, and why he thinks variety is key

1:14:11 – How Ben structures his training throughout the year, and within a week

1:17:10 – What Ben and I would each change about our training if we could go back in time

1:21:21 – FA of ‘Voyager Sit’ 8B+ (V14)

1:24:07 – Quitting climbing after ‘Voyager Sit’, and coming back and climbing ‘Rainshadow’ 9a (5.14d)

1:27:59 – Training fitness on the route, and gaining fitness with age, but fighting to maintain strength

1:31:17 – Circuit training at the climbing gym

1:34:30 – Question from Steve McClure: Does Ben feel the age thing yet?

1:38:24 – Ben’s ongoing battle with ‘Northern Lights’, and thoughts on kneebars

1:45:38 – Patron question from Markham: Background on the Mini MoonBoard? Future plans for it?

1:47:07 – Ben’s thoughts on the MoonBoard gades (he thinks they’re hard!)

1:49:24 – How hard Ben climbs on the MoonBoard

1:50:11 – Patron question from Florian: Is the Mini MoonBoard the most relevant board for training for rock?

1:51:41 – Recommendations for people who train on a MoonBoard at home, and future tools that will help

1:54:29 – Patron question from PogoStickJoe: What is the definition of Dowsy Fuck? (turns out it was “Dozy Fuck”), and what it feels like for Ben to watch his old movies

1:56:45 – Patron question from Oskar: Where can I watch The Real Thing online? (It’s in the show notes!)

1:57:45 – Patron question from Andreson: Any expedition stories?

1:58:34 – Starting a clothing brand, and getting inspiration from Christian Griffith

2:00:28 – What is Ben’s legacy?

2:02:20 – Which of Ben’s climbing achievements stand out to him

2:02:37 – What’s next for Ben, and unfinished goals

2:03:40 – Where you can find Ben (@moonclimbing on Instagram)

2:03:59 – “Train hard, climb harder.”

Follow-Up: Paige Claassen — Dreamcatching, and Learning to Celebrate (Teaser) Dec 16, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Paige Claassen. We talked about her send of ‘Kryptonite’ shortly after our first interview, how she warms up for a 5.14+ project at a remote cliff, what she learned from trying ‘Empath’ 5.15a, how she trained for and projected ‘Dreamcatcher’, getting gratification from the process, learning to celebrate, and updates on crag snacks and more.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:03:25.

Paige's original episode:

EP 24: Paige Claassen

EP 99: Q&A 4 — Goals for 2022, Dating on the Road, and What I’ve Learned from Nearly 100 Episodes Dec 13, 2021

In Q&A 4, I tackle patron questions about Hueco round 2 and other goals for 2022, my plans for V12 and 5.14, how my trip to Leavenworth went and plans to return, my favorite features in the van, dating on the road, my remote working setup, what I’ve learned from nearly 100 episodes of the podcast, and making sense of conflicting advice.

*Treat this episode like a buffet! Listen straight through or jump around as you like. I organized these questions into categories and added timestamps below.

Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, and David Lahaie

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-4

Website Links:

Top Lists

Steven’s Favorites

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

0:00 – Intro and updates

7:04 – My Climbing / Training / Goals:

7:14 – Oskar: Tips for night climbing?

14:07 – Taylor: Plans for Hueco round 2?

16:53 – Casey: Hueco tick list? And what about Rifle?

17:57 – Casey: Do you prefer to write your own training programs or to have a coach?

18:46 – Casey: Outdoor vs. indoor bouldering performance? Does it matter?

21:27 – Casey: Do you like night sessions? Is it hard to fall asleep after?

22:52 – Jimmy: Favorite endurance workout on a home wall?

25:43 – Karl: Do you think kneepads change grades?

33:12 – Tim: Do you ever climb easy stuff for fun?

35:44 – Tyler: Party tricks vs. helpful training?

38:14 – Tyler: Dream areas or routes in Canada?

38:55 – Andrew: What makes a limit boulder problem “limit”? What makes a perfect repeat “perfect”?

42:32 – Shanna: What will you implement from the PCC?

46:24 – Jordan: Have you dabbled in trad or multi-pitch climbing?

49:44 – Eric: What is the softest 5.14 in the US? Why aren’t you trying it now?

51:09 – Nolan: How have you moved past plateaus?

53:08 – Nolan: Have you been on JDI yet?

54:35 – Conor: Can you tell us about your early climbing and training? What would you change?

58:20 – RJB: Where are you on your climbing journey?

1:00:57 – Luke: Goals for 2022? How do you go about goalsetting?

1:09:06 – Drew: Did you come back to try The Practitioner? And how did it go?

1:12:55 – David: Goals in Leavenworth?

1:14:37 – Nutrition / Weight Gain:

1:14:45 – Karl: Does starch count as sugar?

1:17:33 – Angelo: I’m embracing my body type and getting stronger, but when will I stop gaining weight?

1:23:15 – Vanlife / Current Lifestyle / Personal Life:

1:23:24 – Tyler/Ethan/Luke: Favorite van features? What did you bring but haven’t used?

1:28:03 – Tyler: Can you describe work station in your van? What is your internet setup?

1:31:50 – Matt: Any mice in the van?

1:32:54 – Jordan: How long have you had your van? Thoughts on dirtbagging now vs. pre-van?

1:34:47 – Michael: Pee bottle tips?

1:36:54 – Logan: Why did you choose your van?

1:39:27 – Howard: Health insurance as a vanlifer?

1:41:53 – Nolan: Have you settled into the lifestyle as a full-time vanlifer podcast superstar yet?

1:43:59 – Desiree: What are some favorite experiences you get to have living on the road? Pitfalls? Tips?

1:49:29 – John: How do you handle long winter nights in the van?

1:50:42 – Alexandra: How is a dating life when living in a van?

1:53:56 – Shanna: Are you living in the van nonstop? Do you think you can do it indefinitely?

1:56:49 – John: Coffee or tea? Method of brewing? Any tats?

1:57:45 – Brian: Vanlife product you just can’t get behind?

1:58:42 – Brian: What have you given up for vanlife that you miss?

1:59:35 – Brian: What alternate life would you be content with?

2:00:41 – Daniel: Do you still play video games?

2:03:26 – Liam: Did you save up money before quitting your job, or say fuck it? Also, what is your climbing story?

2:06:30 – Jonathan: What is your relationship to mindfulness or meditation? How do they affect your life and climbing?

2:10:52 – Fun / Funny / Other:

2:11:00 – Tyler S: Weirdest smell you’ve had in the van?

2:12:03 – Tyler S: Most ridiculous outfit you’ve climbed in?

2:13:27 – Tyler B: Any plans to head out east to climb on southern sandstone? Dream climbing trip?

2:14:49 – Tyler B: Who would you like to spend a climbing with?

2:15:42 – Brian: Other hobbies?

2:17:21 – Brian: Who would you take on a multi-pitch climb?

2:18:18 – Podcasting / What I’ve Learned From Episodes:

2:18:30 – Ryan: You’ve put out nearly 100 episodes—How do you deal with conflicting advice from all of these badass climbers?

2:24:22 – Tyler: If you could collaborate with any podcast, what would it be?

2:25:30 – Tyler: Top 3 podcast guests?

2:26:36 – Finn: What interview do you find yourself organically thinking back to the most?

2:28:23 – Garrett: Has the podcast made you a better communicator? Has it made you more confident when meeting people?

2:31:30 – Wrapup

Follow-Up: Tyson Schoene — Building Champions, and Keeping Things Simple (Teaser) Dec 11, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Tyson Schoene. We talked about the recent USA Climbing 2021 National Championships, some of the differences and similarities between his top athletes like Quinn, Melina, Drew, and Sean, keeping training simple, how newer adult climbs can mimic training like a team kid, and finding the important questions in our training and climbing.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:33:49.

Tyson's original episode:

EP 29: Tyson Schoene

EP 98: Kyra Condie — The Olympic Experience, Training With a Fused Spine, and Thriving in Organized Chaos Dec 06, 2021

Kyra Condie is a 25-year-old professional climber based out of Salt Lake City, UT, and was one of four climbers to represent the US at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We talked about whistling, dream broadway roles, training with a fused spine, pursuing the Olympic dream, separating self-worth from results, new tattoos, her cats, cleaning quirks, and thriving in organized chaos.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:24 – Competitive whistling, and comparing her brother to Mozart

10:13 – Musical theater, piano, and flute

11:12 – Kyra’s dream broadway roll, and Les Miserables

13:04 – Allison’s (Vest) role in the broadway scenario

13:42 – Trying other sports, and discovering climbing

15:52 – Patron question from Atlin: If you were to do an Olympic sport besides climbing, what would you want it to be?

17:32 – The variety of climbing as a double edge sword

19:22 – Interest in comps vs. outdoor climbing

23:24 – An X-ray description of Kyra’s back

25:06 – Severe idiopathic scoliosis, getting surgery shortly after finding climbing, and growing 2” overnight

28:27 – Seatbelts and toilet paper

29:39 – How Kyra trains around her back limitation, and how the changes in setting style have forced her to face it head-on

33:30 – Shifting her focus more toward lead, and a recap of Nationals

37:28 – Separating self-worth from results

40:18 – How Kyra feels about her Tokyo experience

46:17 – First Olympian with a spinal fusion (at least as large as hers)

48:12 – The Olympics as a goal

50:23 – Enjoying not having a goal after Tokyo, and star chasing

52:41 – Plans for a non-climbing vacation, and a slight burnout on competitions

53:58 – Being more open about her back as a disability, and being more relatable to others

56:24 – 2024 Olympics?

58:26 – How Kyra’s training changed leading up to the Olympics, and thriving in organized chaos

1:01:40 – How Kyra’s climbing changed from the prep for the Olympics

1:03:28 – Thoughts on speed climbing and psicobloc, and deep water soloing in Vietnam with Tim Emmett

1:07:18 – Patron question from Liam: Have you always tried to climb fast in lead? Have you tried other styles?

1:09:28 – Training your strengths, and supplementing to address weaknesses

1:12:59 – Adopting Pepper and Pika (Kyra’s cats)

1:15:30 – Martha the robot-vacuum

1:17:08 – Skin and dishwashing gloves, and Kyra’s detergent sponsor

1:19:22 – Cleaning/tidiness quarks

1:21:23 – Sad movies, and looking for movies on Reddit

1:25:08 – Marvel movies, and superheroes

1:26:02 – Other favorite movies

1:27:21 – Going blonde, and new tattoos

1:31:47 – Patron question from Eli: What is your favorite part about your being so deeply ingrained or intertwined with climbing? What is the worst part?

1:36:58 – Patron question from Eli: What do you hope the Olympic experience will bring to the broader climbing community?

1:38:15 – Olympic memories

1:39:14 – What Kyra is most proud of in her climbing career so far, and giving her best

1:41:44 – What’s good

1:43:07 – What’s next, where to find Kyra, and sharing advice on Reddit

1:45:24 – Present focus

EP 97: Austin Hoyt — Favorite Zones in the Northeast, Rediscovering Old Projects, and Being a GUNKaholic Nov 29, 2021

Austin Hoyt is an 18-year-old kid from New York whose tick list rivals some professional climbers. We talked about balancing school with climbing, what he learned from his first coach, his FA of ‘Flashing Lights’ V14, his love of The Gunks, making old-school climbing films, the support from his dad, and his ongoing goal to develop the bouldering scene in the Northeast.

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Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:30 – Austin’s bouldering stats at age 18, and how he fits climbing in while going to school

8:12 – Some of Austin's typical weekend destinations

9:48 – Favorite areas in the Northeast

11:38 – How Austin started climbing (Ninja Warrior + ice cream shop), and doing V3 his first week

15:11 – Crediting everything to his first coach Charlie, and negative reinforcement

18:41 – Drills and spray wall climbing

23:34 – Climbing at Powerlines, and getting into doing first ascents (FAs)

25:25 – “Chase me”, and what Austin learned from watching his coach Charlie climb

27:25 – Finding new boulders in famous areas

29:17 – The Gunks, and Austin’s Gunkaholics film series

33:40 – The season in The Gunks, and what Austin does when it rains for two weeks

34:44 – Balancing projecting, outdoor climbing for volume, and indoor training

37:15 – The mental battle of projecting, and the first ascent of ‘Flashing Lights’ V14

43:14 – ‘Nuclear War’ V13

45:52 – Filmmaking, and Austin’s film equipment and influence

49:18 – College plans and dreams to make adventure films

52:00 – Plan for a gap year, and comp training

54:42 – Dave Graham

56:18 – How Austin trains power on a spray wall

57:30 – Guidance for setting a spray wall, and the skill of making up hard climbs to train on

1:00:24 – What a spray wall session looks like, and training strengths vs. weaknesses

1:02:28 – Patron Question from Brandon: Do you have any roped ambitions in New England?

1:04:22 – Bouldering vs. trad in The Gunks

1:05:44 – Patron Question from Will: What is your favorite crag north of The Gunks?

1:07:48 – Patron Question from Jack: What is your favorite problem on the Speed Boulder at GB?

1:08:55 – Patron Question from Avery: How did you become the master of vert?

1:11:25 – Austin’s dad, motocross, and broken bones

1:14:13 – How his dad supported him in climbing ‘Nuclear Base’ V14

1:17:39 – Austin’s new project

1:19:18 – Climbing algorithms, “The Formula”, and Austin’s perspective on grades

1:22:36 – The dream of becoming a pro climber, the current goal of developing the Northeast, my experiences in Leavenworth, and making lists

1:26:05 – Applying to colleges near climbing

1:27:07 – Beta Labs, and ideas for building his own business

1:30:54 – Shoutouts to his sponsors

EP 96: Joe Kinder — The Love of Projecting, Leaving a Legacy, and the Other Side of Cancellation Nov 22, 2021

Joe Kinder is one of the hardest-working route developers in North America. We talked about his recent ascent of ‘Kinder Cakes’ 5.15a in Rifle, CO, putting up routes in mediocre rock, leaving a legacy through route development, his love of projecting, current training approach, fashion influences, creating LOV, and his experience with cancellation and rebuilding a new life.

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Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

6:50 – Clipping chains, Joe’s goals for his trip to Rifle, and the Wicked Cave

11:01 – Putting up routes in mediocre rock

14:54 – The responsibility and reward of putting up routes, and leaving a legacy

18:16 – Establishing vs. FAing a route, and keeping routes open vs. red-tagging

22:14 – “It’s a case-to-case scenario.”

24:55 – Putting up hard vs. moderate routes, giving back, and being surprised by the difficulty of new lines

27:33 – The emotional rollercoaster of projecting, how Joe and I met, and his love of climbing

33:04 – Climbing as a drug addiction

34:57 – My “addicty” behavior, and why Joe finds Jonathan Siegrist fascinating

38:31 – The ebbs and flows, breaks, and comebacks

43:59 – Embracing the plan B’s of life

44:56 – Lessons from finger injuries

49:18 – The Skull Cave, and how ‘Diarrhea Mouth’ got its name

52:29 – ‘Kinder Cakes’, proposing grades, and picking limit projects in your style

58:20 – Breakdown of ‘Kinder Cakes’, the send, and those special moments

1:03:46 – The days after ‘Kinder Cakes’, and needing to work

1:06:16 – Sushi celebration

1:07:25 – How ‘Kinder Cakes’ stacks up against Joe’s other hardest routes, and “we do what we can”

1:09:05 – Joe’s early climbing in New England, and the project-focused approach

1:11:18 – Joe’s first experience with training, and planning his year around the Rifle project

1:13:39 – Getting training ideas from Eric Horst, Patxi Usobiaga, and developing his own program

1:16:37 – ‘Activator’, watching Cam repeat ‘Bone Tomahawk’, and Joe’s year leading up to ‘Kinder Cakes’

1:23:47 – Purchasing strength, Joe’s outdoor vs. indoor balance, and more about the ‘Goonies’ project

1:28:29 – The ‘Bone Tomahawk’ extension project

1:31:47 – How Joe trained for ‘Kinder Cakes’ (month 1)

1:41:31 – Training as a callus, and taking your time to build it up

1:41:46 – How Joe trained for ‘Kinder Cakes’ (month 2)

1:44:55 – Thoughts about in-season strength maintenance

1:46:37 – Keeping an open mind, dropping the ego, and lessons from the Spaniards

1:50:10 – “Always try shit.”

1:50:39 – Who Joe looks up to in climbing

1:53:38 – The current era of pro climbing, and how pro climbing has evolved

1:57:01 – Stories, podcasting, and creating balance

2:00:25 – Joe’s movies, LOV as a creative outlet

1:04:55 – How LOV (Life of Villains) got its name, and rooting for the villains in movies

2:07:25 – More about LOV (the brand), and collaborations with non-profits

2:12:07 – Patron Question from Devon: How do you pick athletes for the LOV shirts, and can you make a replica of the Bruce Lee shirt that Josune is wearing in her photo?

2:14:57 – Fashion influences, confidence, my bleached hair, and Joe’s nicknames for me

2:20:42 – Patron Question from Ben: How does Joe’s experience climbing on established routes differ from FA’s?

2:23:02 – Patron Question from Simon: Who has Joe drawn inspiration from outside of the sport of climbing?

2:25:05 – Graffiti

2:28:03 – Joe’s experience with cancelation

2:42:09 – My thoughts about Joe and him rebuilding a new life

2:47:45 – Thanks and an apology

2:48:07 – Gratitude and appreciation

2:50:01 – Support mode, then on to the next

EP 95: Tyler Algeo — Starting a Climbing Gym in Africa, Climb Malawi, and Raising Black Sons as a White Dad Nov 15, 2021

Tyler Algeo is a Canadian who moved to Africa and started a climbing gym, with the goal of creating a socio-economically inclusive climbing community in Malawi. We talked about learning to climb in Ireland, living in Africa, founding Climb Malawi, adopting and raising his two black sons, Tyler’s work with The Climbing Initiative, and creating a better world through climbing.

Donate To:

safeclimbing.org

climbmalawi.com

climbinginitiative.org

Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast, Leo Franchi

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tyler-algeo

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:05 – Living in Cincinnati and growing up in Calgary

6:14 – Learning to climb in Ireland

9:50 – Working in Ireland

10:13 – How Tyler and his wife ended up in Malawi

14:24 – Having to return to the States due to Covid, and salary differences between foreign workers and locals in Malawi

17:25 – Description of Malawi, the topography, and rock climbing

21:39 – The population of Malawi, and why so many people move there from neighboring African countries

24:23 – Day-to-day life in Malawi

27:05 – Having a housekeeper, and the risks of creating an upside-down economy

30:05 – Good intentions gone awry

32:58 – Tyler’s climbing leading up to Malawi, and building a wall in his backyard

37:21 – The socioeconomic divide in Malawi, and how Climb Malawi was born

42:26 – Other artificial climbing in Malawi

44:50 – Outgrowing the backyard climbing wall

45:35 – Local climbing in Malawi

47:24 – The Climb Malawi climbing wall and location description

52:44 – Ernest

54:29 – Outdoor trips and introducing Malawians to rock climbing

55:31 – Memphis Rox as an inspiration, and the Climb Malawi business model

1:00:03 – The impact of covid on Climb Malawi, and Malawi itself

1:03:17 – Tyler’s continued involvement with Climb Malawi

1:05:38 – How living in Malawi has shaped Tyler’s perspective of what the global climbing community looks like

1:09:05 – Ugly entitlement, the game of climbing, and introducing people to climbing with humility

1:14:11 – The Chichewa language, and some route names and phrases

1:18:47 – Bodie and Moses (Tyler’s adopted boys)

1:22:42 – Tyler’s thoughts on moving to Denver with two black sons, and how to provide them with mentorship

1:31:33 – “Try to use your privilege with honor.”

1:33:16 – The Climbing Initiative

1:49:48 – How listeners can support Climb Malawi and TCI

1:51:45 – Tyler’s current climbing, and working on his mental performance and making sport climbing more life-giving

1:58:43 – Who’s doing the more impressive thing, climbing at your emotional limit, grades, and having a relationship with each route

2:03:01 – A better world through climbing

2:07:35 – Gratitude for family and his wife

Follow-Up: Steve Bechtel — When to Stick With It, and Climbing His First 5.14 at Age 47 (Teaser) Nov 11, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of my second Follow-Up with Steve Bechtel. We talked about when to stick with a training program vs. when to pivot, lessons from studying the NBA, how much LeBron James deadlifts, Steve’s climbing background, and how he climbed his first 5.14 at age 47, and his advice for me to improve power endurance.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:38:35.

the-climb-strong-pcc-classroom.teachable.com/p/virtual-pcc-summit2021-2022

Virtual Performance Climbing Coach Summit:

Steve's other episodes:

EP 35: Steve Bechtel

Follow-Up: Steve Bechtel (our first one from January 2021)

EP 94: Nathaniel Coleman — Preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, Climbing in a Sauna, and Kendama Training Nov 08, 2021

Nathaniel Coleman is the men’s silver medalist of the Tokyo Olympics. We talked about his preparation for the games, training in a climbing sauna, the Olympic experience and winning silver, favorite root beer, Kendama as focus training, chess, why Nathaniel still practices the basics of climbing, doing the FA of ‘The Grand Illusion’ V16, and sport climbing plans.

Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:30 – Garbage trucks, and a Tuesday morning in the life of Nathaniel Coleman

6:04 – What the two months following the Olympics have looked like for Nathaniel

8:20 – Finding out that climbing would be in the Olympics and having qualifying as a goal

10:44 – How Nathaniel’s goals evolved throughout the process

11:45 – Nathaniel’s mantra for combined nationals 2019, and the journey to qualifying

15:25 – How Nathaniel used his mantra, and self-belief vs. letting go of expectations

17:25 – Confidence, upbringing, and competing for himself

20:27 – The dice roll of competition

22:10 – Climbing with Kyle O’Meara, Nathaniel’s relaxed approach to training as a teenager, comparing himself to Sean Bailey, and thriving on a plan with “adequate rest”

25:50 – Balancing listening to motivation and pushing through it

26:46 – Typical training volumes for World Cup climbers

30:39 – How Nathaniel’s training to qualify for the Olympics vs. how he trained for Tokyo

34:25 – Balancing World Cups with prep for Tokyo

36:01 – Building a climbing “sauna” at the USA training center

36:15 – Getting used to climbing in the heat and humidity

40:41 – How Tokyo compared to the training sauna

43:19 – What it was like to get on the plane and fly to Tokyo

46:28 – The qualifying round in Tokyo, and realizing he made finals

52:16 – Recalibrating goals after making finals

53:48 – Finals

1:03:18 – Watching Jacob top the lead route

1:05:55 – Patron Question from Tyler: When it was all said and done, what did you think about the Olympic format?

1:08:19 – More context about the Olympic format, and Nathaniel’s thoughts on continuing to speed climb after Tokyo

1:10:35 – Great Aunt Armida

1:13:04 – Nathaniel’s Instagram posts after winning silver in Tokyo

1:14:54 – What Nathaniel’s accomplishment meant for US climbing

1:17:59 – The first and second perspective-changing events in Nathaniel’s climbing career

1:19:55 – Thoughts about hard outdoor rock climbing vs. competitions moving forward

1:21:54 – How Nathaniel balances training for outdoor routes vs. competitions, and preparing for a trip to the Red

1:24:25 – Context about ‘The Grand Illusion’

1:25:02 – Patron Question from Nick: Do you have any plans to come back to work on the ‘Lee Majors’ extension?

1:27:34 – Patron Question from Timothy: Does Nathaniel ever see himself getting into highball bouldering or trad/big wall climbing?

1:28:54 – Thoughts on retiring from competitions (when and why)

1:30:40 – Rootbeer

1:32:58 – Kendama

1:35:55 – How Nathaniel still practicing the basics in climbing

1:38:56 – Bonz Atron (the Chris Sharma of Kendama)

1:40:18 – Chess

1:41:28 – What Nathaniel does to relax and recharge

1:42:52 – Special thanks to Josh, Zach, and Meg

1:44:44 – Excited for the Red

1:45:58 – Gratitude

EP 93: Tom Herbert (Part 2) —How to Relax to Improve your Passat Reserves, and Tom’s Life Story Nov 01, 2021

This is part 2 of my conversation with Tom Herbert. Tom shared some clarifications about part 1, we talked about the nervous system and the mind-body connection, how to relax before a session to improve your performance and power, how to turn off in the evenings to optimize recovery, and Tom shared about his childhood and ongoing struggle with anxiety from a chronic bladder issue.

Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

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Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:35 – Tom’s anxiety about this conversation, my bleached hair, and red bush tea

7:30 – Clarifications from Part 1, more carb considerations, and keeping a training journal

18:12 – What Tom is currently working on with Aiden Roberts, and reducing fiber to drop water weight

24:45 – Alpha GBC supplementation for vegetarians and vegans, Tom’s experiment with climbing 30 days in a row, and lessons about hydration

29:44 – The mind-body connection

33:21 – Anxiety, butterflies in your stomach, falling in love, and the physical pain of heartbreak

36:27 – Examples of working with clients with fear of specific foods, the mathematics of fat gain, and intellectual vs. emotional conversations

39:49 – Phobias, catastrophizing, pain research, and looking upstream

44:21 – Referring clients out to therapy

48:31 – The hamstring test, and the connection between breathing and relaxation

51:35 – “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, belly breathing, and the significance of climbing in a defensive (tight) state

55:18 – Reset send, and how to relax before your climbing session to increase your passat reserve

59:32 – “You have control over your mental state through your body”, the bidirectional influence of the nervous system, and heart rate variability

1:03:05 – How the parasympathetic state opens up opportunity, and the effect of imitating different postures (the Shawshank pose)

1:08:48 – Belly breathing for more passat

1:11:23 – Bracing vs creating tension

1:15:09 – Practicing turning tension on and off

1:17:31 – Strong First and creating inter abdominal pressure

1:18:43 – Sending the appropriate signal for your session, and how to prepare for powerful climbing

1:24:41 – Replenishing the creatine phosphate system

1:26:40 – How to turn off at the end of the day, and improve recovery

1:31:07 – Tricks for sleep, sleeping posture, and self-massage (knuckling)

1:35:15 – Tom’s foam roller ab stretch

1:37:37 – Where your mind should be during the evening breathing practice, and rewiring your brain patterns

1:40:35 – EMDR and brain spotting, and moving your eyes during your climbing session

1:49:39 – Opening our field of vision, and why we feel relaxed in nature or at the ocean

1:51:26 – How to increase power by marching in place, and climbing open

1:53:09 – My plans to try EMDR on Eternia

1:55:05 – Tom’s childhood

2:00:21 – Moving to the UK to become a techno DJ, and getting into debt

2:02:31 – Living off of milk and protein powder, getting kidney stones, and urinary urgency

2:04:52 – Trapped in a small world

2:08:20 – Empathy and patience for others

2:10:50 – Life is chaos, losing his sister, and turning 40

2:15:35 – Causing ripples and creating freedom for other people

2:19:10 – Doing things just because they are fun

2:21:07 – Going back to pole dance

2:22:54 – Good days and bad days, and moving in a better direction

2:24:45 – Hoping to start working with people in person again, and 2022 plans for usefulcoach

Follow-Up: Natasha Barnes — Climbing Harder in a Stronger Body (Teaser) Oct 28, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of my second Follow-Up with Natasha Barnes. We talked about how each of us has changed as climbers from gaining muscle mass, how Natasha balances training for climbing with powerlifting, how powerlifting has made her a more patient athlete, encouraging vs. forcing adaptation, separating performing and training, and each of our climbing goals.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:16:25.

Natasha's other episodes:

EP 32: Natasha Barnes

Follow-Up: Natasha Barnes (our first one from April 2021)

EP 92: Tom Herbert (Part 1) — Eating More to Train Harder, Protein Synthesis, and Carbohydrate Timing Oct 25, 2021

Tom Herbert is known as the usefulcoach, and is a leader in climbing sports nutrition. We talked about common themes in clients he works with, his philosophy of getting climbers to eat more calories to support a higher training volume, muscle protein synthesis, carbohydrate recommendations and timing, food quality, leucine supplementation, and much more.

Support the Podcast:

We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

Bryan Fast (he's the first one!)

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:37 – The ambiance of Boulder, CO

6:41 – Tom’s night at an outdoor club

8:39 – The ClimbSci podcast (Tom’s old podcast project)

10:23 – How Tom’s nutrition approach has changed since the ClimbSci podcast days, and seeking critique on Reddit

12:30 – How I connected with Tom via Hazel Findlay, and my goal for this conversation

15:04 – Who is Tom Herbert (@usefulcoach), and getting climbers to eat more to get more out of life

19:45 – Common themes in the clients Tom works with

22:56 – How climbers tend to eat the least amount of food they can get away with, and the weight of food and water

27:36 – Book recommendations are not real life, and Tom’s experiment with a cycling diet of very high carb

30:56 – Michael Phelps, and Tom’s central message of eating more so we can do more training

38:34 – Weight vs. lean mass and body composition

44:53 – Gaining lean body mass while training

47:45 – Progress in your training plan as a prime metric

50:53 – My experience with being stronger and lean but “fluffy around the middle”, Tom’s experience working with physique athletes, and breaking down the ideals we have in our heads as climbers

55:47 – The disconnect between looking badass and being badass, and “we tend to want to look like we climb harder than we actually climb.”

58:35 – “Is this everything I can do with my body?”, “Am I doing everything I can do to be healthy?”, and excepting our bodies

1:01:33 – Fat loss is not a linear process

1:02:24 – Aidan Roberts’ DEXA scan, and the cost of dieting

1:06:34 – Accounting for different bodies looking different at the same body fat percentage, and the selection bias of naturally lean people in pro climbing

1:10:42 – Tracking absolute strength, and focusing on improving the quality and the volume of your training over time

1:14:57 – Staying the same weight at higher calories, and reaching a new homeostasis if you do increase weight

1:17:44 – My experience with gaining weight, finding a new homeostasis, and getting stronger than ever before

1:20:20 – Energy availability, and how many calories Tom has his athletes eat on a rest day and training day (using me as an example)

1:29:17 – Protein, muscle-protein synthesis, and eating protein 4-5 times per day

1:37:57 – Tom’s thoughts on my daily protein intake

1:40:29 – Waving carb amounts, and Tom’s recommendations for me for daily carbs

1:44:21 – Saturating the climbing/training session with glucose, and the benefits of a low carb dinner

1:51:28 – Tom’s thoughts on carb backloading

1:57:08 – Two questions about carbs, and the main 2 reasons why Tom likes to wave carb amounts

2:04:20 – Summary of Tom’s carb strategy, and thoughts on skipping breakfast

2:06:28 – Food quality

2:08:12 – Patron question from Tyler: Thoughts on protein powders and artificial flavoring?

2:13:19 – Why Tom doesn’t like BCAA’s

2:15:51 – More on food quality and nutrient density

2:20:49 – Seed oils

2:22:19 – Tom’s stance on meat and animal products

2:24:34 – Beans, legumes, and anti-nutrients

2:27:06 – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

2:31:34 – Gratitude

EP 91: Craig DeMartino — Amputating His Leg to Climb Again, El Cap Stories, and Embracing a New Normal Oct 18, 2021

Craig DeMartino is a rock climber, motivational speaker, and teacher. His life changed in 2002 when he took a 100-foot ground fall. We talked about Craig’s accident and recovery, the decision to amputate his leg, climbing harder than ever after the accident, doing El Cap in a day, dealing with chronic pain, teaching adaptive climbing, and embracing a new normal.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:28 – El Cap, Craig’s son, and owning what you like

6:09 – His kids catching the climbing bug, and watching sports from the sidelines

8:12 – Adaptive sports, ball sports, and exploring sports outside the box

9:30 – Bouldering with a prosthetic leg

11:30 – Craig’s recent broken foot

15:23 – Trauma, avoiding getting hurt gain, and the hardware in his foot

17:00 – Being in Estes, relistening to EP 11 of the Enormocast, and sitting down in person

20:30 – Craig’s accident

36:05 – Waking up in the hospital, moving to an assisted living home, and eventually returning home

42:52 – The human body is amazing

43:51 – “Fuck it. I’m gonna cut my leg off and see what happens.” -Craig DeMartino

54:40 – “Who am I in this new form?”

56:04 – The barking dog, and the human barometer

58:42 – Pain and visualization

1:02:05 – Being honest about the ups and downs, and moving away from the accident

1:05:03 – New identities, and Hugh Herr

1:06:00 – “I would never change it”, and finding purpose in teaching adaptive sports

1:11:06 – Craig’s life before the accident, helping people now, and inclusivity

1:15:22 – Being a climber first, and the first all-adaptive ascent of El Cap

1:16:40 – Helping trauma patients find flow state through climbing

1:19:56 – Working through triggers and PTSD

1:22:56 – Craig’s recovery status

1:24:55 – How to hack the perspective without the injury, and how Will’s (Craig’s son’s) coach Mikey influenced him

1:29:15 – Question from Chris Kalous: “Why do you swear so much, Craig?”

1:31:54 – Patron question from Tyler: What made your story so captivating when you shared it on the Enormocast?

1:35:35 – Talking with Steve and remembering the accident, and going back to ‘White Man’

1:38:52 – Rannveig’s story, self-blame, and moving forward

1:41:48 – Patron question from Graham: How can people in the helping professions provide better opportunities for empowerment for people with disabilities?

1:47:23 – Patron question from Levi: How could we go about making a centralized group for adaptive climbers?

1:51:07 – How to connect with Craig

1:52:00 – Patron question from Andrew: Have you tried custom prosthetics for a specific move or route?

1:55:54 – Craig’s quiver of legs, and our amazing feet

1:58:24 – Patron question from Eli: What have been some of the hardest lessons, and best and encouraging ones since your fall?

2:00:40 – “When you get up there, don’t take no for an answer.” - HK

2:01:56 – Rock climbing is hard, and explaining rock climbing to your Grandma

2:04:04 – Patron question from Eli: What advice might you have for other climbers with kids?

2:09:09 – Most meaningful climbs since the injury, speed climbing El Cap with Hans Florine, and sport climbing with Cindy (Craig’s wife)

2:16:30 – Climbing his hardest after the accident

2:19:18 – Sending ‘Dirty Smelly Hippie’, soft grades, and feeling confident at 12d

2:23:16 – The steep style of the Red, climbing with one leg, and Tommy Caldwell as the most famous amputee

2:26:55 – Patron question from Ken Klein: Moving to Puerto Rico, what will you miss most about the Fort Collins scene? How has it evolved in your time there?

2:28:53 – Continuing the work in Puerto Rico, and chasing shorts weather

2:32:54 – Why Craig hates pants

2:34:44 – What Craig hopes to still accomplish in his climbing

2:36:48 – How the experience of climbing scales

2:37:58 – Grateful for opportunities

2:39:00 – We are all struggling with something

2:41:38 – Life is fluid

EP 90: Josh Wharton — Onsight Tips and Tricks, Training to Flash El Capitan, and Risk Assessment as a Parent Oct 11, 2021

Josh Wharton is one of the most badass climbers you’ve never heard of. He does it all at an elite level. We talked about tips for hard flashing and onsighting, how alpine climbing relates to rock climbing, training to flash El Cap, the value of taking risks in life, being a climbing parent, climbing in Pakistan, how to find an adventure without flying overseas, and the benefits of stiff shoes.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:55 – Josh’s age, and physical vs. technical/tactical progression

5:40 – How Josh manages to be such a good all-arounder and still climb 5.14

9:13 – Trying to do every route in the Black Canyon and Rifle

11:42 – Uber loc(al)s, and using obscure easy routes to prepare for big mountains

13:02 – Josh’s flash and onsight ability, tips and tricks, and climbing with a lot of confidence

17:01 – How to get better at onsighting and flashing

18:49 – Why Josh made the decision to stop redpointing routes he knows he can do

20:11 – Overlapping flashing or onsighting

22:30 – Josh’s go-to schedule for combining onsighting with projecting on a trip

24:22 – How being a parent has changes Josh’s climbing priorities, rock climbing and alpine climbing as different sports, and the rewards of alpine climbing

30:53 – “Everything is training, and nothing is training”, and alpine climbing in the Canadian Rockies

35:43 – Having dinner with Barry Blanchard

37:03 – A message from Jonah, and what Josh has learned from each type of climbing

40:26 – Variety as a source of motivation

42:20 – A glimpse into Josh’s experience climbing Wheeler Peak

48:04 – Patron question from Timothy: Why did Josh climb in the Black Canyon so much? What routes had the biggest impact on him?

54:03 – Latok and Ogar

56:21 – The cost of a trip to Pakistan

59:48 – What a trip to Pakistan looks like, and “Expectations often define an experience.”

1:01:17 – More about Latok

1:03:50 – How Josh would prepare for another attempt on Latok

1:09:02 – Sport dry tooling, and winning the Ouray Ice Fest three years in a row

1:12:48 – Learned about training from dry tooling competitions

1:16:27 – The evolution of Josh’s training, and principles of training

1:22:05 – The secret sauce

1:25:02 – Josh’s training staples, and working with Lattice

1:29:54 – Getting away from having to perform well every time you go climbing

1:32:24 – Prioritizing climbing vs. training

1:33:24 – Josh’s 60-degree campus board (joke), and how the Lattice training is going

1:37:04 – Josh’s goal for 2021 (try to flash Freerider)

1:39:55 – How Josh set the boulder problem on Freerider to spec

1:41:37 – Preparing for the Monster Offwidth

1:43:50 – Yuji’s article about trying to onsight El Cap

1:45:14 – Patron questions from Henry: How much has parenthood reduced your tolerance for risk?

1:50:55 – Hera, and Josh’s parallel universe in the NBA

1:52:40 – Using climbing as a tool for travel, and more about climbing as a parent

1:55:26 – Josh’s early climbing with his dad

1:57:16 – Patron question from Garret: Any CO areas that don’t get the respect they deserve?

1:59:12 – Patron question from Randall: Favorite zone or route in Montana? Other favorites in the States?

2:02:10 – Patron question from Benjamin: Thoughts on the new Scarpa Boostic?

2:05:35 – Shoe stiffness for Rifle, and analyzing the soft shoe trend

2:07:42 – Shoe sizes, and Josh’s shoe plan for Freerider

2:10:03 – Patron question from Benjamin: If Josh could only climb in one discipline for the rest of his life, what would he choose?

2:10:41 – What’s next for Josh?

2:14:55 – Gratitude

EP 89: Q&A 3 — How My Training Has Evolved, How to Stay Strong on a Road Trip, and Life Mottos Oct 04, 2021

In Q&A 3, I tackle patron questions about my two most successful winters of training on my home wall back in Bend, how my training has evolved and what it looks like now, how to maintain strength while living on the road and climbing full-time, advice for nomadic living, life mottos, try-hard mindset, hair dye, M&Ms, singalong jams, and much more.

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/coaching

One-On-One Consultations:

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-3

Nuggets:

0:00 – Q&A 3 overview, and info about Patreon and one-on-one consultations

5:05 – Faelan’s Question: Lessons from two winters of training on my (Steven’s) home wall, and my best week of climbing ever

16:20 – Andrew K’s Question: Have you ever visited The New or other east coast crags? What areas do you dream of visiting?

17:44 – Jimmy’s Question: How much running should someone do for sport climbing to build cardio?

20:39 – Joe’s Question: Am I limiting myself by only climbing near home in Tahoe? Which areas should I travel to in order to grow the most as a climber?

25:03 – Joe’s Question: Any advice for me as I pursue a new video project and start creating content?

28:19 – Andrew W’s Question: Why have you struggled to make gains in your training in the past? How has your training evolved? How do you train now?

35:30 – Andrew W’s Question: Tips for building and maintaining community while living on the road?

38:08 – Andrew W’s Question: Do you have a quote or motto that best describes your approach to living?

41:26 – Casey’s Question: Any advice for training/maintaining strength while living on the road?

48:42 – Clay’s Question: How do you think about the question, “How do you think about that?”

51:19 – Casey M’s Question: Did you really dye your hair blonde? Why not purple?

52:44 – Casey M’s Question: Any person totally non-climbing-related that you would love to have on the podcast?

55:52 – Casey M’s Question: Have you ever absentmindedly picked all of the M&Ms out of someone else's trail mix?

56:19 – Casey M’s Question: You are riding in the car with a friend and you are the DJ: what do you pick to sing along to?

57:23 – Casey M’s Question: What mindset do you try to channel when trying hard?

59:00 – Casey M’s Question: When will you start trying to do stunts in videos? Can we send you skateboard tricks?

Follow-Up: Allison Vest — ‘Throwin’ the Houlian’, Mono Training, and the Periodic Table of Elements (Teaser) Sep 30, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Allison Vest. We talked about her sends of ‘Throwin’ the Houlihan’ and ‘Rodeo Free Europe’ (both 5.14a) at the Wild Iris, how she trained her fingers for the savage monos, stories and laughs from her road trip with Alex Johnson, rapping, reciting the Periodic Table of Elements in under 45 seconds, music collaborations, and much more.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 53:16.

EP 88: Ben Ditto — Early Climbing and Photography, Dynafit Dangling, and Adventures With the ‘Wild Bunch’ Sep 27, 2021

Ben Ditto is a professional climber and photographer from Bishop, California. We talked about Ben’s upbringing and early climbing, competing against Chris Sharma and Tommy Caldwell, falling in love with the mountains, Dynafit dangling and near-death experiences, advice for aspiring photographers, The Adventures of the Dodo, and climbing ‘Father Time’ with his wife Katie Lambert. You can learn more about Ben at bendittophoto.com

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ben-ditto

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:26 – Filming a car commercial

4:54 – Ben’s studio, and staying interested in learning new things

6:58 – Ben’s photography, Instagram captions, and visual storytelling

9:18 – Getting started in photography, Ben’s first camera, and photography as a ticket to freedom

11:42 – Pursuing a life that doesn’t fit in a box, growing up in Chattanooga TN, and Ben’s dad

16:01 – Early climbing

19:34 – ‘Scared guy’

24:18 – Hunter S Thomson quote, “the edge is still out there.”

25:05 – Belaying his dad, improving, getting into competition climbing, and flying to San Francisco

34:54 – Failing to perform well on a national stage, and competing at Mission Cliffs against Chris Sharma and Tommy Caldwell

39:09 – Early sponsorships

42:28 – Moving to Salt Lake, working at the Patagonia store, and falling in love with mountains

44:46 – Climbing in the Wasatch, climbing with heroes, American Fork, and finding a different crew

50:28 – Career choices, going with what feels natural, and delaying big decisions

53:38 – Making stuff, trade booths, getting back into photography, noticing the impact we have on the planet, studying photojournalism, and learning by managing other photographers

1:01:30 – Ben’s advice for aspiring photographers

1:05:22 – Patron Question from Elliot: How to take photos while alpine climbing?

1:08:01 – Behind the scenes of great alpine photography

1:10:40 – Climbing and photography as separate things

1:13:38 – Patron Question from Tim: What location or climber are you most proud of photographing?

1:18:55 – ‘Dynafit dangler’

1:32:48 – Processing risk and death, and “You owe it to your climbing partners to really want to be there.”

1:38:01 – Stacking the odds in your favor, and being involved in search and rescue

1:44:17 – Driving as a pet peeve, and environmental considerations

1:47:17 – The Wild Bunch

1:57:11 – Harmonica, traveling solo in Patagonia, and sailing to Greenland

2:04:20 – ‘The Adventures of the Doto’

2:10:32 – The group’s current adventures

2:13:29 – Climbing ‘Father Time’ with Katie, and the strategy vs. ethics of big wall free climbing

2:30:16 – Relaxing after the climb, and difficulty of the route

2:34:08 – Beefing up the resume, and jumping into the commercial world

2:38:11 – Gratitude, and plans for a trip to the South

2:40:24 – Update on my climbing, Ben’s website, and working on accident reports

EP 87: Alita Contreras — Learning Languages, Coaching Women to Climb Powerfully, and Translating Training Books Sep 20, 2021

Alejandra (Alita) Contreras is a half Colombian half Venezualan professional rock climber, coach, and translator. We talked about the economic situation in Venezuela and why she moved to Colombia six years ago, about living in Germany and translating training books by Udo Neumann, about coaching women, our global climbing family, and her current 5.14a project.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alita-contreras

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:50 – Alegria

3:52 – Alita vs. Alejandra

6:40 – The situation in Venezuela, and why Alita emigrated to Columbia

14:21 – Studying languages, Alita’s father, singing opera, and becoming interested in Germany

18:48 – Separating languages in your head

21:13 – Tips for learning a new language

25:36 – Thinking differently, and having different personalities in different languages

28:13 – Bad milk

29:42 – The many things Alita does for work, and coaching a women’s group

34:05 – Patterns Alita notices in working with women climbers, and what she works on with her group

39:23 – Empowering girls and educating guys

41:46 – Researching a new project to help women with cancer regain physical and emotional health through climbing

45:55 – Translating Udo Neuman’s books into Spanish

48:30 – Parallels with translating and the podcast, and the big takeaways from Udo’s books

54:51 – In Search of Greatness (documentary), going with the current of motivation, and being honest with yourself

59:11 – The powerful 13a that Alita is most proud of (even though she has climbed 13d)

1:02:29 – My season of seeking out obscure 12d’s at Smith, and the benefit of climbing easier routes outside of your best style

1:05:16 – Alita’s 14a project

1:08:59 – Macheta climbing area, and a description of the 14a

1:10:45 – Alita’s video of ‘Los Tenahos Contratican’, and similarities to Hueco

1:11:33 – Dreams of climbing at the Red, and climbing in Europe

1:12:53 – Alita’s favorite climbing destinations

1:15:00 – Living and climbing near the equator, and tactics for projecting when you don’t have seasons

1:19:10 – How Alita thinks about yearly goals

1:21:12 – Continuing to improve, and enjoying the process

1:26:07 – Living in Canada, competing in one competition, and Alita’s hype-up song

1:31:33 – Patron question from Eli: What is the local climbing like in your area? Similarities and differences in climbing cultures around the world?

1:36:18 – Gratitude for Alegria (her dog)

1:39:46 – A new opportunity

1:37:25 – Aspirations to be a pro-climber?

1:39:01 – Vulnerability and the gift of sharing

1:40:10 – Gratitude, and meaningful connections

EP 86: Dylan Barks — Spray Wall Sessions, RMNP Rampaging, and Recovering From an Eating Disorder Sep 13, 2021

Dylan Barks is an elite-level boulder and sport climber, and a dark horse in the climbing scene. He sent ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’, his first V16, just two weeks after this interview. We talked about how Dylan uses a spray wall for 95% of his training, how he prepares for both bouldering and sport climbing trips, and about recovering from an eating disorder to climb his hardest ever.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dylan-barks

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:00 – Vanlife pipedreams, Dylan’s work and school, and finding his groove climbing outside

7:05 – Being in both the competition and outdoor worlds

8:30 – Bad haircut timing, and the alpine as a harsh and special place

11:32 – How Dylan prepared for his trip to RMNP, and spray wall training for both bouldering and sport climbing

14:11 – Dylan’s training philosophy, and why he uses the spray wall

16:24 – The value of benchmarks, and mixing limit bouldering with perfect repeats

17:58 – ‘A Day in Boone’, how Dylan has trained his capacity, and session format

21:40 – The line between capacity training vs. junk mileage

23:45 – Deep dive: spray wall session format

26:32 – 60 move circuits, running, and pushing through vs. resting

31:23 – Watching Dylan on ‘Wild Cat’, and his story about competing against Daniel Woods

37:00 – Internalizing the feeling of a move, and bringing intention to all of your climbing

39:17 – Sending ‘White Noise’, and finding another gear on this trip

40:20 – Taking the lower grade, and being his own harshest critic

41:32 – Where Dylan sees a lot of climbers going wrong in their training and improvement

43:44 – Coaching Jon, and coaching the team in MI

45:43 – Starting climbing at summer camp

46:33 – ‘Southern Smoke Direct’, taking a hiatus due to an eating disorder, and the light at the end of a dark tunnel

48:52 – Sharing about an eating disorder, and how Dylan’s struggle started

51:51 – Dysmorphia, and “Your body’s got it.”

56:00 – A couple of paragraphs from ‘Weighing In’

1:01:13 – Trusting the process, seeing things working, and the tricks our mind can play on us

1:04:57 – Looking at old pictures

1:06:04 – What 18-year-old Dylan needed to hear

1:08:28 – Going to the hospital, rebuilding relationships, and turning things around

1:10:48 – Mike, and “feed the beast”

1:12:14 – Untapped potential for strength, and thoughts vs. actions

1:15:08 – Navigating negative thoughts

1:17:00 – Using your climbing and training as the main driver for body composition

1:20:19 – Climbing ‘Arrested Development’ second try

1:24:15 – Mindful climbing, and being in the present moment

1:25:52 – Practicing mindfulness

1:26:52 – If you could only do one more hard rock climb…

1:28:35 – That “click”

1:30:14 – Southern sandstone

1:31:21 – Go-to climbing shoes

1:33:02 – Warming up your technique

1:34:35 – Trying ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’

1:36:04 – School, and getting out his “ya yas”

1:37:25 – Aspirations to be a pro-climber?

1:39:01 – Vulnerability and the gift of sharing

1:40:10 – Gratitude, and meaningful connections

Follow-Up: Steve Maisch — My Summer Training Plan, Listener Q&A, and Steve’s Go-To Training Exercises (Teaser) Sep 09, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Steve Maisch. We talked about the aerobic system and oxygen testing with Tyler Nelson, how to maintain climbing fitness during mountain biking season, my summer training program and my plan for the fall and winter, how Steve is preparing for his own trip to Hueco this winter, and we did a listener Q&A from our last episode.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 2:45:31.

EP 85: Emil Abrahamsson — Trying Hard Projects, Hangboarding Two Times Per Day, and a Career on YouTube Sep 06, 2021

Emil Abrahamsson is an elite boulderer, route setter, and YouTuber from Sweden. We talked about goal setting and projecting his first V15 as a V9 climber, the importance of psych and inspiration, experimenting with hangboarding two times per day, how to do one-arm pullups, sharing the experience of outdoor climbing through films, and making a living through his YouTube channel.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/emil-abrahamsson

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:11 – Building a van and planning a bouldering trip around Europe

6:01 – My bouldering goals, Emil’s progression, and setting goals

9:27 – Trying a V15 as a V9 climber, and how a lot of climbers stay “comfortable” at a specific level

12:53 – ‘The Big Island’

17:17 – Emil’s first day of climbing, struggling early on, and getting hooked

19:38 – Alternating difficulty and volume goals

21:32 – ‘The Queen Mother’ (Emil’s first 8B/V13 project in Stockholm), and the limiting power of expectations

29:21 – Reflecting on ‘The Queen Mother’, and prioritizing psych and motivation

32:00 – Felix

37:13 – “Swiss Recruitment”, or the Swiss style of projecting

41:00 – How Emil got into YouTubing, capturing the experience of outdoor climbing, and my impression as a viewer

44:27 – Forgetting to charge the batteries, and the stress vs. fun of filming

47:42 – Work-life balance when you love your work, and turning YouTubing into a career

49:34 – How to balance capturing footage with training or performing, and capturing the good and the bad

51:15 – Emil’s “No Hangs” hangboard video, and his caveat for training advice

56:00 – Quick overview of the “No Hang” hangboard protocol, and Emil’s theory of why his fingers got stronger

1:00:16 – We get most of our strength through climbing

1:01:41 – 4x4s and other climbing games

1:04:10 – Training your strengths, and practicing weaknesses through climbing

1:06:59 – How Emil structures his training, and embracing the stretching “pain game”

1:11:49 – Turning challenges into positives, and the benefits Emil has noticed from stretching

1:14:46 – Patron question from Florian about avoiding crimping early on in his climbing, and how Emil worked to improve his crimp strength later

1:18:34 – How Emil rewired his brain to think, “Full crimps are comfortable. I can enjoy these.”

1:19:32 – Emil’s crimp progression and current level

1:21:53 – One-arm pull-ups, 4mm crimps, front levers, and getting weaker on purpose to get better at technique

1:28:55 – Emil’s recommendations for progressing to a one-arm pullup

1:33:41 – How Emil pronounces his name, and a Patron question from Flynn about training for indoors vs. outdoors and competing in World Cups

1:41:12 – Flash training

1:43:44 – World Cup goals, and the flame of competition

1:47:34 – What is one of the weirdest/worst training experiments that you’ve tried?

1:50:24 – Favorite films, the critical eye, and the need for consistent content

1:54:48 – Recommendations for new viewers

1:56:35 – Emil’s dream collaboration

1:58:17 – Gratitude

2:01:03 – Finishing the van, and plans for Switzerland and Italy

EP 84: Boone Speed — Training in the Hell Cave, the Grasshopper Board, and the Future of Artificial Climbing Aug 30, 2021

Boone Speed is a photographer, innovator, and was the first American to climb 5.14b with his route ‘Super Tweak’ in Logan Canyon, UT. We talked about Boone’s upbringing, discovering climbing in American Fork, most memorable routes and trips, bolting and training in the Hell Cave, creating the Grasshopper Board, and his vision for the future of artificial climbing.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/boone-speed

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:17 – The Paleo Diet, and Boone’s lunchables

4:51 – Twitching on airplanes, and cutting out sugar

6:09 – Being a picky eater as a kid

6:47 – Growing up in Lindon UT, and the development of Silicon Slope

8:11 – Working at the bronze foundry as a teenager, and Boone’s dad

12:48 – The expectations Boone’s parents had for him, and being proud of how he’s lived his life

14:42 – Thriving in the chaos, and Boone’s beautiful and art-filled house

15:35 – Boone’s sister, ‘Frequent Flyers’, and advice from his mom about raising his son

21:07 – Ignoring bad behavior and praising good behavior

22:20 – His son being surrounded by art, and getting into product design

24:34 – How Boone got “bitten” by climbing, Smith Rock, and early “sport climbing” in 1986

27:17 – Ice climbing and telemark skiing

29:32 – Climbing his first 5.13 in 1987, getting the power drill, and developing sport routes at Red Rocks

33:33 – Studying photography and design at BYU

33:59 – Hanging out in American Fork as a kid, and discovering climbing there

37:04 – The Hell Cave

44:37 – Milestones in The Hell Cave for Boone

47:33 – The steepest crag in the world

49:35 – Establishing the rest of Hell

50:44 – The first snowbird comp, and getting validation from the guys in the magazines

52:49 – Getting recognition, developing the VRG, and texting Ondra after he did ‘Necessary Evil’

56:23 – Boone’s first climbing gym in a storage unit in 1987, and training by climbing every single day

58:55 – Working at IME, Boone’s mom, and the structure of a photograph

1:03:12 – Climbing as a healthy addiction, and blending climbing with art

1:06:31 – The photography Boone has in his house

1:08:28 – The throughline of innovation, and creating stuff for themselves

1:10:37 – The first crash pads, and climbing ‘Midnight Lightning’ with The Spot

1:14:12 – The “need” that lead to starting Grasshopper

1:19:14 – How I could train for ‘Just Do It’ on the Grasshopper board

1:21:03 – My experience with training on a home woody, repetition as a path to mastery, and running laps in the Hell Cave

1:23:18 – A day in the Hell Cave

1:25:17 – ‘Ice Cream’ in Hell

1:27:57 – The two moments in climbing that have blown Boone away

1:29:09 – The responsibility of pushing climbing forward, and passing the torch to Chris Sharma

1:34:47 – Memories from a trip to China with Sharma and MC, and other favorite memories

1:36:31 – Watching old climbing films with his wife Bailey

1:37:23 – Working on Grasshopper with MC and Bailey

1:43:45 – Addressing the climbing need, and installing a Grasshopper at a brand new HOA

1:47:38 – Training on ergonomic vs. sharp and tweaky holds

1:52:24 – What products Grasshopper is currently offering

1:56:21 – Creating products as an excuse “to make good photos again”, and finding product-market fit with the Grasshopper board

2:02:06 – The route function

2:10:12 – ‘Necessary Evil’, yoga, and strengthening

2:12:57 – Tequila, surfing, wanting to perform, and using the board to stay within striking distance

2:19:03 – What is standing between Boone and ‘Necessary Evil’, and Boone’s pandemic routine

2:21:37 – How to be a fit 56-year-old

2:24:20 – Yoga

2:25:56 – Gratitude

2:26:29 – Good things take time

2:28:42 – How Boone and I met

Follow-Up: Nathan Hadley — Two Routes on The Diamond (Teaser) Aug 28, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Nathan Hadley. We talked about his recent 10-day trip to RMNP, in which he sent ‘The Honeymoon is Over’ and flashed the ‘Gambler’s Fallacy’ on The Diamond. We talked about how Nathan prepared for the trip, how he and his partner Mike Kerzhner sussed ‘The Honeymoon’, and the day of the send.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:03:36.

EP 83: Neely Quinn — Lessons from the TrainingBeta Podcast, Nutrition Advice for Climbers, and Kids vs. Houses Aug 23, 2021

Neely Quinn is the founder of TrainingBeta, and the long-time host of The TrainingBeta Podcast. We talked about Neely’s health journey and discovering paleo, not wanting a boss, why she decided to create TrainingBeta, lessons learned from hosting 160+ interviews, injuries and surgery, project piano pieces, kids vs. houses, and her new puppy named Willa.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/neely-quinn

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:30 – The other side of the mic

4:11 – Singing and piano, and hating performing

7:21 – Connections between podcasting, climbing, and music

10:00 – Not wanting a boss, creating TrainingBeta, and Neely’s background in the paleo world

11:40 – Neely’s initial plan for TrainingBeta, and the podcast as an afterthought

12:35 – Scratching her own itch, getting fired, and brainstorming

16:48 – Downloads and reads, the weight loss topic, and my eating disorder story

20:58 – How to talk about fat loss, and how to do that in a healthy manner

24:09 – Writing a book about the paleo diet, Neely’s health journey, and the impact of food on health

29:15 – Neely’s diet before paleo

30:19 – Why Neely rarely recommends the paleo diet, and the individuality of nutrition coaching

32:42 – Neely’s most common nutrition recommendations (carb sources, protein, and artificials)

37:06 – Neely’s diet

39:06 – Chocolate

40:14 – Common symptoms that are often connected to food

44:14 – How to think about doing an elimination diet (if you are having symptoms)

47:44 – Patron question from PogoStickJoe: Efficacy from Collagen?

50:34 – Probiotics

53:48 – Neely’s nutrition coaching and program

55:22 – Neely’s surprise at the success of the TrainingBeta podcast and blog

56:56 – The early days, growing TrainingBeta, and different measures of success

1:01:31 – Balancing a business with climbing

1:02:27 – Commitment, and the entrepreneurial spirit

1:04:46 – Top lessons that Neely has learned from hosting 160+ episodes of the TrainingBeta podcast

1:07:54 – Mindset, self-improvement, and the early days of training content

1:10:31 – Some of the training exercises that helped Neely get to be her strongest ever, and wrist curls

1:14:02 – Injuries, handstands, and wrist surgery

1:16:26 – The ebbs and flows of motivation, and learning to be kinder to ourselves

1:18:23 – Imposter syndrome, and being a conduit for information

1:20:06 – ‘Tomb Raider’, and being enough

1:20:53 – Depression, comparison, and putting things in perspective

1:23:59 – Piano, music, and balancing passions

1:27:24 – Reality TV, and the Bachelorette

1:28:36 – Children vs. house

1:29:26 – Kids

1:32:36 – Willa and projecting

1:34:18 – Patron question from Howard: Favorite local gym and favorite front range crag?

1:35:32 – Rifle and the Red River Gorge

1:36:29 – Getting recognized at the crag

1:37:45 – New stuff with TrainingBeta, and adult climbing teams

1:39:56 – Gratitude

1:40:51 – Upcoming climbing trips, and closing thoughts

EP 82: Christine Deyo — Learning Creativity, Fontainebleau Circuits, and the Role of Diversity in Route Setting Aug 16, 2021

Christine Deyo is a professional route setter, and the former head route setter at the Austin Bouldering Project. We talked about Christine’s path to route setting, learning to be creative, setting challenges and games, the Fontainebleau circuit system, the responsibility of route setters, competitions, the role of diversity in setting, and the future of the climbing industry.

Support the Podcast:

Become a Patron:

ClimbWell Retreat:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/christine-deyo

Use code "NUGGET10" for 10% discount!

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:30 – Christine’s dad, and falling in love with bouldering

4:44 – Why Oregon?

6:02 – Studying biochemistry, unemployment, and discovering route setting

9:38 – The Nightly Business Report on PBS

11:58 – Christine’s early route setting education

14:26 – How route setting qualifications have evolved, and what Christine looks for when hiring a route setter

18:57 – Three notable chapters in Christine’s evolution as a route setter

28:36 – What makes a good setter?

34:33 – The circuit system at the Bouldering Projects

36:33 – How circuits work in Fontainebleau

41:22 – How grades work within circuits

44:23 – Combining the circuit system with the training boards, and improving at climbing aside from strength

47:10 – How Christine uses the circuit system for training purposes

50:45 – Patron question from Tyler: What are your thoughts on parkour-style setting and balancing that with movement found on real rock?

58:16 – Patron question from Joe: Are there ways to get setters around the world to collaborate more?

1:03:17 – Patron question from Tim: Where do you draw inspiration from when setting routes? (Christine’s collection of note cards.)

1:07:30 – Creativity can be learned, creating constraints, and route setting challenges/games

1:13:01 – Tonde’s email, the responsibility of setters, and the role of diversity in route setting

1:20:31 – Questions from Tonde: What value do female setters bring to a setting team? Why bother with diversity?

1:26:28 – More questions from Tonde: Is setting art? Where is setting going? The future of setting for competitions?

1:30:45 – The role route setters play in competitions

1:44:52 – What is the value of route setters in the climbing industry?

1:47:50 – Safety in route setting

1:53:06 – Setter salaries, ages, and turnover

1:56:54 – How we move setting forward as a profession

2:02:03 – Christine’s tips for taking care of yourself as a route set

2:09:04 – Christine’s career, and what’s next

2:14:19 – Learning to set dynos

2:19:55 – Gratitude

Follow-Up: Dru Mack — Play Hard. Rest Hard. (Teaser) Aug 12, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Dru Mack. We talked about how his approach has changed since our first conversation, the process of sending ‘Life of Villains’ 14d, and how he used a hangboard to improve his power endurance for the route, intentional breathing, rest day adventures, recent books, new music, and the goal of 5.15.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 48:46.

EP 81: Hazel Findlay — The Ego, Fear of Falling, and Mental Training for ‘Magic Line’ Aug 09, 2021

Hazel Findlay is a professional climber and mental training coach from the UK, known for her boldness on dangerous and difficult trad routes. We talked about common themes in mental coaching, how the ego manifests in our climbing, supporting your partners, fear of falling, and Hazel’s mental approach while projecting the legendary ‘Magic Line’, her first 5.14c.

ClimbWell Retreat:

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:00 – Talking across time zones, and Hazel’s home in Wales

7:00 – Masters studies, Brexit + covid, and Hazel’s lifestyle these days

9:33 – Being trapped on the ferry curing covid

11:25 – Weather in Wales

16:11 – Priorities, balancing climbing, coaching, and school, and doing stuff that involves others

20:52 – Coaching is asking questions, and helping people figure out what they want and how they can get there

25:27 – The ego

27:42 – How the ego manifests in our climbing, and loosening our attachment to outcomes

30:52 – Patron Question from Tyler: What type of people are most likely to seek coaching?

33:42 – Patron Question from Tyler: Differences between men and women (in general) when it comes to fear of falling

37:05 – Patron Question from Tyler: Advice when supporting someone who is working on their mental game?

40:37 – More resources on fear of falling

41:32 – Patron Question from Kellen: Differences between advanced and new climbers when it comes to mental training needs.

43:17 – Patron Question from Will: How to balance between confidence vs. cockiness, and cultural differences in confidence

48:46 – Magic Line description

54:51 – Hazel’s mental practice while climbing Magic Line

58:18 – Jasna’s email, and what inspired Hazel about Magic Line

1:04:19 – Question from Jasna: How did Hazel prepare for the possibility of failure?

1:07:37 – Keeping your head and climbing better

1:08:40 – Daily mental practices

1:11:20 – Hazel’s thoughts on the lack of publicity of Magic Line

1:15:17 – Patron Question from Jen: Any advice from Hazel’s shoulder surgery and recovery?

1:24:03 – Patron Question from AnnaMarie: Most memorable climb?

1:25:03 – Next El Cap route?

1:25:56 – Escaping to Greece during covid, and her upcoming trip to the states

1:29:14 – How to connect with Hazel

1:30:18 – Gratitude

EP 80: Robb Wolf — Prioritizing Protein, the Importance of Sleep, and a Case for a Meat Inclusive Diet Aug 02, 2021

Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist and 2x New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat. We talked about his breakfast, how he tackles nutrition with his two kids, his path to the paleo diet, why low-carb is not necessarily ideal for hard-charging athletes, the importance of protein and sleep, and about his latest book Sacred Cow.

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/robb-wolf

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:17 – Overview of the conversation

5:22 – Robb’s breakfast breakdown

9:22 – Savory breakfast, protein, and how Robb navigates nutrition with his kids

13:49 – Robb’s background in biochemistry, studying cancer, ulcerative colitis, and his path to ancestral diets and paleo in 1998

17:34 – Establishing the 1st and 4th Crossfit Affiliate gyms, working with athletes on their nutrition, and helping normal people with complex health issues

22:13 – Why I (Steven) appreciate Robb’s mindset around learning and coaching, and some of the issues Robb witnessed with hard-charging Crossfit athletes, and when low-carb and fasting might be inappropriate

30:04 – Common symptoms other than leanness that can be tied to our diets

36:00 – Biggest bang-for-your-buck recommendations from Robb related to diet and lifestyle (protein and sleep)

39:51 – The importance of sleep, and the effects of sleep deprivation

42:34 – Robb’s parallel sleep universe

44:14 – Practical recommendations for a climber at a burger joint, and Robb’s breakfast club

46:46 – Protein powders and supplements vs. whole foods

51:05 – Sacred Cow, a case for better meat, and breaking down the carbon and methane life cycle of beef production

1:02:33 – Water use for beef and almonds

1:06:00 – Putting on your high school debate hat, and reversing desertification with ruminant animals

1:09:17 – Forbes article, and how big food and big pharma benefit from a meatless planet (and why that should concern us)

1:11:21 – Is the solution still to eat “less” meat?

1:21:09 – Patron Question from Max: Are hotdogs Paleo?

1:21:59 – Patreon Question from Yoni: How does Robb challenge his own beliefs and biases?

1:28:05 – LMNT electrolytes and The Healthy Rebellion

1:31:33 – Gratitude

Follow-Up: Ron Kauk — Listener Q&A, Who Punched John Bachar, and a Plane Full of Weed (Teaser) Jul 29, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Ron Kauk. We tackled listener questions about bouldering without crash pads, favorite routes, the legendary “fight” in camp 4, the influence of native culture, how to stay present when projecting, and the plane that crashed in Lower Merced Pass Lake in 1977.

Become a Patron to get access to the full episode! And support the podcast!

*The full version is 1:47:11.

EP 79: Tyler Nelson — A Deep Dive Into Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), Finger Training, and Doughnut Eating Jul 26, 2021

Dr. Tyler Nelson is the owner of Camp4 Human Performance and specializes in tendon loading, strengthening, and rehabilitation. We talked about blood flow restriction training (BFR), and how it can be used for injury rehab, active recovery, or getting stronger. We also talked about finger training, and why most hangboard protocols are more similar than different.

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tyler-nelson

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:18 – Doughnuts and wiffle ball

6:08 – Overview of the conversation, and Tyler’s dad

11:53 – Chiropractic medicine and watching his dad help people as a kid

14:48 – Tyler’s education

16:38 – Starting to climb in college

18:43 – Wanting to work with athletes, and studying tendinopathy

21:06 – Tyler’s path to C4HP (Camp 4 Human Performance) and the work he does now

25:48 – Root cause

28:29 – Tyler’s most common recommendation: more variation

32:33 – How BFR (blood flow restriction) was created

37:31 – What BFR looks like, what’s happening, and why it works

45:41 – How you would use BFR for a shoulder injury, and literal vs. physiological intensity

51:36 – How you would use BRF to rehab a pulley injury

54:18 – Why Tyler underpressurized the cuffs the first time he does BFR with an athlete

56:33 – Should you try BRF at home?

58:43 – A BRF protocol Tyler tried for finger strength training

1:02:40 – How you might use BRF for training (big picture)

1:05:20 – How often should you use BFR?

1:07:03 – Repeaters vs. max hangs, and how to think about long-term finger training

1:12:15 – Why is BRF useful as a short-term recovery tool?

1:15:02 – Using BRF prior to your sessions, and for warming up for hard climbing

1:18:31 – Finger training doesn’t need to be complicated

1:20:09 – Density hangs

1:22:58 – Emil Abrahamsson, Keith Bar, and the “No Hangs” hangboard protocol

1:31:20 – The optimal loading range for tendon pathologies, and why most strength protocols are more similar than they are different

1:34:45 – Tendon stiffness, and how unloading can stiffen the system

1:38:58 – Speculating about physiological explanations for why Emil’s program worked so well

1:40:58 – Don’t get sweaty and tired on the hangboard, and separating hangboard training from our climbing workouts

1:44:58 – Finger anatomy, condiles, bone lengths, customized finger training

1:52:33 – Doughnut eating

1:53:46 – New tattoo

1:55:03 – Guitar riffs

1:57:20 – Tyler’s wife

EP 78: Jason Kehl — Karate Screams, Chronology of Hairstyles, and Bouldering with Cargo Nets Jul 19, 2021

Jason Kehl is a professional rock climber known for his highball bouldering ascents, and unique artistic expression. We talked about karate and how screaming helps his climbing, roof climbing in his parents' basement, a chronology of his haircuts, vans he’s lived in, having kids, bouldering with cargo nets in Hueco Tanks, and notable highball ascents like ‘Evilution’ and ‘The Fly’.

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jason-kehl

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:05 – Karate

6:48 – Power screaming and made-up words

9:20 – ‘Count to Six and Die’

10:47 – Growing up in a small town in Maryland, climbing trees, the basement home wall, and Jason’s go-to move

15:53 – Parental support

16:34 – Jason’s journey to bouldering, and climbing ‘Evilution’

20:25 – Getting noticed for highballing, and bouldering ‘The Fly’

25:15 – Joe’s Valley

27:29 – Jason in High School, pocket protectors, and the weird kid’s lunch table

30:51 – Developing his image, sponsorship, and performing for an audience

32:45 – The competition disguise

33:50 – Jason’s theme song

35:25 – A chronicle of Jason’s hairstyles

42:30 – The Dreaded Wudan Mullet

43:30 – A chronicle of Jason’s vans

47:35 – Falling in love with Hueco, and climbing in the summer

52:30 – Are there any FAs left in Hueco?

55:37 – Having kids, and focusing your time

1:06:38 – Cargo nets

1:17:35 – Social Media, and being a professional climber

1:25:44 – Patron Question from Logan: What was the most difficult part of dropping everything to be a pro climber?

1:28:01 – Odd jobs

1:29:39 – Patron Question from Will: How did the NE influence his climbing?

1:33:16 – Patron Question from Nick: Do you ever go back and repeat dangerous climbs you’ve done before?

1:35:53 – Gratitude

1:37:40 – Don’t give away the beta

1:41:22 – Reminders and stuff I’m excited about

EP 77: Allison Vest — A Competitor’s Mindset, Fun Challenges, and the Secret to One-Arm Hangs Jul 12, 2021

Allison Vest is a 3x Canadian National Champion in bouldering. We talked about her mindset after a recent competition, moving to SLC and training with her roommate Kyra Condie, goals and confidence, the downward spiral of failure, her training schedule, the secrets to one-arm hangs and campusing, having fun, Instagram challenges, and learning how to topout boulders.

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/allison-vest

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Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:24 – The climbing closet

4:55 – World cup debrief, and the post-comp headspace

11:23 – A mix of emotions

12:49 – The motivation of a competition climber

17:30 – Goals, confidence, and failure

23:48 – How Allison and Kyra debrief competitions, and opposite personalities

24:40 – The benefit of not being teammates

28:09 – Growing up in Canada and meeting Kyra Condie

32:30 – Salt Lake City as the epicenter of training

35:58 – Playfulness and “Fail Friday”

41:47 – Instagram Challenges (backpack and shorts dynos

45:06 – The standing splits challenge

47:33 – Combining training with play

52:43 – Priorities vs. powering through, and how Allison got the nickname “Big Al”

59:26 – Allison’s training volume, and comparing different high-level climbers

1:03:11 – Campusing

1:05:42 – One-arm hangs

1:16:25 – Shoulder strength

1:17:41 – Christian Core’s hangboard philosophy

1:20:07 – Grip positions

1:21:52 – Allison’s hangboard schedule, and many

different approaches that work

1:25:38 – Starting to climb outside more

1:27:36 – Topouts

1:38:09 – How outdoor climbing compliments competition training

1:45:20 – Patron Question from Jimmy: Most memorable competition moment?

1:47:01 – Patron Question (anonymous): What does she miss the most about Vancouver/Squamish? And the least?

1:50:47 – Patron Question from Jordan: Can you introduce me to KJ Apa?

1:52:31 – Jonas Brothers, Jumanji, and Robin Williams

1:54:09 – Best decisions

1:55:10 – Competition self-talk

1:57:07 – Advice for young competitors

1:58:06 – “More doesn’t always mean better.”

1:58:45 – What is standing between Allison and the 2024 Olympics?

2:00:01 – Grateful for community

Follow-Up: Shanjean Lee — Free Climbing El Cap (Teaser) Jul 08, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Shanjean Lee. We talked about her recent free ascent of ‘Freerider’ on El Cap in Yosemite, and had some good laughs along the way. SJ also shared some of the biggest mental challenges she faced during the ascent, and a very “memorable” (and hilarious) moment from the side of the big cheese.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 50:27.

A Call from Ethan Jul 07, 2021

Ethan missed the Q&A and had a question he wanted to ask me. ⁠

EP 76: Q&A 2 — Party Tricks vs. Useful Exercises, Training for Long-Term Goals, and Octopus Wrestling Jul 05, 2021

In Q&A 2, I tackle patron questions about party tricks vs. useful exercises, training for long-term goals and what I am doing to train for Just Do It, how to prepare our bodies for tweaky moves, podcast behind-the-scenes secrets, my experience with feeling light vs. feeling strong, how I manage my weight after an eating disorder, favorite workouts for sport climbing, octopus wrestling, and much more.

Become a Patron:

facebook.com/groups/thenuggetclimbing

Facebook Group:

Private Q&As:

thenuggetclimbing.com/coaching

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-2

Nuggets:

00:00 – Introduction, Patreon, New Facebook Group, and Private Q&As

05:18 – Scott’s Question: Party tricks vs. useful exercises?

11:05 – Brandon’s Question: How are you training for ‘Just Do It’?

20:49 – Nolan’s Question: Regarding JDI, which skills/strengths fall short for you, and which ones do you think are adequate?

23:56 – Nolan’s Question: Can you build your sport climbing pyramid and bouldering pyramid at the same time?

29:02 – Conner’s Question: Is your current lifestyle (van, travel, podcast, etc.) financially sustainable?

31:11 – Jimmy’s Question: Favorite workouts for transitioning from boulder to sport mode?

34:40 – Liam’s Question: How do we balance climbing or training in safe positions, with preparing our bodies for tweaky moves?

37:20 – Alec’s Question: What does the edit process look like for you?

38:20 – Alec’s Question: What do you talk about in your pre-show call?

39:30 – Alec’s Question: Do you have any insights into learning to climb fast?

41:40 – Alec’s Question: Do you have any proud ascents from Hueco?

43:03 – Alec’s Question: How do you do weight training on the road?

43:54 – Alec’s Question: Area’s you’ll plan on climbing in for the rest of the year?

44:50 – Jeff’s Question: How does the sensation of feeling light compare to feeling strong?

49:30 – David’s Question: How do you manage your weight, and how do you manage your thoughts linked to your eating disorder?

53:54 – Emma’s Question: How can I get better at climbing technique? Is it as simple as climbing more?

58:00 – Emma’s Question: What exercises beyond the hangboard are most useful for bouldering strength?

1:00:12 – Casey’s Question: Any supplements you take?

1:02:02 – Casey’s Question: Tips for focusing before hard efforts on an onsight?

1:03:38 – Casey’s Question: Any thoughts on where you’d like to settle eventually?

1:04:33 – Casey’s Question: Any trashy TV you’ve been addicted to, or are you somehow immune?

1:05:52 – Casey’s Question: How much do you love watching good dancers on the internet?

1:06:34 – Casey’s Question: MAA match between 800 lb octopus and an 800 lb raccoon, who wins?

1:07:27 – Casey’s Question: What are you grateful for?

EP 75: John Long — Yosemite Tales, the Love of Writing, and Opening Up About Alcoholism Jun 28, 2021

John Long is an American rock climber and author, and one of the original “Stonemasters”. We talked about his early climbing at Tahquitz and Suicide Rock, life in Yosemite in the early 70s, climbing The Nose in a day with Bridwell and Westbay, most humbling moments, John’s new book Icarus Syndrome, and his recent article about alcoholism and drug abuse in climbing.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/john-long

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:33 – Nose picking, John’s nickname “Largo”, growing up in Indio CA, and being a part of two worlds

6:56 – The state of climbing in 1953, John’s early sports, white water rafting, and hearing stories about climbing

10:37 – Getting hooked on climbing

12:07 – Climbing at Tahquitz Rock in 1971, and jumping on board with new-age climbing

17:47 – Paisano Overhang

30:23 – Hangover

38:43 – Life in Yosemite in the 70s, and the rise of free climbing

47:04 – Camp 4 as a Babylon of rogues and boys club

49:28 – Jim Bridwell

54:23 – The Nose in a day

59:58 – Question from Ron: The bivy at the base of the Gold Wall.

1:04:08 – The cafeteria

1:06:54 – The Bob Lock Memorial Route

1:13:11 – Transitioning away from being “Joe Climber”

1:15:18 – Patron Question from Logan: Most humbling climbing moment?

1:19:12 – The present vs. the past, and gravity as the great leveler

1:21:56 – Question from Lena: What is more valuable in climbing, being a jack of all trades or a master of one?

1:24:05 – Writing, Hollywood, and Rogue’s Babylon

1:30:19 – John’s writing practice

1:32:01 – Alcoholism and substance abuse

1:45:01 – Icarus Syndrome

1:53:03 – Gifts and wrinkles

1:54:01 – Gratitude

Follow-Up: William Woodward — Sailing Stories, Vanlife Tips, and How to Wash Dishes (Teaser) Jun 24, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with William Woodward. We talked about William’s sailing trip to Hawaii, living at sea for a month, being present, navigating digital minimalism as a business owner, top vanlife tips, how William and I each do our dishes, beta for showering, wiping your butt with wet wipes, my favorite things in my van, and what’s next.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:34:55.

EP 74: Tom Randall on Patience, Finger Training, and the Late Night Climbing Show Jun 21, 2021

Tom Randall is one of the Wide Boyz, and the cofounder of Lattice Training. We talked about Tom’s cellar, meeting Ollie Torr and starting a coaching company, how he and Ollie trained each other's weaknesses, having patience, key shoulder exercises, hangboard principles, stories from the Late Night Climbing Show, and Tom shared his insights into my own finger strength journey.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tom-randall

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:35 – The cellar

6:47 – Patron Question from Felix: Why did Tom start Lattice Training, and how important is data?

11:25 – Meeting Ollie Torr and testing his finger strength

14:15 – How Tom helped Ollie improve his endurance and efficiency, and a message about patience

18:19 – What Tom did to get strong

23:14 – Key TRX and rings exercises for the shoulders

28:30 – My finger strength journey, and Tom’s insight into my training habits

37:59 – Finger training methodology, and off-season vs in-season training

45:50 – Is increasing training capacity (work capacity) a good goal?

49:20 – Hangboard protocol principles

54:47 – Patron Question from Sarah: Should new climbers “just climb” rather than train?

59:29 – Question from Steve McClure: Common deficiencies in route climbers who want to improve their standard?

1:02:39 – Question from Vijay: Relationship between finger strength and grade?

1:04:12 – Question from Lena: Favorite non-crack climb?

1:05:03 – Question from Lena: Most horrible crack climb you’ve ever done?

1:05:55: Bonus question from Lena: If you could put Jacob Schubert on any crack climb, which would you choose?

1:06:35 – Question from Nick: Balancing fun and hard work

1:08:41 – The Late Night Climbing Show

1:14:42 – The Lattice YouTube channel

1:16:02 – Gratitude

EP 73: Kyle O’Meara — Favorite First Ascents, Experience vs. Strength, and Sharing the Love of Climbing Jun 14, 2021

Kyle O’Meara is a high-level boulderer, route climber, and successful climbing coach. He’s a total lifer. We talked about his early climbing and development in the PNW, some of his favorite first ascents, outdoor bouldering vs. indoor training, climbing and life goals, discovering coaching, leading by example, and sharing the love of climbing with his team.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/kyle-omeara

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:47 – Breakfast, day-old pastries, and experimenting with diet

7:55 – Food diary, sleep, and eating enough

15:42 – Early days in Leavenworth

19:32 – How Kyle started climbing, Merrimore Park, and planting the seed of coaching

26:46 – ‘Rampage’, first Leavenworth days, and Squamish

32:36 – Transitioning into sport climbing, his first 5.13,

37:16 – Kyle’s “Best of the best” list, and grading everything in Index grades

42:12 – ‘Crown Jewel’

56:01 – Outdoor bouldering vs. indoor bouldering/training, and trying to beat the system

1:01:01 – Developing boulders by default and not by design, epics in Yosemite, and window cleaning

1:09:33 – Best of the best boulders in Yosemite

1:12:29 – Moving to Tahoe, discovering coaching, and Kyle’s path to improvement

1:18:43 – What Kyle wishes he had done differently in the past regarding training, and perfecting the art of projecting

1:24:01 – Climbing and life goals

1:27:14 – Experience over strength

1:28:41 – ‘Lex Luthor’, moving to Salt Lake, and coaching at Momentum

1:36:45 – Leading by example

1:41:17 – Themes among successful kids that Kyle has coached, and the contrast between Nathanial Coleman and Dalton Bunker

1:46:25 – Staying above the line, and climbing frequency

1:48:22 – Spending more days trying climbs, and how Kyle has integrated training

1:52:07 – ‘The All-Around Routine’, and committing to a training cycle for the first time

2:11:27 – Patron Question from Nolen: How does Kyle balance his performance in sport climbing vs. bouldering?

2:16:54 – The power of the psych, and following your motivation

2:20:26 – Patron Question from Lena: Top three footwork drills for kidlets?

2:25:50 – Patron Question from Evan: When is Kyle (The Voice) going to record children’s books or guided meditation?

2:30:34 – Gratitude

Follow-Up: Katie Lambert — Zebra Stripes, and the Goal to Climb 300 5.13s (Teaser) Jun 10, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This week's follow-up call is with Katie Lambert. We talked about her recent haircut, and how that led to getting her body painted for a photo shoot. We also talked about Katie’s new goal to climb 300 5.13s by the age of 50, how she has been integrating outdoor climbing with training, and how she structured her latest sport climbing trip to the Red River Gorge.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 44:54.

EP 72: Eric Hörst (Part 2) — Coaching Kids, Training Slopers and Pinches, and the Science of Collagen Jun 07, 2021

This is part 2 of my conversation with Eric Hörst. We talked about the differences between Eric and his sons’ (Cameron and Jonathan) training plans, advice for parents who want to get their kids into climbing, how to train pinch and sloper strength, why Eric started PhysiVantage, and the importance of collagen for building stronger fingers.

Discount code:

“NUGGET15” for 15% off of full-priced PhysiVantage products

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/eric-horst-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

01:23 – Differences between Eric’s training vs. his sons, and why his sons played football

11:40 – Maintaining climbing strength during football season

15:08 – Patreon Question from Eli (advice for parents getting their kids into climbing)

21:20 – Exposing kids to a variety of climbing styles

22:53 – Patron Question from Jordan Cannon (5.14, or free climbing El Cap?), and Eric’s first 5.13c

27:53 – Another Question from Jordan (would you rather see your kids climb 5.15, or free a hard El Cap route)

32:50 – Patron Question from Gunter (how to train pinches and slopers)

39:12 – Learning from other experts and coaches

40:52 – What Eric is most excited about in training for climbing right now, and the Moonboard and other system walls as a game-changer

45:16 – Proper nutrition, PhysiVantage, and protein

50:02 – Crush

52:00 – Collagen, and vegan and whey protein

56:48 – How I think about taking supplements, and replacing beer with collagen ;)

1:01:15 – Why we should eat collagen separate from meals (when we can), and collagen vs. protein timing

1:10:42 – A life’s journey

1:14:07 – Gratitude

EP 71: Eric Hörst (Part 1) — TV Weather, Campusing vs. Hangboarding, and How to Train Your Core May 31, 2021

Eric Hörst is the author of the international bestselling book Training for Climbing and the founder of PhysiVantage. We talked about his dual career as a meteorologist and climbing coach, early route development, how training has evolved, the roles of campusing vs. hangboarding in improving finger strength, why coaching is like 3D chess, and how to train your core.

Discount code:

“NUGGET15” for 15% off of full-priced PhysiVantage products

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/eric-horst-part-1

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

6:01 – Weatherman

11:31 – Snowstorms, solving complex puzzles, and similarities between forecasting weather and training for climbing

15:18 – The best send conditions

17:38 – TV weather and developing routes in the New River Gorge

18:56 – Eric’s first day of climbing

21:15 – Patron Question from Max (Eric’s history climbing in PA, and early development at the New)

24:29 – Patron Question from Adriel (the early days at the New River Gorge)

27:27 – Favorite first ascents from the New

28:32 – Embracing bolting and sport climbing

34:17 – The style of bolting in the 90s, becoming a student of climbing, and Eric’s first training articles

38:24 – The training paradigm in the 80s (“climber’s don’t train”)

40:56 – Early training experiments, wooden blocks on the rafters, pull-ups for slab climbing, and the revolution of climbing gyms

47:42 – The modern “weekend warrior”

49:13 – Early intuitive training methodologies, and the “shotgun approach” to training

56:17 – Applying the 80/20 rule to training

1:00:21 – The mental side of climbing, and not getting too focused on one training implement

1:07:53 – Patron Question from Matt (the dos and don’ts of hiring a coach)

1:12:33 – A new paradigm in connective tissue training

1:16:40 – The different effects of hangboarding vs. campusing on finger tendons

1:24:33 – How to combine hangboarding and campus boarding to balance performance and resiliency

1:29:53 – Patron Question from Liam (benefits of linear and non-linear programs)

1:34:59 – End range strength, and the 3D chess of coaching

1:41:42 – Core strength, and limiting belief systems

1:47:05 – Deadlifting

1:52:43 – Weighted planks

1:54:31 – Deadlifting + bouldering with small footholds

1:59:16 – Reinventing your training, and sticking with things long enough to see if they work

Follow-Up: Alex Johnson — Sending The Mother F***ing Swarm (Teaser) May 27, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This week's follow-up call is with Alex Johnson. We talked about sending ‘The Swarm’ V13/14, her 10+ year project in Bishop, CA. We also talked about how she prepared for the trip, how she and Bree balanced their climbing objectives in Bishop, taking time off, how to ramp back up after hitting a peak performance, planting a garden, and becoming domesticated.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 43:03.

EP 70: Steve Maisch — How to Structure a Bouldering Trip, the 85% Rule, and Hueco Debrief May 24, 2021

Steve Maisch is a training legend and has been pursuing improvement in rock climbing for more than two decades. Jon Glassberg credits Steve’s training methodology for his recent send of ‘The Nest’ V15. We talked about Steve’s background in climbing and how he became interested in training, how he helped me add structure to my Hueco bouldering trip, and the 85% rule.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/steve-maisch

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:10 – Ballet class

6:20 – Steve’s beginnings in climbing, grad school, training breakthroughs, and first bad finger injury

13:00 – Becoming interested in quantifying training, and observing the elites

16:50 – How Steve and I connected, the Hueco training plan idea, and addressing individual needs in training

23:38 – Climbing strength

26:33 – Underperforming vs overperforming your finger strength

28:53 – The bouldering pyramid

31:40 – The 85% rule, and the strength sweet spot

46:45 – Train your weaknesses and perform in your strengths, and battling Free Willy

51:50 – Breakdown of the Hueco training plan, and antagonist training

59:46 – Scapular lock-offs

1:05:06 – How much we should be climbing, and making sense of different climbing schedules

1:11:25 – Climb more days, or higher intensity?

1:17:38 – Reconciling Daniel on Return of the Sleepwalker

1:20:48 – Efficiency and muscle memory

1:22:18 – The deload week, and getting stronger when we rest

1:26:18 – The key elements of the boulder pyramid

1:29:16 – How to build up the pyramid season after season

1:31:43 – How to maintain bouldering power during a sport climbing phase

1:34:20 – Whether to maintain endurance during a boulder phase

1:38:26 – Gaining endurance through increasing strength

1:40:06 – The plus/minus (+/-) system

1:49:10 – Training on the boards, and designing different workouts

2:00:16 – Balancing training and performing

2:06:51 – The Remond food bank

2:13:14 – Injuries, Steve’s climbing goals, and rebuilding his pyramid

2:19:55 – Preventing injuries, a foundation of lifting, and the benefit of building muscle in the right places

2:26:10 – Gratitude

EP 69: Ron Kauk — Hollywood Stories, Camp 4 in the 70s, and Connecting with Mother Nature May 17, 2021

Ron Kauk is a legendary Yosemite climber. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his many accomplishments, within and beyond climbing. We talked about life in Camp 4 in the 70s, climbing ‘Astroman’ with John Bachar, influential music and books, stories from a brief career in Hollywood, doing the FA of ‘Magic Line’, his non-profit Sacred Rok, daily practices, connecting with Mother Nature, and much more.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ron-kauk

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:17 – Out of the blue, and reflecting on a life of climbing

8:19 – Sylvester Stallone, Wolfgang Gulich, and a brief career in Hollywood

18:48 – Doubling for Tom Cruise, and working on films in Yosemite

20:14 – “We would do anything to make $1000.”

23:24 – Ron’s first wilderness trip at age 14, and early rock climbing

28:43 – Rattlesnake Ridge

32:33 – Climbing ‘The Nutcracker'

35:17 – Catching rides to Yosemite, and Dale Bards bakery van

38:07 – ‘Outer Limits’ with Bridwell

39:28 – Ron’s first summer in Yosemite, and “all I needed to do was get there.”

42:55 – A day in the life in Camp 4, and climbing The Nose in a day

48:23 – Jimmy Hendrix

52:40 – ‘Midnight Lightning’

57:41 – Playful training, and 100 fingertip pull-ups

1:00:13 – Catching waves, and freeing ‘Astroman’ with John Bachar

1:07:53 – Carlos Casteneda, ‘Tales of Power’, and ’Separate Reality’

1:13:47 – The end of the 70s, ‘To Bolt’, and ‘Magic Line’

1:18:27 – “I am that waterfall.”

1:20:19 – Mother nature, nurture, and becoming better caretakers

1:21:47 – Sacred Rok, and the universe as our university

1:26:15 – Sponsorship and performing

1:29:34 – Ron’s vision for what climbing could be

1:35:44 – Taking time in nature, and getting back to the basics

1:39:45 – Barefoot standing

1:49:12 – Slowing down

1:54:11 – Words from Alan Watts (the climber)

2:03:30 – Questions from Alan

2:12:12 – The photograph

2:15:56 – “We really are all connected.”

2:19:21 – Follow-Up teaser, and show notes

Follow-Up: Ken Klein — The 3 Things We Should Be Assessing As Climbers (Teaser) May 13, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Ken Klein from the Climb Strong Team. We talked about Ken’s high school baseball coach, the documentary In Search of Greatness, and the 3 things we should be assessing as climbers.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:23:45.

EP 68: Steve McClure — Hitchhiking Stories, Tenacity vs. Strength, and Making Your Own Luck May 10, 2021

Steve McClure is one of the best rock-climbers in the world, having made the FA of the hardest sport route in the UK at 9b (5.15b), at age 46. We talked about early hitchhiking stories, discovering sport climbing, the three parts of climbing ability, how to improve over the long haul, foot-on campusing, and much more.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/steve-mcclure

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:12 – Podcasts, and the desire to listen

6:22 – Hitching

13:58 – Growing up in the Northeast of England, and the climbing wall Steve built in his garage

18:43 – Early climbing, and discovering sport climbing

22:36 – Steve’s first E3

26:42 – Tenacity, and trying hard

29:22 – “It’s all down to motivation.” - Ben Moon

34:16 – ‘Rainman’

37:28 – Going with the flow vs. pursuing long-term goals

44:08 – ‘Mutation’, and Will Bossi

47:21 – “You make your own luck.”

48:19 – Was ‘Mutation’ the first 5.15?

49:54 – “You can’t have regrets.”

52:32 – My (Steven’s) struggle with personal limits, how hard Steve was climbing at my age, and the good news for aging climbers

56:17 – The mental and technical aspects of climbing

57:42 – The three parts of climbing ability (technical, mental, and physical)

59:46 – Foot-on campusing (aka laddering)

1:08:30 – How Steve fits in foot-on campusing around other climbing and training

1:12:27 – Question from Branko: How do you approach climbing at your local crag, after you’ve done everything? Do you only get on the hard stuff, or do you repeat any routes to continue building your pyramid?

1:15:40 – How Steve approached each new season on Rainman, and adding more thought to his climbing gym sessions

1:19:08 – Question from Adriel: One exercise to improve strength?

1:22:00 – Question from Adriel: Who would win in an arm-wresting match between Steve and Dave MacLeod?

1:23:34 – Question from Will: How does Steve balance training and recovery as he gets older?

1:26:23 – Steve’s typical climbing schedule at age 50, and his routine for Rainman

1:31:06 – Question from Anderson: Does Steve think his hardest climbing is ahead of him? What about his best?

1:33:14 – Steve’s hardest climb (his onsight of ‘Nightmare’)

1:34:26 – The best

1:35:24 – Steve’s decision to move to Sheffield

1:38:10 – Steve’s go-to breakfast

1:39:49 – Writing, and Steve’s training diary

1:45:26 – Gratitude

1:49:29 – Frozen fingers, and Steve’s onsight attempt of ‘To Bolt or Not to Be’

1:53:42 – The great equalizer

1:56:52 – Steve’s Instagram and website

1:58:52 – Pembroke, witnessing an accident, and rethinking risk

EP 67: Heth Jennings — Understanding Pain, Rehabbing Climbing Injuries, and Carb Backloading May 03, 2021

Heth Jennings is a Physical Therapist and Functional Medicine Practitioner who has been studying pain for over 20+ years. We talked about where pain comes from, how the brain uses pain to protect us, why chronic pain isn’t “just in our head”, how to rehab finger and elbow injuries, and other lifestyle interventions that help with recovery.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/heth-jennings

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:10 – Heth’s background in physical therapy, functional medicine, and pain science

6:55 – A new paradigm for understanding pain

8:22 – “It’s all in my head.” and “It’s always real.”

9:40 – Lorimer Moseley, and the hammer in the neck story

14:50 – Red light blue light

15:55 – The leg scratch

17:40 – Chronic vs acute pain

21:09 – The mountain illustration of tissue capacity, the pain buffer, and how the brain’s overprotection leads to chronic pain

24:19 – Rehabbing chronic elbow pain

28:25 – Graded motor imagery using the Recognize App, visualization, and mirror therapy

36:35 – “The point is always to get people back to moving.”

37:58 – Heth’s example of the brain loving us too much, and removing fear

41:00 – The role of inflammation, assessing tissue damage, and rehabbing fingers and elbows

47:28 – Heth’s recent finger injury, and how he rehabbed it

50:35 – “Don’t flare up, but when you do, don’t freak out about it.”

51:48 – What to do after a flare-up

53:31 – Heth’s protocol for rehabbing his finger injury

56:02 – The theory behind eccentrics for tendon injury rehab

57:04 – How do address different types of finger injuries

59:27 – Heth’s thoughts on climbing open-handed while recovering from a pulley injury

1:01:03 – Mirror therapy for amputees

1:02:50 – Elbow rehab

1:07:52 – Preventing recurring injuries, giving our bodies credit, and bioplasticity

1:15:32 – What Heth has learned from his injuries, how he plans to move forward, and collagen + vitamin C

1:19:50 – Heth’s thoughts on supplemental exercises for injury prevention

1:23:57 – Heth’s thoughts on including finger ups or other isotonic exercises

1:25:32 – Chronic inflammation, gut health, and stress

1:28:35 – Why Heth recommends a low carb diet for many of his clients

1:32:33 – Heth’s thoughts on carbs for metabolically healthy people and athletes

1:38:37 – Carb backloading

1:44:39 – Heth’s thoughts on counting macros and daily protein

1:47:56 – Krispy Cream doughnuts, birthday cake, and popcorn and coke

1:50:28 – Breathing and meditation, accepting where we are, and being kind to ourselves

1:57:00 – Heth’s website, and social media

2:00:26 – Gratitude

Follow-Up: Mercedes Pollmeier — Your Flexibility Questions Answered (Teaser) Apr 29, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Mercedes Pollmeier. I asked for clarifications about the J-Curl and passive stretching, and we tackled Patron questions about individual bony morphology, improving the back bridge, when and how to stretch the hamstrings, whether it is ever too late to begin training flexibility, and Mercedes made a case for why flexibility training is as important as strength training for athletes.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:20:32.

Resources:

Kit Laughlin - Moving Pelvis in Pancake Position

EP 66: Mercedes Pollmeier — How to Improve Flexibility in 6 Minutes Per Day, and Cycling Your Training Apr 26, 2021

Mercedes Pollmeier is a climbing coach with a master’s in human movement. We discussed key stretches for climbers, how to warm up for a limit session, whether or not static stretching reduces power, how to improve your flexibility in 6 minutes per day, and “food rules” from her recent book, Peak Nutrition.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mercedes-pollmeier

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:14 – Wind and head colds

8:29 – Mercedes trip to Red Rocks, and focusing on recovering

9:44 – Resting after a trip, deloading, and blood flow restriction (BFR) training

13:30 – More about BFR and what it is used for

22:34 – Mercedes background, current coaching practice, and programs

25:12 – Masters in human movement

26:54 – How we learn to move better

29:43 – Terminology: “mobility” and “flexibility”

37:18 – Mobility prep/warmup for a climbing session

40:51 – Warmup duration, and static stretching before climbing

48:14 – Appropriate intensity of warmup stretches

49:59 – Breathing during stretching

51:39 – Other warmup stretches

54:52 – Side split, front split, and back bridge

57:36 – Cycling flexibility and strength training, and variability

1:01:47 – An example strength cycle, and changing accessory exercises

1:04:29 – Flexibility as a skill, and where to start

1:08:07 – Jefferson Curl (J-Curl)

1:17:33 – Programming flexibility

1:24:03 – Daily passive stretching/limbering session

1:31:41 – Minimalist approach to the Side Spits in (6-minutes per day)

1:36:43 – Elevating hips and scaling flexibility exercises

1:42:54 – How to fit flexibility in around other training

1:47:36 – Time of day to stretch

1:50:08 – Does tightness make us stronger?

1:53:27 – Calf stretching

1:57:17 – Building strength in end ranges

1:58:20 – Mercedes nutrition book: Peak Nutrition

2:03:08 – Mercedes “food rules” (eat slow and eat until 80% full, and hydration)

2:05:51 – How to connect with Mercedes

2:07:16 – Gratitude

BONUS: Matt Sparks — Earth Day, and the Impacts of Chalk Apr 22, 2021

In this bonus episode, Matt Sparks joins me to celebrate Earth Day by talking about the environmental impacts of chalk, best practices, and by offering listeners a discount for Pika liquid chalk.

Shop Liquid Chalk:

pika.life/products

Discount Code for 25% Off:

NUGGETDISCOUNT

Matt's Article:

https://pika.life/the-environmental-impact-of-rock-climbing-chalk/

EP 65: Natalie Duran — Ninja Antics, Fear Conditioning, and Living Like a Superhero Apr 19, 2021

Natalie Duran is a “Proish Climber”, Ninja Warrior finalist, Guinness World Record holder, television host, actor, influencer, and scientist. We talked about her new rollerskates, growing up with the pressure to become a doctor, early YouTube fame, climbing structures, studying neuroscience, brain scans, overcoming fear, motorcycles, and making a TV show.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/natalie-duran

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:16 – “Today is Thursday!”

5:04 – Natalie’s new roller skates

6:46 – Learning in the shadows…

8:10 – Style transitions

9:54 – Who is Ninja Natalie

12:41 – Born to be a doctor, growing up with parental pressure, and discovering YouTube

17:19 – The Cinnamon Challenge, sharing stories, and going viral

21:40 – A day in the life

25:02 – How to stay organized

27:02 – “The theme parks are closed so I made my own.”

29:09 – The police code

31:46 – The swing

33:27 – Natalie’s gym circuit

35:22 – Maintaining ninja abilities, and Ninja Warrior gyms

37:50 – Coaching ninjas

39:07 – Brain scans, fear, and breathing

43:52 – Running across the South African desert, and “Just Keep Swimming”

45:26 – Thinking about emotions analytically, the placebo effect, and mindset

47:47 – Discovering climbing, Natalie’s first car, and early competitions

52:04 – Current climbing, and integrating climbing into daily play

53:27 – Partnership, sneaking into buildings, and climbing cranes

55:22 – Natalie’s goal of producing her own reality TV show

1:00:01 – Stunt motorcycle riding and skydiving

1:01:32 – Keanu Reeves and Jason Momoa

1:03:30 – Motorcycle playlist

1:04:57 – Emotional growth

1:07:31 – Alone time, and gratitude journaling

1:09:45 – Grateful for not having covid, and not being arrested

1:10:41 – Snowboarding

1:12:06 – Mom’s fight with cancer

1:13:53 – Kid’s movies

1:15:13 – Reality TV shows

1:16:30 – Wipeout, and meatballs

1:19:26 – Superhero outfit

1:20:33 – The tucked-in side braid

1:21:23 – Ninja Natalie’s superpower

1:21:59 – Excited to travel again

1:22:43 – Current work on Ninja Warrior obstacles

1:23:45 – Natalie’s Instagram @ninja_natalie and website ninjanatalie.com

1:24:46 – “Live every day like you’re a superhero. You don’t know what you are capable of unless you attempt to push past your limits.”

Follow-Up: Jon Glassberg — Sending ‘The Nest’, and Representing for the Big Guys (Teaser) Apr 15, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Jon Glassberg. We talked about sending ‘The Nest’ (his first V15) and breaking down barriers as a “big” climber (6’3”, 190 lbs), we talked about some of Jon’s milestone’s over the years, how he trained his power endurance after sending the stand start’, projecting tactics, keys to success, washing his hands before tries, and more.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:00:20.

EP 64: Christophe Bichet — Climbing As a Metaphor for Life, Finding ‘Why’, and the Awe of Being Alive Apr 12, 2021

Christophe Bichet is a world-class rock climber and a motivational speaker. He was born with a rare blood disorder called Fanconi Anemia and is also a cancer survivor. We talked about climbing as a metaphor for life, finding your “why”, learning new skills, how to achieve world-class endurance without training endurance, and holding on and letting go.

GoFundMe for Kyler:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/throw-down-for-kyler-pallister

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/christophe-bichet

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

6:55 – Christophe’s dimensions, and Fanconi Anemia

8:50 – What I remember about Christophe, and why he doesn’t like knowing names and grades of routes

12:14 – How Christophe relates to his accomplishments

13:43 – ‘Big Mac’, Smith Rock, and why guidebook grades feel irrelevant to Christophe

17:22 – How grades become limits

18:49 – Growing up feeling different from his peers, feeling isolated, and regaining self-esteem through rock climbing

20:59 – Living each day as if it was your first day vs. last day

23:59 – Christophe’s many eclectic interests

26:34 – Gracefully saying no, and asking “Why”

29:42 – Awaking people’s vitality, and the climbing metaphor: grabbing on to what is essential, and learning to let go

32:13 – Cancer, and the grand piano bill

37:14 – Letting go of his identity as a sick person

38:34 – Approaching learning new skills like learning a new route

41:50 – Learning from people who are better than us, and a common trap to avoid

44:02 – How Christophe achieved endurance through training efficiency

47:09 – Pretending to be someone you admire

52:45 – Amy

55:33 – ‘Spank the Monkey’, and dedicating an ascent to a lost friend

1:00:28 – “Stop and breath in the awe of being alive.” - Amy Frohnmayer Winn

1:02:25 – Grateful to live in the mountains and have a daughter

1:05:10 – Be light

EP 63: Megan Mascarenas — Solving Puzzles, Pole Dancing, and Discovering a New Identity Apr 05, 2021

Megan Mascarenas is a multiple-time World Cup gold medalist and the 2016 Open National Champion in bouldering. She is currently 23 years old. We talked about her fascination with puzzles, why she retired from competing in 2017, discovering a new self-identity outside of climbing, pole dancing, getting back to climbing, her goal to climb V14, and current training.

Support the Podcast:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/megan-mascarenas

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

6:45 – Tuna sandwich and coffee

9:19 – Whiskey (the dog, not the alcohol)

10:35 – Sunday mornings

11:07 – Rubiks Cubes

15:20 – Megan’s cloud puzzle

16:00 – The puzzle addiction, and becoming a climber at age 2

18:45 – Siblings and coaches

22:33 – Retiring from competition and transitioning away from climbing

26:04 – The two sides of freedom, and the path to medicine

29:26 – How Megan achieved a 4.7 GPA in high school, and getting an A- in Rock Climbing class

31:56 – Losing a chunk of herself when she stopped climbing, and getting back into climbing

33:26 – Hindsight is 20/20

34:42 – Pole dancing

39:46 – Applying pole strength to climbing

40:52 – Megan’s current pole dancing “project”

41:56 – Megan’s outdoor climbing goals in RMNP, and current training

45:08 – Pole dancing = barndoor training

45:51 – Preparing for ‘Jade’, and outdoor vs. indoor climbing

48:10 – Advice for new/young climbers

49:26 – Advice new/young climbers should ignore, and what Megan wishes she had done differently

50:44 – Magic Wood and ‘New Baseline’

52:43 – Question from Jimmy: Any tips for calming nerves during competition finals?

54:25 – Competition rituals

55:42 – Megan’s self talk when she is getting shut down by a climb

56:41 – Question from Jeffrey: What made you so dominant as a young female competitor?

57:51 – Megan’s drive to improve, and dealing with growing expectations

1:00:04 – Question from Jeffrey: How do you view climbing vs. training, and has that changed as you have gotten older?

1:01:17 – Board climbing

1:03:39 – Making up boulders and working on weaknesses

1:05:19 – Megan’s favorite pun

1:06:10 – Dinner party guest

1:07:41 – Singing in the car

1:08:18 – The Golden Axe

1:09:04 – Happiest climbing day

1:09:45 – The ups and downs

1:11:24 – What Megan would want a new best friend to know about her

1:12:13 – The Incredibles, mind reading, and superhero colors

1:13:25 – Molecules

1:14:26 – Gratitude

1:15:02 – Math

1:16:02 – Zion

1:17:09 – Enjoying the path

Follow-Up: Natasha Barnes — Listener Q&A, and Training “The Position” (Teaser) Apr 01, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Natasha Barnes. I asked for your questions for her on Instagram, and we tackled a wide range of topics including in-season training, shoulder mobility for climbers who lift weights, whether we should tape injured fingers, recommendations for aging climbers, why climbers shouldn’t be afraid of bulking, dealing with lower back pain, training “the position”, cactuses vs succulents, Moose the cat, printer issues, and maintaining the power mullet.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 2:06:41.

EP 62: Q&A 1 — How We Get Strong, Dealing with Injuries, and Patterns Among High Performers Mar 29, 2021

In this Q&A, I tackle some of my patron’s most burning questions about how we getting stronger, takeaways from my experiments with nutrition and intermittent fasting, dealing with injuries, favorite training playlists and climbing books, life on the road, patterns I’ve noticed among high performers, dream guests, recommendations for first-time trainers, and much more.

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/bonus-content

Learn more about Q&As:

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/qa-1

Nuggets:

00:00 – Q&A introduction, Patreon tiers, and format

06:53 – Nico’s Question: Tactics for mini-projects/quick ticks?

12:47 – Tony’s Question: Least favorite climbing shoe?

14:15 – Tony’s Question: If you could do an episode with one deceased person, who would it be?

14:49 – Tony’s Question: Favorite climbing-related book?

15:50 – Tony’s Question: Worst climbing bodily function story?

17:00 – Emma’s Question: How does training work, and what is happening in our body when we get stronger?

27:16 – Emma’s Question: Recommendations for training with a knee injury?

30:34 – Emma’s Question: Should I train my good leg while my other leg is injured?

31:44 – Katie’s Question: What inspires you the most aside from climbing?

33:34 – Adrian’s Question: Why did you stop intermittent fasting?

35:39 – Ted’s Question: Will carbs help me get stronger faster coming from a keto diet? And what changes have you made to your diet that have made a difference?

41:16 – Jasna’s Question: How do you mentally deal with injuries? How do you redirect your psych when dealing with a climbing injury?

50:35 – Darren’s Question: When are you going to tell us about anorexic Steven? And was it worth it?

51:32 – Jimmy’s Question: 3-week or 5-week training cycles: have you tried both? Which do you prefer?

54:58 – Jimmy’s Question: Favorite training playlist?

56:07 – Adriel’s Question: Advice on working through mental blocks, like fear of falling?

1:00:23 – Adriel’s Question: How much can you train a month sustainably?

1:03:24 – Adriel’s Question: Tips for hard finger cracks? (5.11 and up)

1:06:07 – Heather’s Question: Advice for someone who is interesting in training for the first time?

1:12:57 – Heather’s Question: What have you learned about yourself living in the van? And is this lifestyle sustainable for you?

1:17:01 – Heather’s Questions: What are some of your biggest climbing takeaways? Where would you be without climbing, and what has made you the climber you are today?

1:22:01 – Casey’s Question: Do you train on the road? If so, how?

1:23:19 – Casey’s Question: How are you structuring your Hueco trip?

1:26:47 – Casey’s Question: Why does everyone say your van smells good even if they are vegan? Is it because everyone needs beef? (just kidding… kind of)

1:27:32 – Casey’s Question: Bouldering diet vs. sport climbing diet?

1:28:35 – Casey’s Question: Favorite other podcasts?

1:31:00 – Casey’s Question: Thoughts on flexibility?

1:32:21 – Casey’s Question: Thoughts on warming up?

1:34:20 – Casey’s Question: If you could press a button and go anywhere, where would you go each day of the week?

1:37:11 – Steve’s Question: What patterns have you seen emerge among the high performers you’ve interviewed?

1:40:04 – Steve’s Question: Living on the road full time, do you ever get sick of it and just want to settle somewhere for a year?

1:41:13 – Jeffrey’s Question: Top 3 dream guests to interview?

1:43:45 – Jeffrey’s Question: What’s the most common weakness you see among top climbers?

1:45:40 – Ilkka’s Question: What about the ethical side of eating meat?

1:49:08 – Wrap up

EP 61: Chelsea Murn — How to Rewire Your Brain, Take Courageous Leaps, and Manifest Your Dream Life Mar 22, 2021

Chelsea Murn is a climbing and business coach, and the founder of Lady Beta Coaching. We talked about making 100k in her first year of climbing coaching, recommendations for new entrepreneurs, getting uncomfortable, investing in ourselves, scarcity vs. abundance, rewiring our limiting beliefs, money mindset, and Hogwarts letters.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chelsea-murn

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

5:04 – Chelsea’s morning routines, and scheduling similar things on specific days

8:45 – Batching, and Do Not Disturb mode

12:20 – Creating boundaries, and making time to enjoy climbing

13:33 – Having a coach

16:24 – Being empowered and validated by other women in her business school

17:58 – Making $220k last year, and the story of climbing her first 5.13b at Deep Creek

24:19 – Description of Deep Creek

27:11 – Making $100k in her first year as a climbing coach, and getting started in business coaching

32:59 – Example clients and businesses

36:11 – How Chelsea thinks about investing in herself, scarcity vs. abundance mindset, and being uncomfortable

39:40 – “I was uncomfortable every day of 2020”

42:52 – Building a business and not a hustle

47:33 – How much Chelsea works now

50:12 – Working toward a 7-figure business, and the minimum effective dose

52:05 – Coming up with bad ideas, fear of being seen, and having the courage to take the first step

57:30 – Backpack full of rocks

58:53 – My failed leaps before the podcast, fourth try is the charm, and playing the long game

1:04:14 – Doing meaningful work, creating value for people, and getting paid enough to do it again and again

1:07:22 – Patron Question from Kyle: Advice for someone getting started in the climbing industry, and moonlight vs. taking a big leap?

1:10:21 – Money mindset

1:18:03 – Looking for evidence for limiting beliefs, and scarcity mindset in relationships

1:20:49 – Journaling, and writing down “opposite reasons”

1:22:21 – Brain rewiring: what is it?

1:24:47 – Chelsea’s experience with route setting, and rewiring her belief about her own worth and strength

1:28:51 – Chelsea guides me through brain rewiring my money mindset

1:32:34 – What brain wiring does, the mechanisms behind why it works, and my homework

1:37:12 – Being open with goals, charging what you are worth, and redefining success

1:42:09 – Patron Question from Curtis: What trends are you seeing in your clients who are having performance breakthroughs?

1:44:02 – “Vanity metrics” vs. how you feel

1:44:31 – Chelsea’s current brain rewiring practice, and what she is working on herself right now

1:47:18 – Why Chelsea doesn’t read business books, and my thoughts on how to navigate the information age

1:51:14 – Chelsea’s favorite fantasy books

1:53:16 – The Hogwarts Letter, and Chelsea’s Hogwarts house

1:55:25 – Grateful for sun and to be moving

1:56:31 – Upcoming offerings from Chelsea

1:58:11 – The LadyBeta Podcast

2:00:32 – “If you know you were meant for something more, you were.”

Follow-Up: Ben Herrington — A Guide to Developing New Boulders (Teaser) Mar 18, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Ben Herrington. We talked about the treasure hunters mindset and clues to look for when developing new boulders, go-to tools for cleaning a new line, how to suss out moves off the deck, building landings, Ben’s new gym in the Tri-Cities, WA, and setting himself boulders that attack his weaknesses.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 47:14.

EP 60: Leif Gasch — Becoming a Trainer, Mini-Goals, and Tackling Listener Questions Mar 15, 2021

Leif Gasch has been a climber for over 25 years and now works as a trainer and coach. We talked about his path from construction to coaching, balancing training with a physically demanding job, how to be a better weekend warrior, mini-goals, breaking into new grades, warming up for hard redpoints, and much more.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/leif-gasch

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:36 – “Back porch kind of a deal”

5:28 – Living on the road during covid, and moving back to Lander

8:06 – The pod, Leif’s first trip to Hueco with Scott Milton, and sending Frogger

11:18 – Years of cherry-picking, new development in Hueco, and becoming a guide

12:51 – Early carpentry, becoming an electrition, and building a house

15:40 – Growing up on a ranch, hunting, and climbing Devils Tower

17:54 – Climbing in Cody, ‘The Fuz’ climbing gang, teaching, and falling in love with climbing

21:45 – “You come to Lander, you gotta bring your own job!”

23:32 – Living with artists, ‘The Plague’, and Leif’s intro to training for climbing

25:46 – Lifting weights in college, and the rocket ship analogy

29:12 – Sticking with the training process, “it takes time”, and Leif’s first 5.14b

35:57 – Learning to stick with it, mental carry over, and testing to be an electrition

38:38 – Moving away from the trades, relating to blue collar workers, and starting SUBSTR8

42:04 – How Leif educated himself to become a better coach, remote vs. in-person coaching, and being receptive to critique

45:42 – The PCC

49:06 – The 75/25 rule, and designing skill drills

54:40 – On the wall tension building, crunches, and the shortcomings of limit bouldering

58:56 – Core tension, the posterior chain, and an example of building tension on the wall

1:02:39 – The benefit of having a specific goal

1:04:19 – The drill Leif learned from Kris Hampton at Power Company, and learning to create more tension through the feet

1:07:10 – Patron Question from Donovan: What should I work on to break into 5.13?

1:19:50 – Patron Question: How can I be a weekend warrior?

1:31:53 – Mini goals

1:34:31 – Patron Question from Tyler: Tips for non-professional climbers?

1:39:03 – Patron Question from Matt: Recommendations for someone who works a physically demanding job in the trades?

1:43:49 – Patron Question from Moritz: Leif’s weight when he climbed 5.14b?

1:45:38 – My restricting eating story, training heavy, and being an opportunivore

1:54:40 – Patron Question from Moritz: Can Leif do a front lever yet?

1:56:43 – Patron Question from Nolan: What does your warmup look like for a hard redpoint?

2:05:14 – Patron Question from Steve Bechtel: How did Leif deal with and get past a severe finger injury?

2:16:01 – ‘Strawberry Roan’

2:26:01 – Patron Question from Darren: Send goals or dream route in Lander?

2:31:11 – Patron Question from Darren: Does it feel like a disadvantage being a big dude pulling on small monos in Lander?

2:33:08 – Grateful for friends and family

EP 59: My Eating Disorder — Starving Myself to Climb Harder, and Lessons Learned Mar 11, 2021

In this solo episode, I share my experience with an eating disorder. I talk about how an inaccurate DEXA scan and a desire to climb harder spiraled into body dysmorphia, failure, and shame. I also talk about what led me out of it, reframing the way I think about weight, key lessons and takeaways, where I am at now with weight and diet, and how I plan to move forward.

Support the Podcast:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/my-eating-disorder

Show Notes:

EP 58: Carlos Tkacz — Lessons from Teaching, a Free Training Book, and Self-Publishing Sci-Fi Mar 08, 2021

Carlos Tkacz is a teacher, author, and lover of literature. He also lives in a van and climbs V13. We talked about many things, including a reading list given to him by his friend, impactful quotes, lessons learned from students, starting climbing in his 20’s and discovering training, writing a training book, self-publishing sci-fi novels, public speaking advice, and sharing ideas.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/carlos-tkacz

Show Notes:

Instagram Links:

@boulderbushido

@thenuggetclimbing

Nuggets:

2:35 – The record button

3:37 – Stickers and paintings

6:37 – Books from the reading list

11:16 – James Baldwin quote

12:38 – How Carlos uses Instagram

16:16 – ‘Turbulence’ and East of Eden

22:45 – Plans to go back to school for a Ph.D. in Literature, and living in a world of stories

26:18 – The moment Carlos knew he wanted to be a teacher

31:01 – Teaching Communication 101

34:54 – Public speaking advice #1, and the fight or flight response

38:38 – Public speaking advice #2

39:17 – “Drink deep or not at all.”

43:02 – Zen Buddhism, and being skeptical of little enlightenments

44:11 – “The sign of a true education is to be able to entertain an idea without believing it.”

47:50 – Mr. Ruff, and writing an editorial about gay marriage

49:33 – Two great stickers

49:54 – Living on public land in Bishop and taking a year off

52:05 – Quarentraining, and social connection through climbing

56:20 – Sending ‘Diabolique’ and becoming a climber at age 23

59:01 – Resonating with Patxi Usobiaga’s masochism in ‘Progression’

1:02:43 – Carlos’ climbing progression, ups and downs, and the broken pinky story

1:07:04 – Shifting to focusing on bouldering

1:08:03 – Early training iterations, Taco Bell + bananas, and moving the pieces around

1:11:20 – Writing a training book on accident

1:14:50 – The Japanese team, and top outdoor boulderers

1:17:25 – Jimmy Webb, gymnastics, survivorship bias, and structure as a tool for resilience

1:20:43 – Overview of ‘Training 102’ and Carlos training philosophy

1:27:31 – Drills, and higher intensity core exercises

1:30:17 – Rotating exercises and addressing weaknesses, and programming

1:32:39 – Training friends and testimonials

1:35:33 – What a typical week of training looks like, climb outside, and how Carlos trains within a year

1:38:35 – The nutrition chapter, eating disorders, Carlos’ experience with vegetarianism and veganism, and his current way of eating

1:41:36 – Eating the same thing every day

1:42:49 – Planning nutrition, eating more, and becoming more flexible

1:45:37 – The food industry and the unique challenge of balancing a healthy outlook on food and weight

1:46:25 – The ‘Light’ documentary, and finding the line

1:47:47 – Scarcity vs. opulence, discipline as a path to freedom, and Carlos’ upbringing

1:59:26 – Carlos’ Sci-fi novels, and writing a thousand words per day

2:04:03 – Two different types of creatives, and using his first few books as practice

2:05:05 – Plot overview of The Void Within

2:10:07 – Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Captain Pips, and Carlos’ conversion story and swearing off violence

2:11:51 – Losing the mental battle in Hueco, and making a trip to Roy

2:14:52 – Gratitude

2:17:00 – Excited with sharing ideas with students

2:20:40 – Where to connect with Carlos

Follow-Up: Emily Harrington — Sending 'Golden Gate', Shoe Tricks, and Pancakes (Teaser) Mar 04, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Emily Harrington. We talked about her send of ‘Golden Gate’ in a day, finding flow state after a minor head injury, using two pairs of TC Pros to climb the Monster Offwidth, her recent trip to the VRG, how she has trained Adrian (her partner) to climb his first 5.13b, and favorite pancake toppings.

You can get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 36:17.

Learn more: thenuggetclimbing.com/follow-ups

EP 57: Dave MacLeod (Part 2) — Highlights From ‘9 Out of 10’, Flexible Programming, and Listener Questions Mar 01, 2021

This is part 2 of my conversation with Dave MacLeod. We talked about key points from Dave’s book 9 Out of 10 Climbers, how he uses flexible programming to train around the weather in Scotland, his current carnivore diet experiment, and listener questions about aging, piles of eggs, disordered eating, fatherhood, Scottish climbing, and more.

Support the Podcast:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dave-macleod-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:10) – Why Dave wrote ‘9 out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes’

(00:11:09) – Using ‘9 out of 10’ to discover your own individual pitfalls, and why Dave has become more and more interested in lifestyle

(00:15:28) – Using your climbing partners as mirrors, changing your circumstances, and the shortcut to sending your project

(00:21:00) – Dave’s common pitfall—quality recovery

(00:22:25) – Productivity and the value of having a home wall

(00:26:30) – “Bouldering is king”, and how Dave fits indoor bouldering sessions around outdoor climbing

(00:31:47) – How Dave uses flexible programing for his training

(00:37:01) – Periodization as a tool for introducing variety

(00:38:52) – Fingerboarding on the same day as bouldering and Dave’s thoughts on which to do first

(00:40:33) – The “one-minute-per-move” rule

(00:42:40) – Patron Question from Adriel: Any advice for maintaining a positive growth curve as you age? What does Dave think the upper age limit is for hitting peak performance?

(00:48:23) – Dave’s take on how much protein to eat per day

(00:49:39) – Dave’s current carnivore diet experiment

(00:57:10) – Sport climbing on a ketogenic diet

(01:07:20) – Patron Question from Charizze: How many eggs make a pile of eggs?

(01:10:17) – Patron Question from Maria: How do manage the strength to weight ratio through diet, while avoiding falling down the rabbit hole of energy deficiency and/or disordered eating?

(01:16:42) – Patron Question from Mike: Dave, you’re a hero, but I’ll be honest, much of the climbing in Scottland looks chossy and overgrown. What crag should a climber from the US visit to correct that misconception?

(01:19:07) – What time of year is best to visit Scottland to climb, and the “24/8”

(01:22:23) – Patron Question from Laurent: How do you balance fatherhood and climbing? Any secret beta for a new father who’d like to keep improving at climbing while being present in his daughter’s life?

(01:25:59) – Patron Question from Eric: Any recommendations for injury-prone climbers?

(01:30:50) – Favorite discipline of climbing

(01:32:05) – Last meal

(01:32:39) – Recommended books

(01:36:24) – Advice for his 20-year-old self

(01:37:26) – Advice for his 30-year-old self

(01:39:52) – Defining climbing moments

(01:42:14) – One of the best decisions Dave has ever made

(01:42:54) – Gratitude

(01:44:21) – Excited to focus on climbing

EP 56: Dave MacLeod (Part 1) — Jumping Up 4 Grades in 18 Months, Fingerboard Rituals, and Nutrient Density Feb 22, 2021

Dave MacLeod is a professional climber from Scotland and might be the best all-around climber in the world. Dave also has two master’s degrees and has authored two books. We talked about improving from 13d to 14d in 18 months, the ritual of approaching the fingerboard, how to reduce the risk of tendon injuries, interpreting scientific research, nutrient density, and more.

Support the Podcast:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dave-macleod-part-1

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:04:26) – The hardest thing Dave has ever downclimbed

(00:09:06) – Downclimbing for climbing up?

(00:09:57) – Going from 8b to 8c+ (13d to 14c) in 18 months as an experienced climber

(00:17:06) – Dave’s thoughts on fingerboarding 6-days per week vs. 2-3 days per week with longer sessions

(00:21:57) – Becoming less sure about things as time goes on, and the endurance study example

(00:24:25) – Dave’s theory about level of effort as the key to finger strength gains

(00:27:42) – The ritual of approaching the fingerboard, and pouring your passion for climbing into every set

(00:29:23) – The binary nature of climbing

(00:31:09) – How important each of the three ingredients (fingerboard, circuits, running) were to Dave’s jump from 8b to 8c+

(00:34:58) – More details about Dave’s outdoor circuits

(00:41:08) – Accounting for elite climbers who train vs. just climb

(00:47:12) – Hanging straight arm vs. bent arm, and considerations for Golfer’s Elbow

(00:50:54) – Learning about tendon injuries for ‘Make or Break’, theories on why tendons fail to adapt, possible environmental factors (sunlight, blood sugar, and linoleic acid), and what Dave is doing to reduce his own risk of tendon injuries

(00:57:14) – Dave’s thoughts on linoleic acid and seed oils

(01:02:06) – Epidemiological studies vs. interventional trials and experimental studies, and eggs and red meat as examples

(01:15:58) – Looking at diet through the ancestral lens

(01:20:10) – Dave’s recommendation to focus on nutrient density (regardless of dietary preference)

(01:24:22) – Getting interested in nutrition because of weight and seeking simplicity

(01:25:52) – Fingerboard grip selection, my recent half crimp assessment, and Chirs Sharma’s crimp grip

(01:33:55) – Training difference edge sizes vs. sticking to a basic 20mm, and thoughts on small hold training (10mm and below)

BONUS: Blake Cason — Upcoming Retreats Feb 18, 2021

In this bonus episode, I chat with Blake Cason about ClimbWell, and upcoming retreats for Spring 2021. Blake explains what ClimbWell is all about, who the retreats are for, what to expect from this 4-day experience, and talks about her fellow coaches and their vision for future events.

10% Discount Code:

“NUGGET10”

Learn More about Sign Up:

climbwell.co/retreat

Retreat Dates and Location:

April 8-11 in Veyo, Utah

(Second retreat has been canceled)

Follow-Up: Blake Cason — Dancing with ‘Joe SixPack’ (Teaser) Feb 18, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Blake Cason. We talked about sending her multi-season project ‘Joe SixPack’ at the VRG, transitioning in and out of training phases, embracing curiosity to overcome fear, and reflecting on lessons learned.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 33:57.

EP 55: Kai Lightner — Disordered Eating, Flexibility for Tall Climbers, and Climbing for Change Feb 15, 2021

Kai Lightner is a professional climber and the founder of Climbing for Change. We talked about how Kai discovered climbing, his reflections on an eating disorder, the importance of flexibility for tall climbers, early racist encounters, starting a non-profit to help open doors for other people, and some of Kai’s favorite training music.

Support Climbing for Change:

donorbox.org/climbing-for-change-launch

Support the Podcast:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/kai-lightner

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:53 – Tension boarding, creativity in climbing, and Kai’s first experience with hangboarding

6:55 – Kai’s go-to training music

8:01 – Halloween costumes, and the Tupac and T.I. quotes Kai shared in his graduation speech

10:39 – The Olympics, Kai’s early role models, Chris Brown’s music, and Kai’s mom

11:24 – Growing up climbing everything, the flagpole story, and Kai’s first day in a climbing gym

16:16 – Kai’s first climbing gym, climbing on the same route to prepare for nationals for five years, and driving 6 hours to get coaching

19:13 – Getting into competitions climbing, and most memorable competitions from 14 years of competing

22:15 – Going climbing outdoors at the New River Gorge, being the only black people in a 50-mile radius, and navigating unwelcoming areas

25:19 – Kai’s first racist encounter, and “the race talk”

28:25 – Outdoor climbing as a break from the pressure of competitions, and taking a break from competing to go to college on a full scholarship

31:01 – ‘Reflections on My Climbing Journey’, and Kai’s struggle with an eating disorder

36:33 – Quick vs. sustainable, and finding a better way to be better

38:10 – Thinking about food in a healthier way, climbing 5.14+ at 5’3” and 6’3”, and adapting to a grown-up body

40:27 – Kai’s feelings about projecting, and his longest project to date

41:59 – How Kai’s training has changed as an adult, a typical week of training, and Kai’s coach

45:40 – Looking up to Adam Ondra, stretching for one hour every morning, and Kai’s drop knee stretch

52:05 – Why being more flexible = being a better climber

53:38 – Why Adam Ondra is the best

55:00 – Feeling more complete as a person by helping people

56:04 – Kai’s thoughts on climbing pace

58:31 – Patron Question: What is it like being the tallest professional climber out there? Does Kai run into any situations in which he thinks, “Damn, I wish I were shorter…” If so, how often?

1:01:35 – Patron Question from Joe: I’m 6’5” and I wonder if Kai has any rules or beta for climbing through scrunchy moves that you can’t reach past?

1:02:42 – Volunteering with diversity and inclusion organizations, opening doors for others, and bridging gaps

1:07:29 – Climbing for Change (C4C), partnering with One Climb in Atlanta, and launching scholarships for individuals

1:10:47 – Patron Question from Nathan: What challenges have you faced in developing C4C?

1:12:18 – How to donate to C4C

1:13:03 – Patron Question from Nathan: What are the benefits of having your mom as a coach? What are some of the difficulties?

1:16:34 – Patron Question from Nathan: Do you think you will ever get into trad climbing? How about big walls?

1:18:11 – Kai’s (very impressive) trip to the Hurricave, and aspirations to climb 5.15

1:21:12 – Patron Question from Anna: Having grown up in the spotlight, how does Kai view his private life vs. his public life, and does he struggle to find a balance?

1:23:43 – Patron Question from Sarah: If you could get every young climber to internalize one message what would it be?

1:25:24 – Most recent meal, Asian food, Cheetos, favorite songs, and the crying laughing emoji

1:30:27 – Family

1:31:04 – Excited about Climbing for Change

1:31:57 – Instagram, outfits, and sharing experiences to help others

EP 54: Matt Segal — ‘Miami Vice’, Coffee with Benefits, and a Brief Stint with Paragliding Feb 08, 2021

Matt Segal is a professional rock climber and the founder/owner of Alpine Start, a company that makes “Instant Coffee That Actually Tastes Good”. We talked about how Matt got started in climbing, his nickname ‘Miami Vice’, early mentors, losing friends in the mountains, recovering from a paragliding accident, starting a business, and innovating new products.

Alpine Start Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikeycrouch/alpine-start-with-benefits

Support the Podcast:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/matt-segal

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:49 – “Still starting at the bottom and trying to go to the top”

3:53 – Miami Vice, training at a young age, Tony Yaniro, and the PCA

7:19 – Matt’s first highball in Hueco

13:32 – Mentorship of Eric DeCaria, Micah Dash, and Jonny Copp

17:55 – Losing friends

20:13 – Yuji Hirayama, kids bicycles, and Beat Kammberlander

22:10 – Studying Tibetan Buddhism and Psychology in school

25:07 – The beginning of Alpine Start, and Matt’s role with the company

32:00 – “You should surround yourself with people that are smarter than you.”

34:12 – Hiring good employees

36:59 – Waterproof Mini Notebook

37:57 – Matt’s writing practice, and writing letters that you don’t send

39:13 – Fulfilment and focus

39:59 – Paragliding with Cedar Wright, and Matt’s accident

44:44 – Recovery, skiing, and building back up to 5.14

47:07 – Returning to trad climbing, and trying ‘The Path’

49:06 – Calming his mind for a headpoint attempt

49:45 – Patron Question about Matt’s accident, dark times, and “My number had been called”

52:41 – Another Patron Question, and unfinished business

54:22 – Patron Question: Any tips for training for trad climbing specifically?

55:44 – Patron Question about small gear, and Matt’s story about ripping gear in China

59:16 – Sneaky ways to equalize gear

1:00:25 – Climbing ‘Primate’ in the Flatirons

1:01:33 – Cutting his hand open at a silent zen retreat, proving the doctors wrong, and teaching Ethan Pringle how to trad climb

1:03:46 – Takeaway from the Bugaboo saga, and “partnerships are way stronger than names and grades”

1:04:58 – Grateful for wine, and cooking

1:07:27 – New products from Alpine Start and the Kickstarter (link above in show notes)

1:10:49 – Matt’s upcoming St. George trip

1:13:08 – The project on Mt. Hooker, local projects, and Matt’s cooking/climbing mashup road trip

1:16:26 – Freedom of the Wheels …2?

Follow-Up: Mike Doyle — How to Maintain Finger Strength While Sport Climbing (Teaser) Feb 04, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Mike Doyle. We talked about some of the exercises that have helped Mike in his recovery from his elbow injury, working with Natasha Barnes and retraining his brain to reduce pain, and Mike shared his go-to hangboard protocol for maintaining finger strength throughout the year between training blocks.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 30:04.

EP 53: Jon Glassberg (Part 2) — MoonBoarding, an Example Training Day, and Foreign Haircuts Feb 01, 2021

This is part 2 of my conversation with Jon Glassberg. We talked about flexibility training, how Jon uses the MoonBoard and why he thinks it is such a useful tool, why how he structures a six-week training block, an example training day, the value of training with a partner, favorite Louder Than Eleven films, and foreign haircuts.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jon-glassberg-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:34 – Flexibility training, and the pain cave

10:34 – Jon’s improvement in the spits

13:30 – Why splits training probably isn’t that important, and practicing climbing in a small box

14:56 – The distinction between training vs. just bouldering in the gym, and the value of the training boards (MoonBoard, Tension, etc)

16:11 – Jon’s MoonBoard training, and the “Top 10 climbs in a day” system

21:20 – How MoonBoard gains transfer to outdoor bouldering, and learning to execute

22:46 – How Jon structures his training week

27:36 – An example training day, mock comps, and climbing with a weight vest

31:40 – Indoor projecting days, and how Jon structures a six-week training block, and resting

34:24 – Some of the testing Jon did with Steve Maisch

37:14 – Building up your training capacity, why it’s ok to suck some days, and seeing improvement after resting at the end of a training block

39:21 – Budgeting a week to relearn how to climb after getting strong

40:32 – How Jon’s six-week training blocks fit into a year, and the value of a training partner

42:58 – Forced time off, maintaining finger strength, and warming up with a hangboard in addition to climbing

46:14 – Skin

47:38 – Jon’s guidelines for warmup up

50:20 – More about one-arm max hangs, how to progress the load, and where to start out

54:54 – “Don’t go into training half-assed”

55:45 – Hangboard repeaters, and how Jon structures a six-week block

1:00:29 – Feeling like a boxer, and going to the gym to win

1:02:19 – Jon’s thoughts on MoondBoard vs. Tension Board vs. Kilter Board vs. Beastmaker Board

1:04:11 – Jon’s recommendations for my Hueco “training” trip

1:07:39 – Project shopping, the relativity of grades, and the value of throwing yourself at something hard

1:10:33 – Sean Rabatou and the value of projecting with other people

1:12:59 – How Jon’s climbing schedule has changed over the years, and needing more rest days

1:15:02 – FA of ‘King’s Landing’

1:16:26 – Good food and haircuts

1:17:26 – ‘The Abyss’ film

1:18:23 – Recent and upcoming films from LT11

1:20:01 – Gratitude for family and friends

1:20:48 – What Jon hopes to accomplish with LT11, and with his own climbing

EP 52: Jon Glassberg (Part 1) — Filming Emily Harrington on ‘Golden Gate’, and Pursuing V15 Jan 25, 2021

Jon Glassberg is the owner of Louder Than Eleven, a leading media production company in the Outdoor Industry. He is also a total crusher, having climbed 400+ boulders from V10 to V14. In part one we talked about filming Emily Harrington on her in-a-day ascent of ‘Golden Gate’, about Jon’s early climbing, about pursuing the goal of V15, and about his struggle with a bizarre injury.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jon-glassberg-part-1

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:54 – Coffee, intermittent fasting, and being more productive in the morning

4:24 – Jon’s go-to breakfast on a climbing day, and on an El Cap filming day, and caffeine

6:20 – Getting back from Yosemite, and Jon’s five-year film project with Emily Harrington

8:03 – Emily’s scary fall in November 2019

13:17 – Emily climbing ‘Golden Gate’ in a day, and her dramatic fall near the top

23:23 – Emily’s grit, and how Alex Honnold is different than everyone else

28:18 – Jon’s perception of free climbing El Cap in a day, and why Emily’s accomplishment is so impressive

32:47 – Jerrydoodleberg

35:41 – Jon’s month trip to Yosemite, balancing work with climbing, and learning to be better with your time

40:32 – Being in Yosemite during covid, and the previous government shutdown

41:45 – Jon’s bouldering highlights from this Yosemite trip

44:36 – Why Jon prefers bouldering over big wall free climbing

46:41 – Existing on the side of El Cap

49:51 – Learning new systems, and being obsessed with efficiency

50:33 – Working with Steve Maisch, how Jon maintains finger strength during a shoot, and training on the Moonbaord during covid

54:40 – Jon’s training philosophy and the value of hangboarding (both physical and mental)

57:43 – The one-arm hangboard protocol Jon learned from Steve Maisch

1:00:17 – 3F drag repeaters, Jon’s finger strength, growing from 5’2” to 6’3” in a year, and building log cabins

1:04:03 – Climbing back when V12 was “hard”, Boone NC, graphic design school, early filming, and the underpants gnomes

1:09:39 – Grad school, almost buying a gym, and starting LT11

1:12:14 – The evolution of LT11, and working on his first feature film

1:17:31 – Emily’s accomplishment in context, and the history of women free climbing El Cap in a day

1:19:21 – The new school approach to big wall free climbing on El Cap, and shooting with Jorg Verhoeven

1:27:11 – The process of putting together a feature film (after filming)

1:34:35 – Balancing commercial work with storytelling

1:38:01 – The roll of a line producer, and how Jon uses Google Drive to keep track of projects

1:42:59 – Jon’s to-do list for life

1:44:43 – Jon’s V15 goal, working with Steve Maisch, and joking about weight classes in climbing

1:48:11 – ‘The Island’, Jon’s crazy injury, and crutching all over Red Rocks

1:57:06 – Jon’s limited mobility, putting on socks, and Jon’s thoughts on the wear and tear of bouldering

2:00:53 – A new philosophy for projecting, and a sample of Jon’s iconic boulders list

Follow-Up: Steve Bechtel — Goal Setting and the "Three Good Tries" Rule (Teaser) Jan 21, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Steve Bechtel. We talked about goal setting, how drinking more water can help with fat loss, the "Three Good Tries" rule, building skills vs. habits, three things to consider when choosing a training program, the value and limitations of training assessments, and why we shouldn’t necessarily depend on scientific research to tell us what to do.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:24:10.

EP 51: Chris and Heather Weidner — Kneebar Wizardry, Projecting Tips, and Supporting Each Other’s Goals Jan 18, 2021

Chris and Heather Weidner are a hardcore climbing couple, both with many 5.14s under their belt across multiple rock climbing disciplines. We talked about drink counting, New Year resolutions, current injuries, the steps to becoming a kneebar wizard, projecting tips, hard conversations, and balancing climbing goals with maintaining a healthy relationship.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-and-heather-weidner

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:41 – How Heather broke her own finger climbing at Shelf Road, and being injured together

5:52 – Counting drinks

9:24 – New Year resolutions, goal setting, and the Green River trip

13:52 – Heather’s climbing origin story, her background in dance, and the choreography of projecting

18:48 – Chris’s climbing origin story, and being introduced to rock climbing and mountains

21:05 – Living in Boulder and maintaining roots in Vegas

21:50 – The art of becoming a kneebar wizard

29:35 – Philosophy of kneebaring, getting better vs. training, and beta tactics

35:06 – Tinkering with beta

38:35 – How Chris breaks down a new project, and training the rests

41:28 – Kneerbar training exercises

44:04 – How Chris broke his pinkie by kneebaring

45:44 – Sourcing kneepads, Send pads, and kneecap tape explanation

49:45 – Heather’s kneebar beta, and why women can handle pain better than men

51:35 – Go-to shoes for kneebars

53:20 – Adam Ondra is making kneebaring cool again

54:37 – Send pads, leg warmers, and man warmers

57:33 – ‘Gambler’s Fallacy’

1:03:18 – How Chris hurt his shoulder

1:04:38 – Balancing climbing together with climbing with other people

1:09:14 – Chris’s passion for climbing (and ticking boxes), and Heather’s love for projecting

1:13:11 – Expectations going into a hard project, and being ok with not doing all of the moves the first day (or several days)

1:16:12 – ‘Stockboy’s Revenge’

1:18:15 – “Ask Chris what it’s like for him to have Heather outperform him on his project?”

1:19:22 – Heather’s “bullheadedness” in projecting, and focus vs. adaptability

1:21:01 – Hitting rock bottom on ‘China Doll’, and addressing inner demons

1:23:28 – Getting mental coaching from Arno Ilgner, meditation, and therapy

1:25:23 – Heather’s meditation practice, and the flow state of climbing

1:26:53 – Breakdown of ‘China Doll’

1:30:23 – What Chris learned from ‘Gambler’s Fallacy’

1:32:53 – Heather’s mindset when tying in for a project burn, and how Chris’s projecting philosophy has changed

1:35:57 – Learning to adapt, and the power of letting go

1:37:04 – Why Heather is excited about bouldering

1:38:20 – Gratitude

1:41:17 – Kids and hard conversations

1:45:12 – Another decade of improvement

EP 50: Jon Cardwell — Projecting 5.15, Pre-Training Modes, and Bouldering for Sport Climbing Jan 11, 2021

Jon Cardwell is a professional rock climber who specializes in bouldering and sport climbing. Jon’s tick list includes V15, multiple 5.15a’s, and hundreds of 5.14s. We talked about lessons learned from ‘Biographie’ and ‘La Rambla’, about his off-season and pre-training modes, about bouldering for sport climbing, and about his current 5.15 project at The Fortress in Colorado.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jon-cardwell

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:05 – Training at home during quarantine, and forced time off from climbing

5:44 – Taking time off over the holidays, and setting goals for the new year

8:14 – How Jon trains for a goal route (broad strokes)

10:45 – Tapering, the performance window, and incorporating hiking when preparing for ‘Biographie’

14:04 – Jon’s typical climbing schedule when trying a 5.15 project, and differences between ‘Biographie’ and ‘La Rambla’

15:46 – Sending ‘La Lambla’, and taking a step back to recharge for a hard project

20:03 – Jon’s current 5.15 project, and how his training has changed vs. previous 5.15s

23:24 – More details about Jon’s project

28:50 – Running to circulate blood and aid recovery

30:31 – Breakdown of project pitch 1

33:32 – Skin cooling, and portable fans as the future of sport climbing

37:48 – Using the tension board, Jon’s “pre-training” mode(s), and bouldering for sport climbing

43:16 – Outdoor vs. indoor bouldering

46:53 – Moderate days and enjoying climbing

50:55 – Jon’s trips to Ten Sleep this summer

53:06 – Memorable climbs/sends that didn’t make the headlines, and Carlo’s “Triple 14” day

59:36 – ‘Misty Wall’

1:09:40 – Patron Question: What are some of Jon’s favorite FiveTen shoes?

1:12:43 – Patron Question: Do you have any takeaways from dealing with climbing finger injuries?

1:19:16 – Thoughts on preventing finger injuries, and when to let go

1:24:01 – Advice for newer climbers (first few years)

1:28:06 – Advice for climbers with limited access to outdoor climbing, and coaching kids

1:32:52 – Route setting

1:36:06 – Moving toward a new career

1:37:55 – One of the best decisions Jon has ever made

1:39:55 – Photography, dog walking, and being in the mountains

1:40:43 – Gratitude for health

1:42:02 – Favorite post-climb meal

1:42:52 – ‘The Wind-Up Bird’

Follow-Up: Lizzy VanPatten — 'Make Me Sanguine' (Teaser) Jan 08, 2021

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Lizzy VanPatten. We talked about her FA of ‘Make Me Sanguine’ 5.13a—a beautiful new trad route on some of Oregon’s finest columnar basalt. This was also Lizzy's first 5.13. We talked about the process of projecting the route, about the meaning behind the name, and about breaking down the arbitrary limits we create for ourselves.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:03:33.

Darek Krol Memorial Clip Jan 04, 2021

This is a short clip that I shared at Darek Krol’s memorial service. I felt that this clip captured some of Darek’s philosophy of life, his spirit, and his humor. I wanted to share it here in case you don’t have a chance to listen through the full 3-hour episode. We will miss you, Darek.

Full Episode:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/darek-krol

EP 49: Remembering Darek Krol Jan 04, 2021

Darek Krol was known by many as the “Mayor of Rifle”. He managed to climb 400+ of Rifle’s roughly 500 routes in his 23 years in the canyon. Darek was killed in an avalanche shortly after this interview. We talked about his love of climbing, about stewardship, and about his close friend, the late Dave Pegg. Darek was well-loved, and he will be deeply missed.

Darek Krol Memorial Fund:

http://www.gofundme.com/f/darek-krol-memorial-fund

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/darek-krol

Nuggets:

4:07 – Discovering climbing in Poland

7:44 – Love at first rock climb, and climbing in his “whities” before harnesses

11:35 – ‘Philology’, and ‘The Conquerors of the Useless’

17:04 – What defines us as human beings, and hugging the planet

26:00 – Balancing relationships with climbing

28:25 – Moving to America

32:58 – Parallel lives in America and Poland, telling stories, and connecting with people in Rifle

38:56 – Climbing as a social sport, Darek’s first trip to Spain in the mid-80s, and selling his sleeping bag to buy chalk and shoes

47:48 – Working for ‘Gory’ (‘Mountains’) magazine, and starting his own climbing magazine

52:25 – Discovering training, building an indoor climbing wall in Poland, and hosting a climbing competition in an arena

59:30 – Waiting to be recognized as climbers, and the quarry in downtown Krakow

1:01:40 – Why Rifle?

1:05:06 – Meditating on the drive to Rifle, and commuting to climb in Poland

1:09:28 – Darek’s “dope” psych-up music, and sharing music w/ Dave Pegg

1:12:45 – Encouragement and self-talk

1:15:14 – Memories of Dave Pegg, and the new Rifle guidebook

1:24:37 – Rifle in the 90s, and Dave’s dedication

1:27:06 – ’Sprayathon’

1:31:28 – Rediscovering Lower Tier

1:38:16 – Movement vs. strength, and “there is always a way in Rifle”

1:41:45 – Kneebar pads and blue duct tape

1:48:58 – RendezSPEW event, and taking over duties from Dave

1:55:15 – Stewardship, and Dave’s legacy

2:04:28 – The bow and arrow

2:09:48 – Climbing his hardest route in his 50s, and excitement to push new ground

2:14:35 – Darek’s project during covid

2:17:38 – “What you eat matters”

2:25:30 – “It’s never too late”, and Stanislaw Lem

2:29:23 – “There is no good and bad”

2:32:38 – More about Darek’s project, and “Vitamin I”

2:41:16 – Trying the Anderson brother’s training program, feeling old injuries, and weighted pullups

2:49:15 – Homemade training weights (bolted rocks), and the magic of training

2:53:55 – Winter skiing and training plans

2:58:10 – Darek’s dry-tooling friend in Poland

3:05:05 – Gratitude

3:10:20 – “I am the mayor of Rifle, I know everybody!”

Merry Christmas! Dec 21, 2020

In this episode, Steven thanks listeners for an amazing year and for supporting the podcast. He also shares some Christmas karaoke that he recorded in his van...

Feedback Form:

thenuggetclimbing.com/feedback

Support on Patreon:

EP 48: Alex Johnson (Part 2) — Isometric Training, Getting Strong, and the Lock-Off Challenge Dec 14, 2020

This is part 2 of my conversation with Alex Johnson. We talked about how she improved from 12b to 14a in her sport climbing, why she no longer does weighted pull-ups, isometric training for arm strength, a typical strength training session, performance vs. training vs. practice, and about Athletic Brewing and the Post-Send Lock-Off Challenge.

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alex-johnson-part-2

Show Notes:

Athletic Brewing:

Promo Code: “NUGGET25” for 25% off all orders for new customers

Shop Athletic Brewing Beer

Nuggets:

1:54 – Leveling up from 12b to 14a

5:11 – Testing with Dr. Tyler Nelson, fast hands, and pinpointing weaknesses (finger and arm strength)

12:52 – How Alex trained arm strength, and why weighted pull-ups are “moot”

16:27 – Breakdown of AJ’s isometric arm strength session

20:26 – AJ’s typical strength session layout (bouldering, arm strength, finger strength)

21:43 – Breakdown of AJ’s finger strength session

25:05 – “Snatches” on a campus board for contact strength

28:48 – Athletic Brewing and the Post-Send Lock Off Challenge

33:00 – Sending ‘The Muffler’ V12, and plans to go back to ‘The Swarm’

34:30 – Highballs

37:28 – AJ’s parting thoughts for her team kids, and “never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in”

42:07 – Outro

Follow-Up: Jasna Hodžić — Projecting 101 (...More like 401) (Teaser) Dec 10, 2020

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Jasna Hodžić. We talked about the projecting process and Jasna’s notetaking process, what she learned from reflecting on ‘Voodoo’ 14b, and her considerations when choosing a new goal. We also talked about navigating climbing partnerships, and how to be honest upfront to avoid issues later.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 1:03:04.

EP 47: Alex Johnson (Part 1) — An Olympic Dream, the Art of Failure, and Thriving in Your Own Skin Dec 07, 2020

Alex Johnson is a two-time world cup gold medalist and has been climbing at a professional level for a decade. We talked about sieging ‘The Swarm’ V13, her effort to qualify for the Olympics, telling an honest story, failing publicly, lessons from coaching, coming out as LGBTQ, learning about self-love from her partner Bree, and becoming a role model.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alex-johnson-part-1

Show Notes:

Athletic Brewing:

Promo Code: “NUGGET25” for 25% off all orders for new customers

Shop Athletic Brewing Beer

Nuggets:

4:09 – Mr. Golden Sun

7:40 – Googly eyed elephant

8:36 – Fritz

10:50 – An amazing day in Yosemite with Fritz

13:06 – The 100 V10’s goal, and Alex’s approach to climbing

18:33 – Balancing hard projecting with volume

22:10 – Obsession over a single project, and volume bouldering games

26:06 – The Swarm, trying to qualify for the Olympics, and the vulnerability of failing publically

32:58 – Storytelling and sharing training ideas on social media, and starting to work with Dr. Tyler Nelson

39:45 – Comps vs. outdoor climbing, and “my heart is in rock climbing”

44:38 – Moving back home to coach, and how coaching lead AJ back to competing

49:36 – Practice vs. training vs. performance

52:26 – Balancing practice, training, and performance, and “going to the gym is practice”

55:00 – Practice drills, and working a boulder to learn vs. to send

1:00:13 – Combining training and practice sessions on the same day, 6x2s, and mock comp days

1:02:39 – “Always with intension”, lone-wolf garage sessions, and the vulnerability of training

1:06:40 – AJ’s go-to exercises on the home wall, and “You have to try hard to try hard”

1:09:47 – Coming out, Bree’s quote, and being a role model

1:19:04 – “Be who you needed when you were younger.”

1:19:19 – Gus Kenworthy

1:24:49 – Bree

1:28:56 – Learning about self-love

T-Shirt Giveaway! Dec 03, 2020

My friend Trevor made shirts for The Nugget Climbing Podcast, and I am giving them away to some of you! Well, sort of...

Learn more and reserve your shirt at thenuggetclimbing.com/giveaway

EP 46: Chris Kalous — Untold Stories, the Mythical Grade of A6+, and the Gift of Podcasting Nov 30, 2020

Chris Kalous is the host of the Enormocast and has been immersed in climbing for more than thirty years. We talked about training to be a climber in high school gym class, climbing mountains in New Zealand, soloing El Cap in winter, the infamous “Aid Rant” and the mythical grade of A6+, the ‘Freerider’, old-guy training, raising a kid, and the future of the Enormocast.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-kalous

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:41 – Election hangover and my visit to Bonfire Coffee

5:14 – Growing up in the Midwest and reading about John Bachar in Outside Magazine

6:34 – Training for climbing in high school gym class

9:53 – First day of outdoor climbing at Horsetooth Reservoir, and the Outdoor Adventure Floor at CSU

12:15 – Guiding at Colorado Mountain School

15:07 – Chris’s first big international trip to Australia

20:06 – Becoming interested in climbing history, reading ‘Climb!’ cover-to-cover, and idolizing climbers from the 70s

22:29 – Aid climbing in the Fisher Towers

23:30 – Doing an exchange to NZ in ’91, moving to LA, moving away from ice climbing, and starting to climb in Yosemite

27:29 – Climbing A4 in the Fisher Towers, and early aid climbing on El Cap

30:43 – Solo aid climbing ‘Lost in America’ in winter, and aiding through a waterfall

38:33 – Getting down the east ledges in the snow, breaking “the rule”, and the aid climber’s mindset

41:33 – The ‘Aid Rant’, and a breakdown of aid climbing grades (A0 through A5)

47:07 – Aid climbing as an engineering and mental challenge

50:24 – Patron Question: What exactly might constitute the mythical grade of A6+?

51:28 – Patron Question: What is the best way to train for hard aid in a gym?

52:19 – Why Chris moved away from aid climbing

56:30 – How Chris thinks about introducing his son Miles to climbing

57:36 – The ‘Freerider’ chapter

1:06:01 – ‘Learning to Fly’, Didier Berthod, “The bolts don’t make the sport climbing”, and traddy tendencies

1:12:16 – Embracing Rifle, climbing ‘Cantina Boy’, and the mental game of sport climbing

1:16:49 – Back to ‘Learning to Fly’, the advice Chris got from Peewee Ouellet, and taping for finger cracks

1:20:40 – The Canadian Rockies chapter and the FA of ‘Premonition’

1:24:15 – Putting up a 10-pitch 13a in Wadi Rum

1:26:03 – Patron Question: How do you balance fatherhood and climbing? Any secret beta for a new father who would like to keep improving at climbing while being present in his daughter’s life?

1:29:22 – Navigating a relationship with kids, climbing with your partner, and date nights

1:34:08 – Training lessons from working with Kris Hampton (Odub)

1:36:53 – Training can be fun, and “you can do a lot less than you think and still see gains”

1:38:42 – A breadth of experiences, and how climbing harder opens up the world

1:41:11 – One wish about sponsorship and being a sponsored climber

1:43:24 – Hoping to go to Tagia in Morocco, getting shut down on ‘Golden Gate’, prioritizing friends and family in climbing

1:47:34 – The sale offer, and the future of the Enormocast

1:50:31 – The Runout podcast (Chris’s other podcast with Andrew Bisharat)

1:52:12 – Chris’s recommended Enormocast episodes

1:55:11 – Chris’s recommended Runout episodes

1:55:48 – Grateful for Carbondale, CO

1:57:35 – The gift of podcasting, and the guest wish list

2:02:14 – The Mobile Studio 2.0

Follow-Up: Brittany Goris — The Wild World of Offwidths (Teaser) Nov 26, 2020

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Brittany Goris. We talked about her season in Vedauwoo and some of the top offwidth climbing techniques she learned, about onsighting her first 5.13 trad route in Indian Creek, about how she approaches gear selection and placement for hard splitter projects and onsight attempts, and about her growing finger sizes.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 30:50.

EP 45: Dru Mack (feat. Nat Gustafson) — How to Stay Strong While Projecting, and Battling ‘The Crew’ Nov 23, 2020

Dru Mack is a professional rock climber who spent his formative years in the Red River Gorge, and is now traveling full time pursuing hard sport climbing. Nat Gustafson sits in on our conversation to talk about hard projecting, tricks for maintaining power and finger strength, an update on “The List”, training recommendations, hype up songs, and Dru’s battle with ‘The Crew’ 5.14c in Rifle.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dru-mack

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

4:12 – Send Frosties vs. sad Frosties, DQ Blizzards, and steak dinners

6:01 – One “health day” per week, and crunches for beach abs

7:17 – Battling ‘The Crew’

9:14 – Project climbing vs. mixing it up, and “every project has a different process”

13:01 – ‘The Flame’, and going on bouldering trips to help his sport climbing

16:10 – Balancing performance climbing with Moonboard sessions, bouldering trips, and hangboarding

18:41 – Dru’s bouldering trip to Estes

19:55 – Bouldering sessions in the gym, and Is, Ys, and Ts

21:35 – Dru’s stretching practice

24:15 – The importance of fun

26:28 – My breathing challenge from Ethan Pringle

30:07 – The theme I’ve noticed in top climbers through the podcast

31:28 – Introducing Nat, the prospect of shoulder surgery, and “decisions are always easier when they’re made for you”

34:14 – Question for Nat: What are some of the cultural differences you noticed (related to climbing) between Spain and the US? What can you attribute to higher climbing standards in Spain?

38:28 – The Spanish warmup

39:37 – Lessons from climbing with the Pou brothers

41:15 – Nat’s progression from 12d/13a to 5.14 in 3.5 years in Spain

42:31 – Nat’s challenges with the language barrier in Spain and feeling emotionally blunted

44:01 – “You don’t get over the fears.”

46:11 – Learning from friends

49:15 – Social media and room for mistakes and growth

57:37 – Lee and mentorship

1:03:30 – ‘Middle Child’

1:06:57 – Being “Lee” for some other kid someday

1:07:59 – Dru’s biggest weaknesses leaving the Red

1:09:45 – Dru’s first trip to Europe, climbing with J-Star, and doing ‘Fisheye’

1:11:32 – Getting lowered off the end of his rope, and “always getting better.”

1:13:41 – Plans to move to St. George, and what Dru is focusing on to continue getting better

1:15:36 – Dru’s mantras, little victories, and staying positive

1:18:06 – Update on “The List” (from J-Star), and campusing slabs at the VRG

1:22:18 – Stiff shoes and calf raises for kneebars

1:23:48 – Plans to continue “The List”, and balancing volume climbing with projecting

1:28:07 – 5.15?

1:32:51 – Moving to St. George, community, and balancing connection with solo time

1:39:54 – The book ‘Exhalation’

1:43:03 – Productivity vs. downtime, phones as a tool, and asking ourselves, “do I have the time to be entertained right now?”

1:46:37 – Shoutout to listeners! Thank you so much for your questions, seriously!

1:46:59 – Patron Question: What should I do to prepare for a trip to the Red? (given two to three months to prepare)

1:51:47 – Breaking down the “2x2” and the “3x3”

1:54:16 – Best angles to train on for the Red

1:55:03 – How to progress your training leading up to a trip to the Red

1:58:05 – Short summary of Red training

1:58:26 – Fingers and core, and Dru’s current approach to finger strength

2:01:18 – R&B and hype up music

2:03:16 – “Enjoy every second of it.”

2:05:44 – Gratitude for friends and supportive community

2:06:51 – “Would I be ok trying this route for a month and not doing it..?”, and last-ditch efforts on ‘The Crew’

2:09:17 – More gratitude, blue-point-thumb-wrestling, and basketball

2:11:50 – Send Frosty and donuts

EP 44: Steven Dimmitt (feat. Ethan Pringle) — The Guy Behind The Nugget Climbing Podcast Nov 16, 2020

Steven Dimmitt is the host of The Nugget Climbing Podcast. In this reverse interview, Ethan Pringle takes over and asks Steven about his upbringing, his path through climbing, and about starting the podcast. This episode also features questions from past guests on the show, asking Steven about some of his biggest mistakes, lessons learned, climbing heroes, and inner life.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/steven-dimmitt

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:13 – Beef and veggie breakfast tacos

5:04 – Switching interview roles

6:49 – The early years and growing up in Wenatchee, WA

10:27 – Traveling as a kid, South America, and cockroaches

13:02 – Getting robbed in South America

15:22 – Parents, podcast hikes, and connecting through the podcast

20:40 – Piano lessons and threatening to cut my fingers off

22:13 – Music up through high school

26:01 – Going to college in Bellingham, majoring in music, and playing in (and living with) a band

29:30 – My first (and second) climbing experiences, and working at the climbing gym in college

34:01 – My first climbing trip to Bishop and climbing ‘The Hunk’

35:47 – Connecting with climbing and moving away from music after college, and a new excitement for music now

38:50 – Summer jobs in the fruit warehouses

43:53 – Working for the Forest Service, bouldering my first V0 through V10 (except V6) in Leavenworth, and discovering I had weak fingers in Joe’s Valley

45:31 – Learning how to sport climb at Equinox, and resonating with sport climbing

49:45 – Living in my Subaru after college to climb, Ten Sleep, the first Climb Strong Training Camp, and the ‘Superman’ video

53:20 – Visiting Bend/Smith for the first time, lacking purpose on the road, and moving there to work for Entre Prises (EP)

57:31 – Making climbing holds for EP, and working in aerospace

59:57 – The Adventures of Sloth blog and my uneventful 25th birthday

1:02:28 – Smith Rock, “eating your vegetables (with sand in them)”, and working in the grind

1:05:31 – My approach to training while working in Bend, my ‘Grinding’ blog post, following the (altered) Rock Prodigy program, and changing my tune

— [Guest Questions] —

1:11:45 – [Mike Doyle] What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in regards to training?

1:16:53 – [Drew Ruana] What inspired you to start the podcast?

1:24:32 – [Audrey Sniezek] What is the biggest challenge in producing a podcast?

1:25:51 – [Ian Yurdin] How has the podcast influenced your climbing? How is it a drain and/or boon for your climbing? Are you sending more since you started the podcast?

1:28:50 – [Bill Ramsey] When interviewing famous climbers how do you strike a balance between interviewing them for things they’re famous for and therefore have already been covered, and asking original questions that cover new ground?

1:30:37 – [Tonde Katiyo] You are a great listener. Do you think that is a personality trait or something that you’ve cultivated?

1:32:33 – [Charlie Manganiello] What’s the one thing you wish someone would have told you when you first started pursuing hard rock climbs?

1:36:09 – [Mike Kerzhner] If you could take a trip for a month with one climber, dead or alive, who would it be and where would you go?

1:37:11 – [Steve Bechtel] If you could only do one more hard route in your life, which one would it be? Why aren’t you trying it now?

1:38:59 – [Brittany Goris] If you could climb only on one type of rock (i.e. granite, sandstone, limestone, etc.) for the rest of your life, which one would it be and why?

1:39:59 – [Chad Andrews] What’s your ideal balance between meaningful work, travel, and climbing in the future?

1:42:11 – [Blake Cason] Describe a snapshot of a memorable climbing experience you’ve had.

— [Ethan’s Questions] —

1:46:56 – What is your inner life like? And do you think there is a discrepancy between how you seem to others and how you seem to yourself?

1:52:23 – What have you been especially grateful for lately?

1:57:30 – What does the word “God” mean to you?

2:07:36 – “Be kind to one another.”

2:11:55 – “Is a whale a fish or a mammal?”

Follow-Up: Jonathan Siegrist — ‘Nu World’ and the ‘Event Horizon’ Project (Teaser) Nov 12, 2020

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Jonathan Siegrist. We talked about chasing weather in New England, about Jaws II, about the FA of ‘Nu World’ 5.15a/b, about the ‘Event Horizon’ project (the direct finish to ‘Nu World’), and about some of the strategies and tactics Jonathan uses when returning for a new round of attempts on a multi-season project.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 26:42.

EP 43: Emily Harrington — Projecting ‘Golden Gate’ in a Day, Embracing Fear, and Cupcake Batter Ice Cream Nov 09, 2020

Emily Harrington is a professional climber whose accomplishments span the climbing spectrum. From winning National Championships, to summiting Mt. Everest, to free climbing El Capitan, Emily has done it all. We talked about projecting ‘Golden Gate’ in a day, partnering with Alex Honnold, embracing fear, eating to fuel your body, and cupcake batter ice cream.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/emily-harrington

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:14 – Being at home, the next round of tries, and “it’s been a long process”

5:29 – Why Emily chose ‘Golden Gate’ in a day as a goal

10:21 – Emily’s preparation for ‘Golden Gate’ this season

13:22 – Partnering up with Alex Honnold

16:36 – Emily’s accident last fall, and recalibrating for this attempt

19:36 – Breakdown of ‘Golden Gate’ and least favorite pitches (the Hollow Flake/ all fo the downclimbs and offwidths)

23:18 – Climbing the Monster Offwidth and bumping a #6 that she’d forgotten to clip

23:56 – Emily’s favorite pitches on ‘Golden Gate’ (Golden Desert and A5)

24:45 – Footwear for El Cap, and converting to the TC Pro

27:29 – Conquering fear vs. embracing fear and using it as fuel

30:41 – Patron Question: Any tips or tactics for working through fear in the moment?

34:37 – Emily’s strategies for working through anxiety, and letting go of perfection

40:25 – Eating to fuel your body

41:26 – Transitioning into trad and big wall free climbing and Emily’s rollercoaster of emotions

43:58 – Rappelling El Cap to try a 20’ downclimb

46:15 – What Emily hopes to accomplish in her career and in her climbing

50:23 – Grateful to have a home

52:12 – Reggaeton

53:05 – Non-functional earrings

54:09 – Skittles and pancakes

54:38 – Naan

55:04 – Cupcake batter ice cream

EP 42: Hailey Franklin Fultz — Strength + Nutrition, Fat Loss Strategies, and “Healthifying” Dessert Nov 02, 2020

Hailey Franklin Fultz is a former competitive dancer, and a nutrition coach. For the past five years, she has used nutrition to help Matt Fultz (her husband) become one of the top boulderers in the world. We geeked out about all things nutrition: meal timing, protein synthesis, the role of carbs, supplements for climbers, strategies for fat loss, foods to avoid, navigating holidays, and Hailey’s favorite “healthified” treats.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/hailey-franklin-fultz

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:21 – Moving into the RV

6:34 – Travel plans, meeting in middle school, and holiday family time

8:16 – Rifle and potential plans to meet up

9:32 – Hailey’s background in dance, dabbling in climbing, and appreciating watching climbing

11:53 – Hailey’s history with ballet and dance, and growing a love for fitness and functional strength training

12:44 – Becoming interested in nutrition in college, starting OTG Strength with Matt, and every calorie as a “package of opportunity”

15:10 – Parallels between dancers and climbers in regards to nutritional needs

16:38 – Protein synthesis overview

20:22 – Strategies for optimizing protein synthesis, and planning meals around protein

21:45 – Hailey’s recommended daily protein amount (about 1.6 to 2.5 or 3 grams of protein per kg bodyweight per day—note 1 kg = 2.2 lbs)

25:57 – Hailey’s thoughts on supplements (the ingredient list should still look like food)

28:14 – Hailey’s pitch for people who feel reluctant to eat higher protein, and the many roles of amino acids

32:17 – Protein for pre-workout

33:58 – Hailey’s recommendations for peri-workout nutrition/crag food

36:40 – Alternatives to candy for quick energy at the cliff

40:31 – More recommendations related to food timing

43:46 – Shifting our eating around training blocks and energy needs

46:10 – Hailey’s supplement staples for climbers (fish oil and protein powder), and “supplements are meant to fill gaps”

48:23 – Herbs and adaptogens

50:08 – Vitamin D supplementation and food sources

53:18 – Hailey’s biggest bang-for-your-buck recommendations: more protein spread out throughout the day, and more fruits and vegetables

56:42 – Prioritizing complex carbohydrates and real food at the crag

57:51 – Hailey’s thoughts on individuality in nutrition

1:00:48 – Carbohydrate tolerance, the liver’s many jobs, and “carbohydrates are not evil”

1:06:25 – Foods/ingredients that everyone should avoid: artificial foods, food coloring, and trans fats (hydrogenated oils)

1:08:55 – Hailey’s thoughts on alcohol (she recommends keeping it to 1-2 drinks per week, and on rest days)

1:14:04 – Navigating holidays, proteinizing (or healthifying) desserts and treats, and prioritizing foods that are “worth it”

1:18:23 – “Guilt isn’t a topping”, and “If I don’t eat it all today, I can still have some of it tomorrow”

1:20:40 – “Weight has purpose”, Matt’s bulking/cutting/maintenance strategy, fat loss, and how to lose 5 lbs (of fat) to peak for a project (higher protein, slight calorie deficit, and fasted walks)

1:26:26 – Matt’s morning fasted walk (30-60 minutes at a fairly brisk pace, 2-3 times per week)

1:29:46 – How gradually to lose weight during a cutting phase

1:31:58 – Relaxing during “bulking” phases, and the beauty of building good nutrition habits

1:35:13 – Your taste palette changes

1:37:07 – Summary of the big nutritional takeaways and Hailey’s emphasis (“calories and not evil, and they’re not created equal…”)

1:38:36 – What Hailey would say to her 20-year-old self, letting go of perfection, and the importance of sleep

1:40:47 – More about sleep

1:42:52 – Prioritization, saying “yes” and “no”, and “our best is worth a lot”

1:45:50 – Moving from Idaho to Salt Lake City, working at Sprouts in the vitamin department, and “honor the stepping stones”

1:49:02 – Morning routines

1:50:33 – Hailey’s current book and favorite nostalgic/grounding music

1:52:15 – Gratitude for kind people

1:53:12 – RV life and a new learning curve

1:53:54 – OTG Strength and what clients can expect if they work with Hailey and Matt.

1:57:50 – Hailey’s favorite treats from the ‘Hypnotized Minds’ cheat day with Matt

Follow-Up: Drew Ruana — Recent V16s (Teaser) Oct 29, 2020

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Drew Ruana. We talked about his process of sending 'Box Therapy' and 'Creature From the Black Lagoon', as well his process projecting 'The Grand Illusion', and plans for summer training.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 18:34.

EP 41: Tonde Katiyo (Part 2) — RIC as a Tool, the Value of Route Setting, and Keeping Training in Perspective Oct 26, 2020

This is part 2 of my conversation with Tonde Katiyo. We talked about RIC (Risk, Intensity, Complexity) as a tool for communicating about difficulty, about the appropriate responses to different types of bouldering challenges, about the value and importance of route setting in a growing industry, about The Lab, and keeping training in perspective.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tonde-katiyo-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:18 – RIC (Risk, Intensity, Complexity) as a tool for communicating about difficulty, and athletic empathy

10:39 – More about RIC and the appropriate response/attitude for each

20:22 – “We need to do better for setters”

29:26 – Drawing comparisons between setting and the restaurant industry, and indoor climbing as a soon-to-be billion-dollar industry

37:56 – The Lab

48:40 – Gratitude for the partners who support us

51:07 – Excited about climbing

54:31 – Recent favorite music

57:44 – Climbing projects

1:04:43 – Tonde’s request, and keeping training in perspective

EP 40: Tonde Katiyo (Part 1) — Discrimination vs. Privilege, and Making a Better World by Making Better Climbing Oct 19, 2020

Tonde Katiyo is a professional route setter, a passionate climber, a father, and a coach. His mother is French and his father is Zimbabwean. We talked about the connection between route setting and coaching, about coaching Nathan Hadley, Sean Bailey, and Margo Hayes, about his discrimination and privilege resumés, about exposing his kids to risk, and about making better climbing to make a better world.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tonde-katiyo-part-1

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:10 – The joys of parenting

4:34 – Tonde’s shitty gym session, the ratio of “good” to “bad” sessions, and collecting bad sessions

7:01 – Getting back in shape, Tonde’s “Level 1” goals, and climbing with Nathan Hadley

8:50 – Tonde’s current role at the Bouldering Project

9:56 – Getting hired, Tonde’s dream world, and the happy accident of circuit setting

15:05 – The problem with treating climbing grades as a fixed measurement

17:50 – Being talked into coaching Nathan Hadley, Sean Bailey, and Margo Hayes

22:16 – Tonde’s inside joke, emotion and intention, and speculation as to why those three athletes saught coughing from Tonde

24:42 – Learning to apply the appropriate amount of effort, the complexity of climbing, the mental and emotional boxes, and tweaking dials on the switchboard

29:34 – Learning who people are, and learning to say exactly the right thing at exactly the right time

32:13 – Tonde’s competition background, and how his experience competing and route setting has informed his coaching

36:39 – Asking competitors interesting questions through route setting, and the hand jam scandal

40:44 – Tonde’s training camps, the role of route setting in coaching, and helping athletes work through frustration and other emotions

48:03 – “How do you feel?”, and answering that question with honesty

51:34 – Working with Nathan on his footwork

56:14 – “Your climbing should resemble your personality”

58:44 – When our personalities work against us, winning competitions on your weaknesses rather than strengths, and the inconveniences of competitions vs. those of outdoor climbing

1:03:16 – Tonde’s discrimination and privilege resumes (see show notes for links to his Instagram posts)

1:13:20 – Patron Question: With the BLM protests and social change going on right now, has Tonde seen climbers trying to be more inclusive? Could we get some examples of people employing some good tact and also some bad tact?

1:18:59 – Hoping for a more tolerant world for his kids, and “better climbing makes better people, and better people will make a better world.”

1:23:14 – Patron Question: I would love to hear Tonde talk about being a dad, and also someone that participates in a potentially high consequence past time. How does he manage progression and risk of injury? How does he look at risk for himself, and how does he prepare to take on more risk to move the bar up a notch? How does he manage risk for his kids, and how does he introduce them to it in a healthy way?

1:30:55 – How Tonde thinks about introducing his kids to climbing, and hoping they find passion (even if it’s crocheting)

Follow-Up: Ethan Pringle — The Stories We Tell Ourselves (Teaser) Oct 16, 2020

This full episode is available for Patrons right now! This is a teaser of a follow-up call with Ethan Pringle. We talked about surfing, about the stories we tell ourselves about what we can and can’t do, about the biggest difference between Adam Ondra and everyone else, about Ethan’s projects in Northern California, and about my recent projects in Ten Sleep.

You can support the podcast and get access to follow-up conversations for $5 per month on Patreon at patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing. The full version of this follow-up call is 51:13.

EP 39: Matt Fultz — ‘Hypnotized Minds’ V16, Strength Before Weight, and Using Your Build as a Gift Oct 12, 2020

Matt Fultz is a professional climber who is at the top of the bouldering game right now. We talked about sending ‘Hypnotized Minds’ V16, a typical day of projecting, deadlifting for finger strength, prioritizing strength before weight, practicing like you play, Mad Rock shoes, using your build as a gift, and starting OTG Strength with his wife Hailey.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/matt-fultz

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:22 – The send McFlurry, and a well-earned “cheat day”

5:06 – ‘Hypnotized Minds’

5:41 – Matt’s active rest day before a project day, and warming up for V16

8:52 – Raising your body temp before climbing

9:39 – Splitting time between projects, active rest days in the gym, and crimping on Hypno

11:22 – What a project session looks like, and “I always go by feel”

14:01 – What the send session looked like, Matt’s send temps, and “the colder the better”

15:28 – Using your build as a gift, scrunch power, and working on weaknesses while taking advantage of strengths

18:22 – “Strength comes first”

18:52 – Balancing performance with training

21:38 – “Practice like you play”, climbing on boards, the role of weight lifting, and “the most important thing is climbing”

23:48 – Matt’s go-to weight-room exercises, and a teaser for OTG (more later in the episode)

24:03 – Deadlifting w/ Tension Blocks vs. hanging from a hangboard

26:48 – Matt’s grip selection for finger training, and grip training frequency (Off Season: every other day. Performance Season: once or twice per week)

29:07 – How Matt decides between the different boards he climbs on

30:52 – The importance of a strong support system

33:10 – Matt’s trip to Australia w/ Jimmy Webb, Paul Robinson, and Nalle Hukkataival, and bouldering with a new level of detail

35:07 – Nutrition timing, and planning meals around climbing, or vice versa

37:08 – Matt’s pre-workout meal

38:37 – The Mad Rock ‘Drones’

42:16 – Drones sizing (about 1.5 to 2 US sizes down from your street shoe)

44:50 – OTG Strength and how to train with Matt

49:24 – Balancing working/coaching with climbing

50:52 – Switching gears after ‘Hypnotized Minds’, project shopping, and climbing for fun

52:23 – Moving to CO and having access to a lot of hard boulders

53:40 – Dreams of van life

54:26 – Gratitude

55:30 – Where to connect with Matt

56:03 – Progressing every year, drawing inspiration from Jimmy Webb and Dave Graham, and goals

58:34 – The RV Moonboard

1:00:03 – “We will enjoy our Oreos today”

EP 38: Solomon Barth — Up-Down-Ups, Veganism, and Working to Live (and Make a Difference) Oct 05, 2020

Solomon Barth is a Stanford University graduate and software engineer. We talked about Solomon’s impressive two-week trip to Smith Rock, working with Alex Bridgewater to improve his footwork and bulletproof his fingers, training endurance using up-down-ups, veganism, working in tech, his desire to help make positive change in the world, and gunning for 5.15.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/solomon-barth

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:29 – Solomon’s recent climbing trip, bad weather, and land hurricanes

3:49 – Back in the gym after COVID

5:11 – Solomon’s Smith Rock trip

10:56 – Tactics for flashing routes

14:29 – Being a training geek and reaching out to Climb Strong for coaching

16:54 – Working with Alex Bridgewater and bulletproofing his fingers on the hangboard

19:03 – Solomon’s experience with the Go-A-Hundred hangboard program

21:11 – Takeaways from working with Tyler Nelson on finger injury prevention, and why “active recovery is the only recovery” for pulleys and tendons

25:01 – Working on footwork with Alex

27:19 – Working on his weakness every session, and bookending sessions with slab climbing

30:37 – Solomon’s experience with alactic circuit training

35:07 – Up-down-ups with Maya Madere

39:31 – Up-down-ups specifics and clarifications

43:46 – Solomon’s thoughts on running and cardio

46:49 – Practicing pacing, and how Maya learned to climb faster

48:18 – Reigning in the volume

49:18 – Solomon’s experience and evolution with veganism

54:14 – The vegan alternative food that Solomon is most excited about right now

54:58 – Why Solomon doesn’t put much stock in nutrition, and letting go of sacrifices to perform better

57:27 – Rituals, and “climbing is just for fun”

58:41 – Book recommendation: ’Sacred Cow’ (link in show notes)

1:00:09 – Simon’s tech job, school vs. work, and studying computer science

1:02:51 – Balancing a full-time job with climbing, a desire to help make positive change, and taking time to learn more about the world

1:06:22 – Why Solomon feels that Social Media “wasn’t for him” and thoughts about the potential of becoming a professional climber

1:08:17 – Goal setting

1:10:31 – Plans to project 5.15?

1:11:19 – Margo Hayes, ‘La Rambla’, and shifting to sport climbing

1:13:54 – Jailhouse, kneebars, and projecting ‘The Green Mile’ with Conner Herson

1:17:46 – Using Jailhouse as a training ground, and kneerbar progress

1:20:48 – Plans for Maple and Rifle

1:21:29 – Gratitude

1:22:24 – Solomon’s two book recommendations (see show notes for links)

1:25:00 – “I guess I have an Instagram…”

EP 37: Simon Carter — Action vs. Landscape, The Taipan Closure, and Top 10 Climbing Photography Tips Sep 28, 2020

Simon Carter is an Australian photographer, and has been described by the editor of Rock and Ice Magazine as “arguably the greatest climbing photographer of all time”. We talked about building his first darkroom at age 15, pursuing full-time climbing in the early ’90s, action vs. landscape, camera equipment, the Taipan/Grampian closure, and Simon’s top 10 climbing photography tips.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/simon-carter

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:50– The 2018 World Climbing Calendar, and the Onsight Photography business

3:14 – Early photography, and building a darkroom in the family bathroom at age 15

5:10 – Changing schools for photography and discovering climbing

6:06 – Reading mountaineering books, Simon’s childhood nickname, early outdoor adventures, and getting obsessed with rock climbing

8:19 – Working at the Australian University and losing his passion for photography

10:56 – Night school, becoming disillusioned with professional photography, and traveling around Europe for six months

12:26 – Getting a degree in outdoor education, working in gear shops, and saving up money to climb full time

15:38 – Living at Mount Arapiles and rediscovering photography

17:43 – Living on the dole, starting a business, and early work success

19:35 – Climbing ‘Serpentine’ on the Taipan Wall

22:42 – How Simon balances his climbing with his photography

25:55 – Simon’s plea for new climbing photographers to take the time to learn rope systems to be efficient and safe

28:43 – Simon’s elaborate photo rig for Nikon

30:14 – The advantages of using a chest harness

32:57 – Simon’s preferred jumar rig

35:23 – Action and landscape, capturing nature, and “the one thing”

38:32 – How Simon prepares for a specific shot, and balancing preparation with spontaneity

42:10 – Fuji Velvia, color palettes, and switching to digital

43:41 – Spiders

44:01 – Simon’s current camera (Nikon Z6), and mirrorless cameras

45:15 – Simon’s standard lens kit (see show notes for list)

46:07 – Shifting to more guidebook production

47:41 – The Red River Gorge guidebook, and a new way of presenting information

50:51 – The select and full guidebook publication dates, and why the Red is at the top of Simon’s list for climbing destinations

52:02 – Simon’s favorite international climbing areas, the Blue Mountains, a trip to Madagascar, and “what I love about climbing”

54:01 – Update on the Taipan Wall and Grampians closure and access issues

1:03:06 – The new management plan for the Grampians

1:03:40 – What we can do to help save the Grampians (see show notes for links)

1:05:28 – Why Simon is thinking about writing about about the Grampians issue, cultural surveys, and commercialization

1:08:48 – Capturing moments of people’s lives and “it’s about people”

1:11:08 – Simon’s top 10 photography tips (see show notes for a list and a link to an article)

1:15:14 – Getting the fitness back

1:15:45 – Gratitude

1:16:45 – Working on a guidebook to Sydney, putting work out there, and getting feedback

1:18:37 – Where to connect with Simon

1:19:05 – Wold Climbing Calender 2022?

1:21:37 – The real reason Chris Sharma sent ‘La Dura Dura’

BONUS: Charlie Manganiello — Goals vs. Actions, Synchronized Swimming, and Magic Bullets Sep 25, 2020

Charlie Manganiello has been coaching with Climb Strong for seven years and now heads the Elemental Strength program in Lander, WY. We talked about focusing all of your energy on one thing, misconceptions about deadlifting, maintenance strength training, Charlie’s go-to hangboard protocol, why climbing is important, and keeping things in perspective.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/charlie-manganiello

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:28 – Breakfast

2:32 – Early strength training, transitioning from multisport athlete to focused climber, and taking things “all the way”

10:07 – Outliers, and asking ourselves “how good could I be if I focused all my energy on one thing”

11:24 – stated goals vs. action, and the coaches role

12:24 – Cushy sport climbing

14:02 – How Charlie’s early strength training translated to climbing

15:49 – Cross pollinated athletes, the 75/25 rule, and being “strong enough”

18:24 – The benefits of going deep into strength training, “it’s not bodybuilding”, and the myth of gaining mass

20:37 – Connective tissue adaptation, motor recruitment, and becoming a more functional human

21:26 – Balancing the pull with the push

23:07 – Deadlifting, running, and learning through experience

27:05 – Treating your recovery like a workout, and watching climbing videos

29:00 – Deadlifting 400 lbs

32:40 – Charlie’s strength maintenance routine

34:08 – Misconceptions about the deadlift, magic bullets, and the posterior chain

38:17 – Deadlift numbers to shoot for, and the line between strength training for climbing vs. becoming a strength athlete

42:13 – Using the weight room to stay in the game

44:40 – Low hanging fruit: a few simple ways to climb harder (and why strength isn’t everything)

47:45 – “Train general to improve specific.”

49:15 – Increasing the push for healthy shoulders and a stronger pull

50:50 – Mobility

51:34 – Lower body explosiveness, and foot-on campus doubles

54:43 – Unilateral lower-body training

55:35 – The Bottoms-up Turkish Getup (with a glass of water balanced on top)

58:52 – The ideal vs. working with what you have

1:00:40 – Carryover from crushing grip strength to climbing?

1:03:01 – Charlie’s go-to hangboard protocol

1:06:20 – Charlie’s thoughts on 7:13 repeaters and when to do them

1:07:21 – “You’re either training or you’re performing. You can’t do both.”

1:08:47 – Strength maintenance at the end of a performance day

1:09:33 – “Climbing is really important to people.”

1:10:59 – Keeping climbing in perspective, but not letting go of it completely

1:15:33 – Self-talk, lessons from golf, and putting our negativity away

1:17:38 – “This is where I’m at.”

BONUS: Alex Bridgewater — Getting Strong, Speed Walking, and Self-Belief Sep 23, 2020

Alex Bridgewater is a high-level rock climber who moved to Lander, WY in 2016, to train at Elemental as part of the Climb Strong Program. Alex now works for Climb Strong as a coach. We talked about his transition into coaching, managing a chronic back injury, favorite barbell and bodyweight exercises, speed walking, and the importance of self-belief.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alex-bridgewater

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:26 – Skating, early climbing, competing, and mentors

5:46 – Climbing in college and meeting Charlie’s brother Mike

7:27 – Alex’s first time swinging a kettlebell

8:26 – Plans for the ‘PreMuir’, and starting to train with Charlie

11:49 – Coming to Lander and learning about strength training

13:41 – Learning on the fly on the side of El Cap

16:21 – Getting sold on training, moving to Lander, and getting started with Climb Strong

22:15 – Discipline, second-tier routes, and volume days

25:04 – Kettlebell swings, and Alex’s back injury

28:53 – Setting the goal of being injury-free for a year

29:32 – The exercises that made the biggest difference for Alex’s own climbing

32:41 – Unilateral vs. bilateral exercises, Zercher squats, and goblet squats

39:02 – Kettlebells for climbers with limited overhead mobility, and bodyweight strength training

40:45 – Example bodyweight exercises, and handstand pushup progressions

43:02 – Alex’s experience at the Strong First bodyweight certification, and benefits of bodyweight strength training

45:43 – One arm one leg pushups, and body awareness and control

47:48 – Reading Stuart McGill and fixing his back with core exercises and speed walking

50:57 – The McGill Big Three

51:43 – More speed walking

53:40 – Alex’s current training, barbell overhead press, and deadlifting from blocks

57:12 – Alex’s most recent hangboard cycle (Ladder program with two grips)

1:00:16 – Current climbing projects, and the history behind ‘Fibinachi Shimmer’

1:02:26 – Alex’s takeaways from the training camp

1:08:53 – The one piece of advice Alex took away from Jonathan’s presentation

1:11:55 – Alex’s future with Climb Strong, and Climb Strong as a collective

1:14:08 – One thing that holds us back, the importance of taking the steps, and pushing ourselves

1:16:43 – Social media, “can’t”, and confidence

1:17:43 – Carlo Traversi’s insight

1:18:42 – Positivity

1:20:10 – “Just go up there and try”, a becoming a better person

1:21:54 – “To the death.”

1:23:14 – Showing emotion, “Leave it up there”, and try hard

EP 36: Climb Strong Team — 2020 Training Camp Mashup Sep 21, 2020

This is a mashup episode from the 2020 Climb Strong Training Camp. We talked about hangboard training, strength as a skill, climbing performance, takeaways from the training camp, and lessons learned from coaching athletes. Featuring: Chrissy Vadovszki, Jonathan Siegrist, Ken Klein, Carly Cain, Alex Bridgewater, Kathryn Perkinson, Charlie Manganiello, and Amanda Sempert.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/climb-strong-team

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

[Chrissy Vadovszki]

1:37 – Introduction

1:50 – Getting the team together and refreshing principles

3:32 – Strength is safety, “the strongest person isn’t the best climber”, and prioritizing sending

6:17 – Reflecting on the redpoint process, lessons from listening to Jonathan, and the vulnerability of second-tier projects

8:41 – Definition of Second Tier routes

9:21 – Paired exercises, and stoking the fire

10:27 – Chrissy’s take on the value for participants

[Jonathan Siegrist]

12:13 – Introduction

12:35 – Jonathan’s mountain biking crash, shoulder injury, and recovery

19:04 – The goal is to clip chains, losing the plot, and getting to 100% try hard

22:35 – Stacking the odds in his favor, some of Jonathan’s strategies for success, and removing pressure

24:31 – Jonathan’s takeaways from the weekend

[Ken Klein]

26:12 – Introduction

27:06 – Coffee for breakfast

29:09 – “Climbing is magic.”

30:57 – Why Ken thinks the word “impossible” gets used too much in climbing

33:07 – We all experience the same feeling, and the satisfaction of seeing people try hard

34:13 – Ken’s ‘perfect repeat’ drill he uses with newer climbers, and balancing repetition with trying harder moves

38:09 – The One-Touch drill

40:17 – Jonathan’s three-month breakdown

41:52 – Rock sense, and a reminder to do more rock climbing

44:16 – Hangboarding, 7:3, 7:13, and 6:10 repeaters, and max hangs

48:27 – Hold size and crimping on the hangboard

51:40 – Decreasing edge size vs. adding load

52:05 – Strength repeaters vs. max hangs, and the four-burner stove

54:59 – How Ken thinks about different fingerboard protocols depending on the climber and their goals

56:53 – “Three steps forward one step back.”

1:02:59 – Clarification about progressing hangboard sessions

1:04:28 – Owning the weight

[Carly Cain]

1:05:54 – Introduction

1:06:06 – Working with a 16-year-old girl at the training camp

1:08:31 – Getting more comfortable with failing

1:10:44 – Reframing

1:12:08 – Learning to love bouldering

1:13:05 – Life is a work in progress

1:14:38 – Rifle!

[Alex Bridgewater]

1:15:58 – Introduction

1:16:12 – One thing that holds us back, the importance of taking the steps, and pushing ourselves

1:18:47 – Social media, “can’t”, and confidence

1:19:48 – Carlo Traversi’s insight

1:20:47 – Positivity

1:22:14 – “Just go up there and try”, a becoming a better person

1:23:59 – “To the death.”

1:25:20 – Showing emotion, “Leave it up there”, and try hard

[Kathryn Perkinson]

1:27:37 – Introduction

1:27:47 – Coffee for breakfast (again), fresh-baked bread, and breakfast moves

1:28:40 – Moving to Lander, working with Steve as an athlete, and joining the coaching team

1:30:06 – Philosophy

1:30:43 – Participating in the training camp

1:32:02 – Managing a finger injury as a coach

1:33:02 – A helpful reminder

1:34:08 – “We are all far more capable and more powerful than we can imagine.”

1:35:35 – “Climb second-tier routes.”

[Charlie Manganiello]

1:36:43 – Introduction

1:37:03 – “Climbing is really important to people.”

1:38:29 – Keeping climbing in perspective, but not letting go of it completely

1:42:03 – Self-talk, lessons from golf, and putting our negativity away

1:45:08 – “This is where I’m at.”

[Amanda Sempert]

1:48:07 – Introduction

1:48:39 – Kettlebell press, tension techniques, and energy links

1:51:08 – Hardstyle plank

1:53:47 – Kettlebell press cues

1:56:23 – The zipup drill, and practicing tension

1:59:00 – The ‘Quicken The Dead’ program, and trying alactic training

[Outro]

2:01:37 – Gratitude, and how to support the podcast

EP 35: Steve Bechtel — Changing Your Mind, Lessons From Studying Sprinting, and Creating Better Habits Sep 14, 2020

Steve Bechtel is a strength coach and the founder of Climb Strong. We talked about the gift of changing your mind, lessons from studying sprinting and how to apply them to climbing, developing aerobic capacity, why Jonathan Siegrist and BJ Tilden are such successful climbers, the “real secret” to success, creating better habits, and Logical Progression 2.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/steve-bechtel

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:25 – Steve’s house

3:38 – Kids, self-taught Parkour, and climbing at Orpierre

5:54 – The Climb Strong Training Camp, the complexity of climbing training, and why the questions always outnumber the answers

9:00 – Changing your mind, learning, and ego

11:41 – Simulation vs. specificity, changes in glycolytic or power endurance training, and when to train skills

15:39 – Peaking and adaptation persistence

17:22 – Studying speed and power, Charlie Francis’s workouts for 100m runners, and the Hi/Low training model

21:02 – Developing alactic capacity for boulderers

22:58 – Example alactic capacity circuit

26:46 – Developing the aerobic system (the “Low”) and shrinking the anaerobic zone

28:57 – Training the “High” via alactic intervals and strength and power, and the Zlagboard test

29:39 – Route 4x4s as an alternative to ARC training (and how to not screw them up)

31:31 – Three cues for finding the right intensity for route 4x4’s to develop aerobic capacity: 1) nasal breathing, 2) conversational intensity, 3) light fatigue or no pump

33:56 – Other activities to develop general cardiovascular capacity, and the MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) heart rate formula for aerobic training (180 beats minus your age)

37:08 – Training general cardiovascular capacity in a city, Margo Hayes on ‘La Rambla’, and learning to calm down

40:00 – Jonathan Siegrist’s aerobic capacity, sub-goals, and big days

44:39 – ‘9 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes’, climbing with BJ Tilden, and the difference between the pros and everyone else

46:31 – The real “secret” to success, habits, and systems

48:33 – Behaviors, and first, second, and third-order results

50:18 – Why BJ is so strong and successful as a climber, taking time off, and focusing on doing things better

56:03 – BJ’s training for ‘Biographie’, juggling a business and kids, and his partner Emily

58:31 – Thing I was confused about #1, the role of strength training, the 2x2 deadlift workout, and why Jonathan Siegrist only trains in his offseason

1:04:14 – Steve’s hangboard experiment for maintaining strength, strain gauges, finding the bare minimum, and testing yourself on benchmark climbs

1:08:04 – Simple strength benchmarks for climbers, and strength training as we get older to maintain muscle mass

1:11:10 – Thing I was confused about #2, hung up on finding the “best” program, and seeing programs through to fruition

1:16:27 – The ice cube analogy

1:17:49 – Looking behind the curtain on your training program

1:19:03 – Hangboarding, expected results, and the true marks of a successful program

1:24:53 – Jonathan as a “redpoint climber”, and risking failure vs. having a successful training session

1:27:15 – Why Steve is so excited about skill development as the next big thing in “training”

1:30:52 – Logical Progression 2, and an example strength focus block of training

1:35:31 – “What got you here won’t get you there”, and avoiding a common mental trap

1:37:58 – Is the 2nd edition worth buying if you own the original?

1:38:24 – Gratitude for Ellen (Steve’s wife)

1:39:44 – Dinner and meeting the Climb Strong team, and learning from his own coaches

EP 34: Roger Volkmann — Five Principles of Life, Tough vs. Strong, and Devils Tower Sep 07, 2020

Roger Volkmann is a retired Orthopedic Surgeon and a lifelong climber. Roger suffered a severe stroke in 2010 at age 55 and was not expected to walk again. Through sheer grit and determination, he managed not only to walk again but to climb. We talked about his stroke, his five principles of life, climbing in the Midwest as a kid, and his three attempts to summit Devils Tower after the stroke.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/roger-volkmann

Show Notes:

Roger’s Five Principles of Life:

1 – Life is Movement

2 – Tough is Better Than Strong

3 – Work Pays Off

4 – People are Inherently Good

5 – God Listens to Prayer

Nuggets:

2:38 – Building the spiral staircase for Roger’s treehouse

3:44 – Wood projects, and Roger’s retirement plan

4:59 – Stage 1 of Roger’s incident: the carotid dissection, and the bike crash

10:10 – Losing the farm in an F5 tornado, missing teeth, and going back to work on Monday

12:47 – The seizure, transferring to St. Paul Hospital, and the frozen skull bone

17:16 – Waking up into a nightmare, “a state of denial and a state of confusion”, vomiting, hiccups, and losing feeling in his leg

20:53 – Roger’s first two principles of life, and tough vs. strong

22:56 – Roger’s third principle of life, taking a jet back to Wenatchee, and falling down unannounced

27:37 – The Paris Marathon, rewiring the brain, and ambulating

30:49 – “Unpromising moments”, and re-learning how to walk

32:43 – Roger’s physical therapist, caffeine, and walking The Loop trail w/ Grace

35:14 – Cutting his teeth climbing at Devils Tower

36:36 – The goal to re-climb Devils Tower after the stroke

38:02 – Small goals, climbing at Vantage, and re-learning how to tie his shoes one-handed

40:03 – Climbing one-handed, milestones, and attempting “The Tower” for the first time post-stroke

43:25 – Roger’s fourth principle of life, and finding what you look for in people

44:28 – More about the first attempt on Devils Tower, Roger’s worse climbing experience (being lowered in the dark), and rain and lightning

47:00 – The second failed attempt, and the third (and successful) attempt on Devils Tower post-stroke

59:59 – Left side neglect, disinhibition, and impatience

1:04:39 – Praying to make it through the day, and doing one constructive thing per day

1:05:57 – Roger’s fifth principle of life, squeaky pears, and a home math problem

1:09:59 – Climbing the dairy barn at age 10 and vaulting through the hay door

1:13:44 – Bird boxes and climbing trees

1:17:26 – Climbing silos

1:20:50 – Climbing ‘Aortic Arch’ (A1)

1:23:02 – A Patron Question, “More work more reward”, and effort vs. work

1:25:55 – Gratitude

1:27:06 – Roger’s next goal

1:27:49 – Returning to Devils Tower to be a tourist, Roger’s prosthesis, and Fat Tire beer

EP 33: Mike Kerzhner — El Cap’s ‘PreMuir’, Emigrating from Russia, and Discipline vs. Necessity Aug 31, 2020

Mike Kerzhner is a software engineer, an accomplished Yosemite climber, and an impressive all-rounder. We talked about growing up climbing and competing in Russia, moving to the States and climbing at the Red River Gorge, his path to trad and big wall climbing, free climbing El Cap, writing, poetry, speaking Russian, and discipline born out of necessity.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mike-kerzhner

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:05 – Savory oats

3:33 – “Eat, then sleep, then climb.”

4:05 – Big wall food, water weight, and radishes

6:13 – PerMuir, corners, and send cookies

9:04 – Excerpt from Mike’s writeup on the PreMuir, and writing

10:59 – Mike’s internal conflict with social media and sharing about experiences

12:20 – Patron Question: How does Mike contrast computer-heavy career choices with a lack of digital presence?

13:45 – Early climbing and competing in Russia

20:37 – Moving to the states, the EBS competition scene, reckless biking, and getting beat by his younger brother

24:26 – Transitioning from a gym kid to a Red/New River Gorge kid

28:36 – Traveling out West from the Red

29:44 – Why Mike switched from La Sportiva to Scarpa, and getting his shoe-game dialed

33:16 – Going to Stanford, taking a year off of climbing (to drink beer), trad climbing, and ripping a pitch on ‘Romantic Warrior’

39:39 – Climbing ‘Astroman’ with Chicken Pox, getting benighted, and descending in broken flip flops

41:07 – Jailhouse, balancing climbing with drinking, and getting psyched in Bishop

43:10 – Mike’s transition back to trad climbing

46:47 – Mike’s climbing philosophy

48:26 – ‘The Rostrum’, offwidths, and the ‘Freerider’

54:08 – Two-day ascents, ‘Golden Gate’, and making it happen with work constraints

56:14 – Try-hard mode, and screaming

59:41 – Stemming corners, and why Mike struggle with the “medium” 5.12 and 5.13- climbing on big walls

1:03:07 – PreMuir excerpt #2, and what Mike learned from Sam about skill and analysis

1:08:28 – The professional mindset, and learning more by getting on harder climbs

1:09:30 – Mike’s pet peeve, and aspirations

1:10:30 – Chaos and anxiety

1:12:42 – Discipline vs. necessity

1:17:27 – How Mike feels at age 33 (and a half)

1:18:41 – Mike’s experience with the Lattice Training Assessment, 12c finger strength, and climbing V13

1:23:37 – What climbing is for Mike, and why he sucks at training

1:24:43 – Patron Question: The Red vs. the New?

1:25:26 – Summersville dam

1:27:21 – The New

1:27:52 – Patron Question: Favorite sector at the Red? The New?

1:28:55 – Patron Question: Climbing heroes?

1:29:59 – Poems

1:31:14 – Lunch (in Russian), baking bread, and speaking Russian

1:33:52 – The man with no arms, growing up in a starved Russia, and a lot to be grateful for

1:35:27 – The Salathe Headwall, Just Do It, and hanging up the boots

1:38:44 – Plans with Nathan Hadley, route development, learning from others, and surviving ‘Vanishing Point’

1:41:42 – PreMuir excerpt #3

EP 32: Natasha Barnes — Myths and Truths of Strength Training, Calorie Balance, and The Power Mullet Aug 24, 2020

Natasha Barnes is a former professional climber, a national powerlifting champion, and a licensed chiropractor who specializes in strength training and rehabilitation for rock climbers. We talked about gaining weight to climb harder, calorie balance, common misconceptions about strength training, on and off seasons, tissue capacity, and rehabbing finger injuries.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/natasha-barnes

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:22 – Yosemite bouldering, ground-up ascents, and favorite boulder problems

5:04 – Natasha’s current climbing

6:28 – Gunning for state records in Power Lifting

9:11 – Competing, and the mindset of practicing at meets

11:55 – Natasha’s career as a pro climber, her catastrophic finger injury, and struggling to find information on how to rehab

16:44 – Rehabbing the finger in Lost Rocks

18:47 – Shoulder injuries, trying conventional rehab, and turning to strength training

21:25 – Bench press and overhead press for shoulder strength and health

22:46 – Chiropractic school, and using her chiropractic license to do physiotherapy and rehab with clients

23:54 – Strength training for climbing, “being strong is fun”, and Natasha’s path to Power Lifting

27:16 – Gaining weight to climb harder?

31:31 – Disordered eating, and how learning about calorie balance and tracking macros helped Natasha relax about her weight, diet, and food

32:59 – Performance seasons and off-seasons

37:31 – Gaining weight in the off-season, calorie balance, and a case for tracking calories and macros

43:10 – Natasha’s thoughts on protein requirements for athletes

46:18 – Protein, carb, and fat recommendations for boulderers, sport climbers, and trad/alpine climbers

49:03 – Natasha’s favorite Apps for tracking

50:21 – Trends Natasha sees with her clients (almost all are under-eating protein)

51:25 – My (Steven’s) experience with low-carb diets, why Natasha likes the “if it fits your macros” approach, and caveats

59:06 – Clarification about total vs. net carbs

59:38 – Carb timing

1:03:54 – Avoiding excessive alcohol for recovery, and why Natasha doesn’t like to label foods as “bad” or “good”

1:05:30 – What Natasha thinks her ideal climbing weight would be now

1:08:14 – Off-season recommendations

1:10:03 – Addressing misconceptions about strength training, minimum effective dose, and examples of how Natasha programs strength training for climbers

1:12:45 – Neurological strength gains, and strength as a skill

1:14:29 – Why Natasha advocates for compound lifts, and targeting specific weaknesses through climbing practice/training

1:19:01 – The difference between a human body vs a car

1:24:56 – Increasing tissue capacity through training

1:28:00 – Patron Question: What can we do to avoid recurring finger injuries?

1:33:43 – Discomfort during rehab, pushers vs. avoiders, and finding the sweet spot

1:36:48 – My experience with a finger injury, how much time to take off, and lower entry points

1:40:32 – Surgery as a trauma, and better outcomes through movement

1:41:42 – Natasha’s recommended hangboard protocol for training and/or rehab, auto-regulated training, and why you don’t need to train to failure

1:45:28 – “Reps in reserve”, “Effort level”, and gaining autonomy in our training

1:48:41 – Patron Question: Does Natasha have any climbing heroes/role models?

1:51:20 – Gratitude for health

1:52:35 – How to connect with Natasha

1:53:27 – Natasha’s new ‘Foundational Strength for Climbing’ program

1:55:01 – The Power Mullet

EP 31: Maya Madere — Windsurfing, Endurance Training for Boulderers, and Trusting Intuition Aug 17, 2020

Maya Madere is a 21-year-old comp kid from Austin, TX. We talked about attending school at Stanford and studying computer science, the endurance training program that helped her transition from bouldering to sport climbing, gunning for the 2024 Olympics, competition strategies, outdoor goals, intuitive training and eating, power screams, and windsurfing.

Crafted Energy:

https://www.craftedenergy.com/

Promo Code - CLIMBHARD30 - for 30% off your order!

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/maya-madere

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:40 – Windsurfing

8:44 – Maya’s transition from comp boulderer to outdoor sport climber

12:06 – How Maya feels about her current climbing

13:29 – Off-season climbing, coronavirus, and taking a break

16:42 – Outdoor climbing vs. training, “quantity over quality”, self-coaching, and doing too much vs. too little.

21:15 – Campusing, endurance training with Solomon Barth, and up-down-ups

24:28 – Up-down-up details

30:00 – Practicing climbing more quickly

32:56 – How Maya mixes endurance with maintaining bouldering strength and power

35:19 – Psicobloc

38:26 – Neverending Story, and why Maya would choose competition climbing over outdoor climbing (if she had to pick one)

41:08 – Where Maya sees her climbing going moving forward

42:14 – Paying her way around the world through competitions, and why it wasn’t sustainable

45:12 – The Boulderfield Master Series, compromise between school and competition rock climbing, and how Maya sees herself in relation to other top competitors

47:37 – Computer Science

50:27 – 2024 Olympics

53:36 – Maya’s most memorable comp, expectations, and why she prefers to be the underdog

57:15 – Making competing routine

59:50 – Practice comps and mock comps

1:02:21 – Breathing exercises and competing and altitude

1:04:45 – Cardio

1:06:54 – Speed climbing, and lead vs. sport

1:08:44 – Diet and weight

1:14:17 – Lifting, systematic vs. intuitive training, and mental energy

1:19:55 – Breakfast, vegetables, and intuitive eating

1:22:42 – Crafted Energy bars

1:24:56 – Dessert

1:26:05 – Maya’s go-to Evolv shoes

1:28:31 – Identifying as an athlete

1:30:18 – Maya’s outdoor and competition goals

1:32:33 – Leisure time, Waldorf school, and crafts

1:34:43 – Gratitude, privilege, and wanting to share

1:38:08 – Instagram, BLM, and using her platform to share information

1:41:33 – Power screams

EP 30: Connor Herson — Fourteen 5.14s at Fourteen, Big Wall Free Climbing, and Power Training on a Home Wall Aug 10, 2020

Connor Herson is the kid who free climbed ‘The Nose’ at fifteen years old. What most people don’t know is that he is also an incredible sport climber. We talked about his sport climbing goal at age fourteen, his path to free climbing ‘The Nose’, big wall tactics, gear recommendations, headpointing, training power during COVID, recent sends, and future goals on El Cap.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/conner-herson

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:00 – Breakfast, caffeine, and sleep

3:26 – Connor’s goal at age 14

8:23 – Jailhouse, kneebar pads, the evolution of climbing, and 5.14d

12:53 – Trying ‘Triple Direct’

14:27 – Outgrowing beta on the ‘Changing Corners’ pitch

15:45 – Breakdown of the ‘Triple Direct’ linkup

17:24 – Three-day ascents

19:51 – Warming up for 5.14 straight out of bed and kneebaring the ‘Changing Corners’

22:08 – The path to freeing ‘The Nose’

30:34 – Making up PE class

33:25 – Two nudges from Tommy

38:09 – “If it’s a free route on El Cap it’s a goal.”, building a base of free routes, and thoughts on ‘The Dawn Wall’

40:21 – ‘Broken Arrow’, moderates to build a base, and headpointing tactics

47:55 – Bad landings, safety margins, and sewing up the first 25’ of ‘Broken Arrow’

49:37 – Offset cams, and cams vs. nuts

51:23 – ‘The Green Mile’

54:12 – Power training during shelter-in-place, ‘Throwin’ the Houlihan’, and ‘Surf Safari’

59:48 – Patron Question: Why are so few young climbers pulled towards trad and big walls?

1:05:06 – Patron Question: Connor’s go-to climbing shoes?

1:06:53 – Patron Question: Strategies for dealing with discomfort on big walls? (water, harness, shoes)

1:12:24 – Patron Question: Continue being an “all-rounder” vs. becoming more specialized?

1:14:16 – Jailhouse for training, and “if it’s training it can be contrived.”

1:15:52 – Gratitude

1:17:31 – Connor’s recent two-week trip, and sharing the driving

1:18:53 – Connor’s upcoming trip and goals

EP 29: Tyson Schoene — Building World-Class Athletes, the Value of Competition, and Drills for Every Climber Aug 03, 2020

Tyson Schoene has been the head coach of the Vertical World Climbing Team in Seattle, WA for nearly 20 years, and has shaped some of the best climbers in the world including Drew Ruana, Sean Bailey, and Quinn Mason. We talked about Tyson’s path to coaching, how he and his team build world-class athletes, the value of competition, climbing team as a family, and drills all of us can practice.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tyson-schoene

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:37 – Viento, the resurgence of old forgotten crags, and surfing trips

6:22 – Coaching during COVID, missing the kids, and home walls

9:52 – Embracing downtime, training for adversity, and moving forward with new ideas

12:48 – Feeling privileged and prepared, feeling bored, and struggles with purposelessness and the social climate without a support group during the pandemic

16:56 – Being born in Seattle, Tyson’s parents as climbers, early climbing, and the pull of the lycra

21:20 – Other sports and passions, early competing, early coaching, seeing himself in the kids

26:46 – Climbing with the kids and learning from the kids

30:24 – Why Tyson feels like he never realized his full potential, and why he wouldn’t trade his impact on the kids for being a 5.15 climber

33:51 – The benefits of competition

43:18 – Being competitive vs. being a good competitor

46:11 – Working with Drew to get better at reachy moves

53:36 – Why shorter kids tend to become better climbers

54:30 – How Tyson knew he could push Drew to the edge, the athlete/coach relationship as a two-way street, and adapting to your athletes

58:38 – Hiring coaches from climbing team, traits that make good coaches, and giving back to the team

1:06:27 – Repetition, traversing, patience, and the primary things adults are missing as new climbers

1:14:06 – Efficiency, what makes the best climbers look the best, and why easy movement (i.e. ARCing) is relevant for someone trying to break into 5.14

1:19:44 – Circuits for power endurance, drawing from track and field, learning through experience, and spray walls

1:26:19 – Programming circuits

1:28:14 – Easy circuits vs. easy traversing and ARC training, balancing endurance training w/ power, and why Tyson expects training to change in the next ten years

1:33:44 – More on ARC training, Tyson’s (amazing) adult client, and why Tyson generally prefers working with kids vs. adults

1:36:05 – Tyson’s thoughts on why climbers should train both for sport climbing and bouldering to be the best possible athlete

1:39:27 – Patron Question: Power endurance exercises to break into 5.12?

1:42:29 – Other factors to consider when it seems like power endurance is our limiting factor

1:43:37 – Climbing with three fingers (IMR open) to conserve energy

1:48:30 – Pinkies

1:49:04 – Patron Question: Favorite App for spray wall?

1:50:49 – Taping circuits on the spray wall for members and for the kids

1:52:50 – Patron Question: What was it like competing before competition climbing was popular?

1:55:26 – Shirts, normalizing greatness, and the Vertical World family

2:03:41 – Gratitude

2:06:05 – Drills: Heals only

2:10:50 – Drills: Fives

2:17:27 – Thousands of drills, leadership skills, and emotional detachment

2:20:35 – Proud of the kids

EP 28: Blake Cason on Radical Honesty, the Mindfulness Muscle, and Cycling Priorities Jul 27, 2020

Blake Cason is a mindfulness and work/life balance coach, and the founder of Pivot Wellness. We talked about bringing awareness to our relationship with climbing, practicing radical honesty, ways of strengthening the mindfulness muscle, cycling priorities, and ways that both Blake and I have struggled to find balance between work and climbing.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/blake-cason

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:01 – The first time Blake jugged a line, choss in the Canadian Rockies, and supporting Mike on ‘The Shining Uncut’

8:19 – Intentionally showing up to support another person in climbing

9:58 – The relationship sandbox, and play and responsibility

13:53 – Common issues/areas that Blake works on with her clients and climbers

16:34 – Beauty in doing things that don’t have a point, and being out of alignment with what motivates us vs. what we’re actually doing

20:24 – “Shoulds”, guideposts, and self-imposed suffering

23:33 – Radical honesty, “is that working”, and slowing down

28:12 – Finding mindfulness through climbing, and her climbing relationship as a barometer

32:11 – Tuning into your body and your breath to return to the present moment

34:14 – Focusing on the breath, and code-switching

35:52 – Training the mindfulness muscle

39:43 – The practical use of mindfulness, and how to bring mindfulness to reflecting on the past or envisioning the future

42:50 – Mindfulness applied to climbing performance, “paying attention”, and finding language that resonates

44:57 – Savoring, loosening the grip, tapping into a growth mindset, and getting the whole brain firing

53:04 – Self-limiting beliefs, “Is being attached to that belief working?”, and the research behind the importance of self-compassion

58:28 – The brain-body connection, “abort mission”, and punting

1:01:18 – ‘Joe Six Pack’, recognizing a need, and choosing to walk away (for now)

1:05:31 – How Blake would work with a client who struggles with fear

1:12:59 – My (Steven’s) struggle with balancing the podcast with my own climbing and expectations

1:16:49 – Cycling priorities, and how Blake cycles her focus between her own climbing and her business, and values vs. priorities

1:23:56 – Using inspiration as a guide for priorities

1:25:57 – Zooming out

1:32:13 – Gratitude

1:32:55 – The area of mindfulness that Blake is working on currently

1:37:31 – Where to connect with Blake and how you can work with her

1:40:28 – Take a breath

1:42:49 – My free life coaching session, and send us questions!

EP 27: Audrey Sniezek — Corporate Work, Starting A Gym, and Telling Yourself You Belong Jul 20, 2020

Audrey Sniezek is a software engineer for Microsoft and a former professional climber. We talked about her beginnings in both computer science and climbing, becoming a morning person, her 4 a.m. warmup routine, starting a climbing gym near the Red River Gorge, coaching in China, self-talk for confidence, and her most recent 5.14a.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/audrey-sniezek

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:58 – Peanut butter sandwiches, being a finisher of things, the lunch crux, and dry salads

5:48 – Timex computers, studying computer science, and turning down Microsoft

10:22 – Temporary job with Microsoft, REI, and “is there any climbing in Washington?”

12:43 – Bigger and scarier, improving by climbing a lot, lead climbing and pushing personal boundaries

14:21 – Flexibility with work, squeezing in climbing, and “I’m only as transparent as I need to be.”

16:03 – Alpine style sport climbing, and becoming a morning person

17:55 – Audrey’s morning warmup routine

20:58 – Making the most of morning sessions, swapping days, and finding a COVID pandemic buddy

23:45 – Waking up extra early to send ‘Lost Horizons’, and commuting to and from climbing

25:41 – The corporate boomerang, living in a van to climb full time, preferring to stay places longer, and Audrey’s current trifecta

28:58 – Fitness training, healthcare, why Audrey came back to a corporate job after freelancing, and building trust to achieve a better work/life balance

34:11 – A shift in company culture due to COVID

37:15 – A home in Vegas, and starting a gym in near the Red River Gorge

40:34 – Starting a computer science program at the Beattyville high school, and how the Beattyville climbing gym came to be

45:22 – Audrey’s vision for the gym, old-school setting, and watching the kids climb

47:28 – William’s stroke

49:37 – How Audrey uses the Beattyville gym and how she balances climbing and training in general

51:50 – Living in China and accidentally becoming a climbing coach

56:53 – Splitting up training and coaching, the language barrier, a teary-eyed farewell, and Audrey’s training legacy

1:00:20 – Audrey’s training session breakdown, Tabata style warmup, technique drills, going back to fundamentals, and training power on easy climbs

1:03:56 – Why Audrey doesn’t do much Moonboarding or hangboarding

1:05:39 – Recent finger injury, slowly getting back into the swing, and missing the “try hard”

1:08:02 – What factors help Audrey “bring it”

1:08:40 – ‘The Sickness’

1:13:48 – ‘Black Plague’, linkups, milking climbs for all they’re worth, and new projects

1:16:39 – Four-year gap between 5.14s, competing in the world cups, and a hamstring injury

1:18:51 – How Audrey sent ‘The Sickness’ without any specific prep

1:20:50 – Trying a 5.14 at Mt. Potosi

1:23:39 – Goals and dreams

1:26:05 – ‘Dr. Evil’, funky beta, and a surprise send

1:31:03 – “The only thing stopping me is me.”

1:33:32 – 5.14 (or 5.15) in her 50s, “am I a machine”, and trying things sooner rather than later

1:34:32 – How’s Audrey training changed in her 40s, her own fitness and training resources

1:36:57 – What Audrey wishes she had known in her 20’s, confidence, and “I belong here”

1:39:45 – Self-talk, the piece of paper, and “I’m capable.”

1:41:43 – Low confidence, building yourself up, and reminding yourself that you create your results

1:42:41 – Gratitude, heartbreak, and community

1:45:06 – The victory cone

EP 26: Ben Herrington — Go-To Training Sessions, Skateboarding, and Obsessive Compulsion Jul 13, 2020

Ben Herrington is a professional route setter and likely Washington’s most prolific boulderer. We talked about why Ben performs best as a “weekend warrior”, his three go-to training sessions, mistakes he sees other boulderers making, climbing vs. skateboarding, his history with drug abuse and addiction, the path to sobriety, some of his most meaningful FAs, and V15 potential in Washington.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ben-herrington

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:56 – Feeling aimless without work, missing purpose, and the subtle curse of being a full-time climber

4:09 – Skatingboarding vs. climbing: mastering, achieving, and style

7:37 – Ben’s three climbing categories (strength, technique, and try hard) and which one holds him back

9:31 – Practicing “try hard” with a three-try limit

10:31 – Skateboard culture, proving your right to be there, and “success days” vs. “training days”

12:30 – Why Ben feels like he performs best as a weekend warrior

13:38 – Ben’s three go-to indoor sessions

14:52 – The Sharma philosophy: flash or limit

15:42 – Ben’s “Strength Day”

17:24 – Why Ben prefers climbing other people’s hard boulders, wanting to be good at every style, the ego beatdown of changing styles, and The Red vs. Smith

21:21 – Why hard climbing isn’t type-1 fun, and why the variety in climbing appealed to Ben so much after skating

22:40 – Ben’s strength/power bouldering session length, gym climbing vs. outdoor climbing in terms of weight lifting, and gym climbing because it’s fun

25:54 – “Medium Day”, “Endurance Day”, and the benefits of down climbing for fitness

27:44 – Transfering sport climbing fitness back to bouldering, and climbing ‘The Reckoning’

29:11 – St. George bouldering vs. sport climbing, and expanding your horizons to have more 5-star lines to do

31:09 – Ben’s interest in trad/mixed climbing, and the routes that pull at him most

33:03 – The fun vs. suffering spectrum, and “everybody knows what it takes, they just have to be willing to do it.”

34:51 – What motivated Ben when he was younger vs. now

37:04 – Ben’s oppositional strength training routine, training front levers once every two weeks, and the evolution of Ben’s core training

39:48 – How Ben can tell if a climber has good core strength, and the importance of core strength for hard climbing

40:38 – Training Front Levers, plank variations, and the feeling of being wrecked

42:37 – Lack of training consistency due to COVID, the approach of summer, and missing the climbing gym

44:55 – Ben’s weekly climbing schedule, and always taking Friday off

45:26 – 14 years sober, addiction to pain pills, and how Ben got started in climbing

49:19 – Obsessive-compulsive behavior, losing friends and his dad to drugs, moving to WA to get sober, and early bouldering in Leavenworth

55:27 – The obsessed bug

57:04 – Exploring for new routes, and bolting ‘Imagine’

1:03:41 – Cleaning and climbing ‘Imagine’ during quarantine

1:06:31 – John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, the setting, the rock, and everything you’d want in a route

1:07:53 – The story behind ‘Inception’ (Ben’s favorite FA)

1:11:00 – Ben’s early progression in climbing, the “spurge and plateau”, and filling out the repertoire

1:12:54 – Some of the best hard boulders in WA, Newhalem bouldering, and endangered moss

1:15:58 – V15 potential in WA

1:17:45 – Ben’s ideal boulder condition for NW granite, giving credit to “the cracking” of a sequence or boulder problem, and the challenge of grading FAs

1:19:33 – What holds back climbers in the gym

1:21:38 – What holds back climbers when projecting outdoors

1:23:26 – How Ben decides whether to keep trying a climb, optimism vs. pessimism, and ‘Singularity’

1:26:52 – Gratitude

1:27:30 – Missing the gym

1:28:25 – Ben’s plans for the summer, and chasing conditions

1:32:24 – Ben’s Instagram, his recent Squamish video (that you should all watch—see show notes), and not knowing where to post climbing content

1:34:46 – Ben’s latest skate trick project, and influencing kids at the skate park

EP 25: Nathan Hadley — Circuit Sessions, Onsight Practice, and Establishing the First 5.14 at Index Jul 06, 2020

Nathan Hadley is a professional route setter and an all-around rock climber. We talked about completing the Canadian Alpine Trilogy, the benefits of training using bouldering circuits, how to practice onsighting skills in the climbing gym, establishing the first 5.14 at Index, WA, and the importance of following the psych.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/nathan-hadley

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:41 – The Canadian Alpine Trilogy

7:23 – Prep for the Trilogy, bouldering base from route setting, and Nathan’s one-month approach for getting back in sport climbing shape

8:53 – Fontainblaue-style circuit training

12:36 – Why Nathan thinks circuits are more effective than route laps and 4x4s

15:08 – Example two-day per week PE program

18:21 – Low-end endurance

20:52 – Structure in the things that matter

22:15 – Competing at sport climbing nationals, onsighting in Turkey, and sending ‘Scarface’

29:38 – Nathan’s “relaxed approach”

33:39 – Switching modes, listening to your body, and following psyche

35:37 – Onsighting practice in the gym

40:57 – Warming up for hard onsights and entering the right mental space

44:40 – Intentions and guidelines, and why Nathan’s trip to Turkey was so successful

46:15 – FA of ‘En Passant’ (aka Ten Percent Direct)

54:27 – Route setting as prep for ‘En Passant’

55:39 – Outdoor bouldering and getting stronger by climbing bouldery routes and Index

57:05 – Leaving his mark at Index

1:00:00 – Chess and The Fun Triangle

1:02:01 – Route setting with volumes, volumes as tools, and creating a diversity of climbing styles in the gym

1:05:06 – Forerunning as training

1:07:31 – Climbing less, and learning from the experts who know bodies

1:09:26 – Grateful to be working

1:10:24 – ‘Vanishing Point’, looking for a new route on Dolomite Tower, and dreaming of a WA Trilogy

1:22:00 – Nathan’s website

EP 24: Paige Claassen — Pre-Send Rituals, Breathing Techniques, and Learning from Each Attempt Jun 29, 2020

Paige Claassen is a professional rock climber and the founder of the Southern Africa Education Fund. We talked about pre-send rituals, breathing techniques, how she changed her diet to improve recovery, recent training, how she structures bouldering and outdoor sessions, learning from each attempt, and favorite crag snacks.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/paige-claassen

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:55 – “Coming to you live from my closet!”

3:04 – Frangog

4:44 – Learning to try hard, and reminding yourself that “I’ve sent in the past when things weren’t perfect”

8:26 – ‘Just Do It’, deep audible breaths, and clicking into the moment

11:45 – Pre-send rituals, working with a biokineticist, and activation points

14:28 – Paige’s thoughts on audible breathing

17:36 – Breathing beta, composing yourself, and “Everyone loves climbing on jugs”

19:03 – ‘Odin’s Eye’, eating more protein, training differently, and becoming a different climber

24:21 – Gym bouldering for power

27:15 – How Paige structures a bouldering session, and focusing on quality over quantity

28:59 – Training seasonally, and how Paige structures outdoor climbing sessions

30:33 – Day on day off

31:34 – Finding what works for you, and owning it

32:06 – A mental shift to not performing in the gym

33:24 – “I just love projecting.”

34:31 – Believing in the process, tricep pushups, and recent training during quarantine

39:42 – Losing ten pounds by eating more fat, protein amounts, and collagen for fingers and skin

44:20 – Southern Africa Education Fund (SAEF), building school buildings, and a new playground

49:24 – Mentorship, open and learning, and living in an exciting time

51:43 – Gratitude for family

53:14 – Current favorite climbing snack, and “I’m not afraid of carbs.”

56:01 – Fish tacos and buffalo cauliflower

57:35 – ‘Shadowboxing’, 5.15 as a goal, and climbing more 5.14+ routes in North America

59:58 – ‘Dreamcatcher’

1:00:50 – Learning from each attempt, frustrating to fun, and “if we’re not having fun there’s no point

1:02:35 – “Treat yourself as you would treat others.”

1:03:20 – Completing the Yurdin family (minus Kasbah)

EP 23: Jasna Hodžić — Pure Motivation, Practicing Your Anti-Style, and Enduring Setbacks Jun 22, 2020

Jasna Hodžić is part writer, part scientific researcher, and part badass rock climber. We talked about sending her first 5.14a, ‘To Bolt Or Not To Be’ at Smith Rock, about practicing her anti-style to climb a route called ‘Voodoo’ 5.14b, and about her struggles with a misdiagnosed finger injury, compartment syndrome, and RED-S.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jasna-hodzic

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:18 – Woodstoves, cooking while driving, and leaving an ice cube tray in the oven

5:46 – Hyper + cute boys, Mr. Buff Man, and getting into rock climbing

8:35 – Studying abroad in Spain in 2013, climbing at world-class areas, and finding an infectious climbing scene

11:38 – ‘To Bolt Or Not To Be’, the archetype of hard rock climbing, pure inspiration, and commuting from Seattle to try the route

18:35 – Advantages of top-roping, skin pain, and progression on To Bolt

22:23 – “Smedges”, going through six pairs of Muira VSs, punting at the 10th bolt, and bailing on her own birthday party

27:31 – Taping for warmups, warming up for To Bolt, and the Mike Doyle story

31:48 – Climbing ‘Peace’ first redpoint try, onsighting the last two bolts, and glacier polish

40:35 – Tick marks, visualizing, and focusing on the crux

43:07 – ‘Voodoo’ (Jasna’s first 5.14b), Equinox, and the jump start

48:34 – Jasna’s fake finger injury

59:28 – Taking a break from the gym and feeling stronger after a winter of rock climbing

1:03:13 – Mixing projects and quick ticks, trying hard routes, and anti-style

1:08:17 – Vertical climbing isn’t type 1 fun, steep climbing during quarantine, and climbing 14a in her anti-style

1:10:10 – Scuba diving on ‘Papa Legba’

1:14 14 – The foot story (compartment syndrome)

1:30:59 – Dealing with injuries and gratitude for health and health care

1:37:38 – Jasna’s experience with RED-S (formerly know as Female Athlete Triad)

1:45:43 – How Jasna has changed her diet post-RED-S, cottage cheese, getting DEXA scans, and other takeaways

1:53:53 – Eating more frequently, calories, calve muscles, and body fat

1:57:13 – Favorite books

2:01:37 – Photojournalism, Jasna’s R&I article, blogging, writing to process the gunk in your head, and the importance of publishing

2:07:11 – Dreams of making a living as a writer, and her PhD

2:10:20 – Gratitude for health and partnerships

2:13:23 – Climbing goals, being meticulous with climbing, and falling into projects

2:18:37 – Not on the Insta-Twitter

EP 22: Justin Brown — Skincare Tips, Growing a Business, and Greatness vs. Insanity Jun 15, 2020

Justin Brown is the founder of Rhino Skin Solutions, a company that provides high-performance skincare products for rock climbers. We talked about best practices for skincare, tips for dialing skin for different rock types, how to grow a business while keeping things simple, and the connection between greatness and insanity.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/justin-brown

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:23 – The COVID pivot, hand sanitizer, and the restaurant hustle

5:48 – Whole Foods, the Rhino growth trajectory, and growing to make a better product

9:50 – How to fix product that has separated

11:30 – Hand Sanitizer for greasy hands and dirty climbers

13:52 – Best practices for healing dry skin

17:24 – Dry/Performance plus Spit for dry and pliable skin, removing sweating as a factor, and different skin for different rock types

19:32 – How to use Rhino Spit

20:39 – Justin’s skincare routine leading up to a climbing trip

24:02 – Combining using Performance and Repair, and best practice for antiperspirant use

26:28 – Training your brain to sweat less and taking a break from using products once a month

30:35 – Tegaderm and Hypafix for splits and gobies

34:34 – Better climbing tapes

36:48 – Filing old shoe rubber, shoe cleaning products, and OXY Pads

41:48 – The early days of Rhino, and why Justin

46:21 – A simple business model and growing organically

49:08 – Growing vs. profitability, putting systems in place, not wanting cogs, and the label machine

54:51 – Work-life balance, getting an employee, and freeing up time

58:40 – Getting hurt climbing, starting MMA, getting in the best shape of his life, and the heart monitor story

1:03:58 – Training for MMA and carryover to rock climbing

1:06:21 – Justin’s standing in jiu-jitsu and converting belt rankings to the Yosemite Decimal System

1:08:05 – Mixing MMA and climbing, a pesky wrist injury, and climbing because it’s fun

1:10:56 – Greatness and insanity, and different limiters on crazy

1:12:27 – Steven’s thoughts on limiters, how limiters shift, and waking up early to hangboard

1:14:38 – Exceeding climbing goals, the gratification of improving at something new, and the myth of discipline

1:17:06 – How each route at Smith leads to the next, and progressing through the 5.13s

1:21:12 – Justin’s approach to climbing ‘Badman’ (his first 5.14), and dealing with shoulder impingement

1:25:25 – Carryover from jiu-jitsu to rock climbing

1:28:49 – Carryover from rock climbing to jiu-jitsu, projecting sequences, and foot matches

1:32:18 – Climbing 5.14 again, goal routes, and climbing the hardest route from the year you were born

1:35:33 – Justin’s (secret) Shuteye Ridge trip

1:37:29 – Gratitude for family and his sister’s illness

1:40:48 – My experience with van life during COVID-19, being in stasis, why Justin craves going out to eat, and restaurant energy

1:46:14 – Rye sourdough mango pancakes

1:47:02 – High-4 (Justin’s new company for pet care)

1:50:20 – New Rhino products (coming soon)

1:52:23 – Where to connect with Rhino for skincare questions

1:53:10 – One last story

EP 21: Ethan Pringle — Lessons From Projecting, The Gift of Heartbreak, and a New Depth of Love Jun 08, 2020

Ethan Pringle is one of the best all-around rock climbers in the world. We talked about practice vs. training, lessons learned from 50 days projecting ‘The Nest’, taking care of his dad and his experience with chronic grief, the gift of heartbreak, discovering a new depth of love, projecting highballs, and the coolest rock climbing move he has ever done.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ethan-pringle

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:22 – The Pistol Squat challenge

5:58 – Practice vs training, and feeling plateaued in strength

9:18 – Improving strategy for projecting, getting really good at making climbs easier, and admiring climbers who try 100% every time they pull on the wall

12:24 – Wanting to flow vs. trying as hard as possible, learning to climb efficiently, and the game of sport climbing

16:14 – 50 days on ‘The Nest’

24:38 – Psychological vs. physical limitations on The Nest, holding on to belief, and the decision to send

27:23 – Ethan’s main takeaway from ‘The Nest’: “Crappy days are totally fine and totally normal.”

29:15 – Trying different beta, lightbulb moments, ‘El Bon Combat’, and “master beta”

33:59 – ‘Kintsugi’, the ninja-toe-catch, and the coolest rock climbing move Ethan has ever done

38:47 – His dad’s stroke, finding him on the floor, life’s pivotal moments, caregiving, and Michael Peña

49:39 – Lessons from grief, heartbreak as a gift, and a new depth of love

59:30 – Compassion, acceptance, growth

1:01:05 – Self-compassion, the ‘La Reina Mora’ story, and the debilitating combo of emotional baggage and bad beta

1:07:47 – Overextending and creating boundaries

1:13:15 – Knowing yourself and communicating boundaries

1:16:30 – Why the word “depression” doesn’t really resonate with Ethan, his own brand of internal darkness, and becoming more at peace with himself

1:21:14 – Seeing a grief counselor and why Ethan is a proponent of therapy

1:23:29 – 10-minute sits, mindfulness meditation, and Ethan’s experience and takeaways from a 10-day vipassana course

1:35:35 – Doing the second ascent of Jason Kehl’s ‘Evilution’, and why highball bouldering is such an amazing type of climbing

1:39:47 – Ethan’s highball projects in Yosemite

1:42:18 – Ethan’s approach to highballs and the effect of pulling the rope

1:44:27 – The “Brown Point”

1:46:26 – Plans for Yosemite in the Fall

1:47:12 – Dreams of finding all-natural 5.14+ or 5.15 projects

1:51:50 – Ethan’s dream van

1:54:55 – Gratitude

1:56:09 – Hugs

1:56:37 – Ethan’s Instagram and plans for a new website

1:57:32 – The gift of vulnerability, plans for a round 2, and reversing interview roles

EP 20: Chad Andrews — Financial Independence, Building a Craft, and Pursuing Your Best Life Jun 01, 2020

Chad Andrews is the maker of the Clipping Chains blog—a resource to help climbers navigate personal finance and move towards financial independence. We talked about reaching retirement at age 35, simple steps to reduce your cost of living, why financial strength equals freedom, the joy of building a craft, and pursuing your best life.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chad-andrews

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:03 – ‘Snickers’ the stealthy food thief

7:34 – Chad’s early career in Houston, staring climbing, moving to the front range, and becoming interested in the financial independence movement

14:59 – The F.I.R.E. movement (Financially Independence Retire Early) and Chad’s path to financial independence

16:09 – Why Chad would never call himself retired, and why he thinks work is a fundamental aspect of happiness

17:10 – The Clipping Chains blog and sharing personal finance information with climbers

18:51 – Overview of the financial independence concept (maximize savings rate, and invest in a passive index fund)

24:31 – Chad and his wife’s income, teachers, and why the financial independence movement isn’t just for those with a high income

26:39 – Tracking spending using an app or spreadsheet

31:19 – The big three: housing, transportation, and food

33:51 – Chad’s passion for food, cutting back out dining out, rediscovering cooking, and learning new skills

36:32 – Facing discomfort, Chuck and Maggie Odette, the “year of austerity”, and paying less for the same experience

38:44 – Why financial strength is a sliding scale, and the freedom of having a little extra money saved

43:52 – Chad’s climbing trip to Ceuse during the “year of austerity”

45:39 – Pareto principle (80/20), and why Chad doesn’t feel like he and his wife had to sacrifice much to reach their financial goals

48:56 – How having a few months of living expenses saved up can give you the freedom to tinker and try new things

50:53 – The first two steps that everyone should take toward financial strength

56:23 – Scheduling your day, habits, and systems

1:01:52 – Tracking net worth as a measure of progress

1:05:13 – Housing as the #1 expense, and tips for reducing housing cost

1:09:41 – Tips for renters and why buying a house isn’t necessarily as good an investment as people think

1:12:45 – Takeaways from interviews with top climbers, and embracing a non-normal life

1:19:39 – Hard work, happiness, and honing a craft

1:26:09 – Chad’s current climbing, focusing on movement and bouldering, and the benefits of filming yourself

1:32:35 – Where Chad is most excited to climb after COVID, focusing on climbs he can do in 10 tries, and the role of mega projects

1:36:05 – Retiring just before COVID, and my (Steven’s) plans for Rifle

1:38:12 – Roasted peppers, Lemoncello, and comfort food

1:44:26 – Favorite books

1:47:36 – Gratitude

1:48:25 – Clipping chains website, Instagram, Twitter

EP 19: Mikey Schaefer (Part 2) — Footwear for Big Walls, Rope Tricks, and the “Fix and Follow” System May 25, 2020

This is part 2 of my conversation with Mikey Schaefer. We talked about climbing as a finite resource, footwear for big walls, rope tricks, Mikey’s “fix and follow” system for team-free ascents, climbing smarter, what Mikey is grateful for, and his refreshing perspective about COVID. You can find part 1 of our conversation in episode 18.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mikey-schaefer-part-2

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:31 – Climbing ‘Moonlight Buttress’ in his 20s, 30s, and 40s

4:09 – Moonlight getting easier, wearing out climbs, being mindful of the impact we have on climbs and climbing areas, and Mikey’s advocate “rant”

10:06 – How Mikey thinks about footwear, and being smarter (as well as stronger)

16:27 – Tommy Caldwell as a one-show-size climber, and how Mikey chose his shoes for ‘ Moonlight Buttress’

18:45 – Compression socks, warmup up in socks and TC Pros, climbing in approach shoes, and developing footwork by climbing in shittier shoes

22:53 – Tinkering with systems, “It’s easier to climb smarter than it is to get stronger”, weighing gear with a gram scale, and measuring the force of different top rope systems

27:18 – “Friends don’t let friends belay”, Mikey’s “fix and follow” system, and leading in blocks

34:56 – Grateful for financial security, Mikey’s grandfather held captive, and a refreshing perspective on COVID

41:01 – Why Mikey feels content with where he’s at, plans to continue moving the spiral upward, and continuing to be a jack of all trades

EP 18: Mikey Schaefer (Part 1) — Meaningful First Ascents, Becoming a Jack of All Trades, and Building the Pyramid May 18, 2020

Mikey Schaefer is a photographer, filmmaker, and an all-around climber whose accomplishments range from dangerous first ascents in the mountains to 5.13+ big walls, 5.14 sport climbs, and V10 boulders. We talked about some of Mikey’s most meaningful first ascents, experiences on Liberty Bell, balancing risk and reward, becoming a jack of all trades, and building his pyramid.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mikey-schaefer-part-1

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:03 – The ‘Eggsadilla’

6:56 – Mikey’s first major FA on the South Face of Mt. Bradley (‘Little Big Man’)

14:32 – The Dancing Dihedrals feature, and the A3 rating

18:10 – Getting old/soft (joke), how Mikey’s risk profile has shifted, and balancing risk and reward

21:44 – Putting up first ascents, “Who’s experience am I doing this for?”, and Mikey’s perspective shift in putting up new routes

25:33 – Learning by making mistakes, and when to push your limits

30:22 – Preserving the experience of routes

32:53 – Liberty Bell and the arc of Mikey’s climbing progression, rope soloing, father time, and putting up the hardest big wall route in WA

45:55 – Finding the gem (‘Dark Side of Liberty’)

49:54 – Being called a sandbagger and Mikey’s thoughts on grading routes

56:31 – Mikey’s tendency to not think he’s as strong as he is, “good” vs “great” climbers, and a shifted paradigm

59:00 – Being a jack of all trades, balancing multiple disciplines, how different disciplines help each other in a spiral, and climbing Cerro Torre

1:04:17 – The ‘Why’ behind Mikey being a jack of all trades in climbing, his influences and personality, and being the swiss army knife on productions

1:08:10 – Why Mikey doesn’t set long-term goals or make long-term plans, letting opportunities arise, and not knowing what’s next with COVID

1:13:18 – Varied approaches between different climbers, “There’s no recipe for success”, finding clues, and making the most of the cards you’re dealt

1:17:35 – Adding the training and bouldering bricks to the pyramid

1:19:03 – How Mikey trained to climb his first 5.14, repeaters using the Beastmaker App, weighted pull-ups, and muscle-ups

1:33:20 – Using video recordings as a tool, and front levers with Alex Honnold

1:37:13 – Being a shorter male climber (5’3”), different strength requirements for men and women, and an interesting comparison between Mikey and SJ

1:44:20 – The main benefits of bouldering and training the “try hard muscle”

EP 17: Drew Ruana — ‘Sleepwalker’ V16, The Skin and Conditions Game, and Training Philosophy May 11, 2020

Drew Ruana is a 20-year-old boulderer, sport climber, and competition climber who is quickly becoming one of the best rock climbers in the world. We talked about climbing ‘Sleepwalker’ (his first V16), the significance of skin and conditions and tactics for optimizing them, his current training philosophy, transitioning from competitions to outdoor climbing, and his career and climbing goals.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/drew-ruana

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:14 – Rest day during quarantine, Game of Thrones

4:57 – Bishop in February, ‘Goldfish Trombone’, and the worst skin injury Drew has ever had

6:55 – The Milwaukee fan, a game of 0.1 percents, and the importance of skin and conditions

10:13 – Night sessions and Drew’s light setup

11:02 – Drew’s chalk bucket of skin products

12:32 – Dry Spray, Climb Skin, and accepting bad skin

13:28 – Drew’s V15 rampage, a day in the life while projecting ‘Sleepwalker’, Drew’s best two days of climbing, and the sending drug

18:01 – Why Drew doesn’t warm up on other boulders

19:05 – Drew’s warmup routine

20:38 – How Drew thinks about working on multiple projects at a time vs focusing on one

21:58 – ‘Three Days In Joe’s’, mixing in volume, and doing V14 in a few minutes

23:39 – Griffin Whiteside, and Mike & Ikes as rocket fuel

25:36 – Drew’s training philosophy and workout

29:32 – Drew’s favorite rings exercises

31:17 – A day and B day, and “all the strength comes from recovery”

33:00 – The importance of nutrition and sleep, Drew’s protein intake (1-1.2 grams per lb bodyweight), and PhysiVantage protein powder

35:21 – Why Drew spent two years focusing more on weight lifting than climbing

38:18 – Climbing at Smith Rock at age 3, climbing ‘Dancer’, and Drew’s first set of quick draws

40:26 – Why Drew never felt external sources of pressure, competing as a kid, and the frustration of being too short for competition boulders

45:16 – Sticking it to the man, coach Tyson, and learning to climb tall

48:33 – Shifting motivation from comps to outdoor climbing

50:37 – Olympic qualifiers, world championships, frustrating comp results, and the validation of a successful outdoor season

1:02:39 – FA of ‘Pegasus’

1:06:10 – FA of ‘Assassin’

1:12:04 – Climbing at Smith and how that made Drew the climber he is today

1:13:26 – 5.15 projects at Smith

1:15:02 – “We’ll see where climbing takes me.”

1:16:15 – Psyche for bouldering, School of Mines, and dreams of alpine blocks

1:18:12 – Drew’s career plans, and wanting to give more back to the world than just climbing

1:20:32 – Why Drew thinks Salt Lake City is the best scene for hard training in the country

1:22:55 – A lot to be grateful for

1:25:26 – Instagram and Facebook, getting logged out of Messenger, and “You can always try harder.”

1:28:29 – BONUS: Drew’s campusing routine

EP 16: Tara Kerzhner — Capturing Moments, Telling Stories, and Shooting What You Love May 04, 2020

Tara Kerzhner is an award-winning photographer, cinematographer, and accomplished rock climber. We talked about being creative while stuck at home, the importance of shooting what you love, balancing her work with art and climbing, becoming a more powerful climber, and telling stories through film.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tara-kerzhner

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:06 – Using the podcast to hangout out with friends

2:51 – Cactuses

5:50 – Working from home, “the snack loop”, and Tara’s favorite tea

11:33 – Working in restaurants, learning to manage money, not having mentors, and a sheltered upbringing

15:21 – Learning to believe in herself, “garbage collecting”, and increasing your percentage of good photos

17:37 – “Shoot what you love”, being grounded for 6 months, and taking risks

19:29 – Some of Tara’s favorite photos and what made them memorable

23:51 – Learning about storytelling and film making, and why Tara feels like she hasn’t made her best film yet

25:16 – Tara’s new film camera

26:50 – Tara’s photo tick list, shooting “new” angles, and Jim Thornburg

29:59 – Balancing working with art and climbing, sending ‘Vesper’, and going in and out of shape

34:24 – Why Tara is considering doing more strength training for photo/video work

38:22 – “Un-Smithing” herself, seeking out more powerful climbs, and ‘Don’t Call Me Dude’

44:26 – Why grades “don’t really make sense”

47:06 – Tara’s goal routes at Ceuse, trying ‘Sprayathon’, and the irrelevance of grades

50:38 – ‘To Bolt’, and why climbing it would be such a meaningful route for Tara

53:33 – Alex Honnold’s free solo big wall tick list

55:02 – Multipitch sport climbing, wanting to go climb ‘Logical Progression’, and why multi-pitch trad climbing isn’t always type 1 or 2 fun

57:55 – Why free climbing El Cap isn’t a current goal

58:53 – Cats

1:00:08 – House cat —> ocelot

1:01:39 – What Tara feels especially grateful for

1:04:25 – Sladies 2, the ethics of what we choose to do right now (during COVID), and why Tara isn’t planning any trips right now

1:06:40 – Why Tara is excited to explore more editorial/journalistic photo and video work in the future, shooting in Fiji, and photos vs videos

1:08:50 – Tara’s website, Instagram, and why she prefers email when responding to people

1:10:32 – Climbing on the home wall, why 45 degrees might be the hardest angle in rock climbing, and “it’s all about body positions”

1:12:13 – Wrap up, why Tara doesn’t like some of her earliest films, and “it’s good to be up on the wall”

EP 15: Katie Lambert — Improving Every Year, Balancing Multiple Disciplines, and Nutrition for Climbers Apr 27, 2020

Katie Lambert is an elite rock climber in just about every discipline of the sport. She is also a contributing author for Climbing Magazine, owns a business, and has a master’s in nutrition. We talked about the film Pretty Strong, her training and how she balances the many disciplines of climbing, and nutrition recommendations for climbers.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/katie-lambert

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:15 – Pretty Strong

4:19 – ‘Father Time’ breakdown, blood blister, dropping the tape, and deciding to go into support mode

9:45 – “A big part of climbing is failing.”

10:49 – What Katie learned from climbing with Nina, and vice versa

13:16 – Deadlifting to fix low back pain, the Berto challenge, pulling 235 lbs, and how deadlifting has helped her climbing

18:11 – Iron Dragons

19:17 – Pinch training and hangboarding

24:36 – Sunday Funday

25:08 – Training power for a trip to the Red, and bouldering circuits (inside & outside)

26:57 – Campusing exercises, the importance of focusing on speed when training power, and campusing endurance

28:24 – The routes Katie was training for at the time

29:26 – Being a multi-discipline athlete, and how Katie thinks about structuring her climbing/training year

32:42 – Why Katie prefers the free-in-a-day style of big wall climbing

34:25 – Linking up ’The Rostrum’ and ‘Astroman’, Katie’s “little suffer bunny”, and feeling fit from The Hulk

36:39 – Goals for future linkups and quick ascents and plans to go back to ‘Father Time’

39:52 – Katie’s go-to climbing shoes

40:58 – “I know who I am and I know what I’m doing.”

44:10 – Why Katie recommends that newer climbers (less than 5 years) just climb a lot in a variety of styles instead of focusing on training

46:24 – How learning offwidth techniques has helped Katie with tufa climbing

48:07 – The one kind of training Katie wishes she had started doing earlier and would recommend for climbers

48:54 – Katie’s three go-to strength exercises, and fingerboarding for healthy fingers

50:59 – Past ankle and finger injuries, why Katie avoids climbing in the cold, and being clammy and cold

53:54 – Katie’s favorite Rhino Skin Solutions products and how she uses them

54:51 – Rehab ideas for elbow tendonitis and finger injuries, and why just taking time off isn’t necessarily the best rehab strategy

1:00:18 – What Katie wishes she knew when she was age 20

1:01:47 – Same question for age 30, noticing a trend of tendon injuries climbing in the cold, my own experience with a finger injury

1:03:38 – How dehydration plays a role in finger injuries, electrolytes, and Katie’s favorite hydration cocktail for cold days

1:04:19 – Masters in nutrition, Bishop Cowork, writing, and nutrition coaching

1:05:30 – Two key nutrition tips/takeaways for climbers, recommended intake of water per day (1/2 fluid ounce per lb of bodyweight minimum), and climbers as sugar burners

1:07:51 – How Katie eats in a day

1:10:10 – Eating red meat, why Katie is into local and sustainable food and why she feels so lucky being in Bishop, Polyphase Farm, and the challenges of feeding a growing population

1:13:52 – Some of the side effects of a crappy diet, why diet is important (even if you look fit), and some of Katie’s recommendations

1:17:29 – Katie’s recommendations for those that want to stick to a vegetarian or vegan diet

1:18:12 – Nuts, and why Katie recommends eating them raw/soaked, and why she recommends avoiding peanuts and processed nuts and nut butters

1:20:00 – Katie’s recommendation for daily protein intake (1 gram per lb of bodyweight—it’s ok to start with 75% of that)

1:22:54 – Writing, why Katie is stopping her column at Climbing Magazine, and working on a cookbook

1:24:24 – Founding and running Sacred Rok

1:26:50 – Being sick for 24 days, gratitude for health, and “it’s a man thing” (being pathetic when we get sick)

1:28:26 – Katie’s upcoming trip to the Red

1:29:09 – Melt Down

1:31:22 – Being a lifer, why Katie loves Bishop, and moving to France if Trump wins the election

1:33:20 – V11 as a goal

1:33:57 – “We’re really lucky to climb.”

EP 14: Jonathan Siegrist — Current Training Methods, Second-Go Tactics, and The Fins Project Apr 20, 2020

Jonathan Siegrist is a professional rock climber, and one of the most prolific sport climbers in the world. We talked about the evolution of his training, how he trained to climb 5.15b, current training methods, how he mixes in climbing with training, tactics for quick redpointing, a new direction for his climbing, and The Fins project.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jonathan-siegrist

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

3:31 – Breakfast, how Jonathan eats on a climbing day, favorite bars, and eating the local cuisine when traveling

8:38 – Training for the Red by climbing on campus rungs on the treadwall (while wearing socks)

13:21 – Jonathan’s training evolution, and sending ‘Jumbo Love’

18:18 – Current training methodology (broad strokes), working with Steve Bechtel, and adding more rest between sets and training days

21:21 – Carving out more time for the same number of training sessions

22:35 – Jonathan’s three favorite strength exercises (not related to finger strength)

26:46 – More about weighted pull-ups and how Jonathan generally programs and advances his training

29:19 – Combining heavy sets with plyometrics, and taking 10-15 minute rest between sets

30:56 – Circuit style hangboarding vs. straight sets

32:48 – 7:13 repeaters, why Jonathan now prefers them over 7:3, trying new things, and thinking about trying max hangs in the future

37:19 – How Jonathan integrates outdoor climbing with training and the benefits of combining the two

42:00 – Sending ‘One Hundred Proof’, and shifting focus to prioritize redpoint days

44:09 – Why Jonathan doesn’t do any maintenance training, and the importance of trying hard

47:36 – Jonathan’s propensity toward endurance, and the one thing he would do different if he could go back in time

49:47 – How Jonathan thinks about strength and power training vs. bouldering

50:36 – Sending ’Trice’ back in 2009, learning to climb at flagstaff, and testing well at finger strength but not knowing how to move fast

55:09 – “The magic of climbing”, how Jonathan stacks up against other 9b climbers and prioritizing sending

57:58 – Climbing with Adam Ondra and inspiration to focus more on flash and onsight climbing

1:02:43 – Jonathan’s approach to second-go redpointing, his affinity for remembering beta, and removing hesitation

1:04:49 – Jonathan’s spray wall drill to practice memorizing sequences, and how he uses visualization

1:08:42 – How Jonathan thinks about deciding between second-go redpointing vs. flash or onsight

1:11:36 – Leveling up, hopes to return to old crags to finish old projects, and Jonathan’s desire to (eventually) move away from sport climbing

1:18:14 – Multipitch sport climbing, and “the single coolest thing” Jonathan hopes to do with his climbing

1:19:33 – Trying the Dawn Wall with Tommy, and why Yosemite big wall climbing isn’t at the top of his list

1:21:34 – The Fins project

1:28:51 – Experimenting with techniques to combat dry skin and dry conditions, wet chalk, and Rhino Spit

1:31:52 – “Do you think that thing will be 15b?”, the polarizing crux of Algorithm, and Jonathan’s best try

1:34:08 – Establishing 5.15b in America and what makes that so hard (aside from it being hard…)

1:36:00 – Plans to head back up to The Fins

1:36:27 – Jonathan’s upcoming trip to Italy, plans to try Lapsus, and the coronavirus

1:40:09 – Why Jonathan is so grateful for his sponsors and how they have really stepped up to support him, and the Metolius Light Rail

1:43:58 – Writing, how his blog got hijacked and moving from jstarinorbit to jonathansiegrist.com, plans to write new content, and writing blogs for his brands

1:46:54 – Jonathan on Instagram and Twitter, his new YouTube channel, and plans for upcoming videos with EpicTV

1:49:17 – The Fins project video (WIP)

1:50:35 – What Jonathan thinks holds back most climbers, and trying to spend 75% of your time climbing (on rock) and only 25% training (or climbing inside)

1:53:11 – “Try hard.”

1:53:58 – My poster of Jonathan, and being an inspiration as the best thing Jonathan feels like he can ask for

EP 13: Bill Ramsey — ‘Jumbo Pumping Hate’, Training with Replicas, and a Two-Part Climbing Career Apr 13, 2020

Bill Ramsey is a professor of philosophy at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and at 59-years-old, still climbs 5.14. We talked about his coffee addiction, his legendary training days and how he uses the treadwall, replicas, and the fingerboard, his two-part climbing career, favorite articles he’s written, and the crossover between philosophy and climbing.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/bill-ramsey

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:47 – Skipping breakfast, one big meal per day, and red meat

3:35 – Fueling for a big training day

4:12 – How Bill’s legendary big training days came to be

7:20 – Shocking the body, and building the stamina to go all-day

9:03 – Coffee in bed

11:02 – Bill’s two-stage climbing career, how he started training for climbing, and self-coaching for the Marine Core Physical Fitness Test

15:01 – Climbing through the existing routes at the Red River Gorge, his first 5.14, climbing Omaha Beach and Transworld Depravity and playing a roll in the development of the Red and Smith Rock

19:39 – Feeling sorry for Alan and the wrongest Bill has ever been

22:32 – Climbing at the columns, Chris Jones, the contrivance rating system (C1-C4), and some of Alan’s one-handed ascents

26:44 – Focusing on academics and missing climbing and the climbing community

28:47 – What drew Bill to study philosophy

32:45 – Moving to Vegas and why Bill has never regretted making the move

37:20 – How Bill climbed all but one of his 26-27 5.14s after age 40 and

39:23 – Bill’s warmup and stretching routines

42:28 – How Bill combines training with projecting

43:58 – Bills hangboard routine

45:37 – Replicas, practicing the crux as the warmup, and comparing to gymnastics

47:51 – How Bill builds his replicas and makes custom holds

50:43 – Training on the treadwall, and why Bill thinks the treadwall is the most underutilized training tool for route climbers

55:31 – Targeting route lengths and ARCing with the treadwall

56:39 – Using the treadwall to work on climbing faster, and keeping a training journal

58:11 – Similar ingredients in each training day, Bill’s thoughts on training different energy systems, energy system training order, and why Bill doesn’t bother with skill training

1:01:33 – Training and simulating rest positions

1:03:07 – Opposition training and why Bill thinks ~85% of your training time should be climbing-specific

1:05:06 – Fingertip pullups and “finger ups”, and why Bill thinks both are beneficial

1:07:40 – Long duration (density) hangs

1:08:48 – An example of one of Bill’s legendary training days

1:09:35 – Being a local at 6 different crags, and trends and variation that Bill has noticed

1:12:09 – How Bill thinks about balancing building his route pyramid and quick ticks with big projects, his process on Jumbo Pumping Hate, and climbers as nerds trapped in athlete bodies

1:17:47 – The hidden secrets that routes have, Apollo 13, and problem solving

1:20:13 – Tinkering with new beta, and committing to trying 100% every try

1:23:44 – Bill’s writing, his article defending chipping, ‘The Day I Sent Golden’ and writing the forward to the new Smith Rock guidebook

1:28:16 – What Bill is most grateful for

1:29:38 – Crossover between philosophy and climbing

1:30:24 – ‘The Truth and Lies of Climbing’, climbing Separate Reality, and realizing they weren’t that far off from the top

1:35:52 – Bill and Alan’s influence on one another, why Bill feels so fortunate for his path through life and climbing, and feeling like Forest Gump

1:38:52 – Plans for a round 2 interview with Bill and Alan and the welcoming Vegas climbing community

EP 12: Mike Doyle — Lessons From 10+ Years of Coaching, Onsighting Tips, and Working Extra Remotely Apr 06, 2020

Mike Doyle is an elite-level rock climber who balances climbing with a career as a software engineer. He also has a long history of competition climbing and coaching. We talked about lessons learned from 10+ years of coaching, his training philosophy, onsighting tips, go-to climbing shoes, surfing, and the best breakfast he’s ever had.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mike-doyle

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:06 – Mike’s go-to breakfast, and the best breakfast he’s ever had

3:09 – My climbing gym trip

3:25 – Mike’s early climbing and first (and last) experience with mountaineering

5:58 – Moving to Vancouver for college, coaching at the North Vancouver gym, and the stacked field of young climbers that came out of that program

8:29 – The culture that lead The Edge climbing team to be so successful

9:50 – Mike’s competition career and why he transitioned away from competitions

11:16 – Mike’s evolution as a coach, early coaching mistakes, the importance of building relationships with the kids on the team, and finding individual triggers

17:55 – Enjoying coaching, fear of falling, the story behind ‘Spank the Monkey’, and setting up a top rope on ‘Rude Boys’

21:58 – Flexibility training, and why Mike wouldn’t pay himself to be his own coach

23:25 – The best piece of coaching advice Mike ever got, and the importance of making the training environment fun

25:45 – More time in the gym, and “That’s when you learn technique is when you’re tired.”

26:49 – “Strength training is simple.”

28:13 – How Mike thinks about block training vs. integrating training with climbing

31:14 – Some of the nuts and bolts of Mike’s hangboard training—specifically how he prepared for ‘Necessary Evil’ (reference the TrainingBeta podcast episode linked above for the exact workout he was doing)

32:29 – Mike’s struggle with one-arm hangs

34:46 – Doing a single 10-second full crimp hang for recruitment

37:30 – Mike’s lineup of holds and the importance of sticking to a program

38:09 – Why strength = endurance, and training yourself to recruit less (i.e. relax your grip) on a hangboard

40:09 – Climbing tired to improve efficiency/movement economy

40:50 – Mike’s thoughts on the Moonboard, and “Every tool has its applications.”

42:00 – Nagging injuries and thoughts on climbing hard in the future and what that means

43:06 – Mike’s ‘Remote Controlled Climbing Life’, dreams of traveling and climbing, and the story behind ADATO

46:43 – Why Mike still works 60+ hours per week

49:32 – Creating boundaries around work, “ride or die”, and the balance that Mike hopes to achieve with his current company and work life

52:28 – Working “extra remotely”, two-month trips, and needing a change of scenery

54:54 – A few things Mike looks for in a potential “extra remote” work space

55:32 – Mike’s keyboard and mouse recommendations (Kinesis–link in show notes)

57:06 – The Canadian Alpine Trilogy

1:06:32 – “It’s the Rockies.”

1:07:33 – Mixing in other climbing with the trilogy and plans to go back this summer

1:08:40 – Necessary Evil and necessary diligence

1:11:47 – Climbing as an escape vs. having a focusing project, takeaways from projecting Necessary Evil, and support from the climbing community

1:15:15 – Why Mike’s process on Necessary Evil resonated with so many people

1:16:04 – Mike’s (lack) of unfinished business, ‘Just Do It’, and how he goes about onsighting and redpointing on road trips

1:18:54 – Onsighting tips

1:20:38 – Why Mike love the La Sportiva Genius and why it has become his go-to onsight shoe

1:23:50 – Mike’s favorite stiff shoe for face climbing and the shoes he wore on To Bolt

1:25:01 – The advice Mike would give himself at age 18, climbing standards when Mike climbed his first 14a vs now, Adam Ondra’s onsight attempt on Necessary Evil, and why I think ‘Just Do It’ is in the bag for Mike ;)

1:29:51 – Surfing and Mike’s recent trip to Costa Rica

1:33:30 – What’s next for Mike, his elbow injury, running for fitness, and the one thing about running that translates most to climbing

1:35:34 – Upcoming trips

1:36:31 – Woodford story

EP 11: Shanjean Lee — From Surgical Residency to 5.13+ Trad, Dating Your Climbing Partner, and the Importance of Self-Belief Mar 30, 2020

Shanjean Lee is an orthopedic surgeon and a badass climber whose accomplishments range from V10 boulders, to 5.14a sport, to 5.13+ trad and multi-pitch climbs. We talked about how SJ trained to climb ‘City Park’ during her residency, some of her biggest challenges, differences between men and women, dating your climbing partner, and the importance of self-belief.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/shanjean-lee

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:28 – I need a back massage

3:14 – Bouldering in Bishop for the winter

5:36 – SJ and Mikey’s shared goal of climbing V10, getting feedback from Nina Williams and James Lucas, and building the pyramid

8:59 – Bouldering projects, night sessions

10:36 – Moving to Reno, access to a wider variety of climbing, and climbing options while being on call

13:24 – Planning vs going with the flow, and why SJ has learned to plan in more broad strokes

14:35 – A wide ranging resume, and why SJ chose ‘City Park’ as a project

17:59 – The gear for ‘City Park’

19:01 – SJ’s process of projecting ‘City Park’, safety insight from Luke, and beta from Brittany

22:50 – A lesson that SJ learned from climbing ‘Mr. Yuk’, her first 5.14a

28:25 – Instagram post of Mikey doing bicep curls, and “you have to get your strength training in whenever you can.”

29:24 – Why SJ decided to reach out to Justen Sjong for a training plan

32:01 – SJ’s training plan, her short pinkie, Lattice Lite, and the Crimpt App

36:50 – Takeaways from the Lattice Training assessment

38:51 – Moonboarding, no Moonboards in Reno, and SJ’s (very attainable) life goal

41:32 – Making the first team free ascent of ‘Dark Side of Liberty’ with Mikey and finding the line

47:58 – Breakdown of the route, debating the grade, recruiting Nathan Hadley for the second ascent, and SJ’s hardest boulder problem

54:20 – Pitch by pitch breakdown

57:00– SJ and Mikey’s style for team free ascents and the style they used to redpoint ’Dark Side of Liberty’

1:00:51 – How this climb ranks among SJ’s top achievements and what made it extra special

1:02:55 – Navigating a relationship with your climbing partner, why SJ jokes that “it’s a work in progress”, and the give and take of supporting one another’s goals

1:09:21 – “Climbing heightens your emotions” and the importance of communication in a climbing relationship

1:10:27 – The biggest challenge SJ faced when becoming a doctor-climber

1:16:16 – Adjusting goals to make both climbing and her career work

1:18:15 – What SJ wishes she’d know when she was starting her residency

1:22:07 – What SJ is reading right now (‘Roar’), experimenting with intermittent fasting with Mikey and getting very different results, and timing birth control around climbing

1:26:06 – What her intermittent fasting looked like, stress as a factor, and why she decided it wasn’t for her

1:30:31 – SJ’s favorite recent purchase that dramatically improved her life (Casper light link in show notes), caffeine addiction, and why SJ switched to (mostly) drinking decaf coffee

1:35:39 – Regarding past projects and routes: “They’ve all kinda taught me something.”

1:36:18 – Advice for women trying to break into 5.14 or hard trad, shoulder girdle strengthening, and being aware of and training your weakest link

1:38:53 – Shoulder girdle exercises

1:40:40 – The importance of believing in yourself (especially for women), and the pattern SJ noticed during residency

1:43:02 – SJ’s thoughts on whether an assessment could be used to give someone confidence to try harder

1:44:14 – Working on flexibility and SJ’s yoga subscription

1:45:19 – Yosemite plans, ‘Freerider’, and why the easier parts can feel like the hard parts to a lot of climbers

1:48:55 – What SJ is most grateful for

1:51:29 – Excited for this time in life and to be in Reno

1:52:41 – Work-life balance now vs. back in residency

1:53:58 – SJ’s social media handle (@shanjean on Instagram)

1:54:28 – Shanjean vs. SJ, and the councilor to the emperor

1:56:52 – Hustling, trying hard, and (almost) always smiling :)

EP 10: Peter Croft — ‘The Shadow’ Game, Training for Linkups, and the Magic of Inspiration Mar 23, 2020

Peter Croft is an absolute legend in climbing. We talked about ‘The Shadow’ in Squamish and how his ascent became a climbing game, lessons from spending time alone, experimenting with burning fat for fuel, how he trains for big solos and linkups, some of his most memorable climbs, long johns vs. lycra, and the magic of inspiration.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/peter-croft

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:39 – Morning person, taking more rest days, learning about resting from John Bachar, and linking up The Nose and Half Dome in a day

6:59 – “Climbing is a process.”

7:51 – “Peter Croft is my spirit animal.”

8:43 – The friendly introvert, the honesty that comes from spending time alone, doing vs. sharing, and why Peter prefers smaller more intimate groups

14:33 – Shadow games, Peter’s onsight of ‘The Shadow’, and the power of inspiration

18:05 – The video of Jesse Huey climbing ‘The Shadow’, “There’s no place in the world I’d rather be than right here and right now”, and Peter’s transition from Squamish to CA

19:29 – So many new crags, early FAs up in Squamish, and Peter the fun hog

21:18 – Escaping to Leavenworth, a little bit of heaven, and increasing competitiveness in Squamish

24:39 – Soloing up and down Castle Rock, Peter’s Squamish circuit, and how down climbing improved his crack climbing

28:15 – Why Peter hasn’t spent much time projecting

30:51 – Peter’s progression, climbing his first 3-4 5.13s first try, and training by soloing tons of 5.10s and 5.11s

32:21 – Peter’s current training and fingerboarding, current projects, and working on weaknesses

34:15 – Soloing ‘The Rostrum’ and ‘Astroman’ in a day, preparation, and how Peter thinks about training for big solos (“Fitness shouldn’t be a factor.”)

36:08 – Soloing ‘ROTC Crack’ in Leavenworth, testing fat for fuel, traversing the Stuart Range with a single water bottle and a banana, and the handgun story (“This is how I die.”)

43:44 – Fat for fuel, Peter’s thoughts on (super) high-carb diets, bonking from too much sugar, and “if in doubt, go with less.”

45:55 – The ‘University Wall’

48:03 – Alex Honnold’s free solo of ‘University Wall’, and why Peter never considered doing it himself

49:11 – Why Peter moved to California and why he stayed

51:29 – Exploring the Sierras, ridge traversing, and what makes The Hulk “wonderfully peculiar”.

54:20 – The ‘The Venturi Effect’, and the best stemming corner Peter has ever climbed

55:09 – The gripping free soloing story Peter told on the Enormocast (linked in show notes), and why Peter has survived while so many legendary soloists have died

1:01:41 – Adventure, reading ‘I Chose to Climb’ by Chris Bonington, how Peter got into climbing, and why he never got sucked in to big expedition climbing

1:04:26 – More of the Enormocast free-soloing story, polypropylene long johns, and climbing wet 5.8 friction scoops on his knees

1:09:45 – Tights vs. long johns, an egocentric era, why Peter never wore bright colored lycra, and wearing long johns on rainy days

1:15:00 – Advice Peter would have for himself when he was young (warming up, taking rest days, and picking goals more carefully while being spontaneous) and inspiration as a superpower

1:17:29 – Stumbling on inspiration, and onsighting a hard roof crack after failing on a 5.11

1:19:32 – How inspiration can raise the ceiling from 100% to 150%

1:21:03 – Rare is special, how aesthetics speak to Peter, and the benefits of traveling

1:22:57 – What Peter hopes his 80-year-old self would say to him, health scare, and why climbing for Peter is so much more than just the climbing

1:25:13 – Why Peter is so grateful for his friends, community, the growth of the climbing community in Bishop, and being surrounded by good energy

1:26:56 – Why the increased popularity of Bishop has been a good thing

1:27:57 – Writing, telling stories, and Peter’s current writing project

1:29:51 – Peter’s thoughts on writing a book

1:32:05 – Meeting Alan Watts at Smith Rock in 1981, the one-arm pull-up show, and not putting labels on different types of climbing

1:35:56 – What’s next for Peter, and his thoughts on bouldering as an impact sport

1:38:16 – Feeling like a kid in a candy store, gratitude for finding climbing, and having “the thing”

1:39:46 – Peter’s final thoughts for younger climbers, why he recommends traveling a lot, and the old Greek lady with the baby goats

1:42:04 – Peter’s upcoming trips, flow state with writing, and writing advice from John Long

EP 09: Will Stanhope — The Injury Process, Trad Climbing Tips, and More Climbing Less Training Mar 16, 2020

Will Stanhope is a professional rock climber with many notable ascents in the realm of single and multi-pitch trad climbing, free-soloing, and cutting edge first ascents. We talked about Will’s recent freak accident and broken finger, the injury process, trad climbing tips, pushing through fear vs. listening to fear, and a case for more climbing/less training.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/will-stanhope

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:14 – The cruxes of dating internationally as a Canadian

3:00 – Freedom of the Wheels

4:35 – Will’s recent accident and finger injury, modern medicine, and getting the hardware removed

6:56 – “It’s the easy ground that gets you.”

7:14 – Running, rehab, flow state, and a day of easy soloing

9:15 – Having goals and listening to the body, numb scar tissue and Will’s freak accident, and Will’s finger X-Ray

11:03 – Filling the void while injured, “There’s more to life than climbing”, and fly fishing plans

14:09 – FFA of the ‘Tom Egan Memorial Route’ in the Bugaboos, and lots of rainy tent time

15:59 – History of the ‘Tom Egan Memorial Route’ and the pretties crack Will has ever seen

17:06 – “The perfect training recipe” (i.e. manual labor + hangboard repeaters), Will’s thoughts on hard tips crack climbing, and why the rest of us should exercising caution when it comes to hard crack climbing

20:56 – Soloing as a part of Will’s training, and a case for climbing more

22:03 – Guiding and getting recognized for past accomplishments

23:28 – Shifting away from hardcore projecting, and the Howzer Tower linkup w/ Leo Holding

26:30 – Simulclimbing, finding the right partner, and (contrived) climbing games

30:18 – Future projects, getting into mountain climbing, and “wielding all the swords”

32:03 – Headpointing vs. soloing, pushing through fear vs. listening to fear, and backing off

34:16 – Keeping soloing “safe”

35:09 – Downclimbing: “The lost art”

36:37 – Free soloing in Froggat (10+ years ago), trying ‘Parthian Shot’ and breaking his foot, and climbing ‘Muy Caliente’

39:07 – The E-grade system

40:33 – What Will learned from climbing with Leo

42:00 – “You can’t skip learning”, and why Will keeps his goals to himself nowadays

44:12 – Bouldering

45:02 – Will’s trad climbing tips for racking up, and polysporin (or neosporin) for gobies

47:15 – “More climbing, less training”

49:19 – Will’s hangboarding protocol

50:22 – Pushups and training opposing muscles and core stability

51:59 – What Will wishes he’d known at age 20 (he’s currently 33 years old) “Trust your own instincts”

52:44 – What Will wishes he’d known at age 30 - “Always really clean your climbing shoes”

53:22 – Will’s Anthony Bourdain kick

55:20 – Grateful to be alive

55:51 – Excited to get back in the game

56:31 – Will’s Instagram, ‘Freedom of the Wheels’ sequel, wrap up

EP 08: Kristin Yurdin — Building a Restaurant, Redpointing 5.14a at age 42, and Advice for Shorter Climbers Mar 09, 2020

Kristin Yurdin is a restaurant owner and chef who has balanced a successful career with hard climbing and genuine enjoyment of life. She and her husband Ian opened The Terrebonne Depot, a very successful restaurant near Smith Rock. We talked about her transition from podiatric surgeon to restaurant owner, about her climbing progression and training, and about redpointing her first 5.14a at 42-years-old.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/kristin-yurdin

Show notes:

Nuggets:

1:28 – “I’ll try not to get pumped.”

2:09 – Walk the Casbah

4:30 – The spouse vs. the dog, kids

5:20 – Kristin’s residency in Portland, practicing podiatric surgery in Hood River, and the path to starting a restaurant

12:12 – Working in restaurants to get experience

13:58 – Setting aside climbing to build and run the restaurant, learning to grill, and why you need to be able to do all of the roles if you are running a small business

18:00 – Being to busy to miss climbing, hiring people to manage parts of the business, and deciding not to do breakfast

20:12 – Success from day 1, and serving a wide variety of customers and food

21:28 – October at the restaurant, the pumpkin patch, and sending ‘Vicious Fish’

23:38 – Kristin’s restaurant training plan

25:15 – The one thing Kristin wish she had known and weathering the recession

26:38 – Kristin’s thoughts and advice for someone thinking about starting a business, a restaurant, or taking a leap

28:32 – Kristin’s decision—“this can’t fail”

29:21 – “If you want your business to stay or course you have to be present.”

30:14 – Climbing ‘White Wedding’, and what drew Kristin to ‘Chemical Ali’

33:22 – How Kristin trained for ‘Chemical Ali’, stretching, doing weighted pullups with 47.5 lbs added, Paige’s advice, learning to move her foot faster, and trying hard

38:16 – Adopting Paige, climbing in Waterfall Boven (South Africa), and the best part of the trip (seeing the animals)

40:30 – Kalymnos

41:30 – Selling The Depot business and the current owners who are climbers

43:30 – Adding a food cart, volunteering with Dog Pack, and plans for future animal advocacy work

46:00 – Following passion, learning new things, and the decision to sell the restaurant

47:14 – What climbing looks like now for Kristin, Ian’s recent injuries, and prioritizing her remaining time with Casbah

49:30 – Kristin’s recent and current mini-projects, ‘Churning in the Ozone’ and ‘Waste Case’

52:28 – Hangboarding, campusing, moonbarding, why Kristin avoids monos now, and listening to her body to plan training days

56:59 – Kristin’s advice for shorter climbers (she’s 5’2”)

58:29 – How Kristin got started in climbing, her progression, and climbing her first 5.14 at age 42

1:01:44 – Kristin’s thoughts on whether or not she will project another 5.14, running, and what a training week looks like now

1:04:18 – How Kristin thinks about food and weight for climbing

1:05:10 – Kristin’s best decision

1:05:55 – Taking care of the planet, doing little things to help, and thinking about bigger things that might help

1:07:23 – Gratitude for health

1:08:46 – Kristin’s advice for anyone thinking about starting a business or taking a big leap, and balancing listening to others vs. trusting your gut

1:13:22 – “It’s all about the ingredients.”

EP 07: Ian Yurdin on Product Creation, Projecting Routes at Smith Rock, and Gratitude for Health Mar 02, 2020

Ian Yurdin is a Smith Rock local who climbs hard and has had a successful career developing footwear for companies like Adidas, FiveTen, and Solomon. We talked about his career in product creation and his transition to consulting, starting a restaurant with his wife Kristin, his history with ‘To Bolt Or Not To Be’, measuring rock temperature to quantify climbing conditions, health issues, and the things he is most grateful for.

*NOTE: Ian had actually clipped the 13th bolt on ‘To Bolt’ on his heartbreaking try. (He mistakenly said it was the 12th in the interview.)

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ian-yurdin

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:40 – Barry’s backup beeper

3:55 – Renovating a 100-year-old train depot and moving the building 36 feet

7:10 – What sparked the idea for the Terrebonne Depot, seeing the building, and calling the owner every month for three years

12:17 – Building a place to bring together the community as a passion project vs. smart business move, and the storage shower

17:31 – Kristin sending Vicious Fish while working 60+ hours per week at the restaurant, and Ian’s favorite era at Smith (~2006-2008)

19:39 – Working through the other classic 5.13s and climbing ‘White Wedding’

23:29 – “The Unfinishables”

25:03 – Herniated discs, colonoscopies, and cancer

28:38 – Ian’s current health, my experience working with Mark DeJohn, being your own health advocate, and Ian’s thoughts about surgery for disc injuries

35:30 – My friend’s experience with back surgery and pain killers

37:36 – Ian’s other life, footwear, and managing a 100-million-dollar business

42:51 – Transitioning into consulting, the difference between working for a brand vs. working for yourself, and the power of the consumer

50:03 – What can we do as consumers, thinking about where things come from, vetting brands, and voting with your dollars

53:42 – Different businesses as different organisms

56:24 – Ian’s history on ‘To Bolt Or Not To Be’

1:13:09 – Passing on beta, being in Nina’s video, and failure yes or no, and the line between unfun and unhealthy

1:18:38 – ‘To Bolt’ as a Ph.D. in face climbing, and the tradeoffs of long-term projecting

1:20:46 – The temperature gun (thermometer), conditions, and noticing trends

1:32:56 – Ian’s warmup routine for ‘To Bolt’, forcing the pressure numb, and practicing falling

1:40:02 – Mixing in other pitches for fitness

1:42:26 – What Ian learned from climbing with Paige Claassen (now Paige de Kock)

1:49:53 – Gratitude for Casbah, health, friends, living in Central Oregon

1:53:41 – Ian’s excitement to be healthy and pain-free, climbing again, mountains, and being a dabbler alpinist

1:55:32 – Ian’s experience and thoughts on Instagram and Facebook

EP 06: Brittany Goris — FFA of ‘Stingray’, On and Off Mode, and Living the Dirtbag Dream Feb 24, 2020

Brittany Goris is a rock climber, graphic design artist, and self-proclaimed dirtbag. Her recent obsession has been projecting hard single-pitch trad climbs. We talked about her recent ascent of ‘Stingray’ 5.13d in Joshua Tree, the allure of dirtbagging, training on the road, finding community, tips for onsighting, free WiFi, and learning patience.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/brittany-goris

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:23 – Deciding to go to Joshua Tree, becoming infatuated with “The Dirtbag Thing”, and Brittany’s four goal-routes

5:17 – Racking up attempts on ‘Stingray’ and comparing it to ‘City Park’

6:57 – ‘City Park’ and ‘Stingray’ compared to Brittany’s other hardest climbs

8:02 – Flirting with an overuse injury and her swollen right index finger

10:39 – The breakdown of ‘Stingray’

14:33 – The weather as a factor, ideal conditions, and added sending pressure

16:55 – Thriving on pressure

17:59 – Brittany’s process working on ‘Stingray’, dealing with tendonitis, ring workouts, and supplemental training

22:24 – On or off mode, and Brittany’s life over the holidays, and vacation mode vs. projecting mode

26:42 – Brittany’s endurance base and why she didn’t need to focus on endurance for ‘Stingray’

28:36 – Making an effort to get more sleep and drinking too much climber coffee

29:53 – The different catalysts that help Brittany find the “on mode”

31:22 – Embracing the “off mode”, and balancing the two modes

34:15 – Being discipline in specific ways, and being all in vs. moderation

35:34 – How Brittany chooses her objectives and where she travels to next and finding a sense of place

39:45 – Brittany’s thoughts on whether dirtbagging makes recovery harder, living in a CRV, and cooking meals in a JetBoil for a year

42:32 – Brittany’s beta for camp chairs and working remotely

45:54 – Favorite rest day activities, playing games, spending time with the people, and running and stretching to relax and Brittany’s version of meditation

48:32 – Writing and journaling, writing one sentence per day, and tracking time spent in each location

52:19 – How Brittany got into climbing and why she never fell in love with Bishop

54:36 – How Brittany thinks about bouldering vs. route climbing and her plans to get in shape for Yosemite

58:48 – Building on community from place to place, and the best thing about climbing

1:01:50 – Brittany’s approach to onsight climbing, onsighting tactics, and why it might be her favorite style of climbing

1:07:10 – Always going for the onsight, getting on ‘Weekend Whipper’, getting into sketchy situations, and Brittany’s close call this summer

1:10:14 – Balancing onsight climbing with redpointing and projecting, Brittany’s thoughts on (not) warming up, and sussing out a route for a 2nd go redpoint

1:16:53 – Creating art, making her van feel like home, and tips for feeling grounded on the road, van life, showers, remote working, and fast internet

1:21:51 – Early road rage and practicing patience

1:24:58 – Brittany’s struggle with self patience, and chasing her best self

1:25:43 – Reading, most impactful books, and dropping everything to pursue the love of climbing

1:28:26 – Developing routes vs. engaging with history and writing yourself into a pre-existing story

1:30:24 – Dreaming of Yosemite, unknowns, and learning mindset

1:32:57 – Plans for ‘The Stigma’ (aka ‘The Renegade’), ‘The Phoenix’, and ‘Cosmic Debris’

1:34:53 – Brittany’s dream of climbing 5.14 on gear, sharing goals vs. the “pre-spray”, and bouldering on gear

1:36:43 – The thing Brittany is most grateful for lately

1:38:19 – The dirtbag dream—has it lived up to it?

EP 05: Mark DeJohn on Using ART to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Overuse Injuries, and Two Stretches Every Climber Should Do Feb 17, 2020

Mark DeJohn is a licensed massage therapist who specialized in Active Release Technique (ART). I began seeing Mark after suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for six years. Mark was able to fix me using ART. We talked about the root cause and how overly tight muscles can become an injury, how Mark thinks about overuse injuries and his tips to avoid them, and two stretches every climber should do.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mark-dejohn

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:03 – What is Active Release Technique (ART)?

3:48 – My (Steven’s) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and how and overly tight muscle can become an injury

10:19 – Homework vs. compliance

12:18 – ART as a standalone treatment, and ART paired with Chiropractic treatment

14:59 – The body as a system, and working up and down the chain

17:19 – Other climbing related injuries Mark has treated

18:47 – How climbers should be stretching, and two stretches every climber should do

20:37 – Timing, when to stretch, Mark’s thoughts on isometric vs. dynamic stretches, and how tight muscles can lead to tendonitis

24:13 – Scar tissue and Mark’s “gum in the carpet” theory

25:20 – Mark’s thoughts on tightness vs. strength, and whether “too flexible” is a concern

28:21 – How Mark got started with ART and becoming an ART instructor

32:14 – How Mark got involved with triathlons, being on support teams, and his trip to China

36:50 – Mark’s size (6’3”, 240lbs) and the difficulty of working on NFL players

38:10 – What Mark does for his own treatment, and Mark’s experience trying climbing

39:45 – Mark’s thoughts on going to muscular failure in the forearms every session vs. varied training

43:51 – A case for variability in your workouts and the root cause that lead to me developing CTS

45:49 – The recipe for overuse injuries: Doing too much of the same stuff too often

46:20 – How (bad) posture can lead to injuries and what Mark is working on for himself

48:17 – Working with people from all walks of life and the 90-year-old Canasta player

48:51 – Why Mark loves working with athletes and helping people get back in the game

50:45 – How to find a good ART practitioner

51:54 – Advice I needed to hear, stress vs. eustress, and Mark’s advice to keep getting outside if you’re injured

53:49– My recommended tools for self-care (Armaid, Theracane, Wave Tool) and Mark’s usage tips

56:15 – The Deep Muscle Stimulator and why Mark thinks it would be a good addition to a climbers kit

58:39 – How Mark got into bikes, racing, and why he prefers to get out and enjoy open spaces

1:04:07 – Mark’s plan to grow his business into something he can sell, and the benefits of K laser treatment

1:09:39 – One thing Mark would have done differently if he could go back in time

1:10:18 – Mark’s construction business, how he transitioned to ART, and Mark’s uncle Spencer

1:13:36 – Why Mark has changed his mind about the psychological component of treatment

1:17:05 – The links between brain, gut, body, pain, and everything else

1:17:50 – Diet and genes as potential factors

1:23:38 – Some of the best decisions Mark has ever made, learning new things, and keeping an open mind

1:26:47 – Something Mark is grateful for

1:28:04 – Something Mark is excited about right now

1:30:14 – Mark’s final advice for climbers: be proactive, cross-train (do other stuff), and hydrate like crazy

1:31:43 – Electrolytes

1:33:41 – How Mark’s other athletes use cross-training and options for climbers

1:34:48 – What’s next for Mark

1:36:30 – How to connect with Mark

1:36:53 – The review I left for Mark back in June 2019

EP 04: Alan Watts — A Life at Smith Rock, Eating Every Other Day, and Meeting Adam Ondra Feb 10, 2020

Alan Watts is widely regarded as the founding father of Smith Rock, and was a key player in the development of sport climbing in America. He established the first 5.13d in America with ‘East Face’ in 1985—just shy of the world standard. We talked about eating every other day, his paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to face climbing, wearing Wolfgang’s shirt, meeting Adam Ondra, and his “little slice of contribution” to the sport of climbing.

Support on Patreon:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alan-watts

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

2:21 – The evolution of dirtbagging, early road life, Smith as a safe zone, “there were no routes”

7:12 – Eating every other day

19:52 – Abstainers vs moderators

24:07 – Bill Ramsey, UO, and climbing “every variation imaginable” at the Columns

29:08 – Connecting with the people you need

31:45 – Inferiority complex and pushing to improve

33:09 – Paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to climbing faces

39:16 – Stumbling upon sport climbing and going from being a decent climber to a really good climber

41:34 – Redpoint tactics, ethics, and borrowing from the Europeans

45:44 – ‘Corner No. 1’, how ‘Chain Reaction’ got its name, and reaching the world standard at Smith Rock

47:33 – 11b to 13d in six years, ‘Punks in the Gym’, and pushing world standards

48:49 – Meeting Heinz Zak and Wolfgang’s t-shirt

51:57 – Pioneering Smith Rock film by Hydro Flask, and going back to the summer of ’85, and ‘East Face’ 5.13d

57:06 – Other hard crack climbs and ‘Double Stain’

58:30 – 7 days prepping ‘Sunshine Wall’ and the story of ‘To Bolt or Not to Be’

1:04:39 – Climbing ever day, injuries, and killing the goose that laid the golden eggs

1:15:20 – Hip surgery and meeting Adam Ondra

1:24:05 – Adam’s post about meeting Alan, and Adam’s onsight of ‘Just Do It’ 5.14c

1:29:57 – Adam’s photo book (Alan-“What the hell? How did I make the cut?”)

1:31:22 – The Awl project, “I do not want to FAIL!”

1:33:49 – Bolting futuristic projects, thinking anything was possible, and bolting ‘Just Do It’ for a TV show in 1989

1:41:28 – “I used to visualize before that was what you were supposed to do”

1:45:05 – “Fucking hard green route”

1:47:20 – Alan’s finger strength, hanging from one hand for (almost) a minute, and gym vs. outdoor climbing

1:54:23 – The updated Smith Rock guidebook

1:55:31 – Alan’s box of tights

1:58:25 – The 100 book list and projecting difficult books

2:03:32 – Working on the guidebook and connecting with the people

2:08:24 – The (lack of) ways to connect with Alan

2:10:06 – A slice of contribution in a little tiny sport

2:12:58 – “He’s cheating”, and Alan’s funny recurring dream

EP 03: William Woodward on Balancing Work and Passion, Rules for Life, and Ruby the Vanagon Feb 03, 2020

William Woodward (@wheretowillie on Instagram) is a climber, skier, and professional travel photographer. We talked about the beginnings of ‘Where to Willie’, balancing work and passion, finding meaningful stories and doing work that matters, Will’s daily routines, rules for life, photo advice, and three things he is grateful for.

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/william-woodward

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:33 – Ruby the Vanagon

4:48 – Will’s defining moment, early travels, blogging, and the start of Where to Willie

8:50 – Will’s career transition and taking the leap as a freelance photographer

19:06 – Finding meaningful work and Will’s three-year plan

25:25 – Capturing experiences vs. being present

27:11 – Will’s daily meditation practice

29:51 – Will’s five coffee making methods

31:05 – Running and stolen bicycles

31:51 – Will’s process for finding freelance work and choosing brands to work for

33:06 – Pitching trips and photo projects

34:42 – The business of selling photography and his book recommendation

38:50 – Balancing work and passion and getting out of a rut

41:34 – “Rule number one: always swim”, flowered shirts, and other rules for life

45:10 – Hiking in Patagonia and a world record in Iceland

55:00 – Advice for traveling photographers and capturing the in-between moments

59:55 – Will’s writing, gear reviews, and tutorials

1:03:17 – Being part of the activity vs. keeping up on the latest gear

1:05:23 – One of Will’s personal mottos–“Get closer.”

1:05:52 – Will’s climbing progression and his relationship to climbing

1:08:36 – Alpine technical leadership training, sport climbing at Smith

1:10:46 – Will’s first trip to the Bugaboos, recent climbs, and plans for Mt. Stuart

1:13:29 – Promoting the outdoors vs. seeking solitude

1:14:06 – Why Will bought a new film camera and shooting film vs. digital

1:15:57 – “It’s ok to ask for help.”

1:17:15 – Will’s advice for himself at age 20

1:18:27 – Coolant, blown head gaskets, and why it’s always worth taking the time

1:19:43 – Will’s upcoming trip to NZ and giving yourself time to let things happen

1:20:57 – Will’s three gratitudes

1:22:34 – Journaling, writing as a habit, and why it has fallen off recently

1:23:55 – What’s next for Where to Willie

1:25:31 – Social media plugs

1:26:13 – Chasing great light

EP 02: Chris Wright — How to Climb a 7000 Meter Peak, Climbing with Heroes, and Thai Fried Chicken Feb 02, 2020

Chris Wright is a professional mountain guide who splits his time between guiding, skiing, and climbing some of the most remote peaks in the world. We talked about his recent team FA of Link Sar in Pakistan, lessons from mentors, favorite post-expedition foods, and how to build an anchor in f***ed up snow.

Support on Patreon:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-wright

Show Notes:

Nuggets:

1:51 – How the Link Sar trip came to be and Chris’s first climbing trip with Steve Swenson

9:33 – The history and geopolitics of northeast Pakistan and the Siachen Conflict

13:59 – Chris and Graham’s FA on Celino Peak and plans for Link Sar

17:59 – Why it took 8+ months to prepare for Link Sar and why the permitting process can be a gamble

23:51 – Training for Link Sar and working with Scott Johnston and Uphill Athlete

29:10 – The Link Sar team, different roles, and the best types of partners for an expedition

34:32 – What Chris learned from climbing with Mark and Steve

37:15 – Chris’s philosophy around failure, and his ‘failed’ attempt on Link Sar in 2017

40:45 – Graham’s 100-ft fall, terrible snow conditions, and rope systems

53:15 – The final pitch, Mark’s moment of glory, and reaching the summit

59:36 – Three days of rappelling and building anchors in f***ed up snow

1:03:27 – Why Chris is excited to go sport climbing this winter

1:07:28 – Thai fried chicken and favorite post-expedition foods

1:10:21 – Chris’s free-solo ascent of the Matterhorn north face

1:15:19 – Shooting video, a Link Sar movie project, and cooking as a creative outlet

1:18:36 – Advice for someone interested in expedition climbing

1:23:37 – Getting out there and finding adventure

1:25:40 – What Mark and Steve learned from Chris

1:27:54 – Why Chris is really excited to be “off-leash” for a while

1:29:55 – Ideas for the next expedition

1:31:06 – What Chris feels most grateful for lately

1:32:12 – Where you can find (and climb with) Chris

EP 01: Lizzy VanPatten on Practicing Gratitude, Building a Business, and Projecting Fear (and 5.12 Trad) Feb 01, 2020

Lizzy VanPatten is a rock climber and the founder of She Moves Mountains, a guiding company with the mission of helping women realize their strength through rock climbing. We talked about Lizzy’s brief music career, building a business, breaking into 5.12 trad, assessing fear, and her gratitude practice.

Support on Patreon: