The Nugget Climbing Podcast

Latest Episodes:

EP 68: Steve McClure — Hitchhiking Stories, Tenacity vs. Strength, and Making Your Own Luck May 10, 2021

Show notes

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:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/steve-mcclure

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

Show notes

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:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/heth-jennings

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mercedes-pollmeier

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/natalie-duran

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/christophe-bichet

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

Show notes

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:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/megan-mascarenas

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

Show notes

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.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Nugget Climbing Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected