Advertise on podcast: The TrainingBeta Podcast: A Climbing Training Podcast

Coach Matt Pincus recently got back from an extremely productive 2-month bouldering trip to Rocklands in South Africa, and he’s on the podcast to tell us all about it. Matt’s hardest boulder to date is V12, and on this trip he sent 36 new boulders: 3 x V11 4 x V10 4 x V9 (1 flash) 9 x V8 1 x V7 9 x V6 and a bunch of V5 and lower At one point, he sent a double digit boulder 6 sessions in a row climbing day on day off! In the episode, he explains: how he prepared for the trip (not much) how he planned out his climbing schedule how he maintained his skin why he didn’t focus on any one boulder for very long what he realized he needs to train that he's been neglecting for years I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Matt had such an amazing trip after making the lifestyle changes this past year that he talked about in ​his last interview​. --> Listen on Apple --> Listen on Spotify Or find episode 319 of The TrainingBeta Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was just super exciting to hear about all the success Matt had – sending is fun, and it’s gratifying to see all of Matt’s hard work as a climber pay off for him this year. Matt Can Help You Send Too Matt can help you reach your own climbing goals, whether they’re with bouldering or route climbing. He’s available for coaching commitments where he’ll talk with you over zoom and create a program for you and keep in touch with you via the TrueCoach app throughout the duration of your training program. He’ll help you get stronger and he’ll cater to your specific goals so that you can go out and send your dream boulders and routes. ​Learn More about Working with Matt

Coach Zoe Sayetta is back on the show, and this time she’s talking about something she’s been seeing constantly in her coaching: athletes who have trouble holding two feelings about the same performance at once. You either crushed it or you blew it. You’re a good slab climber or a bad one. There’s no room for “I’m proud of this AND I’m disappointed by this,” and Zoe thinks that binary trap is quietly shaping how climbers see themselves, compete, and recover from setbacks. We get into how to actually sit with disappointment instead of talking yourself out of it, why social comparison isn’t automatically the enemy, what it looks like to let a competitive “killer instinct” back into a team culture built on support, and why owning your biggest goals out loud matters more than people think. We close on a heavier but important topic: body image, RED-S, and eating disorders among elite climbers, and how coaches can respond responsibly when they see an athlete in trouble. Find Zoe at www.sayettacoaching.com.

Coach Alex Stiger joins Neely to break down what a "plateau" actually is — because most climbers lump together very different problems under that one word, and that's part of why it's so hard to get unstuck. In this episode: The three patterns of progress: linear, growth-spurt, and wave Four types of plateaus — psych, strength, grade, and mental — and why the fix is different for each Why some plateaus don't need fixing at all Zooming out before zooming in: consistency, overusing what already worked, trap grades, recovery, and structure Alex's story of climbing better while getting weaker, and what that reveals about false narratives Practical tools to progress in every session Why changing your partner, gym, or discipline is one of the fastest ways out of a rut Alex has three coaching spots open right now for the first time in a long time! Email her at [email protected] to work with her.

Lillian Frances is a rock climber, music producer, and the author of Finger Banging for Climber Boys, a 50-page illustrated guide to female sexual pleasure, consent, and communication written for the climbing community. She makes a compelling case that asking for what you want isn't a mood-killer: it's the thing that makes everything better, on the wall and off it. We talk about how to set boundaries before a sexy situation escalates, why saying no is actually hot, how "belay on / climb on" is consent too, and why the way a partner reacts to a "no" tells you everything you need to know about them. Fair warning: we use explicit language throughout.

Chuck Odette is 70 years old, has been climbing for 47 years, and is currently projecting 5.13 with a hip replacement on the horizon and a shoulder replacement behind him. His partner Maggie is 56 and working toward yet another 5.14 send a year out from her own shoulder surgery. Together they've been living and climbing full-time out of a trailer for 11 years, having retired at 59 and 45. In this episode, we talk about living peacefully together in small quarters, navigating a number of surgeries, why Chuck has always prioritized building muscle over staying light, Maggie's experience with menopause and rebuilding muscle in her 50s, how they train outdoors full-time, and the dietary shift in Chuck's early 40s that took him from 5.13- to his first 5.14a in a six-month period — the same year he became a grandfather. This one is for anyone who has ever wondered if you can still climb hard past your 30s and 40s.

Coach Matt Pincus recently sent a three-season project at Wolf Point, and we thought you might be able to take something away from his experience on it. He changed a lot of things about his life in order to send this route. While Matt has sent numerous 5.14a's and b's at Wolf Point, this route was 5.13d, but it was more challenging for him in a few ways. In this episode, we talk about exactly what he changed in his training and his lifestyle in order to send the route and become a healthier human in the process.

Dr. Maria Stefania Ionel is a clinical and sport psychologist, postdoctoral researcher, and 8b climber based in Romania who has spent the last decade studying the psychology of climbing specifically. In this episode we talk about what personality traits actually predict climbing performance (grit and openness to experience top the list), the difference between fear of falling and climbing anxiety, perfectionism as a double-edged sword, and how to recognize athletic burnout before it becomes something more serious. Maria is currently running a research study on stress, burnout, and mental health in climbers of all levels. If you've been climbing for at least a year — any discipline, any level — you qualify. It's four surveys over four weeks and fully anonymous. 👉 Take the survey: https://unibuc.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?tt=T/9YT60gbdYECHrPeIW9eQ%3D%3D Full show notes with links to Maria's research and contact info: trainingbeta.com/media/maria-stefania-ionel-burnout

Neely Quinn and climbing coach Alex sit down to talk through one of the most common — and least discussed — challenges in climbing: the friction between partners. They cover emotional projection, mismatched goals, unsolicited beta, belay trust issues, passive aggression, sacrifice dynamics, competition between partners, and trip planning stress. Both share candid stories from their own partnerships, and Neely explains what couples coaching for climbers actually looks like and how she helps partners hear each other differently. Whether you climb with a romantic partner, a close friend, or a family member, this one will resonate.

Matt Pincus is back, and this time we're going deep on the how of board climbing — not the pros and cons of each board like we talked about last time.  Matt will tell you how to use boards well and have good etiquette while you're doing it. Whether you're getting in your head about crowded sessions, unsure if you're working the right problems, or stuck in a plateau you can't explain, this episode is for you. Matt coaches athletes on board climbing regularly, and this conversation is essentially a distillation of the most common friction points he hears — along with his direct, practical answers. I add my own experience throughout, and together we cover a lot of ground.

In this episode, I talk with neurologist and headache specialist Dr. Danielle Wilhour about migraine headaches and how they affect climbers and athletes, in general. We discuss common triggers, exercise and recovery, hormonal influences, and the role of medications, supplements, and lifestyle factors in managing migraines. Dr. Wilhour also explains the different phases of a migraine and shares practical strategies for prevention and treatment.

In this solo episode, host and integrative nutrition therapist Neely Quinn digs into a topic that doesn't get enough airtime in the climbing world: food anxiety. Neely breaks down the most common reasons climbers feel stressed about what they eat — from carb fear and fullness phobia to rigid food rules and weight-gain worry — and shares practical, compassionate strategies for each one. She also opens up about her own recent experience adjusting her diet after starting hormone replacement therapy, and what it looked like to approach that change as a scientist rather than from a place of shame. Whether your anxiety around food is mild or it's genuinely affecting your daily life, this episode will leave you with new ways to think about eating — and more space in your brain for climbing. Topics covered: carb fear, fullness anxiety, food myths, food rules, weight management, eating disorder resources, and working with a nutrition or mindset coach.

In this episode, Coach Alex Stiger and I talked about the ways we see our clients overtraining and the consequences it has on their bodies, minds, and climbing performance. We also share how we overdo it ourselves, and how that has affected us. We go into the causes of overtraining: feeling like more is better, fearing falling behind, not knowing how much training is enough, and as Alex calls it, "chasing fatigue." I talk about the ways I work with my mindset coaching clients on this to help them gain perspective and talk to themselves differently.

Coach Matt Pincus came on the show to talk about something he knows a LOT about: board climbing! It’s a popular topic and he gets a lot of questions from his clients about which board to use, how to use it, and for what, so we’re going to cover a bunch of info about it today. Matt is one of our coaches here at TrainingBeta and he uses boards in his own training and in his clients’ training (and just for fun and performance purposes). Details Most common questions he gets from clients about boards Who should NOT use boards, if anyone Training value of boards Pros and cons of the popular boards (Moon, Kilter, Tension, spray wall) 3 session types to train each of the energy systems Common pitfalls with board climbing What to use the boards for What grades Matt sends on boards vs. outdoors How to not get wrapped up in board grades Show Links Performance Bouldering Training Program ($18/mo with a 7-day free trial) Performance Route Climbing Training Program ($18/mo with 7-day free trial) Train with Coach Matt Pincus Train with Matt Pincus If you want Matt to help you with your own goals, whether they’re with bouldering or route climbing, he’s available for month-long commitments where he’ll talk with you over zoom and create a program for you and keep in touch with you via the TrueCoach app throughout the month. He’ll help you get stronger and he’ll cater to your specific goals so that the timing is right for you to send when it’s time to send. Learn More about Working with Matt

Therapist Emma McAdam discusses using exposure therapy, mindfulness, and self compassion to decrease fear of falling in climbing. Emma is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Utah who has a youtube channel (@TherapyInANutshell) and online courses on her website www.therapyinanutshell.com where you can learn therapeutic tools on your own time. I really appreciate Emma's warm, down-to-Earth approach and her relatable way of speaking and teaching. Emma is also a climber and has a video specifically about how to use exposure therapy and self-compassion to decrease fear of falling in climbing.  What we covered in the interview: Where to start with fear of falling How to practice teaching your brain it's safe to fall 2 things that fuel anxiety What is the emotion of fear asking you? Building an exposure hierarchy How to practice falling in a productive way Difference between risk "tolerance" and risk "choice"

In this episode, Coach Alex Stiger gives some sage advice to beginner climbers about how to get off to a great start in your climbing journey. Alex is a climbing coach to all levels of climbers all over the world, but she was also the program director and head coach at a climbing gym for years. She knows a LOT about the proper ways to spend your time, invest in resources, and self-reflect in order to become the best climber you can be in the shortest amount of time.  Interview Details Classes and instruction you should get 6 Biggest mistakes to avoid (shoes, poor movement habits, etc.) 8 Technique and skill tips that will make a huge difference How to avoid injury Cultivating good climbing relationships I think that even if you’ve been climbing for a couple of years, this episode could have a lot of great information for you, or if you hang out with beginner climbers, this episode will give you a lot of knowledge to share with them! Join Alex's wait list to work with her as your coach at trainingbeta.com/waitlist.