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Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast

Training and performance podcasts by Eric Hörst, the internationally renowned author, climbing coach, researcher, inventor, and accomplished climber of more than 40 years. Founder of TrainingForClimbing.com and PhysiVāntage. With his unique combination of veteran climbing and coaching experience and knowledge of the latest climbing research, Eric presents practical, effective guidelines to climb harder, reduce injury risk, and maximize the experience of moving over stone. Eric is one of the world's most knowledgeable climbing coaches and his eight books (and many foreign translations) have sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide. His latest book release is the 3rd edition of Training For Climbing. Learn more at: http://www.trainingforclimbing.com
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Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
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Sep 3, 2021

This T4C episode serves up numerous powerful tips--that you can put to work immediately--to more effectively work on hard boulders and routes...and send more quickly!

Learn about the power of proprioception and "feel beta" (a coach Hörst secret...shush!), why it's vital to keep an open mind in working crux sequences, how you can reduce your chances of "punting", the benefits of engaging in active recovery between send goes, and the importance of trusting the process and letting the outcome fold organically. 

RUNDOWN

0:40 - Podcast Intro

3:38 - Eric mentions his livestream Training Cafes--he invites you to join in and ask training questions. Tune in every other Monday at Noon ET on Eric's Training For Climbing YouTube and Training for Climbing Facebook page.

5:45 - Introducing the main topic: 10 Powerful Tips to project more effectively and send more quickly.

6:50 - TIP #1 - Don't view the boulder or route as an overwhelming whole, but instead break it down into more manageable and believable parts.

9:32 - TIP #2 - Don't rush to judgement on the crux sequence--keep an open mind and keep testing other beta options even when you're many days into a project.

15:50 - TIP #3 - In working the hardest moves identify the proprioceptive feel of doing the move effectively--take note of this powerful "feel beta" and leverage it to succeed on your send go. Lean into this one...listen, learn, and employ!

21:16 - TIP #4 - Practice the top portion of the route a lot more than you think is necessary--get it totally wired and automatic, so there's no doubt you can climb it pumped on point.

23:37 - TIP #5 - When you first succeed on the crux sequence, don't rush to redpoint...but instead repeat the crux again to confirm the foot beta and feel beta!

26:50 - Brief commercial break - Save $10 on your first purchase of PhysiVāntage Nutrition. Use checkout code "10DOLLARS". This promotion is valid only during the month of September--don't miss this chance to FEEL the PhysiVāntage at a great discount price!

28:15 - TIP #6 - Cut yourself free of unnecessary fear load! Learn to better manage your climbing fears...heeding legitimate fears and dismissing phantom fears. Listen to podcasts #62 and #65 which provide in-depth instruction on becoming an expert fear manager.

31:09 - TIP #7 - Engage in active recovery between working burns or send goes. A short walk can do wonders for your recovery--learn why...and exactly what you should do.

36:10 - TIP #8 - Build a boulder or route simulator to train for longer-term, distant projects. Build route-specific strength!

39:47 - TIP #9 - Begin each redpoint day with one no-pressure trial run to get a route-specific warm-up and to gain a refresher on the "feel beta".

41:55 - TIP #10 - Trust the process and let the send happen when it's meant to happen! Expect success, but accept that it's okay to feel...because you know the boulder or route will be yours exactly when it's meant to be.

47:40 - Parting comments. PLEASE write a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts...and share this podcast with a friend or on social media. 

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Aug 12, 2021

To climb your very best -- and to truly enjoy climbing -- you need to become an expert fear manager!

Nothing is more elemental to climbing than fear. The fears of falling, getting hurt, failure, embarrassment, and even the fear of the unknown...can be torturous and paralyzing. To climb efficiently and with confidence, you need to be able to assess and manage fear...which is the subject of this podcast.

If you haven't already, do listen to Part 1 on Fear -- Episode #62 -- before commencing with this concluding episode on the topic. Enjoy!

Podcast Rundown

0:15 - Welcome to Part 2 in our study of fear.

2:14 - A quick recap of Part 1...podcast #62. Listen here.

3:53 - FEAR #3: FEAR OF FAILURE. Ironically, fear of failure often results in failure!

6:10 - 3 strategies to eliminate the fear of failure.

6:20 - 1.) Acknowledge preparedness and training -- it's like money in the bank!

7:50 - 2.) Focus on the process -- stay in the moment.

9:30 - 3.) Accept all possible outcomes before climbing. Then let go of the outcome-oriented thoughts and live out the climb, one move at a time.

10:00 - It's in climbing for yourself -- win, lose, or hanging from a quickdraw -- that you will climb your best!

11:38 - FEAR #4: Fear of Embarrassment and Criticism

13:10 - Strategy 1.) Use failures to learn and improve. Ignore the critics...and focus on being a DOER! This is one of the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers--listen to the Superpowers podcast!

16:27 - Strategy 2.) Take on a bigger perspective -- view your climbing performance over the long-term, not on a daily basis. Ups and downs are normal -- you are NOT your failures!

18:12 - FEAR #5: Fear of the Unknown

21:21 - Strategy 1.) Accept and welcome the unknown--it's a central part of the climbing experience!

23:41 - Strategy 2.) Anticipate and prepare for known, unknowns.

25:52 - Strategy 3.) Take control of self-talk and imagery.

28:00 - Podcast Sponsor - PhysiVantage...the performance nutrition used by dozens of pro climbers for strength gains, recovery, power endurance, and injury resistance. Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code PODCAST15

30:17 - Wrap-up with 11 powerful tips to assess and manage common climbing fears.

36:30 - Love climbing unconditionally!

38:00 - Final comments -- PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW...and share this podcast with your friends!

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Jul 27, 2021

This is Part 2 of Steven Dimmitt's (Nugget podcast) interview of Eric Hörst on a wide range of climbing training and performance topics. In this episode you will learn...how young guns Cameron Hörst (20) and Jonathan Hörst (18) train compared to their coach dad (age 57), tips for parenting/coaching youth climbers, what it takes to climb the next grade (whether it's 5.10 or 5.15), sloper training, the importance of protein, and more. There's a ton of great tips and sage advice in this episode. Lean in and listen up!

Podcast Rundown

00:12 - Intro and overview of Part 2 of Steven Dimmitt's interview with coach Eric Hörst

2:25 - How Cameron and Jonathan Horst train for elite-level climbing compared to the training of their coach father training for his master's climbing ascents.

4:05 - Advanced hangboard training protocol details.

6:30 - Importance of listening to your body, adjusting training, and route-specific training.

7:30 - Tendon "loading history" and effects of youth climbing on tendon core structure.

8:30 - The pros/cons of youth single-sport and multisport involvement.

16:05 - Tips for parents and coaches of youth climbers.

18:15 - Climbing benchmarks of the Hörst brothers (aka The Send Bros).

20:25 - Current status of the Hörst brothers climbing. Cameron (age 20) just climbed his fourth 5.14d and first 5.15a (after this interview was recorded) and Jonathan (age 18) send his second 5.14c in July.

23:35 - Eric's "old climber" dream goal: A free big wall...or sport 5.14a?

25:20 - How to "win" as a weekend warrior?

30:00 - What it takes to climb the next grade...

31:45 - Nature, nurture, and willpower!

33:55 - How to improve on big holds?

34:30 - Pinch training tips...

37:00 - Sloper training.

38:55 - Importance of training wrist flexion and extension.

41:40 - What's most exciting about training for climbing in 2021?

42:30 - Pros/cons of system wall training.

46:00 - The role of nutrition in training and performance.

48:30 - The importance of dietary protein...to support strength gains, connective tissue remodeling, muscle protein synthesis, and more.

50:10 - Overview of Eric's PhysiVantage product line...and the benefits for recreational and pro climbers alike. (Get a 15% discount off full-price nutrition with checkout code: NUGGET15)

52:45 - All about supplementing with hydrolyzed collagen powder--overview of the fascinating research...and the numerous benefits for hard-training climbers, if you time it correctly.

1:09:30 - The value of high-quality post-workout protein consumption...plant-based or whey isolate...it's a difference-maker

1:16:30 - Wrap up comments...and a few words about the podcast sponsor PhysiVantage Nutrition.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code PODCAST15 PhysiVantage is used by dozens of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Podcast Audio and Content Copyright 2021 Hörst Training, LLC - All Rights Reserved.

Jul 17, 2021

This information-packed episode features Steven Dimmitt of the Nugget podcast interviewing Coach Hörst on all things training. This wide-ranging Q & A covers many vital topics including: how to train for stronger tendons and ligaments, the secrets to developing a really strong core, the benefits of campus training versus hangboard training, personalized training program design, and much more! There's a gold mine of information in this episode....and Part 2 of this interview will serve up even more! Coming soon...

Podcast Rundown

00:12 - Intro to this "best of" the Nugget interview with coach Eric Hörst

2:56 - What core elements of training have passed the test of time?

6:23 - Current glut of training information can be overwhelming--what to do?

8:37 - Importance of re-inventing your training each year.

10:07 - Value of engaging an expert coach.

12:25 - What's the most central exercise/activity for climbers?

14:30 - You can improve technical, movement and mental skills for decades!

17:00 - You can improve at climbing for DECADES!

18:25 - You are likely already strong enough to climb the next grade!

19:56 - What should you look for in hiring a coach?

25:50 - New training concept: Sinew Training! Learn the importance of remodeling connective tissues. Visit T4C podcasts #33, #34, #36, and #39 for an in-depth study of this powerful topic.

30:00 - Learn how max finger hangs and campusing training have profoundly different effects on tendons and ligaments.

34:00 - Learn the difference between sinew training for tendon/ligament health versus training for peak power and performance.

35:10 - How to schedule these two types of training for optimal health and results.

36:30 - Learn training cycles and periodization. Linear versus non-linear.

44:40 - Importance of developing a truly personalized approach to training (the "snowflake principle").

46:00 - Identify your limiting constraint. For some strong climbers it's "end-range" strength.

50:15 - How designing an advance training program is like playing 3D chess. Why the best coaches see the big picture and coach the "person" not just the athlete.

51:00 - Don't fall into the trap of obsessing on one type of training or one modality.

54:25 - Why developing a stronger core is SO VERY important. (Hint: A stronger core equals stronger fingers!)

56:30 - Eric comments about Alex Megos' coaches Patrick & Dicki

59:00 - Learn about deadlifting for climbers...the value...and the potential pitfalls.

1:06:30 - The value of doing more bouldering and traversing with very small footholds.

1:11:10 - Key idea: A weak core overcharges your finger force...resulting in rapid fatigue on near-limit climbs.

1:14:10 - More on DUP training versus a 10-week (or more) training cycle.

1:16:30 - Wrap up comments...and a few words about the podcast sponsor PhysiVantage Nutrition.

Tune in to T4C podcast #64 for PART 2 of this Nugget Interview with coach Hörst!

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code PODCAST15 PhyiVantage is used by dozens of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Jun 7, 2021

Nothing is more elemental to climbing than fear. Fear of falling, fear of getting hurt or dying, fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, and even the fear of the unknown affects us all from time to time. 

The long-term goal is NOT to eliminate fear, but rather to become an expert fear manager....which is the focus of this (and the next) podcast. Listen in and learn how to assess your fears, manage risk, and take your climbing to the next level with a higher level of mental mastery.

Podcast Rundown

0:30 - Introduction to this two-part study of fear.

4:45 - A few comments on recent events...

5:00 - World Cup Bouldering Gold for Team USA!

7:00 - My son Cameron sending his first 5.15a, Bone Tomahawk.

10:10 - My appearance on The Nugget Climbing podcast.

11:50 - Overview of FEAR...and what you'll learn in this podcast and the next.

12:28 - What are some of your recent climbing fears? Can you identify a few that were especially acute...or fears that held you back in some way?

14:55 - FEAR #1: Fear of Falling

19:12 - Technique 1: Determine if the fear is reasonable or unreasonable.

25:30 - Technique 2: Take some practice falls in a safe setting

32:54 - Technique 3: Change your interpretation of the fear response.

38:28 - Technique 4: Use positive self-talk to crowd out negative thoughts...and you breath-control to moderate tension and the stress response.

45:10  - FEAR #2 - Fear of Dying or Getting Hurt

49:40 - Technique 1: Is the fear you're experiencing legit or imaginary?

52:24 - Technique 2: Use risk management to shift the odds in your favor...and perhaps continue up the climb safely. Here are FIVE strategies for doing this: 

52:52 - 1.) Proactively manage the most obvious dangers.

55:55 - 2.) Consider various "what if" scenarios...and how you will react in each situation.

57:37 - 3.) Constantly discern between "safe fall" and "no fall" situations.

1:01:15 - 4.) Determine if you can handle the worst-case outcome???

1:06:55 - 5.) Listen to your gut instinct when the risk is incalculable. 

1:13:00 - Wrap up comments...and a few words about the podcast sponsor PhysiVantage Nutrition.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code PODCAST15 PhyiVantage is used by dozens of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

May 6, 2021

Training to get stronger is good. Learning to climb more efficiently so that you can get the most out of the strength and power you currently possess is SMART!

So if you want to progress from good to great, then this podcast is for you! Learn 5 powerful strategies for climbing more efficiently, recovering more quickly, and leveling up your climbing.

Podcast Rundown

0:15 - Roll up your sleeve to receive the Horst booster of Training For Climbing knowledge!

1:55 - Intro to becoming a more efficient climber with more endurance on steep terrain.

4:00 - Key point: When climbing near your limit, little things can make a BIG difference! Eric's favor word in coaching: "nuance"!

4:47 - Improvement demands change. Welcome it.

5:35 - 5 strategies for slowing down the pump clock, improving endurance, and leveling up!

6:34 - Strategy #1: Strive to climb with more economy. Make it a goal to improve a bit each your. Practice new techniques...with a never-ending desire to learn and improve.

9:00 - Key point: Importance of reducing time under tension while grip near-limit holds.

12:38 Exploit Eric's bi-modal approach to climbing steep, strenuous boulders and routes.

13:25 - When able, vary grip position throughout longer climbs.

16:17 - Climb more with hip turns, drop knees, back steps, and twist locks. On steep, difficult routes, try to void long sequences of "neutral" climbing.

20:43 - Strategy #2: Begin "micro resting" between hand grips on hard sequences. Encourage blood flow and maximize use of the aerobic energy system...so as to slow the drain of the finite  anaerobic reserve.

25:15 - Strategy #3: Try to find a "thank God" rest on every hard route. Be creative. Experiment. Practice. Win more often...and punt less!

31:31 - Strategy #4: Use the "G-tox" recovery technique at rest positions on difficult routes. This will aid faster recovery compared with the standard dangling-arm shakeout.

38:00 - Strategy #5: Consume foods and supplements with nitrates...and other ingredients that improve circulation and enhance use of the oxidative energy system. Read more about Endure X here >>

46:50 - Summary of tips and strategies for improving your endurance and climbing harder!

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on your FIRST PhysiVantage Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

RETURNING CUSTOMERS: Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code PODCAST15

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Apr 1, 2021

Learn 8 things to "get right" in order to climb your very best...and to help create more of those wonderful low-gravity send days!

Coach Hörst provides powerful tips for priming your body for peak performance in the days leading up to your weekend climbing. He also gives valuable game-day master tips for optimizing your performance and accelerating recover at the boulders and crags.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on your FIRST PhysiVantage Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS

RETURNING CUSTOMERS: Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code FRIENDS15

Podcast Rundown

3:40 - First, a few comments about the importance of reducing emotional "weight".

4:35 - Tip #1: Arrive at the boulders or cliff truly 100% fresh -- a rare thing among enthusiastic, hard-training climbers. Learn how to do it!

8:30 - Tip #2: Get your sleep and nutrition right both in the days leading up to your climbing...and while on climbing weekends or trips.

17:20 - Tip #3: Engage in a proper warm-up before every climbing day. Learn what things you should do...and how long it should take.

23:40 - Tip #4: Make the most of your day-one freshness and stoke. Should you invest your time and energy into onsight and flash climbing, or projecting? How much should you save of yourself for day two?

28:45 - Tip #5: Strive to "master" a boulder or route...not just thrash through and survive it. This is a rich topic that Eric drills deeply into...with many tips for climbing more efficiently and channeling your inner Ondra!

40:50 - Tip #6: Rest optimally between routes. Learn how long to rest between goes on your project boulder or route...and how you can accelerate recovery.

46:05 - Tip #7: Learn how to breathe more effectively. Yes, proper breathing (and brief breath-holding) is important!

53:53 - Tip #8: Eat and drink the right things and in the right amounts. Small things can make a massive different in your energy and climbing outcomes--this includes the things you eat and drink!

1:00:00 - BONUS TIP: Love climbing unconditionally! Enjoy each moment that you are on the rock. Let go of both past failures and thoughts of potential future outcomes. Trust the process! Let the send evolve organically...when it's meant to be.

PLEASE write a 5-star iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media. Thank you!

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on a PhysiVantage performance Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Mar 4, 2021

There are myriad exercises, activities, and sports that climbers engage in with the belief it will elevate climbing performance. For the typical climber, however, most of the climbing-performance benefits come from just a handful of exercises and activities that they do.

Consider, dear listener, everything you do in the name of training--how beneficial is each activity and exercise?

In this podcast, Eric discusses common training tangents, traps, and energy sinks, and he details 10 time-tested exercises/activities that are central to effective training for climbing.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on your FIRST PhysiVantage Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS

RETURNING CUSTOMERS: Save 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code FRIENDS15

Podcast Rundown

4:10 - Opening comments about effective training for climbing.

4:45 - Importance of keeping an open mind about your training.

6:42 - Mention of the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers -- go back and listen to podcast #37!

9:00 - Intro to 4 training tangents, traps, and energy sinks that rob you of time and energy...and dilute the quality of your training for climbing.

10:06 - You CAN achieve greater things than you can imagine today!

10:40 - #1 Training Tangent: Focusing on exercises and activities that create fatigue and consume time, but do little to really enhance climbing performance.

15:44 - #2 Training Tangent: Blindly copying another climber's workouts and training program.

17:22 - #3 Training Tangents: The shiny, new object at the gym...that is fun, engaging, and possibly high-tech...that consumes a lot of your focus and time but provides small (or negligible) performance gains given.

20:30 - Comments about the benefits of Auto-Regulation. Listen to podcast #20 for more coverage of Auto-Regulation.

25:00 - Comments on Blood Flow Restriction training - learn more in podcast #40.

28:00 - #4 Training Tangent: Constantly changing up your training...never sticking to a program for a month to be able to accurately gauge the results.

30:30 - Eric coaches you to "Plan your workout, then work your plan!"

32:45 - Please check out our podcast sponsor, PhysiVantage Nutrition. Save $10 or 15% on your online order! PhysiVantage is used by many of America's top boulders, sport climbers, and big wall crushers!

35:08 - 10 time-tested, back-to-basics exercises and activities that are central to effective training for climbing.

37:24 - #1: Climb frequently!

39:30 - #2: Hangboard train!

44:15 - #3: Weighted Pull-ups

45:35 - #4: Frenchies

48:08 - #5: Bouldering and System Wall climbing

50:15 - #6: Route climbing

54:34 - #7: Bouldering 4x4 Intervals

57:42 - #8: Campus board training

58:40 - #9: Running (in moderate doses)

1:01:21 - #10: Flexibility training (lower-body focus for hip turnout)

1:05:22 - Final thoughts....

PLEASE write a 5-star iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media. Thank you!

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on a PhysiVantage performance Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Feb 3, 2021

Chances are...your fingers are already strong enough to climb the next grade. In this podcast, Eric details five ways to increase your apparent finger strength on the rock...and climb one grade harder!

Whether you're an intermediate, advanced, or pro-level climber, you'll surely find a few of Eric's concepts and tips to be empowering...and just maybe provide you with the "secret" to breaking a plateau or sending your project.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on a PhysiVantage Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS.

Podcast Rundown

6:09 - Gaining more finger strength without training your fingers! Huh? Listen and learn some secrets to becoming a more efficient and effective climber.

11:00 - Eric's comments about finger force testing.

15:30 - Five secrets to stronger fingers on the rock. Non-finger training that will make your fingers stronger for climbing!

16:12 - #1: Learn the importance of climbing economy...and why a weaker climber can sometimes outperform a stronger climber.

21:33 - #2: Training hip flexibility increases finger strength-endurance, especially on near-vertical boulders and routes.

31:30 - #3: Stronger shoulders make fingers stronger. Learn why.

38:08 - #4: Stronger wrist flexors and wrist extensors will improve your sloper and crimp grips, respectively.

45:40 - #5: Increasing core strength and core strength-endurance make small hand and foot holds "bigger" and more solid...and increase apparent finger strength and endurance. But to obtain this effect, you must train comprehensive core strength with a wide range of exercises.

58:12 - Summary and final tips to improve your climbing.

PLEASE write a 5-star iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media. Thank you!

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save $10 on a PhysiVantage performance Nutrition purchase of $40+ with checkout code: 10DOLLARS. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Dec 2, 2020

2020 has been a challenging year with a global pandemic, a COVID lockdown at home (or two), and limited climbing travel for many of us. We're now entering the holiday season, with COVID lingering, but hopefully, it will bring some opportunity to celebrate (in small COVID-safe groups?), reset our training, and renew our mindset and body. Is this a good time to take a month off from climbing? NO! There are several options for holiday season training, even if it's all at home. I'll present the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. Which is best for you? Listen in...you decide!

DEAR FRIENDS: PLEASE BE COVID SAFE THIS WINTER...A VACCINE IS NEAR!

0:15 - Introduction...lingering COVID, the approaching holidays, and your training for climbing!

2:30 - A brief message about the T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage.

3:45 - Winter is near...training season is here! What's the best approach to training in the holiday season? I will present 4 distinctly different approaches to training through the holidays.

5:30 - Training Approach #1: Taking a month or so off from training and climbing. Eric addresses the pros and cons of taking a few weeks (or more) off from training and climbing.

8:40 - Training Approach #2: Immediately adjust your training to deal with a current injury or tweak. Now is the time to resolve an injury with appropriate rehab and self-care.

13:25 - Elite level climber question: How would I train this winter to climb my best in the Spring season....versus training to climb at my highest level in a few years?

18:10 - Recap of Holiday Training Approaches #1 and #2.

19:20 - Training Approach #3: Continue with serious in-season training because this is your performance season...or you have a climbing trip scheduled in the next 4 to 8 weeks. In this case, it's important to train for a "peak" for your trip and not succumb to (or minimize the impacts of) holiday season...rich foods and "cheer").

22:22 - A brief tangent on the diet/nutrition and the "issues" that some athletes have with food. Developing a healthy relationship with food is important for optimal training, beneficial physical adaptations, and maximizing performance. Especially for hard, steep climbing, strength-to-weight ratio directly correlates to performance...so consuming the right foods in the right amounts is vital.

27:32 - Holiday Season Training Approach #4:  Strive for a balance between frequent training and occasional indulgences in holiday foods and drinks. You can enjoy the season without being self-destructive to your climbing potential for the early 2021 season. Learn how Eric will be doing it...and determine if it's the right approach for you!

35:35 - Warning: A couple of weeks (or more) of holiday gluttony can have a significant negative impact in terms of weight gain. While putting on a pound or two is no big deal, adding 5 to 10 pounds will hurt your climbing in early 2021...and it will likely require a month or more to lose.

38:13 - The bottom line: How seriously you take your diet and training should be proportional to how seriously you take your climbing!

39:20 - Effectiveness comes when you match your actions to your goals. Live intentionally!

39:50 - Eric's closing comments: In the end, performing optimally and experiencing maximally demands that you nuance your actions and explore the shades of gray...rather than living in a black and white world.

PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save 15% on PhysiVantage performance Nutrition. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Nov 2, 2020

Are you ready to rethink what's possible in your climbing life? There's a good chance that your perceived limit is actually a self-imposed imaginary boundary!

Once again this month, I present an episode of Training Cafe, my twice-monthly video Livestream coaching show on YouTube and Facebook live. The main topic delves into pursuing next-level projects...and the importance of challenging your inner fears of failure and criticism, just like pro climbers do.

Now is the time to think bigger...develop a system...and execute your plan with uncommon discipline!

Podcast Rundown

2:57 - Beginning of TRAINING CAFE. Main topic is "Turning Impossible into I'm Possible!"

3:12 – But first, we sip coffee together!

3:30 – SHOUT OUT to Chuck Odette, age 64, for sending 5.14b last week! #Legend

4:20 – What it takes to climb hard late into life.

5:20 – MAIN TOPIC: Turning Impossible into I’m Possible

6:10 – Setting goals is easy. Developing an effective SYSTEM for progress towards the goal is harder….and maintaining long-term discipline is even harder yet!

6:55  – Examples of IMPOSSIBLE becoming POSSIBLE…big or small, they can be life-changing.

8:45 – Einstein’s quote must be followed by action!

9:50 – Climbing examples of “I’m Possible”!

11:00 – Ignore the skeptics…don’t take on their #Loserthink!

13:20– High achievers don’t spend a lot of time on social media, gossip, or other time-wasting activities.

14:20 – Need to be somewhat of a compulsive planner.

15:00 – Have a vivid picture in mind every day–build a belief in the goal, and action for bias…and a “get shit done” attitude.

18:50 – Breaking into a new grade in climbing…demands a new level of thinking and novel, disciplined action. Learn from greats like Gullich, Ondra, Hill, Janja Garnbret, Margo Hayes.

20:20 – Great achievements don’t happen by accident!

22:30 – Final tip for your Fall climbing season….

23:30 -  YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

23:40 – Question: Training suggestions for trip to Red River Gorge in December.

26:26 – Question: Can I combine Repeater hangboard training with another exercise like Pull-up training?

29:06 – Question: What is “Aerobic Power”? How to train it?

33:14 - Question: Thoughts on bouldering with weight on as training?

36:09  – Question: How to break a hangboarding finger strength plateau?

38:33 – Question: Can I do shoulder and core training every day?

40:50 – Question: Will taking Beta-Alanine benefit my training and climbing?

43:20 – Question: Can I use the 7/53 maximum strength protocol to train a variety of grip positions?

47:00 – Question: What training advice for a 13-year-old girl wanting to improve to 5.11?

48:09 – Question: How to incorporate technique-training into weekly strength-training schedule?

53:03 – Question: How to deal with naysayers, critics, and trolls?

56:30 – Episode wrap-up. Shout out to the many companies that support what I do: La Sportiva shoes, Maxim Ropes, DMM, Organic, Friction Labs, and PhysiVantage

PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save 15% on PhysiVantage performance Nutrition. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Sep 4, 2020

Legendary climber, Wolfgang Gullich, famously said that "the brain is the most important muscle for climbing". Sure, strong fingers are important--but there are many strong-fingered climbers who never reach their potential. The pursuit of better climbing is ultimately an inward journey to gain mastery of the mind. Developing stronger "mental muscle" will enable you to achieve beyond your current imagination. Like wielding a sword with empty hands, your mind will lead your body to new summits.

In this episode, I share with you 10 powerful concepts that can potentially re-invent how you think and what you will achieve. This material is more powerful than any hangboard training program you can do--the quotes and tips I present hold get to the heart and soul of taking your climbing (and life) to a higher level.

RUNDOWN

0:30 - Introduction to this episode on how

7:13 - #1: What sets great climbers apart from others is not their physical prowess (amazing as it may be), but their brains.

10:18 - #2: The brain is a human being’s most dynamic organ—it is shaped by the sum of our experiences, both what we do and what we have done.

13:28 - #3: You are not what you climb; you are how you climb. For you, you can substitute your brain.

15:43 - #4: To become better than we are, we must first become aware of what we are.

18:39 - #5: Achieving excellence is not just a matter of exploiting your strengths to the fullest, but also demands that you ruthlessly pursue improvement in the things that constrain your performance.

21:00 - #6: The thoughts you generate and dwell on are powerful. You can literally think yourself to success or failure.

24:54 - #7: You will accomplish in proportion to your ability to set compelling goals and overcome adversity.

29:12 - #8: Self-discipline and commitment are the great equalizers!

32:00 - #9: Perhaps nothing is more elemental to climbing than fear. Becoming a maximum climber, then, requires that you learn to understand and manage your fears.

35:40 - #10: Surround yourself with positive people and images, while avoiding the impossibility thinkers and complains of the world.

PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Save 15% on PhysiVantage performance Nutrition. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes >>

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Aug 10, 2020

You've been dreaming about your boulder project, dream route, or road trip. You've trained smart and hard. Your psych is high. You're ready to crush! So, how can you best transition from gym to outdoor climbing, and what can you do to perform your best on weekends outdoors or on a long trip? In this episode, Eric presents a series of powerful tips that you can take to the send bank! He also provides awareness of the potential to self-sabotage, something that even the most experienced climber can succumb to.

RUNDOWN

0:15 – Opening comments--I missed you!

2:58 - Introduction to this episode on climbing tips and strategies for optimal performance on weekend trips and on longer road trip

4:06 - A few brief comments about the challenging and, at times, tumultuous events of the past few months...

7:56 - Eric's philosophy about the power of climbing--it brings us together!

9:30 - Tips, topics, and techniques to help you reach your climbing goals this season...as a weekend warrior and on a longer road trip.

10:22 - How to properly taper your training in the days leading up to your outdoor climbing. "Tapering" ahead of a weekend trip is much different than doing a proper training taper ahead of a month-long road trip. Learn the details so that you get it right--a proper taper is hugely important for climbing your strongest!

14:10 - When you arrive at your destination crag...what's the best climbing approach on the first few days? Should you go straight to your project...or should you spend a few days adjusting and acclimating to the outdoor climbing location?

18:00 - On longer trips, most climbers experience a "peak" during the first 1 to 3 weeks of the trip...but they then experience a gradual decline in maximum strength and power with each additional week removed from your training.

19:15 - Why pro climbers often limit climbing trips to one month.

19:29 - Comments about Alex Megos sending Bibliographie, the world's second 5.15d/9c route. CONGRAT ALEX!

20:40 - How as a weekend warrior you can best schedule climbing trips and find the training-and-climbing "rhythm" that best serves you. Plan several months ahead on a paper calendar...this way you can better see the training blocks and travel dates.

22:06 - On a long trip, how many days in a row can you climb? How many days per week is it best to climb? Answer: It depends on many variables...which I'll describe.

23:53 - Learn why a significant number of climbers return from a road trip with a tweak or more significant injury. Learn how you can avoid "walking off the cliff" of sudden, debilitating injury.

26:26 - Specific tips for optimizing recovery and lowering injury risk while on a climbing trip.

28:28 - Learn how to wrap up a long road trip and transition back into training at home. Should you take a break from training for a few days or more?

32:50 - Post-trip, most climbers will need a 2- to 4-week training block to regain top-end finger strength and power.

33:40 - About self-sabotage...it's happened to me...and I'm sure to you as well at some point. Let's unpack a few common scenarios for self-sabotage.

34:24 - Self-Sabotage #1: "Flinching" on the first day working a near-limit project route. TRUST THE PROCESS! Don't give up too fast.

37:55 - However, don't over-reach too far...and get bogged down for many days (or weeks) on a single route. Don't allow your climbing trip to turn into a suffer-fest. Try to balance days of sending (sub-max routes) with days of projecting on near-limit routes.

40:00 - Self-Sabotage #2: Not doing an appropriate warm-up...and rushing to get on your project boulder or route too fast. You can NOT climb your best without a proper warm-up that turns on your nervous system, ignites your climbing-specific aerobic system, lubricates your tendons and joints, and readies your generalize aerobic/CV system. Learn how to do it right!

43:50 - Self-Sabotage #3: Not eating right. Consuming adequate protein and carbohydrates is essential to climbing your best, keeping energy levels ups, recovering optimally, and lowering injury risk. Learn how to keep your power-to-weight ratio up and accelerate recovery on a road trip. Read more about the protein needs of a hard-training strength/power athlete like you!

49:09 - Some meal suggestions and tips for breakfast, snacks, and dinner. What's a common breakfast food of many top climbers? Find out! 

50:10 - How many calories do you likely need for bouldering and sport climbing...and on a sedentary rest day? (Big wall and mountain climbers have a much higher daily caloric need than climbers doing stop-and-go bouldering and sport climbing.)

52:06 - Eric's closing--and powerful--comments about setting big goals, pursuing them energetically, and stacking the odds in your favor. You must believe that "what you want, wants you"! Then take daily action and resist the ways (and traps) of the masses. Find your own unique life path, and enjoy your journey.

54:54 - What's the secret sauce that makes for unique and amazingly pro climbers like Tommy Caldwell, Margo Hayes, and many others (I can't name them all!)? Listen, learn, model, plot, course correct, and never give up!

55:55 - The importance of avoiding the traps of the common man...

59:19 - There are a LOT of things that determine climbing performance--the more puzzle pieces you can put together, the better you will become!

1:00:00 – Please check out and support T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage. Research-based, athlete-proven performance nutrition for climbers--use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% off full-price items. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try, and feel the difference it makes in your climbing!

1:00:50 - PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend and on your social media.

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Visit PhysiVantage.com and get a 15% discount on full-price items with checkout code: PODCAST15

Jul 7, 2020

What makes great climbers great?

What are the distinct and rare character traits that make climbers like Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold, Margo Hayes, Adam Ondra, and Alex Megos (I call this group "CHHOM")--and others like them--the barrier-breaking and transcendent climbers that they are?

You might be thinking of things like "strong fingers", "low bodyfat, and "excellent sponsorship". Surely these are part of the equation, however, I believe the true Superpowers of these climbers are things you can't measure with a fitness test or financial summary.

In this podcast I present the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers--traits you can develop (gradually) to achieve great success on the rock and in your everyday life. I hope you find this presentation enjoyable and empowering!

Rundown

0:58 - Introduction

2:50 - What does it take to turn an elite climber into one of the very best climbers on the planet?

8 Superpowers of the Very Best Climbers

5:28 - #1: Becoming comfortable with physical and mental discomfort.

11:53 - #2: Uncommon self-awareness and the willingness to embrace failures and personal weaknesses.

16:00 - #3: Effective goal setting and a habitual bias for action.

21:37 - #4: The power to sacrifice greatly.

27:00 - #5: Maintaining a beginner's mindset despite being a highly praised elite climber.

34:56 - #6: The power to handle failure and overcome adversity.

38:30 - #7: The power to handle their "addiction".

45:44 - #8: The power NOT to care what other people think.

50:00 - Summary of the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers.

51:15 - Do you have a #9 or #10 superpower to suggest? Leave your comment on Eric's T4C Twitter @Train4Climbing

52:15 - A brief word about Eric's brand PhysiVāntage -- the first research-based, athlete-proven nutritional supplements for climbers! Get 15% off at PhysiVantage.com with the discount code PODCAST15 at checkout.

Instagram - @PhysiVantage

For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book!

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!

 

Jun 3, 2020

As physical as climbing is, it is even more mental. Being technically sound and physically strong is not enough to navigate a high-ball boulder problem, personal-best redpoint, intimidating big wall, or treacherous mountain. Ultimately, you climb with your mind—your hands and feet are simply an extension of your thoughts and will. Becoming a better climber, then, requires that you improve your mental mastery.

In this podcast, Eric describes the vital importance of concentration in a world with ubiquitous distractions conspiring to steal your focus and sabotage your performance. You will be armed with six powerful techniques for improving your concentration and, importantly, maintaining focus in stressful, painful, and fearful situations common to climbing.

RUNDOWN

0:45 – Comments on returning to outdoor climbing after COVID-19 lockdown.

1:55 – Importance of the mental game in climbing your best…and sending your project.

3:00 – Distractions are concentration- and performance-killers.

5:30 – The role of stress in climbing and life—striving to avoid stress will limit personal growth.

7:00 – Stretching boundaries is naturally stressful. Embrace it in health doses!

9:30 – In climbing, a focused mind is like having a fifth contact point…and on hard routes that’s all the difference in the world!

11:00 – The ability to maintain concentration over a long period of time is a discerning trait of peak performers.

SIX ENEMIES OF CONCENTRATION

13:10 - 1. Focusing on the mechanics of well-learned skills. Let go and

14:05 - 2. Dwelling on internal feelings and sensations of fatigue. Embrace the good pain!

15:40 - 3. Entertaining nonproductive self-talk. Be loud. Be positive!

17:04 - 4. Focusing on the past. Let go of the past. Enjoy the moment!

17:38 - 5. Focusing on the future...and potential outcomes. Let go of the outcome—let it develop organically.

18:15 - 6. Visual and auditory distractions. The world is conspiring to distract you! Specifically, what people, places, and things distract you?

SIX TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVE CONCENTRATION WHILE CLIMBING

20:15 - 1. Deal with potential distractions before you climb.

21:20 - 2. Use rituals to narrow focus.

22:50 - 3. Use self-talk to direct the conscious mind. Be loud. Be positive!

25:08 - 4. Keep your eyes on task-relevant targets.

29:23 - 5. Keep your thoughts in the moment. Mind-body synchronization—and the Flow State—is possible only when your thoughts are in the moment!

31:25 - 6. Use willpower to narrow focus despite adverse or imperfect conditions. Use the pressure of the situation and your will power to create a laser-like focus to perform your best in the moment.

33:45 – The mental game is central to climbing your best and maximizing experience. The mental game doesn’t change from one generation to the next—the risk, the fear, and the adversity of the steep are the same…and links us to past generations of climbers. Strive to become a master of your mind.

35:30 – For a comprehensive manual on mental training, check out my book Maximum Climbing.

36:00 – Please check out and support T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage. Research-based, athlete-proven performance nutrition for climbers--use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% on your order. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try!

  • PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media.

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

May 11, 2020

Climbers are drawn to the challenges and potential adversity of the steep. Great climbers embrace grand challenges--and almost certain adversity--in achieving hard and rare accomplishments. This podcast will equip you with five powerful strategies to leverage, in times of hardship and adversity, as you pursue big goals both in climbing and in your everyday life. And now in this era of COVID-19, you face risk and potential adversity at every turn...so don't miss this powerful podcast--it's an instant classic in the genre of mental training for climbing!

Podcast Rundown

0:15 - Opening comments about the ongoing COVID crisis,  positive trends we're seeing, and the hope for a summer climbing season.

2:20 - Shifting gears with this podcast away from physical training to important strategies for succeeding on challenging outdoor adventures. Learn the importance of the mental game--perhaps it's exactly what you need to make the next grade?!

9:30 - Strive to become a Maximum Climber. Read the book. Pure gold!

10:00 - Introduction to the powerful topic of...persevering in the face of challenge...and overcoming adversity.

13:36 - The utility of PURSUING adversity....for recalibrating your brain and opening the door to great achievement. All legendary climbers have done it--Harding, Bridwell, Skinner, Hill, Caldwell, Honnold, Harrington, Ondra, and countless others.

22:05 - Embrace adversity...to learn, grow, build character, and "hardness".

23:06 - FIVE powerful strategies for succeeding, despite hardship, and overcoming adversity.

23:16 - #1 Strive for Flexibility of Perspective - Become a spin doctor!

29:30 - #2 Use Optimism as a Tool...a mental lever to sustain forward movement, trouble-shooting, belief in the end game, and finding a way to your goal.

32:04 - #3 - Become Reverse Paranoid! Believe that the universe is conspiring for your success...and that what you want, wants you! Stay aware for synchronicity and other clues from above.

36:36 - #4 Develop World-Class "Hanging-On Power". Mental fortitude is a skill developed over years of striving for one more move, one more rep, one more day of work on the project...or whatever it takes to hang-on to success!

40:45 - #5 Assume a Philosophical Forward-Looking Perspective. Powerful lessons from Tommy Caldwell, Jeff Batzer, and Hugh Herr.

49:05 - Closing comments on developing into a maximum climber.

50:20 - Please check out and support T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage. Research-based, athlete-proven performance nutrition for climbers--use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% on your order. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try!

51:09 - Hörst Out!

  • PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media.

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Apr 20, 2020

These are crazy times we're living through with the COVID crisis. Most of us are self-quarantined...left to train on a home wall, hangboard, and whatever else we can kludge together. My personal initiative during the growing stay-at-home spell is doing twice-weekly livestream videos that I call "Training Café". You can view these shows--and submit training questions--during the livestream shows simulcast on the Training For Climbing Facebook and T4C YouTube channels. In this podcast, however, I wanted to share with part of Training Café #6...which includes several training Q & As and a brief dive into using Energy System Training concepts to improve the effectiveness of your training.

Podcast Rundown

0:15 - Opening comments about the ongoing COVID crisis...and stay-at-home situation we most face.

3:15 - Introducing my Make April Great Again initiative...Training Café! 

7:25 - Audio begis from Training Café #6.

10:00 - SHOUT OUT...to Udo Neumann, the legendary Germany coach and movement expert. Check out his masterclass videos on climbing movement, analysis, and technique training. Watch trailors of "Ideas to Improve Your Climbing" and "Climbing Technique".

12:00 - Eric answers Training Cafe viewer questions.

12:18 - Question #1: Should I go all the way down when pull-up training?

18:16 - Question #2: How much hangboard training is too much?

21:00 - Question #3: Should I deadlift as part of my training for climbing?

24:45 - Question #4: In doing max hangs, as part of an alactic system workout, is it okay to do another different alactic exercise during the rest period between max hangs?

30:30 - MAIN TOPIC: Energy System Training - A brief review of the three bioenergetic systems that power our climbing...and how you can best training each system for optimal adaptations and gains. Listen to previous T4C podcasts #23 to #28 for a deep dive into the science and application of Energy System Training.

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Mar 24, 2020

An often-used proverbial phrase, to encourage optimism and proactive action in the face of adversity or misfortune, is to "make lemonade out of lemons." In this podcast, Eric Hörst presents a hopeful mindset and approach for persevering through the COVID-19 crisis. He details five tips for effective home training and fostering a stronger immune system. Employing this guidance will lower your risk of illness and prepare your body for a quick return to high-performance climbing this summer!

Podcast Rundown

0:30 - Opening comments about the global pandemic...and its effects on climbing and life in general.

8:00 - Regarding self-quarantine and areas closed to climbing -- be a part of the solution!

12:10 - Adversity and forced change can sometimes be a blessing in disguise--look for a silver lining in your current situation. Think long-term, consider life course corrections, new goals, and refining your personal "life mission". Consider relistening to Podcast #32 on Success Strategies and Podcast #43 on Tips for Your Best Year Ever!

14:00 - Importance of having a bias for action.

15:38 - Overview of 5 Tips for Coping with the COVID-19 Climbing Closedown...in which gyms are closed, crags are closed, and travel is discouraged or prohibited.

17:54 - TIP #1: If you have a lingering injury or you are returning from a significant injury or surgery, use this climbing-closedown period to engage in deliberate rehab and training. Stay the course, and prepare to be 100% upon the re-opening of our climbing season!

22:00 - TIP #2: Do some generalized aerobic activity outside every day...while maintaining proper social distance. Invest 30 to 60 minutes each day into going for a walk, run, bike ride, or hike.  Consider leaving the phone at home...and run, walk, or hike solo with a receptive mind open to innovative ideas, new goals, and other "gifts" from above.

26:39 - TIP #3: Maintain reasonable nutritional surveillance to avoid significant weight gain while away from your normal climbing and training schedule.

29:33 - TIP #4: Do some strength training exercises every day, but vary the muscles trained. Eric's recommended microcycle, using Energy System Training concepts, is as follows: Day #1: Climbing-specific maximum strength and power exercises; Day #2: Climbing-specific endurance training exercises; Day #3: Antagonist muscle training. Repeat this cycle twice per week. (Learn more about Energy System Training in podcasts #21 - #28.)

44:40 - TIP #5: Be proactive in doing a wide range of things to foster a strong immune system. Eric details 7 specific actionable items towards this end.

54:45 - Final comments about staying healthy, mentally positive, physically strong, and purposeful. Consider reading Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy.

 

  • PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media.

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Mar 10, 2020

In this episode of Ask Coach Hörst...Eric answers 9 wide-ranging questions from listeners. Some of the topics covered are...hangboard training, diagnosing a finger injury, autoregulation use in competition, energy system training, optimal training for a Masters climber, protein requirements, and blood flow restriction training. Listen in!

Podcast Rundown

0:15 - Introduction to Ask Coach Horst

1:45 - About POWERPLEX plant-based protein and collagen alternative for vegan climbers. Use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% off full-price PhysiVantage products.

3:05 - Question #1 - What are your thoughts on hangboard training on climbing days...as well as on consecutive days?

7:50 - Question #2 - Can you give me some insight into my finger injury...which is painful at the base of the ring finger, but also extends down into the palm and forearm?

10:10 - Question #3 - What's the optimal length of rest between strength/power exercises and powerful bouldering?

14:15 - Question #4 - What do you think about the use of auto-regulation on competition days? Might the findings potentially hurt the mental state of the athlete? (Learn more about Auto-Regulation in Podcast #44.)

19:00 - Question #5 - How can I incorporate Energy System Training concepts into a periodized training program? (Learn more about Energy System Training in podcasts #21 - #28.)

26:00  - Question #6 - What advice do you have for a 50-something climber wanting to train right and climb for many years to come?

32:54 - Question #7 - How much protein do I need to consume daily to recover optimally?

41`:40 - Question #8 - When doing weighted pull-ups should I go down the whole way or should I maintain a bit of arm-bend at the bottom?

45:40 - Question #9 - I'd like to do some blood flow restriction training (BFR) -- what protocol do you recommend for a healthy climber?

Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing.

Music by Misty Murphy

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s YouTube channel.

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And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Feb 6, 2020

4 Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Training and Accelerate Progress Toward Your Goals!

It's been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting to get different results. Progress demands change. Doing hard things demands great change. Uncommon success demands uncommon self-awareness, discipline, and effort.

This podcast presents four ways to refine, re-invent, or perhaps completely overhaul your training to get better results in the pursuit of your goals.

RUNDOWN

8:50 - Develop a detailed and compelling game plan for 2020. On a calendar, block in possible road trips, competitions, and other major life events. Consider what additional shorter trips (weekends and holidays) you can schedule. Now, think about developing a training plan to be maximally effective for preparing you for each trip. Don't forget to include a 3 to 7 days "training taper" before significant trips.

11:45 - Refine, re-invent, or overhaul your training! Do you do the same familiar training program day after day? Are you now training in the same basic ways you did one year ago? If so, it's time for a change! Listen closely for ideas how....and beware of the "shiny object"!

25:55 - Begin using Auto-Regulation before every serious climbing-specific workout. This is a big-time tip! Pretty much all elite athletes use auto-regulation, and so should you! In this section, I describe 4 "stages" of recovery, and how you can determine your stage of climbing-specific recovery on any given workout day. Listen closely, and develop your own personalized progressive warm-up to accurately auto-regulate all of your serious climbing workouts.

57:40 - Add a new element to your training! Something you don’t ever do…or do infrequently. It must be climbing-specific and it must make sense to do…in terms of addressing a physical or technical weakness. View this new thing as a wild card—something that you might be apprehensive or scared to do. Sometimes in climbing, the thing you fear or avoid is exactly what you NEED to do to open the door to another level of performance.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST!

  • Visit PhysiVantage.com to learn about the first complete line of nutritional products designed by climbers, for climbers. PhysiVantage products are research-based...and they work! Get a physical advantage, beginning today! Save 15% with checkout code: PODCAST15
  • Want to learn more about training? Check out the 3rd edition of the international best-seller Training for Climbing!
  • Please SHARE this podcast with a friend, and write a REVIEW in iTunes. Thank you!

Instagram - @PhysiVantage

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.

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Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!
Jan 1, 2020

It's the dawn of a new decade, and so I wanted to take this rare opportunity to record a unique and, hopefully, impactful podcast. The topic is...effective training for the climb that is your life.

This is a short and fast-paced episode, so I hope that you can find some quiet time to listen closely...and think critically about the 10 tips and concepts that I present.

Please listen with an open mind. Search for clues to answering the very important question: "how can I become more effective at pursuing my life goals...and enjoying every day along the way?" I strongly recommend writing down some new and inspiring goals for 2020 (and beyond).

Now, immediately get to work on developing a system for reaching your goals. Exude a bias for action each and every day, and I guarantee that many of your goals will be realized!

RUNDOWN

0:20 – Intro to the 10 tips and concepts for effective training for life!

2:00 -  Concept #1: The quality of your life is directly related to the quality of your thoughts.

4:11 - Concept #2: To outperform the masses, you must do things they don't do.

6:05 - Concept #3: Clarity of values and goals—and a clear purpose for living—form the foundation for a life full of rich and transcending experiences.

7:25 - Tip #4:  Once you have set a compelling goal, you MUST develop a dynamic intelligent system of action…that will maximize the effectiveness of your daily efforts. Listen to podcast #42 for in-depth coverage >>

8:25 - Concept #5: Risk is a precursor to reward, and almost anything is possible once you conquer the fear of taking calculated risks.

10:00 - Concept #6: Singular focus and indomitable persistence know no limits. This is where you need to channel your inner CHHOM. What’s CHHOM? Listen to podcast #37 to learn the superpowers of top climbers>>

10:50 - Concept #7: Obstacles and adversity make you stronger—and, they are often a blessing in disguise.

11:45 - Tip #8: Life is subtle: sweat the small stuff, NOT the big stuff. (This is the opposite of conventional wisdom—however, conventional wisdom is the way of the masses…and often NOT the way to uncommon success.)

16:10 - Concept #9: The most critical pivot points in life are often that brief moment between stimulus and response. Your destiny is a result of all the decisions you make, and so it’s vital that you are fully engaged in the decision-making process as often as possible.

17:25 - Tip #10: Enjoy this moment: this moment is your life!
Every passing minute and every single day….is a minute and a day that you will never get back. It's life currency spent (or invested) and now gone. Therefore, what could be more valuable than being fully engaged—mind, body, and spirit—in everything you do?

19:12 - My Happy New Year 2020 toast to you, Dear Listener...

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST!

  • Visit PhysiVantage.com to learn about the first complete line of nutritional products designed by climbers, for climbers. PhysiVantage products are research-based...and they work! Get a physical advantage, beginning today! Save 10% with checkout code: SAVE10
  • Want to learn more about training? Check out the 3rd edition of the international best-seller Training for Climbing!
  • Please SHARE this podcast with a friend, and write a REVIEW in iTunes. Thank you!

Instagram - @PhysiVantage

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!
Dec 13, 2019

Effective training can't be haphazard, nor done ad-lib. In this podcast, you'll learn a supremely effective conceptual model for training that adopts an "intelligent system" approach. Eric describes the nine elements of an intelligent system, and how you can incorporate this system to optimize training results and accelerate goal pursuit!

RUNDOWN

1:30 – Intro to the TFC podcast

3:19 – Learning to climb is simple; learning how to train effectively is complex!

8:10 – Employing a “systems” approach to your training and goal pursuit.

10:32 – The value of waking each morning with a mission.

16:20 – Eric shares some climbing history…and names 5 legendary, transformative climbers that influenced him and helped inspire this systems approach to training/climbing.

17:55 - #1 Warren Harding…applied a mission approach to big wall climbing…and took commitment and suffering to a new level.

20:00 - #2 John Gill – The father of modern bouldering and training for climbing. Read his biography, Masters of Rock (by Pat Ament). Gill was climbing V9 (in hiking boots) in 1959!

22:00 - #3 Wolfgang Gullich – Applied a systems approach to training and hard climbing…and opened up the world’s first 5.14a, 5.14b, and 5.14d. Wolfgang helped invent the campus board, a climbing-specific form of plyometric training.

23:50 - #4 Todd Skinner – A pioneer of big wall free climbing, hard bouldering, and limit sport climbing, Todd employed a mission approach to climbing on a massive “all-in” and multi-year scale.

25:15 - #5 Lynn Hill – First female 5.14 ascent, World Cup Champion, and Free Ascent of The Nose of El Cap (1994). Lynn, like the other four legendary climbers, employed a systems approach to her climbing life.

27:40 – Two more important influences: my parents! My father, an engineer and inventor, helped shape my innate sense of needing to employ a systems approach to training/climbing.

29:10 – (oh yeah, climbing influence #6)….Jim Collins, a leading climber in the early1980s; later a best-selling author and business consultant, Jim described my mega-goal concept as a "BHAG". Big Audacious Hairy Goal!  

30:30 – Conceptual model of a “System”.

30:40 - Five elements of an open system: 1. Input, 2. Output, 3, Structure, 4. Transport, 5. Conversion.

33:30 – Making a system into an “Intelligent System” with four additional elements: 6. Goal, 7. Sensor, 8. Controller, 9. Disturbance.

40:00 – Applying an Intelligent System approach to your training and goal pursuit. If you’re an advanced or elite climber, then employing a highly personalized system approach to training is essential for pursuing your genetic potential…and mega goals!

42:00 – Some climbing-specific examples of employing an intelligent system approach to training. Examples of how each system element relates to daily training activities and mission pursuit.

53:35 – Tips for applying a systems approach to your training and non-training activities

55:00 – Importance of having a mega-goal. What’s your BHAG? You also need a series of short-term goals to make your journey more rich and enjoyable…and to help maintain motivation and a sense of progress.

57:00 – Importance of consciously selecting your INPUTs—training, rest, food, things you do to support recovery, etc.

1:01:50 – SENSOR…your subjective sense of movement quality and fatigue while climbing and training; but also via objective measures...such as tracking of metrics of fitness (grip strength, bodyweight, etc.)

1:04:30 – The power of DISTURBANCES to covertly sabotage your training and knock you off course from your goals. Strive to anticipate, avoid, or quickly course-correct.

1:07:20 – Most important: Be proactive and fully engaged in the process of training, climbing, and living. Don’t be an NPC!

1:09:30 – Wrap-up: PLEASE support this podcast! Visit PhysiVantage.com to explore the first performance nutrition products designed for climbers. These products are research-based, used by pros and amateurs alike…and they work! Save 10% off non-sale items with the code “save10” at checkout.

Instagram - @PhysiVantage

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!
Nov 20, 2019

If you're serious about training and climbing your best, then you must be serious about performance nutrition. The foods you consume play a central role in energy production, training adaptations, muscle recovery, connective tissue health, and your strength-to-weight ratio. Combined, these nutritional influences are nearly as significant as the influence of your training program--and, if you get both your training and nutrition right, then a powerful synergy will elevate your performance to a new level!

RUNDOWN

00:40 – Intro to performance nutrition. Why it's important.

4:16 - As a guiding principle, climbers should "eat and train" not "diet and exercise."

5:19 - A short story about an aspiring elite climber...

6:40 - One of my favorite sayings...and a powerful guiding principle: "To outperform the masses you must do things they don't do."

7:00 - Pro tip: Eschew group think. Live by your own light. Build your own optimal system to reach your goals.

9:10 - Performance nutrition must be personalized. Many factors are at play...so it will take some effect to get it right.

15:45 - Nutrition is not a black & white topic. There are few "never eat" foods--enjoying rich foods is one of life's great pleasures.  Moderation and discipline are critical, however.

18:00 - Beware of the flood of training and nutrition articles on the Internet (and social media posts). Some have great info, but many contain training and nutrition "fake news".

20:15 - Climbing is a strength-to-weight and power-to-weight ratio sport. Therefore, bodyweight is a critical factor and it should be optimized via smart training and nutrition. Caloric restriction may be valuable leading up to periods of performance climbing or competition.

24:15 - Your training and nutrition must be shaped to match your goals. The guidance of a veteran trainer and climbing-knowledgable nutritionist can be invaluable.

26:30 - Definition of "high-quality weight loss" -- this is the goal for elite climbers wanting to maximize performance.

27:30 - How to best create a slight caloric deficit to optimize body composition before competition or performance climbing.

28:50 - High-quality protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, strength, and power during periods of hard training and/or caloric restriction. The protein requirement is 1.2 to 1.6 grams/kg of body weight per day. Supplementary protein, ideally a high-quality whey isolate, is often necessary to meet this goal while restricting calories.

30:30 - The importance of Leucine, especially in your post-exercise feeding.

31: 08 - Carbohydrate backloading as a powerful performance nutrition and recovery strategy.

34:00 - The value of post-exercise and bedtime whey protein isolate and/or micellar casein. Vegans should consider a pea protein supplement powder.

34:30 - Eric weights in on "fad diets"...low carb, keto, paleo, high carb, etc.

36:00 - The importance of adequate carbohydrates for power and strength-endurance athletes such as climbers.

38:00 - Eric's recommended macronutrient ratio...approximately 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 20% fat.

39:23 - Eric's pyramid paradigm for healthy eating for peak performance. A balanced diet is the pyramid base, while sport-specific nutrition and supplements form the pyramid top.

41:54 - Regarding sports supplements--if you're eating right, then you may get added benefits from certain supplements.

43:30 - Eric briefly mentions the company he founded--PhysiVantage makes the first research-based supplements for climbers.

44:16 - What supplements might work for climbers?

44:30 - Post-workout/post-climbing protein can jump start and accelerate muscle and connective tissue recovery.

45:00 - BCAAs may have some value in a performance setting, but as a regular training aid there could be unintended consequences that may compromise muscle quality and performance in the long run.

47:00 - The importance of increasing muscle quality and muscle efficiency over the long term--this is the pathway to stronger more powerful muscles without gaining weight.

50:00 - What about creatine for climbers? Micro-doses may benefit, but creatine "loading" will likely hurt performance.

53:40 - Anti-oxidants (e.g. vitamin C, E, selenium) will limit the hormetic response to training and potentially reduce desired training adaptations in the long run.

56:45 - Supplements to "prime" the aerobic energy system and increase oxygen kinetics have great promise. Beetroot extract and citrulline malate will likely enhance climbing performance and recovery between bouts of high-intensity exercise.

1:01:00 - What about caffeine?

1:02:30 - Anaerobic lactic system buffers, beta alanine and sodium bicarbonate, have some potential benefits.

1:06:10 - Is a daily multivitamin helpful? What about minerals?

1:07:00 - A chunk of dark chocolate eaten each day has health and performance value. Seriously!

1:08:30 - The benefits of vitamin-C-enriched hydrolyzed collagen for climbers. Supporting connective tissue health is essential for hard-training for climbers.

1:09:32 - A few supplements that don't work...

1:12:00 - Conclusion and closing comments of nutrition for climbers

1:13:00 - Do you value this free podcast? Please write a review, and please share with a friend.

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Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!
Oct 8, 2019

In a departure from my usual lecture style podcasts, I'm happy to feature a guest on this month's podcast--Dr. Tyler Nelson, a chiropractic physician and owner of Camp 4 Human Performance in Salt Lake City. This is my first podcast interview in about a decade--I believe my last audio interview was with Alex Honnold soon after his free solo of Half Dome (2008). Maybe some day I'll dig out that podcast from the audio vault and post it here! But I digress.

The focus of this podcast is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training. This training modality has been around for decades, but has only been recently popularized by some physiotherapists and coaches. Among climbers, perhaps no one is more knowledgable on this topic than Dr. Nelson. In this 40-minute interview we'll explore the different BFR training protocols, and how BFR training may be a beneficial intervention for injured and healthy climbers alike.

SUMMARY

  • History of BFR and introduction into training in the USA.
  • The difference between "passive" and "active" BFR.
  • Ischemic preconditioning with passive BFR--complete arterial occlusion for up to 5 minutes with no exercise or loading.
  • Keys for effective active BFR with intermittent loading:
  • 40% to 80% of arterial occlusion pressure--or a subjective cuff tightness of 7 out of 10.
  • Resistance/loading of 20% to 40% of 1RM.
  • Protocol: 30 reps with first set, then 3 more sets of 15 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each set.
  • Perform 3 or 4 exercises per BFR session with 30 to 60 seconds between exercises. Fatigue larger muscles first, then smaller muscles.
  • Use BFR once or twice per week as an adjunct to regular training (for healthy climbers); or do up to 6 days per week, alternating upper-body and lower-body days, in the case of rehab from injury.

BFR RESEARCH PAPERS:

ABOUT PHYSIVANTAGE:

  • I formed PhysiVantage to make research-based, athlete-tested performance nutrition for passionate climbers who place great demands on their bodies! Visit PhysiVantage.com and save 10% off non-sale items with the code “save10” at checkout.
  • Need more Power Endurance? Want faster recovery between boulders or at mid-route rests? Try out the research-based Endure X pre-workout/pre-performance drink mix.

Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.

Follow Eric and TFC on Facebook!

Instagram - @PhysiVantage

Facebook - @PhysiVantage

For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book!

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!
Sep 4, 2019

This is fourth in a series on sinew training with a specific focus on climbing injuries and prevention. Incidence of climbing injuries is growing, and overuse injuries to the fingers, elbows, and shoulders are common among beginners and expert alike.

Eric lays out the perfect storm of factors that make upper extremity overuse injuries so common. You will learn countermeasures to reduce your injury risk and increase tendon health and finger flexor pulley strength.

If you engage in hard finger training, frequently push your physical limits, and/or occasionally experience tendon or joint pain, then this podcast will be game-changer for you!

RUNDOWN

0:24 – Intro to this episode and a quick recap of the previous episodes in this series. Be sure to listen to the first three podcasts in this series:

1:45 - Overuse injuries are incredibly common...almost every avid climber will experience tweaks (or worse) in their fingers, elbows, and/or shoulders. So the information covered in these podcasts is game-changing if you want to reduce injury risk and climb better.

3:20 - Eric introduces the three parts of this podcast...the 3 factors that combine to form a perfect storm for climbing injuries.

7:10 - Latest information from the Climbing Medicine Symposium in Squamish Canada in August.

10:24 - The latest data on types of climbing injuries and the injury trends over the last 20 years.

15:36 - A "Perfect Storm" brewing for climbing injuries. Understanding the storm will empower you to reduce injury risk and return from injury more quickly. There are 3 factors combining to build this storm.

17:00 - Perfect Storm Factor #1 - Climbing involves repetitive high-force loading on small body parts...including tiny tendons and ligaments in the fingers.

21:25 -Perfect Storm Factor #2 - Climbing is an addictive activities...and so we tend to climb a lot and rest too little. Furthermore, how your muscles feel (recover) isn't a good gauge of tendon recovery--we often climb again when our muscles feel recovered, yet the connective tissues take longer to recover from hard training/climbing. A vicious cycle of collagen breakdown in connective tissues begins...

33:10 -  Perfect Storm Factor #3 - Poor nutritional habits and/or undernourishment. Deficiency in collagen-specific amino acids (Glycine & proline) are at the heart of the matter--if you're deficient in these two amino acids, then you're not synthesizng collagen optimally...and you may be in a chronic state of net collagen degradation...and on the fast track to injury.

41:45 - Not all proteins are created equal..in fact, the amino acid profile of foods varies widely...and most non-animal products are low in glycine and proline.

44:00 - The importance of consuming enough glycine and proline during periods of physical and mental stress, injury, and illness. Consuming 7 - 10 grams of glycine per day is a wise goal for serious athletes.

46:30 - What foods and supplements are highest in glycine?

50:50 - Vegan sources of glycine.

52:00 - The most glycine-rich food on the planet? Gelatin...and the more refined version (more easily mixed and digested) is Hydrolyzed Collagen.

54:40 - The research that changed my life....and how it reveals that we can possibly double collagen synthesis in our tendons, pulleys, ligaments. This is revolutionary information for serious climbers!

58:00 - Learn about the specific coupled training-nutritional intervention shown to target glycine and profile from hydrolyzed collagen to a specific body part...your fingers...injured pulleys...elbows...shoulders...knees...whatever. This really works!

1:00:00 - Why it's ideal to consume hydrolyzed collagen on an empty stomach before finger training, climbing, or rehab. Also learn about Eric's 6-minute finger workout you can do every day.

1:02:00 - Tips for those wanting to rehab an injury as fast as possible.

1:03:00 - Learn about Supercharged Collagen and why this is the most advanced collagen protein on the market....and the only product designed from specifically for power athletes.

1:06:00 - 6 things you can do to AVOID the perfect storm!

1:18:40 - Final thoughts on the power of this information...and how it can change your climbing for the better for many years to come.

1:19:00 - Help spread the word...please SHARE with a friend and please WRITE a review.

ABOUT PHYSIVANTAGE:

  • I formed PhysiVantage to make research-based, athlete-tested supplements that will benefit passionate climbers who place great demands on their bodies! Visit PhysiVantage.com and save 10% off non-sale items with the code “save10” at checkout.
  • Need more Power Endurance? Want faster recovery during and between boulders or routes? Try out the research-based Endure X pre-workout/per-performance drink mix.

Instagram - @PhysiVantage

Facebook - @PhysiVantage

For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book!

Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing

Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.

Follow Eric on Facebook!

Music by: Misty Murphy

  • Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!
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