Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
Self-Improvement
About
Training and performance podcasts by Eric Hörst, the internationally renowned author, researcher, climbing coach, and climber of 40 years. Monthly podcasts detail the latest training techniques to improve strength, power, endurance, as well as mental and technical skills. With his unique combination of veteran experience and knowledge of the cutting-edge 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 knowledge climbing coaches and his eight books (and many foreign translations) have sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide. His latest book release is the 3rd edition of Training For Climbing. Learn more at: http://www.trainingforclimbing.com
Episodes
- #129 WEEKEND CRUSHER: From Florida to 5.13d - The Jessica Jenkins Story
In this inspiring new "Weekend Crushers" feature, I sit down with Florida-based climber Jessica Jenkins to unpack her incredible journey from a teenager climbing plastic in Orlando to recently sending her hardest route ever: the iconic Red…
- #128 - CRUSHERS: 5.14c at Age 45 - The Aaron Shamy Comeback Story
In this inaugural Weekend Crushers episode of the T4C podcast, Eric Hörst sits down with Aaron Shamy—an inspiring example of what's possible when passion, persistence, and smart training intersect with real life. Aaron's journey spans elit…
- #127 - Turning Gym Gains to Real Rock Performance: Bridging the Gap
After a winter of disciplined training, stronger fingers, improved fitness, and high motivation, most climbers head outdoors expecting breakthrough performances. But the reality often hits hard—routes feel awkward, sequencing is unclear, y…
- #126 - 15 Quick (Powerful) Tips to Climb Your Best This Season!
Spring climbing season is here—and it's time to translate all those winter training gains into real performance on the rock. In this episode, Eric Hörst shares 15 practical mindset and strategy tips to help you climb your best this season.…
- #125 - EXPERT: The Great Nutrition Reset - Unlocking the New Real Food Pyramid
In this episode, Eric Hörst and nutrition science graduate student Jonathan Hörst discuss the newly updated U.S. dietary guidance and the concept of a "flipped" or re-prioritized food pyramid that emphasizes nutrient density, whole foods,…
- #124 - 15 Concepts That Changed My Life
If there's one podcast you listen to this week, I hope it's this one! I'm genuinely proud of this episode, as it distills some of the most powerful concepts I've learned, refined, and applied over the past 30 years. I believe you'll find i…
- #123 - Effective Training - Part 2 - Applying a Systems Approach to Program Design
In this second installment of a two-part series, Coach Eric Hörst takes the high-level systems philosophy introduced in Episode #122 and brings it down to earth with practical, actionable guidance. This episode walks listeners through the…
- #122 - Train More Effectively: The Systems Approach That Will Transform Your Climbing
This episode is the first in a two-part deep dive into designing a comprehensive, long-term systems approach to training. Coach Eric Hörst unpacks—in rich detail—how systems actually function, and he highlights how transformative climbers…
- #121 - Connective Tissue Training for Strength, Resilience, and Performance
Modern athletes know that strength and endurance alone aren't enough. The ability to generate power efficiently, resist injury, and recover quickly depends just as much on the health of connective tissues—tendons, ligaments, and the extrac…
- #120 - Conquer the Pump! Training and Tactics to Climb Your Best at the Red River Gorge (and elsewhere)
If you're a connoisseur of steep routes, this episode is for you! We've assembled a "Red River Pump" roundtable that reveals the training methods, tactics, and insider strategies for climbing your best on the overhanging walls of the Red —…
- #119 - 5 Powerful Lessons from Emily Harrington's "Girl Climber" Movie
Learn five powerful lessons for achieving big, difficult goals that I took away from watching Girl Climber -- the new film that chronicles Emily Harrington's incredible, multi-year journey to free-climb El Capitan's Golden Gate route in un…
- #118 - Wes Schweitzer - Training to Boulder V10 (Pro Football Player Turned Climber!)
After nine years as an NFL offensive lineman for the Falcons, Commanders, and Jets, Wes Schweitzer has traded 330-pound trench battles for crimps, slopers, and steep boulders! In this inspiring conversation, Wes shares how climbing started…
- #117: Manage Fear Like A Pro - 18 Tips for Winning the Climbing Head Games!
Nothing is more elemental to climbing than fear. The fear of falling, getting hurt, failing, looking foolish, or simply facing the unknown can feel torturous—and even paralyzing. To climb efficiently and confidently—and to pursue your peak…
- #116: Climb Better TODAY! 15 In-Season Tips to Level Up Now!
Coach Hörst shares 15 game-changing tips to elevate your climbing this season. Performance gains aren't made solely in the gym. As Coach Hörst explains, there's a lot you can do in-season —technically, tactically, and nutritionally—to leve…
- #115: Training Strategy for the Next Grade -- A collab with Ryan Devlin of the Struggle Podcast
What does it take to break through to the next climbing grade? With each new milestone, the challenge grows harder—but potentially more rewarding. In this special collaboration with The Struggle Podcast , I coach Ryan Devlin as he works to…
- #114: Common Training Mistakes That May Be Limiting Your Climbing
The podcast is a classic Eric Hörst tour de force of climbing wisdom! No matter your ability level, training background, or goals, listening to this episode will challenge your current approach and inspire you to reinvent your training for…
- #113: A Powerful (and Overlooked) Route Climbing Strategy for Leveling Up!
In this episode, I reveal a powerful — and often overlooked — strategy for developing the mental, technical, and tactical skills needed to level up your climbing. If you're an intermediate climber passionate about improving — or an advance…
- #112: EXPERT: Tips for Optimizing Climbing Training with Dr. Thomas Cunningham
Welcome to the first episode in a special series of performance-focused conversations with my friend, Dr. Thomas Cunningham. In this fast-paced discussion, we dive into a wide range of topics, including tips for optimizing climbing trainin…
- #111: Training & Life Upgrades to Send 2025!
Dear Listener, How about -- together -- we all try to SEND 2025? In other words, let's try to upgrade our thoughts and actions in all we do to make 2025 our best year yet! Towards this end, in this episode I will serve up tips for improvin…
- #110: Join My "SEND 2025" Challenge! (deadline to join January 3, 2025)
In this brief episode, I invite you to join my "Send 2025" New Year's Challenge! JOIN the SEND 2025 CHALLENGE by filling out this brief Google Form >> I designed this free 6-week challenge to help motivate and inspire a fresh, focused, and…
- #109: Alex Megos Interviews Eric Hörst (What?!)
The title of this podcast may have you thinking "WTF?" Well, this is a special episode of the T4C podcast...and I think you're going to really enjoy it! THE Alex Megos has recently launched his own podcast, and during his recent visit to t…
- #108: BEST OF: 13 Send Tips That Can Make All The Difference In The World!
In this episode, coach Hörst shares 13 little things that can make a BIG difference when it comes to sending your near limit—or, perhaps, beyond limit!—project boulder or route. Quite often it's the tiniest of things that can make or break…
- #107: Last-Minute Secrets to Climbing Your Best (and Preventing the Punt!)
One of the ironies of climbing performance outcomes is that as hard as you've physically trained in preparation, the outcome often hinges on the quality of your mental game. The power point, here, is that when it comes down to the final da…
- #106: Biohacks and Blood Work to Support Climbing Performance
This 20-minute flash episode will delve briefly into two topics: 1. Popular training biohacks, including sauna use, cold plunge, and intermittent fasting. 2. The value of getting an occasional blood work-up to monitor how your health and p…
- #105: Stretching Strategies and Injury Trends
This 15-minute flash episode will delve briefly into two topics: 1, Stretching for climbers -- learn what to do and when. 2. Recent injury trends...and the number #1 thing you can do to lower your injury risk. This episode features an inte…
- #104: Tips for Raising Happy, Healthy Climbing Kids
In this Flash episode, I'm going to talk briefly about raising happy, healthy kids with a passion for climbing! There's no "right" way to raise kid climbers...but I'm going to share the approach that my wife and I used to develop well-roun…
- #103: Online vs. In-Person Coaching & How Training Has Changed in the Last 40 Years
This month, I'm serving up multiple "Flash Episodes" of the T4C podcast -- released weekly -- that you can consume in less than 20 minutes. The topics covered in this first episode...include the pros/cons of online coaching...and a general…
- #102: The Road to 5.13a - Part 4: Closing the Deal!
What does it take to climb your first 5.13a? In this episode, you'll hear my recommendations for Ryan Devlin as he closes in on completing his first 5.13a, a Red River Gorge classic named "The Force". This is a follow-up to episodes #86, #…
- #101: EXPERT: Optimizing Training, Health, and Performance with Functional Medicine
Many enthusiastic climbers work hard to level up their performance year over year, and some of us invest great time, effort, and resources into pursuing our climbing goals. One powerful tool for gaining a performance edge is the use of a f…
- #100: The 10 Secrets to Climbing Harder!
To celebrate the 100th episode of the T4C podcast, I wanted to serve up a powerful, comprehensive, yet easily digestible and actionable list of things you can do today to break through a performance plateau...and begin a journey towards be…
- #99: EXPERT: How Climbing Shoes Affect Your Performance. Big time!
When it comes to climbing, no single piece of gear is more influential on your performance than your shoes. Getting the right shoe fit and feel for a given boulder or route is critical to climbing your best! However, there are dozens of cl…
- #98: Training for Bouldering with Drew Ruana vs. Training for Route Climbing
In this episode, Coach Hörst shares his recent unique training day in the Front Range of Colorado. Eric will contrast the remarkable late-afternoon workout of one of the world's top boulderers, Drew Ruana, with his own route-climbing worko…
- #97: EXPERT: Grip Better! All About Chalk Use and Skin Performance
The quality of your contact with the rock is paramount when it comes to climbing performance. Strong muscles, on-point technique, and a confident mindset won't get you up a climb if you can't hang onto the holds! Many things affect the qua…
- #96: Training for Gains in 2024 (and my venture into Kilter Boarding!)
Lean in dear listener...and enjoy the most transparent Training For Climbing podcast ever! In this engaging episode, Coach Eric Hörst shares an in-depth analysis of his climbing weaknesses...and he reveals the specifics of his program to t…
- #95: Mental Wings Strategies for Uncommon Success and Happiness
Do you want to level up in climbing...and across the board in your life? Many folks use the fresh start of a new year to set some goals and make course corrections in important life areas. I'm one of those people...and since you're listeni…
- #94: The Road to 5.13a - PART 3
What does it take to climb your first 5.13a? In this episode, you'll hear my recommendations for a training client of mine (Ryan Devlin) as he closes in on completing his first 5.13a, a Red River Gorge classic named "The Force". This is a…
- #93: 7 Common Training and Performance Mistakes Among Climbers
In this episode, I detail 7 Training, Performance, and Nutrition Mistakes Common Among Climbers. I'll admit that I've been guilty of a couple of these mistakes in the past…and chances are that you are too. But by recognizing our flawed app…
- #92: Research Update: Finger Injuries, RED-S, and More from the Canadian Climbing Medicine Symposium
In this episode, I'll share some insider insights from the Canadian Climbing Medicine (CCM) Symposium held in Squamish, BC this past August. I'll give you some of the conference highlights on topics such as recent climbing injury trends, n…
- #91: The Road to 5.13a - PART 2 - Working to SEND the Project!
What does it take to climb your first 5.13a? In this episode, you'll hear my recommendations (for Ryan Devlin) as he projects his first 5.13a....with the goal of sending it by the end of this year. This is a follow-up to episode #86, in wh…
- #90. Six Weeks until Autumn Send Season -- Training Smart to Perform Your Best!
For many climbers, Autumn is the season of sending. With the start of "send season" just 6 weeks away, this episode will describe a few keys for dialing in your training now to climb your best in October and November. Lean into this podcas…
- #89. How Often Should You "Rest Day" While on a Climbing Roadtrip
For many of us, Summer is the season of climbing roadtrips. Whether you're venturing across North America, Europe, or Asia, visiting new climbing areas is a wonderful skill- and experience-building endeavor...and it will likely enrich your…
- #88: The Physical Differences Between Bouldering and Sport Climbing (and the Training Implications for Pursuiting Peak Performance in Each)
The topic for this Flash edition can be summarized in this simple, but powerful concept: You can NOT train optimally for peak performance in bouldering and sport climbing at the same time! Obviously, bouldering and sport climbing are much…
- #87: The Making of a "Surprise" Hardest-Ever Send! (and the question "Why do we climb?)
Imagine going from having no project climb...to sending perhaps your hardest-ever route in just a few short weeks. That's the unusual story I will share with you in this episode. The route is Kaleidoscope, the Red River Gorge king line, wh…
- #86: The Road to 5.13a - A Personalized Training Strategy with Ryan Devlin
What's it take to climb your first 5.13a? In this episode, you'll hear my prescription for one 5.12 climber looking to project -- and send -- his first 5.13a before year's end. In an interesting and entertaining departure from the typical…
- #85: Will Running Help Your Climbing?
It's a question I get asked all the time: "Will doing some running (or other cardio) help my climbing performance?" Giving a proper answer demands some nuance based on the individual's phenotype as well as their current level of climbing e…
- #84: The Role of Genetics in Climbing Performance & What It Means for You
In this fascinating episode, Eric Hörst provides a deep and thoughtful overview of the research on the role genetics plays in sports prowess and climbing performance. Leveraging his decades of experience as a climbing coach and 30 years en…
- #83: Training (and Life) "Edits" to Climb Better & Achieve Greatly
If you're passionate about improving your training, elevating your climbing, and advancing in other important life areas....then this is a must-listen podcast! With the perspective of a new year's renewal, Coach Hörst explains the power of…
- #82: 7 End-of-Climbing-Season Mistakes You Don't Want to Make (by Dwight Schrute, kind of!)
In this fast-paced episode, Eric details 7 end-of-climbing-season mistakes that you don't want to make! Becoming aware of common training mistakes, seasonal traps, and/or counterproductive behaviors that climbers commonly succumb to can sa…
- #81: Boulder & Crag Day Nutrition for Peak Performance (FLASH Edition #2)
You have been waiting all week to get out to get outside and climb! You've been training hard and your stoke is high to top some great boulders and/or take the sharp end up a few killer routes. Now that it's "game day", what can you do nut…
- #80: Weekday Training for Weekend Sending! (FLASH edition #1)
Do you work or school full-time during the week, then on the weekends set off on a mission to climb your hardest? If so, then you've surely considered how to train most effectively during the workweek...to set yourself up for success on th…