Best Alpine Climbing Podcasts (2024)

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#123 Adam Shahar — The Best Training For Climbing, 1-Arm Pogo’s, IFSC Athlete of the Week, Ego Snacks, and Letting Go of Negative Thoughts 1:54:40

19m ago1:54:40

1:54:40

Adam Shahar is the name that keeps coming up when I ask who is an up and coming star. At 18 he had a breakout year where he won bouldering nationals, climbed V15 in a few sessions while he was on the road doing WC’s, and then became IFSC’s Athlete of the Week when he narrowly missed finals with a 7th place finish at the Prague WC. He also had perha…

1
EP 247: Todd Perkins — Protecting Moe’s Valley, and What We Can Do to Help 35:22

28m ago35:22

35:22

Moe’s Valley access is under threat! Todd Perkins returns to the show to talk about what is happening with Moe’s Valley, what actions are being taken to protect it, and what we can do to help. You can sign the petition here! Sign the Petition: Petition to Permanently Protect the Greater Moe’s Valley Area (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf…

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Ep 106 - Solo Ground Fall - Chris Gardner 47:21

1d ago47:21

47:21

May of 2023, Chris set out to rope solo Virgin Wool (5.8 C2) in Arches National Park. The description of the first pitch read: "5.7 - sporty - no pro.” To Chris, it looked harder than a 5.7 from the ground, and he noticed a seam that he thought he could aid up, so he decided to try and aid climb the route. It didn’t go as planned and he ripped out …

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Enormocast 295: Aaron Peterson – Paying His Dues 1:15:45

3d ago1:15:45

1:15:45

On Episode 295 of the Enormocast, I sit down at a splintery picnic table on a hot morning in Lander, Wyoming with Aaron Peterson. Aaron is a young (ish) climber for whom activism, protest, and speaking his mind goes hand in hand with his motivations as a climber. At a cost to his mental health, … Continue reading "Enormocast 295: Aaron Peterson – P…

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#122 Hamish McArthur — His Surprising Path To Olympic Success, The Right Kind of Motivation, BTS at Paris 2024, Advice To Young Hamish, and Handling Danger and Death 1:45:25

2d ago1:45:25

1:45:25

If you watched the Paris Olympics then you remember Hamish McArthur’s stand out performance to secure an incredible 5th place finish. Hamish had already stood atop World Cup podiums and won Youth Worlds, but his Olympic showing was a clear level up. In this episode Hamish shares what changed for him in the year leading up to the Olympics and how it…

1
EP 246: Fundamentals — How to Break a Plateau 1:22:25

2d ago1:22:25

1:22:25

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 6 of 6) — If you climb long enough, you’ll inevitably hit a plateau. In part 6, Jesse and I share our top tips and pitfalls for how to break through plateaus and continue progressing in your climbing. We cover the importance of focusing on skills rather than grades, doubling down on the basics, how to continually progres…

1
Episode 241: Jordy Smith - Jordy's Game 51:23

2d ago51:23

51:23

Use SIDEWAVES10 for 10% off anything from session at The Wave in Bristol! -- As anybody who’s watched your typical softball chat-show conversation will be aware, interviews with people at a certain level of fame and renown, such as this week’s guest Jordy Smith, tend to unfold in one of two ways. There’s the filtered, on-message, and generally unin…

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EP 245: A Political Discussion About the Health Crisis, Foreign Wars, the Future of Democracy, and More | ft. Kaizen Asiedu 2:56:18

12d ago2:56:18

2:56:18

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

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#121 Matt Fultz — BIG MOVES small crimps, Long Term Projecting, Video Analysis, Hardest Board Climbs, Throwing Away His Scale, and How He Coaches on OTG 1:51:26

9d ago1:51:26

1:51:26

You’ve heard of Matt Fultz, but you may not realize just how amazing Matt is. He’s climbed eight V16’s. 8. Eight! By the way, two of them are rarely repeated and recognized as some of the hardest in the world (Hypnotized Minds and Big Z). He’s FA’d 7 climbs V15 and up, including 2 V15’s in one day!! We’re pretty sure that’s a world’s first, but who…

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EP 244: Felipe Camargo — The Power of Drive + Creativity, Tropical Lines in Brazil, & Moonboard Endurance Circuits 1:38:47

15d ago1:38:47

1:38:47

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

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Follow-Up: Matt Heyliger — Pulley Injury Rehab (Part 1) 32:15

13d ago32:15

32:15

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

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Mt. Dickey: A New Route and a Brilliant History 39:01

16d ago39:01

39:01

Alaska’s Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier has captured the attention of alpinists from around the world for generations. Mt. Dickey and the other giant peaks lining the gorge have also been fertile venues for the evolution of the sport. So it was for Tom Livingstone and Gašper Pintar in the spring of 2024, when they set out for a new line up Dickey’…

1
#120 Alvaro Rangel — Coaching Team USA at the Olympics, Not Saying ‘Strong’, The Most Important Skill, Making Finals vs Semi’s, Case Studies, and The Future of Comp Climbing 2:33:21

16d ago2:33:21

2:33:21

Alvaro Rangel, Al, is back on the podcast after 2+ years! Al was one of the first guests and one of the best. The last podcast we did was incredible, but somehow Al managed to top it with today’s episode. He is the founder and head coach of Team Class 5 in San Diego, CA. Al is also part of the Team USA coaching staff and supports the team at World …

1
EP 243: Fundamentals — How to Recover From an Injury 1:16:43

17d ago1:16:43

1:16:43

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

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Enormocast 294: Simon Carter – Climbing Through the Lens 1:37:06

19d ago1:37:06

1:37:06

On Episode 294 of the Enormocast, I connect to Katoomba, NSW in Australia- the heart of the Blue Mountains – to chat with photographer Simon Carter. Simon has been in the game as long as anyone currently active, and after four decades of producing some of the most iconic images in climbing, he’s published a … Continue reading "Enormocast 294: Simon…

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#119 Melina Costanza — Elite Mental Training and Performance, Look Good Feel Good Play Good, Getting Hooked on The Outdoors, and The Nuances of Eating As a Top Athlete 2:23:34

23d ago2:23:34

2:23:34

Melina Costanza is an 8x US National Champion. Sometimes as a youth, sometimes as a collegiate, sometimes in Open, sometimes in bouldering, sometimes in lead, sometimes both. Yes, last year at Open Nationals (2023) she won both Bouldering and Lead. She is set to compete in the 2024 Open Nationals coming up in a week, so after you listen to this pod…

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EP 242: Molly Beard — The Language of Movement, Budgeting Your Body Dollars, and Advice From an L5 Routesetter 2:03:44

23d ago2:03:44

2:03:44

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

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Episode 240: Jamie Brisick - Third 1:17:57

23d ago1:17:57

1:17:57

Use SIDEWAVES10 for 10% off anything from session at The Wave in Bristol! -- What a treat to welcome the great Jamie Brisick back for his third Looking Sideways appearance. The occasion? The release of The Life and Death of Westerly Windina, his brilliant documentary collaboration with Australian director Alan White about the life and times of Pete…

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Ep 105 - Avalanched On Mount Shasta - Tanner And Parker 1:10:42

29d ago1:10:42

1:10:42

In April of this year (2024), Tanner and Parker were swept down Mt. Shasta after triggering a wind stab. After a 12 hour ground rescue, they were finally off the mountain, but did sustain physical and mental injuries from the traumatic event. Tune into this episode to hear their story.This podcast is produced by Ashley Saupe. This podcast is sponso…

1
#118 Ward Byrum — Setting Climbs For Tens of Thousands of Climbers, What Makes A Climb Good, Indoor vs Outdoor Grades, and What A ‘Testpiece’ is at Movement Gyms 2:20:27

30d ago2:20:27

2:20:27

Ward Byrum is the Director of Routesetting for all Movement gyms in the East Region. Yes, that Movement. The biggest climbing gym chain in America and probably the world. That means that Ward and his team decide what the climbing will be like for thousands of climbers. Scratch that, ten’s of thousands of climbers. It might even be hundreds of thous…

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EP 241: Fundamentals — How to Train Your Fingers 1:41:33

1M ago1:41:33

1:41:33

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

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Enormocast 293: Jim Ewing – The Quality of Life 1:49:10

1M ago1:49:10

1:49:10

On Episode 293 of the Enormocast, I connect with paraclimber Jim Ewing. Jim grew up climbing in the storied days of 1980s North Conway in New Hampshire. In his formative climbing years, Ewing rubbed elbows with the likes of Randy Radcliff, Alison Osius, and Hugh Herr. He didn’t know it while eeking out a dirtbag … Continue reading "Enormocast 293: …

1
#117 Tom Randall — How Fit Climbers Get Strong and Strong Climbers Get Fit, Founding Lattice Training and How It’s Evolved, Why Recovery On Route Is So Important, and What Separates the Good from the Great ... 2:15:58

1M ago2:15:58

2:15:58

Tom Randall is an iconic climber and founder. You might know him as one of the Wide Boyz, as one of the founders of Lattice Training, as a high level coach, or for his 5.14 Trad FA’s or even his FA of the worlds hardest crack boulder, aptly named “The Kraken” [V13]. Ya, Tom’s done it all, and has helped the best in the world do it even better. In t…

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EP 240: Alex Megos — Post-Olympic Sending Spree, the America Tour, and Making Changes to Reach His Full Potential 1:18:33

1M ago1:18:33

1:18:33

Alex Megos is a German professional climber and a living legend. He recorded this podcast from the Flatanger campground during his recent sending spree in Norway. We talked about sending Change 9b+, why he is practicing his kneebar skills, future 9b+ and 9c projects, what it meant to him to send Bibliographie, his America Tour in 2013, how onsighti…

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Episode 239: Laura Crane - Hear My Story 1:07:10

1M ago1:07:10

1:07:10

Use SIDEWAVES10 for 10% off anything from session at The Wave in Bristol! -- Over the last year, it’s been one of the biggest stories in British surfing. How Croyde’s own Laura Crane headed to Nazare, and surfed the biggest waves ever snagged by a British woman. No wonder if’s been covered by everybody from Carve to BBC Radio Five Live. But if you’…

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BONUS: Ron Kauk — A Call for Future Generations 43:22

1M ago43:22

43:22

Another phone call with Ron Kauk. Donate to Sacred Rok if you wish: sacredrok.orgBy Ron Kauk

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We missed the Olympics (part 2: Grinch mode) 53:24

2M ago53:24

53:24

Grinched up and ready to rock Support the showBy Crisp Shawarma

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#116 David Fitzgerald — A Big Zeason [V16], Lucid Dreaming [V15+], His Breakthrough On How To Approach Hard Projects, Creating Hits with Highpoint Productions, and Editing 101 2:00:15

1M ago2:00:15

2:00:15

David Fitzgerald is back after an absolutely incredible season. Dave was previously on for Testpiece Episode #55, a total fan favorite. Last season Dave had a list of climbs in different styles to tackle. Tierrany, a V14 endurance bloc in Yosemite. Equanimity, a V15 ultra tech testpiece in Tahoe. Lucid Dreaming, the V15+ straight forward power prob…

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EP 239: Fundamentals — How to Start Weight Training 1:32:28

1M ago1:32:28

1:32:28

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

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EP 238: Girls Gone Hueco — Making the First All-Female Bouldering Film & the Power of a Girl Gang | ft. Midori Buechli & Long Truong 1:21:57

2M ago1:21:57

1:21:57

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

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Enormocast 292: Hamish McArthur and Holly Toothill – Showing Up 1:27:31

2M ago1:27:31

1:27:31

On Episode 292 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a hotel in Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) during the Arc’teryx Academy with Olympian Hamish McArthur and British competition climber Holly Toothill. I arrived in Squamish with Hamish booked and asked Holly to join at the last minute as a friend, teammate, and observer of Hamish’s performance in … Continue re…

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#115 Garrett Gregor — Olympic Head Routesetter, BTS of Elite Competitive Setting, Grades of the Olympic Climbs, and Do Setters Control the Outcome? 2:26:33

2M ago2:26:33

2:26:33

Garrett Gregor was the head routesetter for the Paris Olympics boulders! That’s all you need to know. Just stop reading this description and start listening now. Garrett is also an accomplished competitor, placing as high as 4th at Nationals, an experienced coach at the legendary Team ABC, and did we mention he’s an elite routesetter?! IFSC Level 5…

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EP 237: Yves Gravelle Returns — Why Lazy Athletes Get Strong, My 200 lb Grip Goal, and How to Combine Climbing With Targeted Finger Training 2:09:57

2M ago2:09:57

2:09:57

Yves Gravelle returns to the podcast to help me get stronger fingers. We talked about my current finger strength goal, how to build a 3-month training program, best joint angles for edge lifting, limiting factors, the challenge for climbers with building finger strength, forearm hypertrophy exercises, how to know when you need more rest, how to com…

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Episode 238: Tommy Guerrero - A Vehicle For Your Voice 1:13:02

2M ago1:13:02

1:13:02

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS for 15% off anything from Stance socks. -- I’m joined by one of THE all time greats this week: Tommy Guerrero, legendary skateboarder and musician; and one of the select few to have shaped the way we collectively view this entire sideways culture. Tommy was, of course, part of the original Bone Brigade crew, alongside Tony Hawk,…

1
The Competitive Drive with Gordon McArthur 1:06:51

2M ago1:06:51

1:06:51

Today, we dive into the mindset of a competitor. Gordon McArthur has been a staple on the World Cup circuit across 15 seasons, including a one-year retirement. We talk about the particular highs and lows of returning to the sport, the story of Storm Giant (the first proposed D16 in the world), and what role ego plays in it all. In particular, our c…

1
#114 Tyler Nelson — How Personal Morphology Affects Climbing Performance, Specificity, Unlevel Edges, Talon Grip, and Tim Gabbett’s Paradox 2:13:19

2M ago2:13:19

2:13:19

Dr. Tyler Nelson is the founder of Camp 4 Human Performance, a company focused on bringing the principles of sport science to climbing. Tyler is focused on being a cutting edge resource for training and rehabilitation of climbers. This means he is always knee deep in research papers from all sorts of sports and asking how we might apply those lesso…

1
EP 236: Fundamentals — How to Train on a Spray Wall 1:10:53

2M ago1:10:53

1:10:53

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

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Ep 104 - I Believe In Helmets - Brandon Cox 29:37

2M ago29:37

29:37

In March of this year, Brandon took his wife and a visiting climber from Hungry to the Atlantis climbing area in Queen Creek Canyon near Phoenix, AZ. They were warming up on some easy routes and were all thoroughly enjoying the day. On Brandon’s second lead of the day climbing an easy 5.8, things were going fine until they weren’t.From what Brandon…

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Leading From Behind the Scenes with Doug Heinrich 1:25:36

2M ago1:25:36

1:25:36

Doug Heinrich has just about done it all and seen it all in ice climbing ⛏️ as both a climber and product designer 🧤. Doug hails from Salt Lake City where he began climbing in the 1970s. He was an extensive route developer, including many mixed climbs in the Wasatch, competed at the X Games, and has been at the vanguard for product at Black Diamond…

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EP 235: Dr. Amy Frugé — Why Your Spine & Stress Might Be Responsible for Your Forearm & Finger Pain 2:00:08

2M ago2:00:08

2:00:08

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

1
We missed the Olympics (part 1) 1:00:41

2M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

POV your favorite podcast just posted but they're late again cause summer is too damn fun. Support the showBy Crisp Shawarma

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#113 Kevin Brown — Literally Everything Your Ever Wanted To Know About Chalk, Founding Friction Labs, Skin Farming, and How To Make Sure You Are Getting The Best Friction On Holds 1:25:20

2M ago1:25:20

1:25:20

This is the episode to learn everything about one of, if not the, most important parts of our climbing kit — chalk! The real topic here is how to maximize friction between your hands and the holds, which is crucial for sending your hardest. Kevin Brown joins the pod and goes deep on the science of how to get the best friction on holds. He talks abo…

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#112 Paris 2024 Olympics — Professional Climber and Coach Tim Kang on The Results, The Routesetting, The Grades, and The Future of Competitions 2:06:24

2M ago2:06:24

2:06:24

Professional climber, coach, routesetter, and frequent Testpiece podcast guest, Tim Kang, is on the pod this week to share his thoughts about the Paris 2024 Olympics. Tim may be best known for his highball ascents that culminated in the film Focus, but Tim is also a seasoned competition climber with multiple World Cups under his belt. Tim loves com…

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EP 234: Fundamentals — How to Climb on a Training Board 1:02:37

2M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

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

1
Fundamentals Season 2 Kickoff 5:46

2M ago5:46

5:46

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

1
Episode 237: Hallvard Kolltveit - From The North Country 1:06:43

2M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS for 15% off any Db luggage or bag - and click here to see my other discounts. -- Hallvard Kolltveit describes himself as ‘the surf photographer that doesn’t know how to swim properly’. It’s a good line, and one that sums up Hallvard’s witty and self-deprecating take on his own unconventional route through action sport and outdoo…

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From Dreams of Flight to Ultralight: Crafting the World’s Lightest Ice Tools with Jarek Walewski of Eliteclimb 56:03

3M ago56:03

56:03

Eliteclimb makes the lightest ice tools in the world, and it’s not even close. It’s possible because Jarosław "Jarek" Walewski uses a mix of carbon and kevlar composites, and nothing else—the only metal in his tools are the bolts and picks. The one-man brand has been bucking industry trends for over a decade now, and it’s his unique position as an …

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Enormocast 290: Hayden Jamieson -Through the Valley of Darkness 1:26:56

3M ago1:26:56

1:26:56

On Episode 290 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a cool, dark hotel room on a bright and HOT day in Lander, WY with bigwall climber, Hayden Jamieson. Hayden and I both slumped into our chairs after escaping the 100 degree day outside and tried to gather ourselves for the interview, and that’s when … Continue reading "Enormocast 290: Hayden Jamieson …

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#111 Tom O’Halloran — How To Do Hard Moves, Using Boards To Climb Better Outside, Toes Knees Hips, Taping Correctly, and What The Olympics Are Like 2:23:48

3M ago2:23:48

2:23:48

Tom O’Halloran is arguably the best climber in Australia. He’s an Olympian, he’s climbed 15a and v14, and done FA’s nearly up to those grades as well. But the reason we wanted to have him on the podcast is because of the amazing YouTube content he puts out. He dives into the nuances of hard climbing in a way that actually helps people climb hard. T…

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EP 233: Olympic Reactions With Allison Vest 2:00:06

3M ago2:00:06

2:00:06

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

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