Best Better Climbing Beta Podcasts (2024)

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#108 AJ [Alex Johnson] — 20 Years At The Top, The Evolution Of Climbing, Coaching Top Athletes, Climbing Drills, and Returning From A Major Injury 1:59:27

30m ago1:59:27

1:59:27

AJ has been competing at the highest level for decades. She has won multiple Bouldering World Cups and she climbs just as hard outdoors with her iconic send of The Swarm (v13/14) in Bishop which was recently featured in Reel Rock. AJ also coaches some of the top up and coming Youth Athletes (one of her athletes recently won Nationals), through her …

1
#107 Drew Ruana — Thinking Long Term, Grading The Hardest Blocs, Working Weaknesses, 3 Common Plateaus and How to Get Through Them 2:10:57

19m ago2:10:57

2:10:57

Drew Ruana is one of the strongest boulders in the world. Period. He over a hundred V14+ sends, and lots of then are V16. While some other climbers may have that amount of blocs under their belt, no one has accumulated this many in such a short time. Drew goes into his infamous “Send Colorado” journey, which is his goal to send all V14 and up bould…

1
#106 Felipe Camargo — An Unlikely Path To The Top, Finding Mentors, Training Hard By Yourself, Establishing Next Level Routes in Brazil, and Giving Back 1:36:36

5d ago1:36:36

1:36:36

Felipe Camargo is one of the top climbers in our sport with sends up to 9b and V15. That’s impressive… But what’s more impressive is that he began climbing Brazil where there was no professional climbers, no routes past 8b+, and no modern training facilities. Felipe managed to send the iconic 50m 9a+ Papichulo by mainly training on a 3x3m spray wal…

1
#105 Tim Kang — Going All In, The Most Important Moments for Growth, Embracing What Others Won’t, and The Difference Between Good and Great 2:07:50

12d ago2:07:50

2:07:50

Tim Kang is a frequent guest on the podcast, but now you get to hear him do a more typical interview. Tim is a professional climber and coach that has competed at the World Cup level, won a Psicobloc competition, climbed v14 and 5.14d, but he is best known for his daring sends of the wildest highballs in Bishop which culminated in the popular film …

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#104 Greg Loh — Bouldering Pioneer, World’s Best Spotter, Belief Over Everything, Epic Midnight Lightning Story, Designing The 5.10 Dragons, and What Makes A Climber GREAT 2:20:47

19d ago2:20:47

2:20:47

Greg Loh was one of the strongest boulders in the world during the mid 90’s and early 00’s. He traveled all over the world putting up FA’s of V13+ and climbing with the best. He competed in WC’s, the X-Games, and even won Nationals twice for speed climbing. He is known for being one of the first people who truly embraced bouldering as a discipline …

1
#103 T&J — The Opposite Of Flow, Woods and Wheelers, Keeping Your Feet On, and Respect Every Climb[er] 1:58:08

26d ago1:58:08

1:58:08

Entitlement is the opposite of flow and perhaps the most damaging frame to have over the long term in your climbing. This can come from training, previous sends, or comp placement. Hear stories about Daniel Woods and other pro-climbers who have avoided this frame. And hear from Tim Kang and Josh Horsley about how they coach others and themselves to…

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#102 The Tension Crew — Ultimate Board Climbing Deep Dive, History of Boards, Best Board Practices, Training on Boards, The Future of Boards, and Undeniable Vibes 2:26:24

1M ago2:26:24

2:26:24

We love board climbing. And if you do too, or even if you are just board curious, this episode it for you. The history of boards, board training, board ethics, board best practices, the future of boards. BOARDS!! This was a special in person recording in Colorado with part of the Tension Climbing crew (Will Anglin, Michael Rosato, and Quinn Spadafo…

1
BOARD MEETINGS | Our Favorite Effective Finger Strength Protocols 1:11:23

1M ago1:11:23

1:11:23

There are a million of them out there, but not all finger strength protocols transfer well to climbing, or are time efficient, or are even possible with the tools we have. In this episode, Kris and Nate discuss their favorite protocols, both that they use themselves and in programming for their clients. _________________________ 🔍 EXPLORE FURTHER Y…

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#101 Dave Burleson — How To Be A Pro Climber, What Pro’s Actually Earn, The Tension Between Passion And Professionalism, and Contract Negotiation 101 2:31:11

1M ago2:31:11

2:31:11

Dave Burleson is one of the top agents for professional climbers. He's part of Reppa Athlete Managment that represents athletes like Sean Bailey, Nathaniel Coleman, Nina Williams, Jesse Grupper… the list goes on, but all of them have been on the podcast so we put them here first! Before being an agent, Dave worked at the iconic brands Petzl and The…

1
FOCUS Q&A 2: Movement Solutions, Finding Better Beta, and Toe Hooks vs. Heel Hooks 56:24

2M ago56:24

56:24

Be the first to learn about about the new Movement Assessment Tool & Mini-Course! In Part 2 of this special Q & A episode, Kris fields questions from YOU! Sent in from our YouTube subscribers, training clients, and more, Kris digs into what you want to know when it comes to climbing movement. This is Part 2 so be sure to check out Part 1, if you ha…

1
#100 T&J — The Simple Path To Being Great, The Real Role Of Strength, Dealing With Tweaky Moves, Moonboard 2024, Amazing Media Drops, and Skin Farming 2:03:49

2M ago2:03:49

2:03:49

Episode #100!!!! Thank you all for the support. What a journey it’s been. This episode was an absolute banger that encapsulates a lot of the Testpiece message. Tim and Josh break down the ‘Simple’ path that the best climbers follow to being great. And then they detail the appropriate role that strength plays in this path. They also go over the late…

1
TAPED TIPS | 5 Simple Ways to Climb Harder 6:45

2M ago6:45

6:45

You’re scrolling Instagram or YouTube or listening to the newest podcast episodes, and now, just today, you’ve got three new finger strength protocols to try, you learned that your footwork needs overhauling, you’re warming up all wrong, and you have to buy a few new training devices. And you have to implement it all right now, because, well, you j…

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#99 Nina Williams — Off Route While Free Soloing, The Ultimate Confidence, Being a Professional on Instagram, and The Medium Is The Message 1:49:54

2M ago1:49:54

1:49:54

Nina Williams pushes the limits in every discipline of climbing there is… comps, bouldering, highball bouldering, big wall, sport climbing, and even free soloing. In this episode she takes us through a harrowing experience she had while free soloing the Casual Route of the Diamond, a multi pitch 5.10. Nina ended up off route during the climb and th…

1
FOCUS Q&A 1: Climbing Movement Principles, Skill vs. Strength, and How to Evaluate 39:45

2M ago39:45

39:45

Be the first to learn about about the new Movement Assessment Tool & Mini-Course! In this special Q & A episode, Kris fields questions from YOU! Sent in from our Patrons, Kris digs into what you want to know when it comes to climbing movement. This is Part 1 of 2 episodes so be sure to stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon! Thanks to Patrons Cody Ratt…

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#98 T&J — Your Heroes Are Human, 2 Traits The BEST Climbers Have, Honnold Says The Quiet Thing Out Loud, and Tim Tells Josh His Biggest Mistake 1:56:05

2M ago1:56:05

1:56:05

Tim Kang was just in SLC for the World Cup and NACS. He got to watch and session with some of the best climbers in the world. Hear from Tim what his major takeaways were that can help you too. SHOW NOTES: Honnold’s Comments About Competitions and $ Petzl Roc Trip James-Caro Wedding Present Support the Show. Support us on Patreon: HERE Visit our pod…

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#97 Davin Bagdonas — Alpine Fusion, Grizzly Bears, Developing 1000’s of Climbs World Wide, Chasing The Dragon, and The Call To Adventure 2:12:55

2M ago2:12:55

2:12:55

Davin Bagdonas has developed 1000’s of climbs all over the world. Elite climbers, fellow adventurers, and previous podcast guests, like Jimmy Webb, Jamie Emerson, Roman Yalowitz, Eric Jerome call up Davin when they want to go on a wild adventure to try to find the best boulders in the world. Davin takes us on a trip around the world to places fraug…

1
TAPED TIPS | How To Climb Taller AND Smaller 13:48

2M ago13:48

13:48

Short climbers are good at getting scrunchy, and tall climbers are good at climbing extended, right? Ummm, no. Not always. Actually, not even most of the time. Believing that, particularly if you’re one of those short or tall climbers, is a trap. I’m going to tell you why, and I’m going to tell you exactly how to make sure you don’t fall into this …

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REWIND | Can We Accurately Measure the Movement Skills of Sport Climbers? 45:54

3M ago45:54

45:54

Today we rewind to an episode of Breaking Beta where Kris and Paul dig into a paper that presents and then tests a method for measuring movement skills in climbing: Climbing performance analysis: A novel tool for the assessment of rock climber's movement performance Authored by Nicola Taylor, Dave Giles, Michaela Panáčková, James Mitchell, Joel B. …

1
#96 T&J — Battling Mid-Send Doubts, Incredibly Hard Sends, New Shoe Tech, Update Your System By Shutting Up, Don’t Talk Sh!t, and Josh Talk’s Sh!t 1:58:25

3M ago1:58:25

1:58:25

You’re midway through a redpoint burn and you’re tired. There’s a bunch of moves to go and you tell yourself that you’re so tired right now there’s no way you’ll ever send. But the truth is, you have no idea how far you will get or if the send is actually right there for the taking. You can’t trust your feelings! Tim and Josh tackle the problem of …

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EVERY BODY CLIMBS | Ben Mayforth on Discipline, Paraclimbing World Championships, and Letting Go 32:50

3M ago32:50

32:50

Ben Mayforth is a decorated climber well known for dialing in his training regimen. He's a Paraclimbing World Cup multi-medalist. Since 2019, he hasn't missed a silver medal at the Paraclimbing World Championships. Ben has a reputation of being extremely disciplined, but he’s recently loosened some of his self-imposed rules, and we discuss the impa…

1
Nate Drolet | A Consultation with The Struggle Climbing Show 1:15:24

3M ago1:15:24

1:15:24

Today's episode comes from The Struggle Climbing Show and features our very own coach Nate Drolet in consultation with the show's host Ryan Devlin, who has been working hard towards a goal to climb 13a. They'll talk movement analysis, technique improvement, and more. This is the first of two episodes with Nate on the topic, so be sure to head over …

1
#95 Palmer Larsen — The Master Coach, Adaptability and Autonomy, Deliberate Practice, Style Then Process, What’s Wrong In Coaching Today, and Olympic 2024 Predictions 2:11:55

3M ago2:11:55

2:11:55

Palmer Larsen is one of the top coaches in the country. This podcast has soooooooooo many helpful tips and frameworks to get you to the next level. DO NOT MISS his description of how to foster an environment for long term success via deliberate practice @ ~1:28! He is the head coach of Momentum Climbing Team, in SLC, one of the top climbing teams i…

1
EXPERT | Udo Neumann on Movement, Learning, and How to Coach Climbing 1:45:20

3M ago1:45:20

1:45:20

Udo Neumann is a climber, performance coach, and motor-learning explorer. He’s the author of several books, including the cult classic Performance Rock Climbing. He was the German National Team coach from 2009 to 2017, working with several European and World Champion athletes during that time, including Jan Hojer and Jule Wurm. Today he advises fed…

1
#94 T&J — How To Approach EVERY Climb, New Era Of Climbing Media, Double Clutching Outside, New Patreon Offering, Warm-Up Projects, Un-Campusing and Why Trying Hard Isn’t Enough 1:52:11

3M ago1:52:11

1:52:11

What is the best way to approach a climb? It’s a simple question that may be one of the most important things to ask yourself before you pull on each time, but it’s never talked about. Tim Kang, professional climber and coach, shares the fundamental strategy needed to get your best performance each time. Announcement!! $5 Patron’s now have access t…

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TAPED TIPS | The Setup Mistake Climbers Make on Hard Moves 16:29

3M ago16:29

16:29

Where's the first place your mind goes when you don’t stick a move? If you’re like most climbers, it’s probably your finger strength, or tension, or even your effort, and you’re already considering what hangboard protocol to use or some front lever workout. But it’s possible you’re looking in the wrong direction entirely... Read the rest on the blo…

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#93 Allison Vest — THE STRONGEST FINGERS IN THE WORLD, Hangboarding Deep Dive, Comps Vs Outdoors, LeBron James’ Tip to Send V14, Not Lying to Yourself, Creating FLOAT and Her Secret Training PDF (only ... 2:08:50

3M ago2:08:50

2:08:50

Allison Vest has THE STRONGEST FINGERS IN THE WORLD (according to the internet), and she is finally releasing her secret training plan to us! It’s only $9.99, and the best part is Testpiece listeners get 20% off for a limited time! Get it here NOW! 🥸 Allison shares about what it’s like to climb with the extremely strong fingers and why that’s impor…

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(BONUS) EXPERT | Will Anglin on Climbing All The Things, the Intersection of Strength and Movement, and the Ultimate Tool 37:39

4M ago37:39

37:39

Will Anglin is one of the founders of Tension Climbing, a company that not only makes training tools, but also is committed to innovation in a way that leads climbers toward mastery over success. In this episode we discuss movement skills, some ways climbers are going wrong in their pursuit and how they can continue improving, and the tools that mi…

1
#92 T&J — Climbing At Your Limit, Make It Right USAC, Rants Continue, Gym Field Trips, and The Simplest Effective Training Routine 1:48:03

3M ago1:48:03

1:48:03

Tim Kang and Josh Horsley explore how often to have limit sessions. What limit sessions really mean. And what non-limit sessions look like. They also cover the latest news, give important PSAs, Pro-Tips, and of course there is a rant. There’s always at least one rant. SHOW NOTES: GoFundme for Adriene Felipe Hoo Beastmaking Book Support the Show. Su…

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BUILDER | Lauren Abernathy is Building Better Climbing Movement Skills with In-Person Sessions 1:05:14

4M ago1:05:14

1:05:14

Lauren Abernathy works hard to be a better climber. In fact, it’s part of her job as owner of Good Spray Climbing to help other people become better climbers, and she walks the walk. For several years she’s worked with our coach Blake Cash, and has recently been supplementing that with private movement sessions with Nate Drolet. In this episode, we…

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#91 Jimmy Webb — Adventure and Development, How Climbers Go From Good To Great, Southern Style, World’s Greatest Flasher, The New Generation, and The Hardest Moves In The World 2:23:30

4M ago2:23:30

2:23:30

That's right ladies and gentlemen -- Jimmy Webb! Jimmy is one of the best climbers our sport has ever scene, and one of the humblest and kindest climbers as well. Please enjoy this wide ranging but always fantastic chat with Jimmy Webb. Support the Show. Support us on Patreon: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE Sign-up with one of our coaches: HERE …

1
TAPED TIPS | The Secret to Hard Moves that Most Climbers are Missing 10:18

4M ago10:18

10:18

For most of us, climbing looks like this: Pull on, try the move, fall off. Stare at your hands and try to understand why you fell. Pull on, try the move, fall off. Stare at your hands and come up with a new reason why you fell. Pull on again, try the move again, fall off. Again You get it. You've been there. But there’s a better way. In this episod…

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#90 T&J — “Strength Forgets”, The Process SA, Team Trials Trouble, Binding Your Feet, Moonboard Rant, and Get Injured To Get Better Technique?! 1:40:23

4M ago1:40:23

1:40:23

The topics are in the title! A big focus on what Tim is “re-learning” as he comes back from his serious knee injury. SHOW NOTES: Team Trials Instagram Post by Ryan Paul Robinson on Hueco Rock Rodeo Nathaniel Flashing Scarface Support the Show. Support us on Patreon: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE Sign-up with one of our coaches: HERE Follow us o…

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EXPERT | Taylor Reed on Climbing Research and Evidence-Informed Movement Coaching 1:36:22

4M ago1:36:22

1:36:22

Taylor Reed is a climber and coach who has worked with high-level athletes – both competitive and outdoor climbers – for many years. He’s the vice president of the International Rock Climbing Research Association and also runs The Beta Angel Project, which takes climbing-specific research and synthesizes it with ideas and experience in order to fin…

1
#89 Martin Keller — 8C+ at 45+, How To Gain Limit Strength, How To Project, Naysayers, Avoiding Injury, and The Big Difference Between Indoors and Outdoors 2:30:21

4M ago2:30:21

2:30:21

Martin Keller is one of the few people to boulder 8C+ / V16... But what's really incredible is he just did it right before he turned 46 years old! Martin is an incredible climber, coach, and teacher. In this episode he shares: How to gain limit strength, rather than just getting tired. The best way to project climbs (he's famous for his decade plus…

1
BOARD MEETINGS | How Much Climbing Skill Is Guaranteed With Experience? 1:06:08

5M ago1:06:08

1:06:08

A common refrain in climbing is that the more you climb, the better you get. But all of us know some old crusty who has been climbing for 45 years and is stuck at mid 5.10. And they have all of the excuses as to why. But they’re wrong. In this episode, Kris and Nate explore why we believe we’ll just get better if we keep at it, as well as offer str…

1
#88 T&J — Busting Plateau’s, How To Reclaim A Peak, Get Your Own Felipe [Hoo], ROTSW Still V17, and Sending The MoonBoard Proj 1:44:50

4M ago1:44:50

1:44:50

Tim’s back at it and with a big smile. Hear how he’s been returning to his peak strength after injury. Tim also talks about how he coaches clients through plateaus. Big shout outs to the crews that make life special for Tim and Josh and what they did to help them be their best. Bosi repeats ROTSW, and just about every other hard thing in the world.…

1
TAPED TIPS | Go Ahead, Grab That Foothold and Be Adaptable 12:03

5M ago12:03

12:03

Go ahead, grab that foothold. I mean, it’s only a foothold until someone uses it as a handhold. Then it’s just a hold. So use it. And if you don’t want to because you’d rather challenge yourself to do it without using that really obvious hold right there, that’s fine, too. There’s no heroism in skipping an obvious hold. There’s no shame in using a …

1
REWIND | BOARD MEETINGS | The Art of Learning Climbing 1:16:19

5M ago1:16:19

1:16:19

Today we REWIND back to one of our favorite Board Meetings of all time. We chose this episode because we are spending the next couple months digging deep into movement and learning, and exploring if there might be a better way to consider movement than the technique-based way we’ve always done it. In this episode, Kris and Nate discuss ideas presen…

1
#87 Matty Hong — Big Falls & Big Fish [9a 50m DWS], Photography 101, What Makes Sharma Special and Lessons From Biographie [World’s First 9a+] 1:52:31

5M ago1:52:31

1:52:31

Matty Hong takes us to Mallorca where he snagged the second ascent of Big Fish. A 9a deep water solo that culminates in a dyno at ~20m / 60ft! Matty was out there filming for the latest Reel Rock climbing with the legend Chris Sharma. Since he is often the guy behind the camera we asked him to share some tips for any aspiring climbing film makers a…

1
EXPERT | Rob Gray on How We Learn to Move and the Skill Acquisition for Climbers (Part 2) 44:41

5M ago44:41

44:41

Rob Gray is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University, host of The Perception & Action Podcast, and a Skill Acquisition Specialist for the Boston Red Sox. He’s also the author of two great books, How We Learn to Move and Learning to Optimize Movement. In this Part 2 of 2, Kris and Rob discuss the differences between the two predominant the…

1
#86 T&J — PED’s, Breaking Down A Crux, Climbing Like A 6 Year-Old Girl, Injury Prevention, and BTS On A Moonboard Session 1:46:25

5M ago1:46:25

1:46:25

Drugs, cruxes, moonboarding, injuries, making climbs your b*tch... This one's got it all! Tune in for tons of pro-tips that will help you climb better today, and set yourself up for the long term success that we all are striving for. SHOW NOTES: 2017 V8 / 7B+ on Moonboard 2016 Set Podcast #33 with Andy Tollefson Support the Show. Support us on Patr…

1
EXPERT | Rob Gray on The Gap Between Sports Science Researchers and Coaches (Part 1) 46:39

5M ago46:39

46:39

Rob Gray is an associate Professor at Arizona State University, host of The Perception & Action Podcast, and a Skill Acquisition Specialist for the Boston Red Sox. He’s been studying movement and publishing research on it for 25 years. In this Part 1 of 2, Kris and Rob discuss the limitations and challenges of using sports science research for coac…

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#85 Keenan Takahashi — Higher Harder Better, ANTIGRAV, The Best Lines In The World, Mentorship, Manifesting More, and The Mustache Turns 10 2:13:57

5M ago2:13:57

2:13:57

The man, the myth, the Mustache — Keenan Takahashi! Keenan shares his unique approach to climbing. He seeks out the best lines in the world and then uses that as fuel to transform his body and mind so that he is able to climb them. Keenan also has created one of the coolest new brands in climbing, ANTIGRAV, that embodies his psyche and ethos for cl…

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FOCUS | Movement Skills for Climbers 5:47

6M ago5:47

5:47

Introducing: Something new. Something different. Something FOCUSED. Rather than doing what most podcasts do and jumping from subject to subject with each new episode, we’re going to be spending the next couple of months focused on discussing one topic. Through Board Meetings, Expert episodes, Taped Tips, and our new Builder series that you’ll hear …

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#84 T&J — Hard Hard, New New, Sessioning With The BEST, USAC Controversy, and Switching To Moonboard 2024 2:02:44

5M ago2:02:44

2:02:44

2024 is off the a bang with incredibly hard bouldering FA’s happening non-stop. Is this because USAC caused one of the strongest crews in the world to stop training for the Olympics and start crushing rock again? Hear more from Tim about what a session is like when multiple V16 climbers get together to try the hardest boulders in the world. Support…

1
BOARD MEETINGS | Indoor Climbing Lessons You Should Take Outdoors (Bonus Episode) 37:41

6M ago37:41

37:41

Indoor and outdoor climbing have different constraints, and as such, lead you into different solutions for how to interact with that environment. But there are lessons from the climbing gyms that should absolutely be applied to outdoors in order to get the most out of it and become a better climber faster. In this bonus episode from our Patron feed…

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#83 Sean Bailey — Devilution FA [~V16], Japan’s Gym Scene, The Future of Hard Sport Climbing, Spearheading USA’s Return to WC’s, Projecting in Bouldering vs Sport, and BTS of Making It As a Pro 1:51:12

6M ago1:51:12

1:51:12

Sean Bailey came on Testpiece and shared his decades of experience from sending and competing at the absolute top of the sport. Sean truly is one of the best climbers in the world right now. Sean recently FA’d the low start to Evilution [“Devilution”] which was a long standing sought after project that clocks in around V16 and is now one of the har…

1
#82 T&J — Negative Thoughts -> Words -> Actions, Type 2 Fun, Achieving Your Potential, Grades vs Belts, and ‘Make Climbing Dangerous Again’ 1:55:58

6M ago1:55:58

1:55:58

Tim shares a common problem that holds people back that he sees in even some of the top athletes he coaches. They jokingly call it "Vomit Mouth". Learn about what this is and how you can make sure to avoid it in your sessions. SHOW NOTES: Noah Wheeler on Sleepwalker Support the Show. Support us on Patreon: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE Sign-up …

1
BOARD MEETINGS | Outdoor Climbing Lessons You Should Take Indoors 50:29

6M ago50:29

50:29

Many people view indoor climbing as less serious than climbing outside, but if we're looking to improve, that may be a mistake. There are aspects of climbing outside that lead us into learning specific things that we don't necessarily find as easily indoors. In this episode, Kris and Nate discuss their top 5 lessons from climbing outside that, when…

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#81 Carlo Traversi — The Dark Side V16 FA, Using Wet Chalk, Pushing Not Pulling, The Grade Debate, and What He Learned From Yosemite Testpiece’s 2:15:44

6M ago2:15:44

2:15:44

Carlo Traversi is back to tell us about his recent FA of The Dark Side V16 (suggested grade) in Yosemite. Josh thinks this FA will go down in the history books as THE testpiece of our generation in Yosemite bouldering. Tune in and see what you think. Carlo explains the incredible tactics he had to employ to get this FA done. It was absolutely mindb…

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