Best Big Wall Climbing Podcasts (2024)

1
Highlight: Flexibility Training for Climbers 26:16

4h ago26:16

26:16

In today’s Lattice Podcast Highlight, hosts Maddy Cope and Tom Randall discuss Lattice's brand-new online flexibility training course. This course emphasises the importance of education and knowledge-sharing in climbing training, focusing on three main goals: ➡️ Educating climbers on methods beyond passive static stretching ➡️ Integrating flexibili…

1
E103: Sean Bailey - Cutting edge climbing, comps and grading 2:04:35

2d ago2:04:35

2:04:35

This week we were really excited to be joined by Sean Bailey! Sean is one of the world's best climbers. He is right at the cutting edge in both bouldering and sport climbing. We didn't go much into any of that though! We had a general chat about the state of climbing, including comps, grading and media. Definitely one of our 'we do chats not interv…

1
Unlocking Flexibility: Q&A with Coaches Josh and Fran 1:05:24

6d ago1:05:24

1:05:24

In this week’s podcast join Lattice Training coach,Josh Hadley, and fellow coach Fran Giacomozzi, as they answer your burning questions about flexibility training for climbers. Josh and Fran dive into how to improve flexibility, starting with practical tips on specific stretches, including how to utilise different types of stretches such as tempo. …

1
E102: Ethan Pringle - Projecting, motivation, passion and social media rambles 2:27:29

9d ago2:27:29

2:27:29

Could a guest be much better suited to our favourite topics and recurring themes throughout the pod history? Ethan enthusiastically joins us on our tangents and rambles into psychology, Newtonian physics and other topics we don't know enough about to be qualified to give an opinion on. But fear not, we get some questions in from time to time and Et…

1
Highlight: Overcoming Insecurity and Errors in Big Walling 12:42

14d ago12:42

12:42

In today's Lattice Podcast Highlight, coach Maddy Cope is joined by coach Billy Ridal to discuss the challenges and insecurities faced while climbing a difficult pitch on a big wall. They delve into the physical and mental efforts required to overcome insecurities and stick with the climb. Topics include: Facing Climbing Challenges: The physical an…

1
E101: Aidan & Sam - Chalk, Nocturnal Climbing and Swiss Bats 1:15:16

16d ago1:15:16

1:15:16

We're going back in time to the halcyon days of a couple of months ago this week! An episode we recorded and then forgot about! Shockingly the climbing world hasn't moved on unrecognisably in two months so it's all still relevant. We chatted about climbing at night, Sam's time in Font and ideal chalk strategies. Hope you enjoy, there's a longer ver…

1
Climbing in the 90s: Cultural Shifts and Lessons Learned from Season One 31:30

17d ago31:30

31:30

Sometimes you need time away to realize what you were in the midst of. In this episode Kris reflects on the season, where the true cultural shifts in climbing came, and the lessons that climbers can take away from examining climbing history this way. Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE. ---------------------------------- Thank you to our partner,…

1
How to get back into climbing post-childbirth? 1:19:21

21d ago1:19:21

1:19:21

In today's episode, host and coach, Maddy Cope, is joined by Dr. Sarah Duvall, a women's health and fitness specialist, to explore the intersection of climbing, fitness, and motherhood. Maddy brings her experience from coaching elite climbers post-partum such as Emily Harrington, and her passion for climbing to the conversation as she delves into S…

1
E100: Steven Dimmitt - Podcasting, training and changing perspectives 2:46:42

23d ago2:46:42

2:46:42

This week we're joined by a voice you'll probably recognise! Steven Dimmitt, the host of The Nugget joins us to chat about podcasting as well as his personal climbing and we all ramble on about our personal climbing philosophies and what motivates us. We get to hear how being the host of a successful climbing podcast has changed Steven's relationsh…

1
Highlight: Exploring Endurance Through Psycho-Biological Theories 10:07

28d ago10:07

10:07

In today's Lattice Podcast highlight, host and coach Josh Hadley sits down with coach Cameron Hartley to explore two interesting theories. The ‘Central Governor Theory’, which suggests that a system in our brain signals when it's time to stop exercising to prevent potential harm, and the ‘Psycho-Biological Theory’, which integrates psychological co…

1
E99: The Magic Wood Special with Thomas Saluz and James O'Neil 1:44:26

1M ago1:44:26

1:44:26

Something a little different this week as instead of focusing on a climber we're focusing on a crag! Magic Wood is one of the most famous climbing destinations in the world. It's seen development from too many icons to name over the years and has been incredibly popular for many years. With such popularity has come some challenges though. The crag …

1
Will Jana Švecová be the first woman to boulder 9A/V17? 57:24

1M ago57:24

57:24

Join us for an inspiring podcast with Jana Švecová, an accomplished climber who is currently pushing her limits on the boulder problem Terranova, which was established by Adam Ondra in the Czech Republic back in 2011, it’s currently graded 8C+/V16, and with no repeats, it’s rumoured it could be 9A/V17. Jana's dedication and goal-oriented mindset ha…

1
E98: Greg Chapman - Guidebook writing, boulder development, crag preservation and The Lake District 1:53:32

1M ago1:53:32

1:53:32

The author of the Lake District (Aidan's home area) boulder guide, Greg Chapman joins us this week. We have a wide ranging discussion covering lots of things that relate to the writing of guidebooks and developing boulders. This episode is a little more esoteric than most as a lot of the conversations pertain to the Lake District but I think it mos…

1
Highlight: Dealing with Post-Partum Criticism 11:40

1M ago11:40

11:40

Today's highlight is on Emily Harrington's postpartum journey, including her rapid recovery and return to climbing and skiing. Emily faced criticism for her decision to resume physical activities soon after giving birth, but she stood firm in her belief that it's essential to do what feels right for oneself. Join us as Emily opens up about the chal…

1
E97: Aidan & Sam - Moral conundrums, building a Frankenstein climber and trip updates 1:54:01

2M ago1:54:01

1:54:01

Aidan and I this week chatting about a bunch of stuff. I'm in Magic Wood and Aidan is in Finland so we chat about that. If we could build the best climber in the world using attributes from existing climbers, who would we use? If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to hear the extended edition of this podcast then do check out our Patreon pa…

1
Training in your 60s: Jill Whittaker talks about her best year of climbing yet! 1:02:02

2M ago1:02:02

1:02:02

In this episode, join host Tom Randall as he sits down with Jill Whitaker, she is a 61-year-old climber and mother of two accomplished pro climbers (Pete and Katy Whitaker). She is a testament to the power of perseverance and dedication! We will explore Jill's remarkable journey into climbing post-60 and her unique perspectives on training and clim…

1
E96: Sébastien Berthe - Big Walls, Boats and Bouldering Challenges 1:39:40

2M ago1:39:40

1:39:40

No pies are safe from Seb's fingers! Sébastien is an incredibly accomplished climber. He's climbed at an elite level across a range of climbing disciplines and he's doing it all in an eco friendly way. In the episode we talk about his recent mission to climb 100 font 7As in a day, sailing the Atlantic to climb the Dawn Wall, free climbing the nose …

1
Highlight: Will Bosi climbing sport 9c or Adam Ondra bouldering 9A first? 8:25

2M ago8:25

8:25

In this podcast highlight, Tom Randall and Will Bosi discuss various aspects of Will's climbing projects, aiming to understand the mental process of walking away from a project. They also touch on Will's future plans for 2024 and whether Will will try a 9c route any time soon. Listen to the Podcast highlight, or the full episode on our Spotify, App…

1
E95: Sam & Aidan are talking CASH! 1:34:19

2M ago1:34:19

1:34:19

In this episode, amongst other things, we're pondering about the remuneration for top climbers. Are they being exploited? Are they underpaid? Should they just be grateful to be able to climb for a living and accept that they can't expect to be set up for the future? We dive in, in a roundabout sort of way... If you're enjoying the podcast and would…

1
The Inconvenient Truth About Getting Good at Climbing 1:26:47

2M ago1:26:47

1:26:47

In today's Lattice Podcast, Coach Josh Hadley sits down with Dr Simon Fryer to discuss the challenges of testing rock climbers, highlighting the differences between climbing and other sports. Dr Simon Fryer is a Senior Lecturer in Sport & Exercise Physiology at the University of Gloucestershire, with a PhD in biomedical science. His background is i…

1
E94: Ashima Shiraishi - Rediscovering passion in climbing 1:50:26

2M ago1:50:26

1:50:26

The great Ashima Shiraishi joined us for a chat this week! Ashima has been on the climbing scene in a big way for what feels like forever, but somehow she's still in her early twenties! Ashima broke many records on her way through the grading scale as a young climber which culminated in her climbing V15 at just 14 years old! She has also competed o…

1
Eva Lopez on Women in Sports, Rivalries, and What Josune Means to Climbing History 57:56

2M ago57:56

57:56

Eva Lopez is one of the top Spanish climbers in history. While she is largely known as one of the world’s foremost researchers on training for climbing, she’s also a crusher. She was the 5th woman to to climb 8c and in 2013, at 42 years old, climbed her first 8c+, a route she bolted called Potemkin. In this episode, Eva and Kris discuss the state o…

1
Highlight: Why is Return of the Sleepwalker V17/9A so hard? 7:42

2M ago7:42

7:42

May seem like an obvious question, but in this podcast highlight, Nate Williams shares his experience with projecting Return of the Sleepwalker, a V17/9A boulder problem, and the challenges he faces with friction control and conditions. Nate also talks about his projecting and beta sharing with Will Bosi, and how they optimise weather and friction …

1
E93: Emil Abrahamsson - Grappling with the Big Island, gripping with strongmen and grafting with YouTube 2:04:10

2M ago2:04:10

2:04:10

This week we were excited to be joined by Emil Abrahamsson! You probably know Emil from his exploits on YouTube, his sends of hard rock climbs and perhaps from his competition days as well. He's an accomplished climber both inside and outside but he's also a really lovely and super psyched guy with a nice optimistic take on lots of things around cl…

1
Josune Bereziartu Goes Honky Tonkin' 33:52

2M ago33:52

33:52

Basque superstar Josune Bereziartu first tied in as the 80’s were changing into the 90’s, after seeing a documentary showing two women climbing in the Verdon. Within those first few months of Josune learning to climb, Lynn Hill did the first 14a ever climbed by a woman. By the middle of the 90’s Josune became the 5th woman to equal the feat, which …

1
How the Mind Hacks Your Training Session 1:26:21

3M ago1:26:21

1:26:21

In today’s Lattice Training podcast, coach Josh Hadley sits down with coach Cam Hartley to discuss three key areas; Training myths and misconceptions Psychobiology and endurance performance Importance of consistency in training for climbing Cam is not just one of the strongest members of the Lattice Training coaching team, but also has a BSc in Spo…

1
E92: Aidan sends his projects! 1:36:45

3M ago1:36:45

1:36:45

It's a good episode for the Aidan fans this week as Aidan has sent his projects and has learnt a great deal in the process. Perfect time to stick a microphone in front of the chap and press go. Hope you enjoy! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823 Suppo…

1
Chris Schulte on the Magic of Fontainebleau, Climbing Lifelist Boulders and Catherine Miquel 1:15:37

3M ago1:15:37

1:15:37

Chris Schulte is a boulderer who is obsessed with the lines and shapes of climbing. He fell in love with Fontainebleau many years ago based on a photo of Fred Nicole climbing Karma and has cultivated a relationship with the forest and climbed many life-list boulders there. In this episode, Kris asks Chris to describe the forest in his poetic way, a…

1
Highlight: Have you heard about "crimp finger"? 5:02

3M ago5:02

5:02

People regularly get confused between a pulley strain and an irritation of the tendon, which Huffy has called 'crimp finger'. In this podcast highlight it explains the differences between the two to enable you to diagnose the correct injury so that you can seek the correct treatment. This podcast highlight is a snippet of our podcast with GB climbi…

1
E91: Bernd Zangerl - Himalayan bouldering, development and climbing beyond the numbers 1:57:37

3M ago1:57:37

1:57:37

It was great to be joined by Bernd Zangerl this week! A true legend of bouldering he's been involved in the development of loads of classic areas like Ticino and Magic Wood and has been climbing elite level boulders for over twenty years. In more recent times Bernd has been pouring everything he has learned into the development of Rakchham in the I…

1
Catherine Miquel Wins the Duel 31:15

3M ago31:15

31:15

Throughout the 90s, Catherine Miquel was the undisputed queen of bouldering. Surprised you haven’t heard her name? I was too, but we aren’t alone. Not many of the people I’ve talked to know of her or her incredible resume. Climbing in Fontainebleau, she entered the decade as the only woman to climb V8, and then it was off to the races. Again and ag…

1
The Hard Truths of Return Of The Sleepwalker 29:36

3M ago29:36

29:36

In this week’s podcast, join Lattice Training coach, Josh Hadley, as he is joined by pro climber, Nate Williams, who has been projecting ‘Return of the Sleepwalker’ (V17/9A) in Las Vegas, USA, which recently saw its second ascent, by Will Bosi in February 2024. Nate’s been working on this well-known climb for over 2 seasons, since sending the stand…

1
Josie McKee on Curiosity and the Mindset of Climbing Freerider 2:09:45

3M ago2:09:45

2:09:45

Josie McKee is a climbing guide, former YOSAR member, all-around big wall super badass and a climbing coach through her company Mind Athlete. She’s climbed El Cap over 20 times, set several speed records, has free climbed damn near every Valley classic, and her Yosemite resume rivals just about anyone’s. In this episode, Josie walks Kris through ea…

1
E90: The Climbing Backpackers - How to go on your dream climbing adventure for £10 a day! 1:26:45

3M ago1:26:45

1:26:45

Something very different for you all this week. Nettie & Dave a.k.a The Climbing Backpackers are on an adventure climbing across Asia. They might be on their dream climbing trip but they're also setting out to prove that just because you don't have a huge chunk of savings that doesn't preclude you from living an adventurous lifestyle. To prove the …

1
Chris Kalous on Freerider, Big Wall Climbing Rules, and How the Hubers Shifted History 1:12:24

3M ago1:12:24

1:12:24

If you were following Chris Kalous and The Enormocast in the early days, then you are well aware that he’s climbed Freerider. And if you follow his new show, The Runout, you know how interested he is in the history of one specific pitch of The Free Salathe - Pitch 19 - the pitch that Alex Huber subverted by climbing the Monster Offwidth, thus layin…

1
E89: Simon Lorenzi - The triple 9A climber and best non-professional climber in the world! 1:35:47

3M ago1:35:47

1:35:47

Simon Lorenzi on the pod this week! Simon is the first man to have climbed 3 9A boulders with Soudain seul, Alphane and Burden of Dreams. He's also a mainstay on the world cup circuit and has made finals on more than one occasion. Despite being one of the best boulderers in the world Simon is slightly more under the radar than most of his peers and…

1
Alex Huber Rides Free 50:40

3M ago50:40

50:40

In 1998, Alex and Thomas Huber climbed the first ascent of Freerider on El Capitan in just over 15 hours. Their climb ushered in a new era of big wall free climbing, and there’s no question it was a hugely important moment in climbing history. But the way we credit it, most often simply to Alex Huber, ignores the rich history of the route. The Hube…

1
Adam Ondra Repeats The World’s Hardest Trad Route 57:31

4M ago57:31

57:31

In this episode, join host Tom Randall for an in-depth conversation with climbing legend James Pearson. James recently established ‘Bon Voyage’ (E12), a route he boldly suggests is the world's hardest trad climb, pushing the boundaries of difficulty and safety in the sport. James Pearson is a household name in the climbing world, known for his grou…

1
E88: David Mason - The new finger strength hack, the psychology of injury and how much of finger strength is purely genetics? 2:22:37

4M ago2:22:37

2:22:37

The renowned coach and climber David Mason is back this week! This time we nerd out about some training ideas, talk about how he is mentally dealing with a recent serious knee injury and we ponder how much of climber's finger strength is really within their control at all. There's some interesting topics of conversation in there to wonder about! If…

1
How to Climb Cowboy Direct: Jordan Cannon on The Struggle Climbing Show 1:44:31

4M ago1:44:31

1:44:31

Today, we're featuring a great conversation between our friend Ryan Devlin, host and creator of the Struggle Climbing Show and member of the Plug Tone Collective, and Jordan Cannon. In this bonus episode, Jordan takes us on the unbelievable adventure of tackling one of the toughest high-altitude big wall ascents in the world, the Cowboy Direct rout…

1
Mike Lilygren on Todd Skinner, Leadership, and Climbing Trango Tower 1:01:14

4M ago1:01:14

1:01:14

In his book, Beyond the Summit, Todd Skinner wrote, “Mike Lilygren had a schoolboy face and Dennis the Menace hair, an irritatingly endless sense of humor, and a tinkerer’s mind for detail. He would turn into “the closer” on the expedition, the one who kept getting stronger as the burden increased, the keystone that bridged the way to the summit.” …

1
E87: Neil Gresham - Training, grading, the social media landscape and the most physical form of climbing 2:13:35

4M ago2:13:35

2:13:35

Neil is one of the original performance coaches in rock climbing, known for his elite level trad ascents as well as his efforts to demystify the obscure and hazy world of climbing training and his ability to deliver it in a way that makes sense. We chatted about a wide range of topics from social media, the online trad climbing mob, the stresses of…

1
Jordan Cannon on Cowboy Direct, Climbing History and the Importance of Storytelling 1:22:12

4M ago1:22:12

1:22:12

In 2023, Yosemite big wall free climbing ace Jordan Cannon joined Matt Segal and Jesse Huey on a trip to Pakistan to test their mettle against Trango Tower. Specifically, they were looking at the unrepeated Cowboy Direct, established in 1995 by Todd Skinner, Mike Lilygren, Bobby Model and Jeff Bechtel. In this episode, Kris and Jordan discuss the a…

1
How A Competition Climber Became the FIRST Brit to Free 'The Nose' 1:19:55

4M ago1:19:55

1:19:55

Tune in to today's episode as host and coach Maddy Cope chats with climber and coach Billy Ridal about his six-week American adventure to free climb El Capitan's The Nose (5.14a/8b+). This historic route, famous for its challenging granite smears, was first aid climbed over 47 days by Warren Harding and various others in 1958 and first free-climbed…

1
E86: Noah Wheeler - The next generation crusher sleepwalking into defying gravity 1:40:29

4M ago1:40:29

1:40:29

Noah jumps on the pod this week! He's recently repeated some of the hardest test pieces the US has to offer and in relatively quick time whilst sporting at least 5 or 6 taped tips! We chatted a bunch about Sleepwalker and Defying Gravity, how the style in which he climbs lends itself well to flashing hard boulders, his training, how his meteoric ri…

1
Todd Skinner and Team Cowboy Up 51:13

4M ago51:13

51:13

In 1995, Todd Skinner began assembling a team for an audacious ascent in the Himalayan Karakoram. He’d been shown photos of a golden, rocket-ship-shaped tower that looked like it could be sitting in Yosemite, except it sat at 19,000 feet and was surrounded by some of the greatest mountains on earth. But he didn’t gather a team of experienced alpini…

1
Jonathan Siegrist on the Difficulty of Grading and Climbing for the Challenge 1:13:26

4M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

Jonathan Siegrist isn’t just one of America’s best and most prolific sport climbers, having climbed over 25 5.15’s. He’s also someone who thinks deeply about what climbing offers us, and works to make sure we stay on track. In this episode, Kris and Jonathan discuss one of the most controversial topics in climbing, grades. How grades come about, wh…

1
E85: Aidan & Sam - We're talking about GRADES and to a much lesser extent, ancient Egypt 1:54:37

4M ago1:54:37

1:54:37

Oh yes, it's a grades pod. Aidan's least favourite subject, and it's hardly in Sam's top 10 either. We end up having a bunch of discussions relating to grades, getting a history lesson from Aidan for first of the grades (possibly all wrong) and we give some recommendations for climbs at each grade bracket... Or at least some that came to mind witho…

1
Seb Bouin on Akira, Grading DNA and French Climbing History 43:29

4M ago43:29

43:29

Seb Bouin is one of only three climbers who have climbed 5.15d (9c). Following in the footsteps of leading French climbers, he established his testpiece, DNA, in 2023 in the Verdon Gorge. It may not be a coincidence that this came shortly after his Vintage Rock Tour, in which he climbed all of the firsts in France from 7c+ to 9a+, including the fir…

1
Pro athlete, Emily Harrington, on climbing, pregnancy and motherhood 1:16:13

4M ago1:16:13

1:16:13

In today’s podcast, Lattice Coach, Mina Leslie-Wujastyk, delves deep with Emily Harrington into her recent transition to motherhood with partner, Adrian Ballinger, and their son, Aaro. Emily shares insights into her decision to have a child amidst their adventurous lifestyles and careers, and navigating the uncertainties that came with it. Emily, a…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Big Wall Climbing Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide