#130 - PRO TIPS: Cameron Horst's Training Secrets Behind a 5.15a Send

Cameron Hörst recently completed the hardest route of his climbing career: Big Bone (5.15a/9a+), a king line out Utah's massive Fynn Cave. What makes his first ascent especially compelling isn't just the grade—it's the journey. Big Bone was a project that demanded years of training, 60+ working goes and redpoint attempts, countless setbacks, and a level of patience few climbers ever develop. In this episode of the Training for Climbing Podcast, Cameron  unpacks the entire process. We dive into the physical, mental, and tactical challenges of working a multi-year project, the breakthroughs that finally moved the needle, and the lessons any climber can apply to their own long-term goals—whether you're projecting 5.10 or 5.15. One of the most fascinating takeaways is that the breakthrough wasn't a sudden gain in finger strength or power. Instead, it came from years of accumulated training adaptations, comprehensive energy system development, improved recovery, refined tactics, and learning when not to climb. Cameron shares how he finally broke through a plateau that had stalled his progress for multiple seasons. RUNDOWN 2:00 – What Does It Feel Like to Send a Multi-Year Project? 5:00 – Inside Utah's Incredible Fin Cave 7:00 – Anatomy of the "Big Bone" Project 9:50 – Why the Route is So Difficult 12:00 – Cameron's Three-Year Journey on the Route 13:50 – Breaking Through a Plateau 16:40 – Training Lessons from Big Bone 18:00 – Recovery: The Secret Weapon 21:00 – Sending on the Second Try 24:10 - Energy System Training and the benefits of becoming more fat adapted 26:00 – Mental Growth and Performance Psychology 28:30 - Discovery of Fin Cave 31:30 – The Evolution of "Bone Tomahawk" and "Big Bone" 32:00 – Friendship and Mentorship with Joe Kinder 34:20 – Balancing University, Life, and Elite Climbing 40:00 – The Importance of Partners and Community 44:00 - Debating 5.15a versus 5.15b -- how to grade a hard FA? 47:30 - Ultimately, the grade isn't important -- the journey is what counts! 48:10  – Coaching, Exercise Science, and Helping Others Follow and contact Cameron on Instagram @cam_horst Visit Cam's website at: www.CameronHorst.com 49:28 – What's Next? 51:05 – Eric's summarizes 8 Key Tips and Takeaways from this interview. 54:30 - Sponsor Discount:  Save 15% off full-priced PhysiVantage Nutrition with code: PODCAST15 (North America only) 56:00 -⭐ Enjoy the podcast? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this episode with a climbing partner! 56:40 - Hörst Out! Podcast Sponsors  Thank you to La Sportiva, PhysiVantage Nutrition, DMM Climbing, Blue Water Ropes! Save 10% off a new BlueWater Rope with checkout code: ERIC_CLINIC Save on  La Sportiva shoes here >> Save 15% off full-priced PhysiVantage Nutrition with code: PODCAST15 (North America only) European climbers, please get your PhysiVantage from the   EPIC-TV Shop or Oliunid.com. Mexican climbers visit PhysiVantage.mx Connect with Eric Hörst 📬 Training for Climbing Newsletter Get monthly training insights delivered to your inbox. Visit TrainingForClimbing.com to subscribe. 📱 Follow Eric Instagram: @eric_horst | @training4climbing YouTube: Training For Climbing Twitter: @Train4Climbing Facebook: Training For Climbing Music by Misty Murphy Copyright 2026 Eric Hörst | Horst Training, LLC.