EP 194: Will Anglin — Why We Should Treat Climbing Like Baseball, and the #1 Thing All Climbers Should Do

Will Anglin is an expert boulderer and the founder of Tension Climbing. I love the way this guy thinks, and there are many nuggets in this episode. We talked about the key principles of climbing hard, the most common confusion points about training for climbing, why we should treat climbing like baseball, the number one thing all climbers should do, the evolution of Tension, why it took 10+ years to develop the Tension Board 2 (TB2), why every detail matters when building a new product, and much more!Become a Patron - 7 Day Free Trial!patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing Check out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app!Check out Wonderful Pistachios!WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!rhinoskinsolutions.comUse code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!The Nugget is sponsored by BetterHelp!betterhelp.com/NUGGETUse this link for 10% off your first month!Check out Green Chef!greenchef.com/nugget250Use code "nugget250" at checkout for $250 off!We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, and Alex PlutaShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/will-anglinNuggets:0:00:00 – Intro/Ads0:05:06 – Eggs and espresso0:06:55 – Focus on protein to save mental energy0:09:49 – Cat litter0:10:56 – Two main topics I want to cover with Will0:13:06 – An email I sent Will in 2015, and why I transitioned away from the Anderson brothers’ way of training0:17:49 – Will’s early climbing, youth competitions, wanting to be strong, and getting into training0:26:28 – Will’s first time deep water soloing at Summersville Lake0:27:57 – Trad climbing in the Black Canyon0:31:26 – Pivoting to bouldering, and the bouldering vs. sport climbing in Colorado0:35:56 – Why Will has spent more time developing boulders than sport climbs, and why people chip routes0:40:02 – Chipping in bouldering, and suspending your disbelief0:47:09 – Why the “best way to train” is not a useful concept0:54:26 – Why it doesn’t make sense to copy the pros0:55:48 – The baseball analogy0:59:04 – Why your hangboarding should change over the course of your climbing career1:00:13 – Working on skills at sub-maximal intensity, and learning to connect training with rock climbing skill development1:03:44 – “Keep the goal the goal.” - Dan John1:05:19 – The best climbers are the most adaptable climbers1:09:01 – Will’s ‘Hangboarding: A Way’ article, and the most common confusion points and questions that Will gets about advice he’s given in the past1:10:59 – Why you shouldn’t take time away from your climbing time to do more strength training1:14:48 – It’s normal to fail on climbs that are easier than your max redpoint grade1:17:04 – Why I started seeking out more “basic” power climbs, and how modern training is affecting outdoor bouldering grades1:19:37 – How styles and grades evolve over time1:24:15 – “The concept of a well-rounded climber moves.”1:25:52 – Why people used to say Joe’s Valley is soft, and how gym climbing shapes our conception of climbing1:30:35 – Conflating doability with difficulty, and finding the beta that fits you1:33:51 – Why Will feels like he learned how to climb in Gunnison, and the value of climbing on different rock types1:35:54 – Discovering that hard climbs can be fun, and wow traveling has allowed me to discover what I actually enjoy most in climbing1:39:39 – Why grades tend to become more confusing as you progress, and the weirdness at the top-level grades1:43:09 – The unconstrained nature of climbing, and box checking1:49:07 – “It’s not about the exercise.”1:54:00 – “The number one thing is go rock climbing.”2:00:54 – How not all climbing styles are created equal in the way they develop you as a climber, and why I’m so impressed with the Tension Board 22:04:43 – Our culture’s obsession with climbing, and validating climbing just because it’s fun2:07:23 – The Climbing Community is Imaginary2:08:49 – There are many valid ways to “be a climber”2:11:14 – How Will feels about climbing after building Tension, having no breaks from it, and creating separation between his personal climbing and his business2:13:59 – One of Will’s main priorities with Tension, having a life outside of Tension and climbing, playing musical instruments, having carpal tunnel, and building guitars2:20:12 – The evolution of Tension, and how the company started2:28:56 – How the Flash Board came to be2:30:49 – More about the development of the Tension Board 22:36:54 – Designing the holds for the TB2, and why the design process should start with the raw materials2:42:24 – Getting benighted in the Black Canyon2:48:31 – “Everything fucking matters.”2:50:29 – Take the time to build a solid foundation2:52:48 – Wrap up