Inner Fire Climbing Podcast

Karly Rager is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI), and has over 13 years of climbing experience. Karly is the founder and head coach for Project Direct Coaching. On this episode, we talk about her multi-pitch first ascent in Mexico, her strategies for hard projecting, her coaching focus, and much more.

Dr. Juliana Merighi is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, and a Board Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She offers a pelvic physical therapy and orthopedic physical therapy based in Golden, Colorado and remotely as well. On this episode of the podcast, we cover everything at the intersection of climbing, pregnancy, and pelvic floor health. Citations: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10831648/ (diastasis and core function) https://csep.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CSEP-PATH_GAQ_PP_Guidelines.pdf (questionnaire for return to exercise postpartum) https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/abstract/9900/high_load_resistance_training_in_the_first.999.aspx (high load resistance training in 1st trimester) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40551058/ (elite climbers during pregnancy) https://www.flowstateclimbing.com/ (contact me!)

Thanks patrons for the questions this month!  Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 00:01:02 Anthony - Managing fatigue / autoregulation with self-coaching 00:05:49 Josh - Body recomp 00:09:08 Greg - How to progress on the Moonboard 00:11:55 Instagram - Questions about boulder development 00:17:08 Marcel - V10-12 compression demands analysis 00:25:36 Angel - Deadlift alternatives  00:28:25 Jantina - Why don't pros wear helmets? 00:33:31 Cian - Strategies I employed on my bouldering trip with an infant

Rocco Bocchicchio is one of the OG developers of Joe's Valley and has been climbing for 28 years. He has spent much of his climbing career on the road and is currently based near Joe's where he continues to develop boulders and also crafts handmade wooden climbing holds. In this episode, Rocco shares his wisdom on a huge range of topics, from personal ethics to the evolution of bouldering and aging as a climber.

Thanks patrons for the questions this month!  Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 0:03:15 Cian - What do you think of the Pro Climbing League? 0:08:20 Sam - Ethics discussions on the podcast 0:10:40 Anthony - Why can outdoor climbing be more fun than indoor climbing? 0:15:12 Anthony - Yosemite for bouldering 0:16:00 Kyle - Falling at the end of a project 0:21:20 Rask - Training with limited space 0:27:00 Jake - Limit bouldering tactics 0:31:25 Jantina - When to end a bouldering session 0:36:30 Joe - Balancing a physical job with climbing and training 0:40:35 Matthew - Redpoint vs. onsight skill

Hayley McKinney is a climber and YouTuber based out of Las Vegas. In this episode, we talk about her journey to overcome her fear of falling after a bad accident. We also talk about her new-found love of slab and scary climbing in general.

Eric Jerome is a highly accomplished boulderer and creator of the Top 100 project, an attempt to define and categorize the top 100 double digit boulders (and now single digit boulders!) in America.

Thanks patrons for the questions this month!  Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 00:01:17 Freiherr - RPE in climbing 00:07:18 Jantina - Campusing for training 00:10:41 Cian - Staying process-oriented on indoor climbs 00:13:47 Sam - Navigating the razor's edge of try-hard and injury 00:18:47 Joe - How to prepare for Angelina Jolie V10 00:24:06 Foo - Thoughts on systems boards training 00:27:26 Bob - Training while sick 00:29:19 Joe - Winning plays 00:37:06 Anthony - Career before coaching 00:38:11 Jake - Favorite crag snack 00:39:41 Brianna - Best single exercise 00:43:30 Brian - Heel hook tips 00:47:57 Josh - What I've learned from coaching  

Ryan Frecka is a strength and conditioning coach and multi-sport athlete based in Alberta, Canada. I have personally trained as a client of Ryan and consider him a friend. On today's podcast, we discuss Ryan's personal climbing journey, how to get the most out of a remote coach as a client, and the value of training plyometrics for climbing.

Thanks patrons for the questions this month!  Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 00:00:00 Intro and personal updates 00:03:00 Anthony - Balancing try-hard and being present 00:10:42 Anthony - Flagging techniques 00:14:15 Sam - Thoughts on "flashing" 00:19:25 Lorraine - Drills for power endurance 00:24:10 Joe - Predestination and free will 00:28:35 Joe - Heel-toe cams on vert terrain 00:31:18 Jantina - Why is Janja so dominant? 00:36:05 Kenzie - What counts as a "move"? 00:38:15 Dennis - How to get psyched on climbs not in your style

Collin McGee is a coach with Camp 4 Human Performance and the Fitness Director at the Alliance Fitness Center in Reading, PA. Collin has coached a wide range of athletes in multiple sports and fitness disciplines. On today's podcast, we discuss the importance of strength training for climbers, which fitness trends are overrated and underrated for climbers, and the keys to building physical resiliency.

Thanks patrons for the questions this month!  Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:52 Joshua - Session capacity for projecting 00:05:31 Jantina - Yoga for climbing 00:08:26 Foo - Climbing books 00:12:17 Foo - Business advice (lol. Run away, people. Run away) 00:15:55 Eric - Squat DOMS impacting performance 00:19:45 Simon - Zooming in on single hard moves 00:24:58 Miles - Breathing while bouldering 00:28:50 Instagram question of the month - Dealing with grade-obsessed climbing buddies on a trip 00:33:39 Sam - Sport climbing partners

Flo Tilley is a mindset coach with Lattice and has a Master's degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. On today's episode we talk about flow, overcoming fear, and the power of self talk.

Michael Hauss is a friend and client of mine. Michael is a former D1 athlete and the founder of ROQ Climbing, a new kind of climbing gym coming to Seattle. On today's episode, we talk about modern climbing gyms, starting a business, and why group coaching might be the future of climbing.

Thanks patrons for the questions this month! Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:42 Update on fatherhood 00:04:12 Simon - Practical resources on Stoicism 00:08:53 Rose - Exercises for hypermobile shoulders 00:14:07 Alexander - Utility of ARCing and 4x4s 00:17:27 Andrew - Hamstring rehab and heel hook training 00:22:08 Max 1 - Approach to projecting as a dad 00:28:44 Jantina - Sport climbing with someone who climbs at a different level 00:35:49 Max 2 - Managing climbing alongside major life changes  

Fallon Rowe is a climber, coach, photographer, and writer. On today's episode we talk about climbing with chronic illnesses, being kind to yourself and your body, finding passions outside of climbing, and writing a memoir.

Skyler Mavor is an accomplished climber and geologist. We discuss basic geology, understanding rock types, tools you can use to find rocks and understand rock types, and how understanding the natural world can help you enjoy it.

Thanks patrons for the questions this month! Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/innerfireclimbing 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:19 Kyle - Visualization strategies, especially for better flashing 00:05:53 Sam - What does it mean to be a better climber? 00:13:26 Jake - Project shopping advice for overstokers 00:15:53 Ethan - Using a sport climbing trip for pre-season endurance boost 00:19:42 Jantina - Brushing holds 00:24:41 Adit - "Stepping stone" pyramids for boulders/routes 00:28:47 nadaladacourt - Home wall considerations  00:31:56 Foo - Testing & metrics 00:37:21 Stephanie - What is dry firing? 00:42:07 Brian - Expanding on my "V10 is closer to V5 than it is to V15" concept 00:46:41 Nico - Longer term maintenance / thoughts on periodization 00:51:12 Outro ramble 

Brian Antheunisse is a climber, dad, Hueco guide, and a few other things. We talk about his history in climbing, Hueco Tanks but especially the problem Esperanza, what his life looks like now, and how to keep finding the joy in climbing. I'll be back next week with the September AMA episode!

Ollie Torr is one of the founders of Lattice Training and a thought leader in climbing coaching. We discuss coaching philosophy, identity, lots of high-minded stuff but also lots of practical things. This was a fun and diverse chat!

Thanks Collin for joining me for a question this month! Questions:  00:00:00 Intro and updates 00:03:44 Kenz - Training while on a sport climbing trip 00:07:40 Kyle - Different headspaces for different risk levels 00:13:52 Daniel - What to do when climbing with better climbers 00:18:19 Kes - Shoe quiver 00:23:39 Simon - Sequencing on climbs with multiple methods 00:29:57 Jantina - Does climbing chalk matter? 00:36:13 Jacob - Can you train hard and climb hard at the same time?  00:40:31 Foo - Should a boulder or route last forever? 00:45:16 Brian - How does resting work? feat. Collin McGee  

Marisa Michael is a credentialed and prominent figure in the climbing nutrition science space. We discuss the state of climbing nutrition science, and some recommendations for improved performance & progression.

Questions:  00:00:00 Intro & updates 00:03:22 Stephanie - Training for sport and bouldering simultaneously? 00:07:53 Duncan - Anti-flow flow state 00:12:31 Jantina - How much do climbing shoes matter? 00:19:47 Nico - Crimp capacity on redpoint attempts & how to train it 00:25:27 Ting - When are you not strong enough? 00:29:25 Joss - Maintaining psych & calories on trips 00:34:30 Sam - Purity in the modern climbing world

Madeeha Drissi is a board-certified dermatologist and climber. We talk about all things skin – anatomy, wound healing, moisturizers, drying agents, and lots and lots of other stuff. A very geeky couple hours but there's not much surface contact between you and the rock – gotta make it count!

Questions:  0:00:00 Intro 0:00:56 Nico - Solo bouldering 0:05:25 Simon Pearson - What to do while watching climbing media 0:11:00 Jantina - Should people of different sexes or sizes be coached differently? 0:24:38 Briana - Free will and, also, donuts 0:28:02 Daniel - Feeling lost in limit bouldering sessions 0:33:28 Jeffrey - Programming low gear 0:35:24 Angel Gonzalez - Caffeine for early morning sessions 0:38:02 Sam - When is a problem worth your time? 0:44:05 Jishnu - How to practice skills with a low density in your facility/area 0:47:32 Jishnu - Toe training?

Tom Herbert is a nutrition coach and all around swell Brit. He joined me on the pod to talk about dance, flow, and climbing, and we took many (unsurprisingly) philosophical side quests. 

Questions from my Patrons and clients for April 2025. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jfireclimbing Questions:   00:00:00 Intro   00:01:01 Daniel - Skills I’m working on    00:03:17 Daniel - What am I excited about this year?   00:05:17 Daniel - How long to rest for different kinds of boulders   00:08:02 Jake, Briana & others - Kingslayer takeaways, maintaining motivation   00:14:32 More Kingslayer takeaways, personal growth, social stuff   00:18:07 Briana - donuts in Leavy?? (pure disappointment)   00:19:02 Robin - circadian rhythm and projecting   00:22:20 Robin - Advice for setting circuits, cognitive strain   00:25:30 Olga - Making friends   00:28:14 Olga - Gaston training   00:30:56 Olga - One-movers, love em or hate em?   00:33:02 Sam - Youtube?   00:34:58 Jishnu - Skill training: improving focus   00:38:52 Skill training: measuring success/feedback (related to above question but separate answer)    00:40:53 Jishnu - Using rings/TRX for strength training  

Ethan Salvo is a Squamish-based climber. He's been climbing just over 7 years and has climbed some of the hardest boulders in North America. Last summer he broke out of his boulderer shell and climbed the Cobra Crack, a notorious 5.14 gear climb.   I had the chance to write some training for him late last year, and we reconnected to talk about his experience trying one of the hardest boulders in Bishop over the winter.   We talked about:   - Personal growth and trying Lucid Dreaming V15 - Doing all the best and hardest climbs in Squamish - Future projects in Squamish - Skin management & tactics - Northwest climbing conditions (kind of a Squamish conditions masterclass) - Why Ethan doesn't practice flashing - The ups and downs of dirtbagging - My general training advice for someone at Ethan's level   0:00:00 Intro 0:03:34 Ethan's trip to Bishop to try Lucid Dreaming 0:15:15 Summoning the try-hard in Bishop vs Squamish 0:23:24 Was Ethan "strong enough" to do Lucid right off the bat? 0:29:01 Is Ethan a physical outlier? (I put my foot in my mouth) 0:34:23 Penrose Step & the insane minutiae of hard grips 0:40:22 Skin management 0:45:09 Living in a 2002 Subaru for months (tips for unwelcome mouse friends) 0:53:00 Ethan's current climbing and upcoming plans 1:05:10 Weather 1:13:51 Maximizing time vs other variables 1:17:25 What to look for on the weather forecast & learning micro-climates 1:22:52 Ethan's flash of Mad Bush V12 (nuts) 1:26:40 Discussion on flashing/onsighting in general 1:34:00 Squamish weather details 1:36:10 Return to Lucid, skin management details 1:45:18 Manufactured condies and bouldering ethics 1:54:43 Strength training suggestions for Ethan 2:02:22 What do good genes get you? 2:03:37 Wrap up

In this episode I chat with Juliet Hammer and her dog Addy. Juliet is a climbing coach and an experienced boulderer and sport climber. She has a degree in biology and she's a certified strength and conditioning specialist. We talked about: Juliet's climbing history Differences between bouldering and sport in terms of preparation, mindset and tactics Being a short climber Board climbing Coaching philosophy and shop talk Personal grades Social media, content creation and voluntary hardship Value capture as both a coach and climber Dangers of focusing on dopamine hits 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:43 Juliet's sport/bouldering identity & seasonality 00:16:02 Proper introduction, comp/cordo climbing, coaching indoors vs outdoor clients 00:25:27 Board climbing & being a short climber 00:30:31 Strength training 00:37:27 Coaching philosophy and shop talk 00:48:07 More short climber tips, self-comparison 00:54:43 Personal grades and the toxic wasteland of 8a.nu 01:00:41 Motivations 01:02:38 Jesse is ignorant about the southeast and complains about summer 01:05:51 More seasonality / sport & boulder logistics questions 01:08:08 Hot take 1, is climbing harder always more fun? 01:12:28 Hot take 2, are sport climbers better climbers? 01:13:56 Sport climbing vs bouldering popularity and value for progression 01:16:37 Content strategy and value capture as a content creator and coach 01:26:33 Dopamine hits, voluntary hardship, video beta and availability bias 01:42:55 Addy 01:45:09 Work with Juliet  

Questions from my Patrons and clients for April 2025. Thanks to Ryan Frecka for joining me for the weight management questions. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jfireclimbing Questions: 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:45 Jishnu - What is good footwork? 00:09:35 Jishnu - Modern classics 00:11:01 Nico & Giancarlo - Returning to a project after a tweak/injury 00:16:28 Briana - Managing detraining on a long trip 00:20:37 Victor - Indoor vs outdoor technique 00:25:32 Caleb - Cycling between bouldering & sport climbing 00:29:54 Jeffrey - Podcast update 00:31:11 Brian - Motivation behind doing first ascents 00:35:33 Stephanie - Strength to weight ratio (w/ Ryan Frecka) 00:43:01 Stephanie - Body composition (w/ Ryan Frecka) 00:47:46 Stephanie - When to put on more muscle (w/ Ryan Frecka) 00:53:07 Stephanie - Signs of a strength deficit (w/ Ryan Frecka) 00:58:42 Stephanie - Nutritional approach (w/ Ryan Frecka) 01:06:02 Ryan's additional comments on set point theory 01:09:02 Outro

In this solo episode, I do my best to explain the rules of bouldering: what some of them are, why they're arbitrary, how they're changing over time, and how we should all proceed. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jfireclimbing

I sit down with Ethan Pringle to catch up with him and his cat Snowflake. We talk about: Balancing stability and freedom Crag development in South Africa (AKA how to pivot when things don’t go your way) Not training Much discussion of highball strategy Risk perception, risk tolerance and age Jumbo Love, Realization, and self-doubt Advice for his younger self

Questions from my Patrons and clients for March 2025. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jfireclimbing Questions: 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:37 Mackenzie - How's the podcast going? 0:01:30 Luke - Sling Blade update??? (with three question marks) 0:04:15 Jeffrey - Soft pause and gaze 0:11:32 Lu - Board climbing session duration 0:18:20 Ryan - Minimal methods for improving on slopers & pinches 0:29:46 eejayen - Dealing with DOMS from lifting 0:32:44 Sam - Climbing philosophy 0:34:36 William - Developing highballs 0:38:35 Leone - Finger curls with weight 0:40:48 - Outro

In this episode, my guest Zoe Sayetta & I discuss: Differences in mental strategies for outdoor & competition climbing Execution pressure Awareness & mindfulness Visualization / motor imagery Optimal zone of performance Focusing on the right thing at the right time Basic mindset advice

Questions from my Patrons and clients for February 2025. Support the show on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jfireclimbing Questions: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:31 Kerwin: Concept/idea where I've shifted since coaching 00:04:50 Kerwin: Non-climbing book that's impacted my coaching 00:11:34 Olga: How to get more good tries on your project 00:15:59 Jack: Maximum recoverable volume 00:20:41 Luke: How language impacts performance and safety 00:26:38 Olga: Frustration when you're close to sending but not having fun 00:29:08 Jeffrey: Tips for switching to RPE 00:33:59 Jeffrey: Is there a time to stop progressing basic lifts? 00:37:01 Cursed Climbing: Awe-inspiring experiences

Welcome to the Inner Fire Climbing podcast! I'm Jesse Firestone. In this episode I take a minute to explain who I am and why I started this pod.