That's Not Real Climbing

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Charlie is the founder of Paradigm Climbing and he has been coaching climbing athletes from the beginner to elite level for over 17 years. In this episode, we’ll hear about a suspicious supplement sponsorship he had when he was a kid, what his world cup experience was like back in the day, why he thinks competition climbing has turned way too much into not real climbing, and of course everything coaching related.

Guest links:
Paradigm Climbing Website
Instagram
Youtube

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:27 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:18 - Insane schedule
7:02 - Getting into climbing, competing, and coaching
11:31 - Sketchy sugar daddy athlete sponsorship??
17:05 - How he would coach his younger self
22:10 - Strengths and weaknesses
26:57 - His experience competing at world cups
36:14 - Coaching goals
38:21 - How personalized does coaching need to be?
52:09 - How to learn movement
55:05 - The importance of spray wall
1:06:18 - AUDIENCE Q: How to improve as a coach?
1:08:48 - World Climbing Setting is too far gone?
1:16:58 - What the US is doing wrong with training
1:22:52 - AUDIENCE Q: Can you tell when a kid will be a v17 climber?
1:27:43 - AUDIENCE Q: Fingerboarding vs board climbing?
1:29:24 - AUDIENCE Q: How to train big dynes?
1:32:09 - AUDIENCE Q: Dream clients?
1:35:14 - Words of wisdom and where to find Charlie

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
Ardch is a boulderer for the Thailand team, and he has made semis several times in World Climbing. In this episode, we’ll hear why he thinks climbing is performative in Thailand, why it’s hard to grow climbing as a spectator sport, and we’ll talk about where we draw the line on setting that is too trendy. Hope you’re ready for some hot takes and strong opinions in this one!

Guest links:
Ardch's Instagram

Reference links:
PCL Bouldering Project Qualifiers

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:16 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:07 - Winning Seattle Boulderfest + PCL
9:31 - Moving to the US, getting into climbing
15:47 - Performative climbing in Thailand?
25:49 - Lack of World Climbing level Thai climbers
33:15 - Should it become a D1 sport in the USA?
39:13 - How to grow climbing
47:39 - Goodbye dirtbags
51:03 - Outdoor paddle dynos
58:20 - What climbing trend goes TOO FAR?
1:03:15 - What does it take to make semis and finals in world climbing?
1:12:29 - Salt Lake City and Mental Pressure
1:15:05 - Why is the mens field so unpredictable?
1:20:43 - AUDIENCE Q: Wow factor to making finals?
1:25:42 - Glazing Sorato
1:28:38 - AUDIENCE Q: Most underdeveloped part of climbing?
1:31:27 - Words of wisdom and where to find Arch

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
Bharath and Vishak are climbers from team India who now have experience at several world series events. In this episode, we’ll hear about the unique challenges they face climbing and training in India, some crazy stories about the worst bouldering nationals ever, why they think the average age for comp climbing will get older, and how they aim to grow climbing in India by routesetting and making climbing shoes.

Guest links:
Bharath's Instagram
Vishak's Instagram

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:28 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:19 - Training in Japan
7:01 - Getting into climbing and competing
15:10 - India climbing scene then vs now
16:57 - The state of setting in India
23:36 - The worst comp EVER
28:31 - Outdoor climbing in India
30:11 - What happens in World Climbing ISO
36:11 - Best tips from pro climbers
40:47 - Give Bharath some skin advice please!
44:00 - Team dynamics in ISO
47:21 - Crazy coaching practices in India
52:34 - Will comp climbing stop being so young??
1:00:54 - New school moves and coordination rock climbs?!
1:03:10 - Making climbing shoes
1:09:35 - Balancing training and setting
1:13:08 - Asia cup goal
1:17:57 - AUDIENCE Q: What do you wish you knew before you started?
1:21:37 - AUDIENCE Q: Dealing with plateaus and injury?
1:24:11 - AUDIENCE Q: Getting through tenosynovitis?
1:26:48 - AUDIENCE Q: What is your inspiration to keep going?
1:29:16 - AUDIENCE Q: Plans for a Youtube channel?
1:31:38 - AUDIENCE Q: Sneaking out of boarding school?
1:33:48 - Words of wisdom
1:39:37 - Where to find Bharath and Vishak

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
Lučka is a lead climber from Slovenia who recently won bronze at the European championships and came back to the world climbing scene after undergoing cancer-removing surgery in 2025. In this episode, we’ll hear about how her cancer diagnosis affected her climbing, training, and mental health, we’ll learn about the Slovenian team, and we’ll put together a tier list for the worst things that can happen in a lead comp.

Guest links:
Lucka's Instagram

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:29 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:24 - Finger injury before European champs
5:54 - Getting into climbing and competing
11:11 - Reading and memorizing the lead route
15:38 - Ranking the worst things to happen during a lead route
20:02 - Training plan
22:11 - Thyroid cancer diagnosis + emetaphobia
31:20 - How long it took to return to climbing
35:50 - The mental effect of returning to competition
38:56 - Does the Slovenian team train with Janja?
42:53 - Dating within the team
45:50 - 2028 Olympic hopes?
47:58 - Post-climbing plans?
53:12 - Future dog plans
56:53 - AUDIENCE Q: Are you afraid of falling?
1:00:15 - AUDIENCE Q: Previous Slovenian legends?
1:01:36 - AUDIENCE Q: How many routes and what difficulty in 1 session?
1:05:53 - Where to find Lucka

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
Ella is a lead climber on team USA who made her first world series finals earlier this year in Prague! In this episode, we’ll learn about how she climbs the same lead routes all year round to train in Arizona, why she doesn’t want to move to Salt Lake City despite that, how a simple vitamin deficiency wrecked her body for a whole year, and how she went from placing 40th in world cups to making semis and finals in 1 year.

Guest links:
Ella's Instagram

Reference links:

Check out https://comp.rocks for climbing competitions near you! (Currently USA only)
Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:42 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:33 - Preparing for Koper
10:36 - Starting climbing at 3
14:03 - Getting coached by her dad
20:09 - Fitness is all that matters for lead?
24:42 - Why she doesn't want to move to SLC
30:14 - Beta video before lead quails!!!
34:36 - Seeing a dyno in a lead route
35:58 - First WS finals experience
41:33 - 40th place to making finals in 1 year
44:38 - Training routine
49:52 - Ella LOVES autobelays!
57:13 - Youth climbers don't need to hang board
59:41 - A year of health issues
1:10:08 - Upcoming goals
1:13:25 - Balancing training with coaching and college
1:19:40 - AUDIENCE Q: How do you deal with pressure?
1:21:46 - AUDIENCE Q: Do you do fantasy climbing league?
1:22:58 - AUDIENCE Q: Would you ever go back to Schwandorf?
1:29:33 - Where to find Ella