That's Not Real Climbing

Sam is an 18 year old French boulderer who just recently won bronze at the 2026 Madrid world climbing series. You may also know him as the youngest person to ever do v17. In this episode, we’ll get insight into the world of new school climbing, how regimented routines and being locked in could push climbing further than ever before, and how he may want to just give up climbing one day.

Guest links:
Sam’s Youtube
Sam’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
1:26 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:17 - Reflecting on Madrid World Series
6:40 - Can you see results in ISO?
9:31 - Starting climbing at age 2
12:46 - Climbing strengths and weaknesses
16:17 - Fearlessness for new school climbing
22:05 - French team training and powering out
24:30 - French Team Selection
29:36 - Qualis is the most physical round
31:37 - "Sam Richard" as a persona
35:19 - Getting energy from the audience
38:41 - Climbing journal
43:49 - Hot take: outdoor climbing is better than indoor?
51:35 - Youngest person to climb v17?
53:08 - Climbing optimization
57:13 - Quitting climbing for running...
1:01:39 - AUDIENCE Q: How's the transition from youth to senior?
1:05:13 - AUDIENCE Q: How to hype yourself up?
1:07:05 - AUDIENCE Q: How's the bromance between you, Mejdi, and Manu?
1:10:05 - Words of widsom and where to find Sam

Andy is a climbing PT and this is his second time on the podcast. This time, he’s here with new research to talk about why youth climbers are maybe overdoing it with the climbing training, what early arthritis looks like, and the surprising dangers of outdoor climbing when it comes to competition climbers.

Guest links:
Website
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
1:05 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
1:45 - Spain trip and watching PCL
4:44 - Getting into climbing and PT
8:00 - Youth getting into competing more?
9:10 - Are youth climber overtraining?
11:28 - Outcome of growth plate fractures
16:43 - Youth Climbers very rarely get injured
21:28 - Youth climbers should not specialize in climbing
32:03 - What does arthritis look like?
37:00 - Is synovitis a sign of future arthritis?
38:55 - Injuries are actually coming from outdoor climbing....
46:32 - Max Milne's Foot Injury
49:53 - Are injury rates increasing within comp climbers?
52:53 - AUDIENCE Q: Common adult injuries breaking into the comp scene?
59:48 - AUDIENCE Q: Can you even climb with hyper mobility?
1:06:54 - Words of wisdom and where to find Andy

You likely know Emil from being one of the OG climbing Youtubers who has also competed in a few world cups for Sweden. With his brother, Felix, they have started a new Fantasy Climbing League platform! In this episode, we’ll learn about how the Fantasy Climbing League works, how they feel about sports gambling in climbing, who their top picks are for their teams, and their predictions for all things competition.

Guest links:
Fantasy Climbing League Site
Emil’s Youtube
Felix’s Instagram
Emil’s Instagram

Reference links:
Boardclimbs App

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
1:21 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:01 - Living in Arco
5:22 - Starting climbing and competing
14:26 - Existential AI talk
17:14 - Fantasy Climbing League overview
21:10 - They've never played fantasy sports before!!
22:47 - Drafting strategy
25:37 - Are fantasy leagues gambling-adjacent??
33:36 - Top picks of the season
42:07 - Are injury comebacks good picks?
45:13 - Janja vs Ai debate
52:26 - Will Tomoa have a downfall?!
1:00:03 - Tomoa v Meichi?
1:02:37 - AUDIENCE Q: What style of comp climbing would change the results the most?
1:10:21 - AUDIENCE Q: What will the future of comp climbing look like?
1:13:38 - AUDIENCE Q: What expectations should a comp beginner have?
1:18:04 - AUDIENCE Q: What's your favorite WoW dungeon?
1:19:05 - Join Fantasy Climbing League ASAP!!!

Sam is a French boulder and lead climber who has medals from several world cups and competed alongside his sister, Zelia at the Paris Olympics! In this episode, we’ll learn more about what it’s like growing up in a climbing family, tips for climbing as a short king, why he struggled in the 2025 season, and how he self-coaches.

Guest links:
Sam’s Instagram
Guitar 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
1:24 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:34 - His mother still competing at 42 years old
7:45 - Getting into climbing and competing
9:31 - AUDIENCE Q: Did growing up in a climbing family add pressure?
12:52 - Struggling between youth and senior circuits
16:51 - Rough 2025 season
22:53 - 2028 Olympics strategy
26:37 - Being a short king
31:34 - AUDIENCE Q: Tips for short kings?
35:41 - Training with the French team
37:51 - AUDIENCE Q: how do you self coach?
41:21 - Training only with climbing
45:21 - Gyms worth visiting in Paris
47:05 - Secrets to French slab
51:37 - AUDIENCE Q: What are you thinking about when climbing?
56:06 - Mental game
58:41 - 2026 goals
1:01:22 - AUDIENCE Q: Playing guitar?
1:04:58 - AUDIENCE Q: Can you make a living climbing?
1:08:40 - AUDIENCE Q: How to gain finger strength?
1:12:23 - AUDIENCE Q: Recovery routine?
1:15:56 - Where to find Sam

Jackie was the routesetting director at the Pro Climbing League (PCL) comp and is also the co-founder of Kilter! In this episode, we’ll learn more about the unique challenges that came with setting for PCL, why she thinks it’s important to have more women setting for women’s comps, and how YOU could maybe try climbing the same exact boulders set at PCL.

Guest links:
Kiter’s Website
Jackie’s Instagram
Pro Climbing League Website
Kilter Youtube

Reference links:
Underrated hold

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
1:20 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:00 - Still cleaning up from PCL
5:42 - Interesting Kilter free-standing option
7:34 - Getting into climbing, setting, and Kilter
13:38 - The political path to becoming an IFSC setter
15:34 - Starting the Woman Up Comps
20:00 - What grade do you need to climb to be a route setter?
22:31 - AUDIENCE Q: How did you build the PCL routesetting team?
28:46 - What made setting different for PCL
32:09 - How to get separation
36:30 - AUDIENCE Q: Was this speed bouldering, was women's setting too easy?
41:57 - Is sanding down holds fair?!
43:47 - Why it's hard to calibrate for female competitors
51:16 - How boulder changeover worked
55:37 - The slab that didn't get shown
58:24 - Different competition strategies
1:03:27 - AUDIENCE Q: Harder to gauge setting than World Cup?
1:04:18 - AUDIENCE Q: Did the setting matter more than a World Cup?
1:07:04 - AUDIENCE Q: Mixed gender events in the future?
1:09:13 - AUDIENCE Q: idea - 2 betas per boulder?
1:11:12 - AUDIENCE Q: Are setters more impressed or annoyed by beta breaks?
1:17:23 - AUDIENCE Q: What makes Kilter stand out?
1:22:30 - Underrated hold?
1:25:02 - Shoutouts and long work hours
1:26:51 - YOU can reset the PCL climbs and experience them!