The Struggle Climbing Show

Reflecting on my training, performance, and experimentation for the month, including:

Recap of June/July goals (hits and misses)

Another back injury

Australia struggles and climbing

Nate Drolet's new training plan for me

Exploring the maximum tolerable dose of training

A technique "a-ha moment" on the Treadwall

August goals

Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter, Michael Martin, and Kent Olmstead for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. So mega!

Download Intentional Climber on Google Play or the App Store and use code STRUGGLE to unlock $100 of free coaching plans, plus a secret discount.

Have an awesome month!

Break through plateaus, stay consistent, and make every session count with a free 14-day trial of Intentional Climber.

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/intentional

 

Join the email list to get a FREE private finger training clinic with Dr. Tyler Nelson
(normally $15)
www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/strong

 

Support the Show on Patreon
Get access to all Pro Clinics, bonus episodes, and more.
https://www.patreon.com/thestruggleclimbingshow

 

Father, husband, computer programmer, and weekend warrior Jeff Ash explores:

Climbing in the 80s with Matt Samet

Quitting climbing for 32 years 

Ninja training crossover 

Being more intentional with training 

Focusing on technique

The power of reflection and journaling 

How to avoid gym distractions 

Training indoors for just a few outdoor days

Intuitive eating and forming a healthier relationship with food

Drill work to improve movement

The benefit of “coaching” our friends 

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BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

SCARPA: The best climbing shoes, trail runners, and hikers in the game! Score yourself a free SCARPA x STRUGGLE hat when you use code STRUGGLE at checkout at SCARPA.com. SCARPA, No Place Too Far.

Arc’teryx: Inspired by and tested in the Coast Mountains of BC, Arc’teryx makes gear to go the distance! If you’re out adventuring in the elements, Arc’teryx has got you covered. Shop their full collection at Arcteryx.com 

 

And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals

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Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

00:00 Low Hanging Gains

00:56 Meet Jeff Ashe

09:53 Jeffs Climbing Roots

15:18 Life Break From Climbing

18:01 Return After 32 Years

22:59 Old School Ethics

23:50 Rebuilding At 50 Plus

26:02 Arcteryx Academy Plug

27:15 Shoe Gear Talk

27:43 Scarpa Shoe Picks

29:10 Software Engineer Origins

30:12 Tech Then and Now

32:03 Houston Gym Routine

34:04 Intentional Technique Gains

39:16 Planning Sessions and Drills

43:30 Outdoor Goals and Route Style

50:08 Intuitive Eating Coaching

54:57 Root Causes and Habit Fixes

58:40 Journaling Patterns in Training

01:00:33 Exaggerate Hip Technique

01:02:45 Drills and Coaching Tools

01:04:29 Film Your Sessions

01:07:38 What to Look For

01:12:12 Board Video Comparisons

01:13:24 Train Hard Then Have Fun

01:14:44 Summer Endurance Goals

01:17:10 Community Feedback and App

01:22:02 Jet Lag and Australia Trip

01:25:19 Back Injury and Reset

01:27:01 Training Plan Ahead

01:28:45 Closing Motivation

 

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Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter, Michael Martin, and Kent Olmstead for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. So mega! 

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Follow along on Instagram and YouTube: @thestruggleclimbingshow 

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This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!

Break through plateaus, stay consistent, and make every session count with a free 14-day trial of Intentional Climber.

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/intentional

 

Join the email list to get a FREE private finger training clinic with Dr. Tyler Nelson
(normally $15)
www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/strong

 

Support the Show on Patreon
Get access to all Pro Clinics, bonus episodes, and more.
https://www.patreon.com/thestruggleclimbingshow

 

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Elite climber, Emil Abrahamsson, is back on the show to discuss:

His journey to sending 9a (5.14d)

Managing a string of mystery injuries

Being told he needed to quit climbing forever

The route Adam Ondra recommended to him

His off-the-wall training to build endurance

Why pull-ups are pointless

Finger training he did to get better at sport climbing

YouTube projects (and struggles)

His secret reality tv project

 
Check out Emil's YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EmilAbrahamsson
 
Join the Fantasy Climbing League: https://fantasyclimbingleague.com/
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BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

PhysiVantage: the official climbing-nutrition sponsor of The Struggle. Train harder, recover faster, and feel better than ever. I love all their stuff! Use code STRUGGLE15 at checkout for 15% off your full-priced nutrition order.

Arc’teryx: Inspired by and tested in the Coast Mountains of BC, Arc’teryx makes gear to go the distance! If you’re out adventuring in the elements, Arc’teryx has got you covered. Shop their full collection at Arcteryx.com

Intentional Climber: Stop spinning your wheels. Start making real progress. Plan smarter, train harder, and stay consistent with world-class coaching plans, mindset tools, and powerful analytics built specifically for climbers. Download on Google Play or the App Store and use code STRUGGLE to unlock Kris Hampton’s 6-week Stronger Fingers program.

 

And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals

 

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Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter, Michael Martin, and Kent Olmstead for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. So mega! 

-

Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

00:00 Shoulder Scare Cold Open

00:23 Welcome Back Emil Returns

03:14 Swedish Place Names Banter

03:56 Dad Portrait No Eyebrows

05:35 First 9A Goal Talk

09:50 Injury Streak And Misdiagnosis

13:30 Why We Climb Soul Searching

17:36 Rehab Trench No Pullups

19:35 Straight Arm Board Lessons

29:14 Arco Project Picked With Ondra

31:37 First Sessions Reality Check

34:13 Off Route Endurance Training

39:23 Resting Skills Kneebars Mastery

41:58 Sport Skills Boost Bouldering

43:25 Training Timeline and Shoulder

44:17 Pullups Versus Climbing Skill

46:37 Cardio Base for Climbers

48:15 App Break Intentional Climber

50:17 Finger Training and Hangboard

52:58 Personal Strengths and Superpowers

54:47 Fear of Falling Mindset

57:57 Next Goals and Injury Risk

01:03:59 YouTube Workload and Big Island

01:10:08 Research Projects and Physical 100

01:12:39 Fantasy Climbing League Explained

01:17:43 Wrap Up and Host Training Update

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Follow along on Instagram @thestruggleclimbingshow and YouTube /@thestruggleclimbingshow

-

The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation, whose mission is to promote solar energy for a more equitable world.

-

This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

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The struggle makes us stronger! I hope your training and climbing are going great. 

-

And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!

Grab an oice cold coike, some people jerky, and tether yourself to this Bonus Movie Night takedown (and love fest) of the Netflix adventure thriller, Apex. Shoutout to Andrew and Chris from The Runout for inviting me to join the fun! Give them some Patreon love if you can-- they make a great show over there.

Test YOUR Critical Force, break through plateaus, and make every session count with a free 14-day trial of Intentional Climber.

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/intentional

 

Join the email list to get a FREE private finger training clinic with Dr. Tyler Nelson
(normally $15)
www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/strong

 

Dr. Tyler Nelson returns to dive deep on Critical Force, including:

How to test critical force 

Why it matters

My critical force test

Why MVC is still king

How critical force tells us what to train 

Improving power endurance on and off wall

The big change I’m making to my training now

What boulderers should focus on kill

Why so many pros don’t test finger strength 

 

Dr. Tyler Nelson's Critical Force Field Test is on the Intentional Climber app! Test your CF and get instant training recommendations from Tyler based on the results.

 
Here are Tyler's other episodes to check out:

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/dr-tyler-nelson-on-finger-strength/

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/expert-analysis-training-with-dr-tyler-nelson/

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/pro-clinic-power-with-dr-tyler-nelson-free-preview/

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/dr-tyler-nelson-pro-clinic-on-building-endurance-for-bouldering-and-sport-climbing/

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/dr-tyler-nelson-stronger-wrists-stronger-climbing/

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/pro-clinic-dr-tyler-nelson-on-how-to-maintain-and-gain-strength-beyond-age-35-free/

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BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

Arc’teryx: Inspired by and tested in the Coast Mountains of BC, Arc’teryx makes gear to go the distance! If you’re out adventuring in the elements, Arc’teryx has got you covered. Shop their full collection at Arcteryx.com 

Intentional Climber: Stop spinning your wheels. Start making real progress. Plan smarter, train harder, and stay consistent with world-class coaching plans, mindset tools, and powerful analytics built specifically for climbers. Download on Google Play or the App Store and use code STRUGGLE to unlock Kris Hampton’s 6-week Stronger Fingers program.

And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals

-

Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

00:00 Critical Force Teaser
00:22 Show Intro and Focus
01:39 Critical Force Explained
05:20 Host Updates Australia
06:47 Meet Dr Tyler Nelson
08:05 Testing Protocol Breakdown
11:07 Interpreting Your Numbers
15:27 Energy Systems and Plateau
18:23 Testing Method Matters
23:58 Who Should Use This
25:43 Arc'teryx Academy Ad
26:59 What Results Mean Training
31:42 Route Goal Flower Power
33:28 Training Interventions Percentages
41:49 No Gear Testing Options
43:49 Treadwall for Endurance
45:28 How To Train From Metrics
47:38 Critical Force Takeaways
48:57 Power Endurance Priority
50:28 Training Tools Setup
52:09 Active Rest Explained
53:39 80 vs 60 Percent Blocks
56:11 Retesting and Progress
57:35 Elite Curve and Technique
01:01:47 Why Pros Skip Testing
01:04:00 More Quality Attempts
01:09:31 Repeater Protocol Details
01:11:41 In Season Projecting
01:14:52 Peaking for Fall Season
01:19:57 Outro and App Protocol
01:23:49 My Current Training Plan
01:27:25 Final Wrap Up

-

Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter, Michael Martin, and Kent Olmstead for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. So mega! 

-

Follow along on Instagram and YouTube: @thestruggleclimbingshow 

-

This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!