Weekend Warrior: Shorty Bouldering Skills, Drills, and Mindset

Sep 17, 2025

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Weekend Warrior Gentil Nguyen shares insights including:

How she sent ten V10s in her first two years outside
Challenges (and advantages!) of being 4'11"
Why indoor climbs can be harder than outdoors for short climbers
Climbing 3 days per week and doing very little other training
Why her first season was so magical, and her second season a struggle
Dealing with send pressure
The importance of releasing expectations
Separating self-worth from climbing performance
Flexibility and finger strength tips to "climb taller"

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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)

02:11 Gentil's Climbing Background and Achievements 02:48 Host's Recent Outdoor Climbing Experience 19:40 Gentil's Climbing Philosophy and Training Routine 27:26 Gentil's Transition to Outdoor Climbing 33:43 Planning Bouldering Trips 34:48 Setting Expectations and Priorities 36:28 Researching and Identifying Boulders 37:18 Inspiration and Community Impact 37:54 Safety Gear Spotlight: Petzl Connect Adjust 39:41 Challenges of Short Climbers 41:58 Mental Journey and Training Blocks 46:43 Balancing Performance and Enjoyment 54:07 Future Goals and Outdoor Climbing 55:52 Indoor Climbing and Personal Growth 56:40 Tips for Short Climbers 01:00:10 Red Rock Bouldering Recommendations 01:04:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Shoutout to Matt Waltereese for being a Victory Whip supporter on Patreon! So mega.

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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!