The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast E166: Adam Shahar - The Process, Burden, boards and World Cups
Sep 17, 2025
Adam Shahar, an elite board climbing specialist and international competitor, shares insights from his climbing journey. He recounts his intense struggles on the V16 boulder problem 'The Process' in Bishop, revealing the psychological and physical hurdles he faced. Adam also discusses his memorable climbing trip to Magic Wood with his family, including a humorous four-hour session in a riverbed. The conversation touches on the balance between competition and personal joy in climbing, exploring the community's evolving dynamics and the emotional challenges of climbing with loved ones.
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Comp Dreams Still Drive Training Choices
- Adam still values childhood competition dreams and uses them to motivate long-term goals.
- He plans to increase indoor plastic training to pursue Olympic-style ambitions.
Plan A Realistic Rock-Gym Ratio
- Balance rock and gym: keep most enjoyable styles while strengthening weak areas.
- Aim for a practical ratio (Adam suggests ~20% rock / 80% gym when focusing on comps).
Competition Stress Builds Useful Habits
- Competition stress can build work ethic and mental tools that outdoor climbing rarely forces.
- Adam uses competition pressure to push through tasks he otherwise wouldn't do.