Road to V8: Bouldering vs. Route Climbing, Can We Excel at Both?

Oct 22, 2025

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In this latest installment of the Road To series, Coach Nate Drolet joins to explore:

Are bouldering and route climbing goals at odds?
Why having endurance can help with board climbing and bouldering
What he recommends for my training schedule this season
The risk of trying to peak too early in the season
A top rope drill to learn how to climb faster and mentally manage the pump
The 3 types of routes that are best suited for boulderers
Whether I should try to push my sport grade this season or not
The Chattanooga V8 he thinks could be my perfect fit

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

00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:54 Seasonal Climbing Goals 02:17 Balancing Bouldering and Sport Climbing 03:17 Training Techniques and Drills 04:46 Personal Climbing Updates 22:50 Climbing Community and Social Dynamics 24:10 Sponsorship and Product Endorsements 39:55 Climbing Without Chalk: Embracing Discomfort 40:53 The Mental Game: Embracing Uncomfortable Climbing 43:47 Experimenting with Climbing Techniques 47:21 Training and Endurance: Insights and Tips 51:50 Route Recommendations and Climbing Strategies 57:35 Exploring New Climbing Locations 57:58 Bouldering Projects and Training Plans 01:05:01 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

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!