#95 Palmer Larsen — The Master Coach, Adaptability and Autonomy, Deliberate Practice, Style Then Process, What’s Wrong In Coaching Today, and Olympic 2024 Predictions
Apr 22, 2024
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Palmer Larsen, a top coach, discusses fostering success through deliberate practice, coaching challenges, and predicting climbers for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Emphasizes effort over outcomes, autonomy in coaching, and the value of consistent practice. Touches on Timoa's performance, the scoring system in climbing, and selecting the right equipment for improved performance.
Deliberate practice with specific objectives fosters long-term success in climbing coaching.
Understanding individual climbing styles aids in setting precise and challenging movements.
Transitioning between practice and performance mindsets is crucial for improving climbing skills.
Mastering slab climbing requires intuitive foot stability and confidence in varied placements.
Standardizing coaching education is vital to enhance consistency and effectiveness in climbing coaching methods.
Deep dives
Developing Trust and Commitment in Climbing
In climbing, developing trust and commitment, especially in challenging situations like slab climbing, is crucial. Athletes need to strive for 100% commitment to the foot placements, understanding that more pressure on the foot increases friction and stability. Starting from a young age, playful scenarios and technique development help in building this trust and precision. Athletes who are hesitant or fearful on slab may need adjustments in setting to make it less intimidating but still challenging.
Balancing Style and Process in Climbing
Climbers have individual styles, some more analytical, while others are intuitive. Regardless of style, a good climbing process with clear problem-solving skills is crucial. Understanding style preferences helps in setting challenging yet precise movements. Developing a systematic approach to skill refinement and practicing specific movements, especially on challenging slabs, enhances positional accuracy and foot trust, leading to improved performance.
Practice vs Performance Mindset in Slab Climbing
In climbing, balancing practice and performance mindsets is essential, particularly in slab climbing scenarios. Athletes need to transition from practice, focusing on learning and making mistakes without pressure, to performance, honing skills under competitive conditions. Slab climbing demands attention to foot precision, trust-building, and committing fully to movements, emphasizing the importance of adaptive approach and controlled risk-taking.
Fine-tuning Technique and Confidence on Slab
Mastering slab climbing involves fine-tuning technique and building confidence on varied foot placements. Athletes develop an intuitive sense of foot stability and margin for error over time. Practicing on challenging slabs refines movement precision and foot trust, allowing climbers to navigate awkward positions and commit fully to actions. Outside climbing offers valuable opportunities to explore margins and build intuitive understanding of foot placements, enhancing confidence and skill development.
Deliberate Practice Framework
Fostering an environment where deliberate practice is key, the podcast highlights the importance of having specific objectives for each training session, adjusting skill levels to force discomfort for growth, utilizing feedback mechanisms like filming and observation to know what's going wrong, and focusing on repeatability and repetition to master skills over time.
Lack of Coherent Education for Coaches
The discussion delves into gaps in coaching education and qualifications, noting a lack of standardized training for coaches. This absence leads to varied approaches and a lack of consistency in coaching methodologies, potentially impacting the quality and effectiveness of coaching in the climbing community.
Shift from Process-Oriented to Quick Fix Mentality
The podcast explores a shift towards instant gratification coaching methods on platforms like Instagram, focusing on quick tips and hacks for immediate success. This contrasts with the more holistic and process-oriented coaching approaches centered on long-term growth and skill development.
Encouraging Autonomy and Commitment in Young Athletes
Recognizing promising traits in young athletes, such as fearlessness in committing to challenging moves, and natural inclinations towards deliberate practice elements like setting specific training objectives, actively seeking and implementing feedback, and displaying consistency in approaching skill improvement.
Supportive Coaching and Mentoring Impact
Encouraging athletes to lean into their unique concepts and strengths while providing support and guidance can lead to significant growth and confidence. Recognizing and nurturing individuals who show potential and dedication in their pursuits can foster a positive coaching dynamic, inspiring athletes to strive for success.
Balancing Parental Support in Competitive Climbing
Parents play a crucial role in their children's climbing journey by providing both emotional support and facilitating access to training opportunities. Finding a balance between supportive involvement and maintaining healthy boundaries is essential to prevent parental pressures from hindering an athlete's performance. Emphasizing effort over results and promoting a growth mindset can contribute to long-term success in climbing competitions.
Palmer Larsen is one of the top coaches in the country. This podcast has soooooooooo many helpful tips and frameworks to get you to the next level. DO NOT MISS his description of how to foster an environment for long term success via deliberate practice @ ~1:28!
He is the head coach of Momentum Climbing Team, in SLC, one of the top climbing teams in the country. He oversees 80 kids every week AND the coaches!
Palmer is also an extremely accomplished athlete. He has been competing at a high-level for over a decade including internationally at World Cups. He’s climbed 14d and sent his first V15 a few days before we recorded this podcast!
