Road to V8: My Kilter Reassessment and the 2026 Plan

Dec 17, 2025

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Coach Kevin Cuckovich from Kilter joins to discuss:

Results from my Kilter reassessment
Improvements in strength and movement
Struggles in beta and commitment
Plans for doubling my hold set
Going steeper and harder next block
V8+ projecting schedule
Should I set a replica?
Off-the-wall conditioning plan

Here's the first assessment episode with Kevin

Here's the 90-90 stretch

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

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

00:00 Introduction and Year-End Reflections 00:39 Holiday Season and Personal Life 01:45 Training Recap with Coach Kevin Kovich 02:44 Assessment and Progress Evaluation 03:04 Outdoor Climbing and Future Goals 03:54 Training Insights and Techniques 05:18 Assessment Challenges and Mindset 08:22 Footwork and Technique Improvements 18:16 Mental Approach to Climbing 27:21 Product Endorsements and Personal Insights 33:56 Reflecting on the First Training Block 34:29 Upcoming Changes and New Holds 34:51 Programming and Projecting Strategy 35:55 Training Angles and Volume 36:36 Project Day Structure 39:37 Adjustable Board Benefits 43:11 Outdoor Projecting Insights 44:35 Programming for Specific Projects 57:49 Conditioning and Strength Training 59:42 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

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!