The Testpiece Podcast

If you watched the Paris Olympics then you remember Hamish McArthur’s stand out performance to secure an incredible 5th place finish.Hamish had already stood atop World Cup podiums and won Youth Worlds, but his Olympic showing was a clear level up.In this episode Hamish shares what changed for him in the year leading up to the Olympics and how it ultimately led him to having one of the best competitions in his life.Don’t miss this incredibly inspiring and thought provoking chat with the inimitable, Hamish McArthur!SHOW NOTES:Hamish’s InstagramLife Is LimboMichael Gardner Arcteryx PostJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE

You’ve heard of Matt Fultz, but you may not realize just how amazing Matt is. He’s climbed eight V16’s. 8. Eight! By the way, two of them are rarely repeated and recognized as some of the hardest in the world (Hypnotized Minds and Big Z). He’s FA’d 7 climbs V15 and up, including 2 V15’s in one day!! We’re pretty sure that’s a world’s first, but who’s counting…Matt has also been coaching for well over a decade and founded Off The Ground coaching (“OTG”), which is one of the most highly respected remote coaching services. Matt is just as passionate about being a coach as he is a climber.In this episode Matt shares some of his tactics for climbing harder right NOW, how to manage long term projects, how he uses video analysis, what the hardest board climbs in the world are and much much more.SHOW NOTES:Matt Fultz InstagramOff The Ground Coaching with MattWheeler Brothers Testpiece PodcastJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE

Alvaro Rangel, Al, is back on the podcast after 2+ years! Al was one of the first guests and one of the best. The last podcast we did was incredible, but somehow Al managed to top it with today’s episode.He is the founder and head coach of Team Class 5 in San Diego, CA. Al is also part of the Team USA coaching staff and supports the team at World Cups as well as at the recent Paris Olympics.Al’s insight into what makes climbers the best in the world is rare. He shares his thoughts on what mastery in climbing looks like, the most important skill for a competitor to develop, and even his case studies on the top climbers in our sport.SHOW NOTES:Team Class 5Al’s InstagramTestpiece Podcast #7 with AlThe Art of LearningTestpiece Podcast with Garrett GregorMevo CameraJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE

Melina Costanza is an 8x US National Champion. Sometimes as a youth, sometimes as a collegiate, sometimes in Open, sometimes in bouldering, sometimes in lead, sometimes both. Yes, last year at Open Nationals (2023) she won both Bouldering and Lead.  She is set to compete in the 2024 Open Nationals coming up in a week, so after you listen to this podcast make sure to mark your calendars for October 14th and 15th and cheer her on!In this podcast, Melina shares her extremely deep dive into mental training and how she translates that to her incredible performances in competition. It is an absolute masterclass on this topic that cannot be missed.She also talks about her views on indoor vs outdoor climbing and how that’s recently changed and why.Finally, Melina covers a sensitive, but important, topic. Eating as an elite athlete. Melina struggled with an eating disorder at one point and suffered a serious injury as a result. She has returned to sport since then, and done so successfully (see above, Nationals 2023 double gold). Melina shares how to best frame eating when you are an athlete. Because let’s face it, weight management will always be part of the equation in sports. But it needs to be done the right way. It is not a simple black and white topic, even though media often makes it out to be, which is a disservice to those trying to figure out their path forward. Melina is making a huge contribution to the community by sharing how she navigates the nuances so that she can perform at her best in a sustainable way.SHOW NOTES:Melina's InstagramMelina’s Favorite Hype Song, RunninMelina’s Favorite Chill Songs, Taylor SwiftDay One Journaling App Alex Johnson’s Testpiece Podcast EpisodeJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE

Ward Byrum, Director of Routesetting for Movement gyms, shares his extensive knowledge of indoor climbing. He discusses the art and science of route setting, emphasizing its role in shaping climbers' experiences. Ward reflects on the evolution of climbing gyms and culture, contrasting U.S. and Japanese approaches. He covers the complexities of grading climbs, highlighting inclusivity and the importance of tailored experiences. The conversation also explores the balance between aesthetics, functionality, and the transformative impact of climbing on beginners.

Tom Randall is an iconic climber and founder. You might know him as one of the Wide Boyz, as one of the founders of Lattice Training, as a high level coach, or for his 5.14 Trad FA’s or even his FA of the worlds hardest crack boulder, aptly named “The Kraken” [V13]. Ya, Tom’s done it all, and has helped the best in the world do it even better.In this chat, Tom gives a masterclass on what actually gets climbers better. He also shares how to best use data from metrics, how the testing for metrics have evolved, and why Lattice started capturing these metrics in the first place!SHOW NOTES:Lattice TrainingQuantifying Technique Video by LatticeAidan and Bosi on Burden Of Dreams ReplicaTom’s InstagramWide Boyz YouTubeMagnus Midtbo Testing with LatticeJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE

David Fitzgerald is back after an absolutely incredible season. Dave was previously on for Testpiece Episode #55, a total fan favorite.Last season Dave had a list of climbs in different styles to tackle. Tierrany, a V14 endurance bloc in Yosemite. Equanimity, a V15 ultra tech testpiece in Tahoe. Lucid Dreaming, the V15+ straight forward power problem in Bishop. And Big Z, a V16 power endurance mega-testpiece that has thwarted many of the best climbers in the world.Did we mention he did this all after sustaining his worst finger injury ever?Oh wait, did we also mention that during this he formed Highpoint Productions and released the block buster hits “The Gold Standard” and “In Sequence”?Dave is one of a kind and about as under the radar as it gets. Tune in to hear from one of the best on what it takes to do hard blocs and what it takes to edit at a similarly high level!SHOW NOTES:Highpoint ProductionsThe Gold StandardIn SequenceJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE

Garrett Gregor, head routesetter for the Paris Olympics boulders and accomplished climber, shares insights from behind the scenes of competitive climbing. He discusses the grades of Olympic climbs and the collaborative dynamic between setters and athletes. The implications of route setting on competition outcomes are explored, including how subtle changes can shift performance. He emphasizes the evolution of tech and techniques in climbing, the subjective nature of grades, and the pressures elite athletes face, making for an engaging dive into the climbing world.

Tyler Nelson, founder of Camp 4 Human Performance and a sport science expert for climbers, delves into how personal morphology influences climbing. He discusses the significance of finger strength for performance and injury prevention, and explores unique training approaches like using unlevel edges. Tyler introduces the Talon grip technique and emphasizes balancing strength and mobility. He also highlights the importance of understanding individual biomechanics to tailor training, fostering better performance while reducing injury risks.

This is the episode to learn everything about one of, if not the, most important parts of our climbing kit — chalk! The real topic here is how to maximize friction between your hands and the holds, which is crucial for sending your hardest.Kevin Brown joins the pod and goes deep on the science of how to get the best friction on holds. He talks about the chemical make up of the best chalk, what it has, what it doesn’t have, the pH of chalk and why that matters. He also shares the history of chalk (and pof!), some of the potential future advancements in chalk, and how to prepare best prepare your skin and holds for each attempt.Kevin knows this area so well because he’s the founder of Friction Labs. Kevin is also a lifelong climber who climbs into the V double digits and has contributed to the climbing community in a bunch of ways. Not only is he the founder of Friction Labs, he also helped found the Denver Bouldering Club which was one of the first real gyms in that area.SHOW NOTES:Friction Labs WebsiteFriction Labs InstagramCarlo’s Dark Side EpisodeAthletic HandsLiquid ChalkJoin Patreon: HERE Follow us on Instagram: HERE Visit our podcast page: HERE