Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast

What makes great climbers great? What are the distinct and rare character traits that make climbers like Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold, Margo Hayes, Adam Ondra, and Alex Megos (I call this group "CHHOM")--and others like them--the barrier-breaking and transcendent climbers that they are? You might be thinking of things like "strong fingers", "low bodyfat, and "excellent sponsorship". Surely these are part of the equation, however, I believe the true Superpowers of these climbers are things you can't measure with a fitness test or financial summary. In this podcast I present the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers--traits you can develop (gradually) to achieve great success on the rock and in your everyday life. I hope you find this presentation enjoyable and empowering! Rundown 0:58 - Introduction 2:50 - What does it take to turn an elite climber into one of the very best climbers on the planet? 8 Superpowers of the Very Best Climbers 5:28 - #1: Becoming comfortable with physical and mental discomfort. 11:53 - #2: Uncommon self-awareness and the willingness to embrace failures and personal weaknesses. 16:00 - #3: Effective goal setting and a habitual bias for action. 21:37 - #4: The power to sacrifice greatly. 27:00 - #5: Maintaining a beginner's mindset despite being a highly praised elite climber. 34:56 - #6: The power to handle failure and overcome adversity. 38:30 - #7: The power to handle their "addiction". 45:44 - #8: The power NOT to care what other people think. 50:00 - Summary of the 8 Superpowers of the very best climbers. 51:15 - Do you have a #9 or #10 superpower to suggest? Leave your comment on Eric's T4C Twitter @Train4Climbing 52:15 - A brief word about Eric's brand PhysiVāntage -- the first research-based, athlete-proven nutritional supplements for climbers! Get 15% off at PhysiVantage.com with the discount code PODCAST15 at checkout. Instagram - @PhysiVantage For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book! Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! Music by: Misty Murphy Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!  

As physical as climbing is, it is even more mental. Being technically sound and physically strong is not enough to navigate a high-ball boulder problem, personal-best redpoint, intimidating big wall, or treacherous mountain. Ultimately, you climb with your mind—your hands and feet are simply an extension of your thoughts and will. Becoming a better climber, then, requires that you improve your mental mastery. In this podcast, Eric describes the vital importance of concentration in a world with ubiquitous distractions conspiring to steal your focus and sabotage your performance. You will be armed with six powerful techniques for improving your concentration and, importantly, maintaining focus in stressful, painful, and fearful situations common to climbing. RUNDOWN 0:45 – Comments on returning to outdoor climbing after COVID-19 lockdown. 1:55 – Importance of the mental game in climbing your best…and sending your project. 3:00 – Distractions are concentration- and performance-killers. 5:30 – The role of stress in climbing and life—striving to avoid stress will limit personal growth. 7:00 – Stretching boundaries is naturally stressful. Embrace it in health doses! 9:30 – In climbing, a focused mind is like having a fifth contact point…and on hard routes that’s all the difference in the world! 11:00 – The ability to maintain concentration over a long period of time is a discerning trait of peak performers. SIX ENEMIES OF CONCENTRATION 13:10 - 1. Focusing on the mechanics of well-learned skills. Let go and 14:05 - 2. Dwelling on internal feelings and sensations of fatigue. Embrace the good pain! 15:40 - 3. Entertaining nonproductive self-talk. Be loud. Be positive! 17:04 - 4. Focusing on the past. Let go of the past. Enjoy the moment! 17:38 - 5. Focusing on the future...and potential outcomes. Let go of the outcome—let it develop organically. 18:15 - 6. Visual and auditory distractions. The world is conspiring to distract you! Specifically, what people, places, and things distract you? SIX TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVE CONCENTRATION WHILE CLIMBING 20:15 - 1. Deal with potential distractions before you climb. 21:20 - 2. Use rituals to narrow focus. 22:50 - 3. Use self-talk to direct the conscious mind. Be loud. Be positive! 25:08 - 4. Keep your eyes on task-relevant targets. 29:23 - 5. Keep your thoughts in the moment. Mind-body synchronization—and the Flow State—is possible only when your thoughts are in the moment! 31:25 - 6. Use willpower to narrow focus despite adverse or imperfect conditions. Use the pressure of the situation and your will power to create a laser-like focus to perform your best in the moment. 33:45 – The mental game is central to climbing your best and maximizing experience. The mental game doesn’t change from one generation to the next—the risk, the fear, and the adversity of the steep are the same…and links us to past generations of climbers. Strive to become a master of your mind. 35:30 – For a comprehensive manual on mental training, check out my book Maximum Climbing. 36:00 – Please check out and support T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage. Research-based, athlete-proven performance nutrition for climbers--use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% on your order. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try! PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media. Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing. Music by Misty Murphy Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

Climbers are drawn to the challenges and potential adversity of the steep. Great climbers embrace grand challenges--and almost certain adversity--in achieving hard and rare accomplishments. This podcast will equip you with five powerful strategies to leverage, in times of hardship and adversity, as you pursue big goals both in climbing and in your everyday life. And now in this era of COVID-19, you face risk and potential adversity at every turn...so don't miss this powerful podcast--it's an instant classic in the genre of mental training for climbing! Podcast Rundown 0:15 - Opening comments about the ongoing COVID crisis,  positive trends we're seeing, and the hope for a summer climbing season. 2:20 - Shifting gears with this podcast away from physical training to important strategies for succeeding on challenging outdoor adventures. Learn the importance of the mental game--perhaps it's exactly what you need to make the next grade?! 9:30 - Strive to become a Maximum Climber. Read the book. Pure gold! 10:00 - Introduction to the powerful topic of...persevering in the face of challenge...and overcoming adversity. 13:36 - The utility of PURSUING adversity....for recalibrating your brain and opening the door to great achievement. All legendary climbers have done it--Harding, Bridwell, Skinner, Hill, Caldwell, Honnold, Harrington, Ondra, and countless others. 22:05 - Embrace adversity...to learn, grow, build character, and "hardness". 23:06 - FIVE powerful strategies for succeeding, despite hardship, and overcoming adversity. 23:16 - #1 Strive for Flexibility of Perspective - Become a spin doctor! 29:30 - #2 Use Optimism as a Tool...a mental lever to sustain forward movement, trouble-shooting, belief in the end game, and finding a way to your goal. 32:04 - #3 - Become Reverse Paranoid! Believe that the universe is conspiring for your success...and that what you want, wants you! Stay aware for synchronicity and other clues from above. 36:36 - #4 Develop World-Class "Hanging-On Power". Mental fortitude is a skill developed over years of striving for one more move, one more rep, one more day of work on the project...or whatever it takes to hang-on to success! 40:45 - #5 Assume a Philosophical Forward-Looking Perspective. Powerful lessons from Tommy Caldwell, Jeff Batzer, and Hugh Herr. 49:05 - Closing comments on developing into a maximum climber. 50:20 - Please check out and support T4C podcast sponsor PhysiVantage. Research-based, athlete-proven performance nutrition for climbers--use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% on your order. Used by a growing number of pro climbers and thousands of recreational climbers around the world. Give PhysiVantage a try! 51:09 - Hörst Out! PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media. Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing. Music by Misty Murphy Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

These are crazy times we're living through with the COVID crisis. Most of us are self-quarantined...left to train on a home wall, hangboard, and whatever else we can kludge together. My personal initiative during the growing stay-at-home spell is doing twice-weekly livestream videos that I call "Training Café". You can view these shows--and submit training questions--during the livestream shows simulcast on the Training For Climbing Facebook and T4C YouTube channels. In this podcast, however, I wanted to share with part of Training Café #6...which includes several training Q & As and a brief dive into using Energy System Training concepts to improve the effectiveness of your training. Podcast Rundown 0:15 - Opening comments about the ongoing COVID crisis...and stay-at-home situation we most face. 3:15 - Introducing my Make April Great Again initiative...Training Café!  7:25 - Audio begis from Training Café #6. 10:00 - SHOUT OUT...to Udo Neumann, the legendary Germany coach and movement expert. Check out his masterclass videos on climbing movement, analysis, and technique training. Watch trailors of "Ideas to Improve Your Climbing" and "Climbing Technique". 12:00 - Eric answers Training Cafe viewer questions. 12:18 - Question #1: Should I go all the way down when pull-up training? 18:16 - Question #2: How much hangboard training is too much? 21:00 - Question #3: Should I deadlift as part of my training for climbing? 24:45 - Question #4: In doing max hangs, as part of an alactic system workout, is it okay to do another different alactic exercise during the rest period between max hangs? 30:30 - MAIN TOPIC: Energy System Training - A brief review of the three bioenergetic systems that power our climbing...and how you can best training each system for optimal adaptations and gains. Listen to previous T4C podcasts #23 to #28 for a deep dive into the science and application of Energy System Training. Learn about PhysiVāntage and how performance nutrition. Use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% off full-price PhysiVantage products. PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media. Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing. Music by Misty Murphy Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

An often-used proverbial phrase, to encourage optimism and proactive action in the face of adversity or misfortune, is to "make lemonade out of lemons." In this podcast, Eric Hörst presents a hopeful mindset and approach for persevering through the COVID-19 crisis. He details five tips for effective home training and fostering a stronger immune system. Employing this guidance will lower your risk of illness and prepare your body for a quick return to high-performance climbing this summer! Podcast Rundown 0:30 - Opening comments about the global pandemic...and its effects on climbing and life in general. 8:00 - Regarding self-quarantine and areas closed to climbing -- be a part of the solution! 12:10 - Adversity and forced change can sometimes be a blessing in disguise--look for a silver lining in your current situation. Think long-term, consider life course corrections, new goals, and refining your personal "life mission". Consider relistening to Podcast #32 on Success Strategies and Podcast #43 on Tips for Your Best Year Ever! 14:00 - Importance of having a bias for action. 15:38 - Overview of 5 Tips for Coping with the COVID-19 Climbing Closedown...in which gyms are closed, crags are closed, and travel is discouraged or prohibited. 17:54 - TIP #1: If you have a lingering injury or you are returning from a significant injury or surgery, use this climbing-closedown period to engage in deliberate rehab and training. Stay the course, and prepare to be 100% upon the re-opening of our climbing season! 22:00 - TIP #2: Do some generalized aerobic activity outside every day...while maintaining proper social distance. Invest 30 to 60 minutes each day into going for a walk, run, bike ride, or hike.  Consider leaving the phone at home...and run, walk, or hike solo with a receptive mind open to innovative ideas, new goals, and other "gifts" from above. 26:39 - TIP #3: Maintain reasonable nutritional surveillance to avoid significant weight gain while away from your normal climbing and training schedule. 29:33 - TIP #4: Do some strength training exercises every day, but vary the muscles trained. Eric's recommended microcycle, using Energy System Training concepts, is as follows: Day #1: Climbing-specific maximum strength and power exercises; Day #2: Climbing-specific endurance training exercises; Day #3: Antagonist muscle training. Repeat this cycle twice per week. (Learn more about Energy System Training in podcasts #21 - #28.) 44:40 - TIP #5: Be proactive in doing a wide range of things to foster a strong immune system. Eric details 7 specific actionable items towards this end. 54:45 - Final comments about staying healthy, mentally positive, physically strong, and purposeful. Consider reading Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy. Learn about PhysiVāntage and how performance nutrition. Use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% off full-price PhysiVantage products.   PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media. Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing. Music by Misty Murphy Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

In this episode of Ask Coach Hörst...Eric answers 9 wide-ranging questions from listeners. Some of the topics covered are...hangboard training, diagnosing a finger injury, autoregulation use in competition, energy system training, optimal training for a Masters climber, protein requirements, and blood flow restriction training. Listen in! Podcast Rundown 0:15 - Introduction to Ask Coach Horst 1:45 - About POWERPLEX plant-based protein and collagen alternative for vegan climbers. Use checkout code PODCAST15 to save 15% off full-price PhysiVantage products. 3:05 - Question #1 - What are your thoughts on hangboard training on climbing days...as well as on consecutive days? 7:50 - Question #2 - Can you give me some insight into my finger injury...which is painful at the base of the ring finger, but also extends down into the palm and forearm? 10:10 - Question #3 - What's the optimal length of rest between strength/power exercises and powerful bouldering? 14:15 - Question #4 - What do you think about the use of auto-regulation on competition days? Might the findings potentially hurt the mental state of the athlete? (Learn more about Auto-Regulation in Podcast #44.) 19:00 - Question #5 - How can I incorporate Energy System Training concepts into a periodized training program? (Learn more about Energy System Training in podcasts #21 - #28.) 26:00  - Question #6 - What advice do you have for a 50-something climber wanting to train right and climb for many years to come? 32:54 - Question #7 - How much protein do I need to consume daily to recover optimally? 41`:40 - Question #8 - When doing weighted pull-ups should I go down the whole way or should I maintain a bit of arm-bend at the bottom? 45:40 - Question #9 - I'd like to do some blood flow restriction training (BFR) -- what protocol do you recommend for a healthy climber? PLEASE write an iTunes review of the T4C podcast, and consider sharing this podcast with a friend or on social media. Learn about Eric's new brand PhysiVāntage  and how performance nutrition can help you train harder and climb better. Thank yous: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs, Organic Climbing. Music by Misty Murphy Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing

4 Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Training and Accelerate Progress Toward Your Goals! It's been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting to get different results. Progress demands change. Doing hard things demands great change. Uncommon success demands uncommon self-awareness, discipline, and effort. This podcast presents four ways to refine, re-invent, or perhaps completely overhaul your training to get better results in the pursuit of your goals. RUNDOWN 8:50 - Develop a detailed and compelling game plan for 2020. On a calendar, block in possible road trips, competitions, and other major life events. Consider what additional shorter trips (weekends and holidays) you can schedule. Now, think about developing a training plan to be maximally effective for preparing you for each trip. Don't forget to include a 3 to 7 days "training taper" before significant trips. 11:45 - Refine, re-invent, or overhaul your training! Do you do the same familiar training program day after day? Are you now training in the same basic ways you did one year ago? If so, it's time for a change! Listen closely for ideas how....and beware of the "shiny object"! 25:55 - Begin using Auto-Regulation before every serious climbing-specific workout. This is a big-time tip! Pretty much all elite athletes use auto-regulation, and so should you! In this section, I describe 4 "stages" of recovery, and how you can determine your stage of climbing-specific recovery on any given workout day. Listen closely, and develop your own personalized progressive warm-up to accurately auto-regulate all of your serious climbing workouts. 57:40 - Add a new element to your training! Something you don’t ever do…or do infrequently. It must be climbing-specific and it must make sense to do…in terms of addressing a physical or technical weakness. View this new thing as a wild card—something that you might be apprehensive or scared to do. Sometimes in climbing, the thing you fear or avoid is exactly what you NEED to do to open the door to another level of performance. Watch video of Alex Megos wall campusing with perfect technique. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Visit PhysiVantage.com to learn about the first complete line of nutritional products designed by climbers, for climbers. PhysiVantage products are research-based...and they work! Get a physical advantage, beginning today! Save 15% with checkout code: PODCAST15 Want to learn more about training? Check out the 3rd edition of the international best-seller Training for Climbing! Please SHARE this podcast with a friend, and write a REVIEW in iTunes. Thank you! Instagram - @PhysiVantage Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! Music by: Misty Murphy Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!

It's the dawn of a new decade, and so I wanted to take this rare opportunity to record a unique and, hopefully, impactful podcast. The topic is...effective training for the climb that is your life. This is a short and fast-paced episode, so I hope that you can find some quiet time to listen closely...and think critically about the 10 tips and concepts that I present. Please listen with an open mind. Search for clues to answering the very important question: "how can I become more effective at pursuing my life goals...and enjoying every day along the way?" I strongly recommend writing down some new and inspiring goals for 2020 (and beyond). Now, immediately get to work on developing a system for reaching your goals. Exude a bias for action each and every day, and I guarantee that many of your goals will be realized! RUNDOWN 0:20 – Intro to the 10 tips and concepts for effective training for life! 2:00 -  Concept #1: The quality of your life is directly related to the quality of your thoughts. 4:11 - Concept #2: To outperform the masses, you must do things they don't do. 6:05 - Concept #3: Clarity of values and goals—and a clear purpose for living—form the foundation for a life full of rich and transcending experiences. 7:25 - Tip #4:  Once you have set a compelling goal, you MUST develop a dynamic intelligent system of action…that will maximize the effectiveness of your daily efforts. Listen to podcast #42 for in-depth coverage >> 8:25 - Concept #5: Risk is a precursor to reward, and almost anything is possible once you conquer the fear of taking calculated risks. 10:00 - Concept #6: Singular focus and indomitable persistence know no limits. This is where you need to channel your inner CHHOM. What’s CHHOM? Listen to podcast #37 to learn the superpowers of top climbers>> 10:50 - Concept #7: Obstacles and adversity make you stronger—and, they are often a blessing in disguise. 11:45 - Tip #8: Life is subtle: sweat the small stuff, NOT the big stuff. (This is the opposite of conventional wisdom—however, conventional wisdom is the way of the masses…and often NOT the way to uncommon success.) 16:10 - Concept #9: The most critical pivot points in life are often that brief moment between stimulus and response. Your destiny is a result of all the decisions you make, and so it’s vital that you are fully engaged in the decision-making process as often as possible. 17:25 - Tip #10: Enjoy this moment: this moment is your life! Every passing minute and every single day….is a minute and a day that you will never get back. It's life currency spent (or invested) and now gone. Therefore, what could be more valuable than being fully engaged—mind, body, and spirit—in everything you do? 19:12 - My Happy New Year 2020 toast to you, Dear Listener... SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Visit PhysiVantage.com to learn about the first complete line of nutritional products designed by climbers, for climbers. PhysiVantage products are research-based...and they work! Get a physical advantage, beginning today! Save 10% with checkout code: SAVE10 Want to learn more about training? Check out the 3rd edition of the international best-seller Training for Climbing! Please SHARE this podcast with a friend, and write a REVIEW in iTunes. Thank you! Instagram - @PhysiVantage Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! Music by: Misty Murphy Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!

Effective training can't be haphazard, nor done ad-lib. In this podcast, you'll learn a supremely effective conceptual model for training that adopts an "intelligent system" approach. Eric describes the nine elements of an intelligent system, and how you can incorporate this system to optimize training results and accelerate goal pursuit! RUNDOWN 1:30 – Intro to the TFC podcast 3:19 – Learning to climb is simple; learning how to train effectively is complex! 8:10 – Employing a “systems” approach to your training and goal pursuit. 10:32 – The value of waking each morning with a mission. 16:20 – Eric shares some climbing history…and names 5 legendary, transformative climbers that influenced him and helped inspire this systems approach to training/climbing. 17:55 - #1 Warren Harding…applied a mission approach to big wall climbing…and took commitment and suffering to a new level. 20:00 - #2 John Gill – The father of modern bouldering and training for climbing. Read his biography, Masters of Rock (by Pat Ament). Gill was climbing V9 (in hiking boots) in 1959! 22:00 - #3 Wolfgang Gullich – Applied a systems approach to training and hard climbing…and opened up the world’s first 5.14a, 5.14b, and 5.14d. Wolfgang helped invent the campus board, a climbing-specific form of plyometric training. 23:50 - #4 Todd Skinner – A pioneer of big wall free climbing, hard bouldering, and limit sport climbing, Todd employed a mission approach to climbing on a massive “all-in” and multi-year scale. 25:15 - #5 Lynn Hill – First female 5.14 ascent, World Cup Champion, and Free Ascent of The Nose of El Cap (1994). Lynn, like the other four legendary climbers, employed a systems approach to her climbing life. 27:40 – Two more important influences: my parents! My father, an engineer and inventor, helped shape my innate sense of needing to employ a systems approach to training/climbing. 29:10 – (oh yeah, climbing influence #6)….Jim Collins, a leading climber in the early1980s; later a best-selling author and business consultant, Jim described my mega-goal concept as a "BHAG". Big Audacious Hairy Goal!   30:30 – Conceptual model of a “System”. 30:40 - Five elements of an open system: 1. Input, 2. Output, 3, Structure, 4. Transport, 5. Conversion. 33:30 – Making a system into an “Intelligent System” with four additional elements: 6. Goal, 7. Sensor, 8. Controller, 9. Disturbance. 40:00 – Applying an Intelligent System approach to your training and goal pursuit. If you’re an advanced or elite climber, then employing a highly personalized system approach to training is essential for pursuing your genetic potential…and mega goals! 42:00 – Some climbing-specific examples of employing an intelligent system approach to training. Examples of how each system element relates to daily training activities and mission pursuit. 53:35 – Tips for applying a systems approach to your training and non-training activities 55:00 – Importance of having a mega-goal. What’s your BHAG? You also need a series of short-term goals to make your journey more rich and enjoyable…and to help maintain motivation and a sense of progress. 57:00 – Importance of consciously selecting your INPUTs—training, rest, food, things you do to support recovery, etc. 1:01:50 – SENSOR…your subjective sense of movement quality and fatigue while climbing and training; but also via objective measures...such as tracking of metrics of fitness (grip strength, bodyweight, etc.) 1:04:30 – The power of DISTURBANCES to covertly sabotage your training and knock you off course from your goals. Strive to anticipate, avoid, or quickly course-correct. 1:07:20 – Most important: Be proactive and fully engaged in the process of training, climbing, and living. Don’t be an NPC! 1:09:30 – Wrap-up: PLEASE support this podcast! Visit PhysiVantage.com to explore the first performance nutrition products designed for climbers. These products are research-based, used by pros and amateurs alike…and they work! Save 10% off non-sale items with the code “save10” at checkout. Want to learn more about training? For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book! Instagram - @PhysiVantage Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! Music by: Misty Murphy Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!

If you're serious about training and climbing your best, then you must be serious about performance nutrition. The foods you consume play a central role in energy production, training adaptations, muscle recovery, connective tissue health, and your strength-to-weight ratio. Combined, these nutritional influences are nearly as significant as the influence of your training program--and, if you get both your training and nutrition right, then a powerful synergy will elevate your performance to a new level! RUNDOWN 00:40 – Intro to performance nutrition. Why it's important. 4:16 - As a guiding principle, climbers should "eat and train" not "diet and exercise." 5:19 - A short story about an aspiring elite climber... 6:40 - One of my favorite sayings...and a powerful guiding principle: "To outperform the masses you must do things they don't do." 7:00 - Pro tip: Eschew group think. Live by your own light. Build your own optimal system to reach your goals. 9:10 - Performance nutrition must be personalized. Many factors are at play...so it will take some effect to get it right. 15:45 - Nutrition is not a black & white topic. There are few "never eat" foods--enjoying rich foods is one of life's great pleasures.  Moderation and discipline are critical, however. 18:00 - Beware of the flood of training and nutrition articles on the Internet (and social media posts). Some have great info, but many contain training and nutrition "fake news". 20:15 - Climbing is a strength-to-weight and power-to-weight ratio sport. Therefore, bodyweight is a critical factor and it should be optimized via smart training and nutrition. Caloric restriction may be valuable leading up to periods of performance climbing or competition. 24:15 - Your training and nutrition must be shaped to match your goals. The guidance of a veteran trainer and climbing-knowledgable nutritionist can be invaluable. 26:30 - Definition of "high-quality weight loss" -- this is the goal for elite climbers wanting to maximize performance. 27:30 - How to best create a slight caloric deficit to optimize body composition before competition or performance climbing. 28:50 - High-quality protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, strength, and power during periods of hard training and/or caloric restriction. The protein requirement is 1.2 to 1.6 grams/kg of body weight per day. Supplementary protein, ideally a high-quality whey isolate, is often necessary to meet this goal while restricting calories. 30:30 - The importance of Leucine, especially in your post-exercise feeding. 31: 08 - Carbohydrate backloading as a powerful performance nutrition and recovery strategy. 34:00 - The value of post-exercise and bedtime whey protein isolate and/or micellar casein. Vegans should consider a pea protein supplement powder. 34:30 - Eric weights in on "fad diets"...low carb, keto, paleo, high carb, etc. 36:00 - The importance of adequate carbohydrates for power and strength-endurance athletes such as climbers. 38:00 - Eric's recommended macronutrient ratio...approximately 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 20% fat. 39:23 - Eric's pyramid paradigm for healthy eating for peak performance. A balanced diet is the pyramid base, while sport-specific nutrition and supplements form the pyramid top. 41:54 - Regarding sports supplements--if you're eating right, then you may get added benefits from certain supplements. 43:30 - Eric briefly mentions the company he founded--PhysiVantage makes the first research-based supplements for climbers. 44:16 - What supplements might work for climbers? 44:30 - Post-workout/post-climbing protein can jump start and accelerate muscle and connective tissue recovery. 45:00 - BCAAs may have some value in a performance setting, but as a regular training aid there could be unintended consequences that may compromise muscle quality and performance in the long run. 47:00 - The importance of increasing muscle quality and muscle efficiency over the long term--this is the pathway to stronger more powerful muscles without gaining weight. 50:00 - What about creatine for climbers? Micro-doses may benefit, but creatine "loading" will likely hurt performance. 53:40 - Anti-oxidants (e.g. vitamin C, E, selenium) will limit the hormetic response to training and potentially reduce desired training adaptations in the long run. 56:45 - Supplements to "prime" the aerobic energy system and increase oxygen kinetics have great promise. Beetroot extract and citrulline malate will likely enhance climbing performance and recovery between bouts of high-intensity exercise. 1:01:00 - What about caffeine? 1:02:30 - Anaerobic lactic system buffers, beta alanine and sodium bicarbonate, have some potential benefits. 1:06:10 - Is a daily multivitamin helpful? What about minerals? 1:07:00 - A chunk of dark chocolate eaten each day has health and performance value. Seriously! 1:08:30 - The benefits of vitamin-C-enriched hydrolyzed collagen for climbers. Supporting connective tissue health is essential for hard-training for climbers. 1:09:32 - A few supplements that don't work... 1:12:00 - Conclusion and closing comments of nutrition for climbers 1:13:00 - Do you value this free podcast? Please write a review, and please share with a friend. SUPPORT ERIC'S CLIMBING BRANDS PhysiVantage makes research-based supplements that will benefit passionate, hard-training climbers! Visit PhysiVantage.com and save 10% off non-sale items with the code “save10” at checkout. Want to learn more about training? For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book! Instagram - @PhysiVantage Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! Music by: Misty Murphy Subscribe on iTunes (or other podcast player) to "Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing" podcast. You can also listen to the T4C podcast on Stitcher and  Spotify! Please write a review on iTunes!