Caroline Ciavaldini is a French professional climber specializing in sport, trad, and multi-pitch climbing. We talked about growing up in La Réunion, early climbing, her mother’s suicide, the magic and selfishness of competitions, eating disorders, becoming adventurous, trips with Yuji Hirayama, meeting her husband James Pearson, discussing hard th…

Randy Leavitt is a climbing pioneer, prolific route developer, pilot, and surfer. We talked about training on the Dune Cracks with Tony Yaniro, inventing the Leavittation offwidth technique, his journey from mountaineering to sport climbing, bolting Jumbo Love and other famous routes, why money equals freedom, his passion for surfing, reflections f…

Dave MacLeod is back to answer some of your most burning questions. We talked about notable mindset shifts that affected him, how to reconcile contradictory advice, how to balance longevity with pushing your max, whether prehab training is necessary, his thoughts on Emil Abrahamsson and Keith Baar’s study on “No Hangs”, his thoughts on active flexi…

Louise Shepherd is a living legend, and has been called “The Lynn Hill of Australia”. We talked about climbing in the late 70s, her formative experiences, dirtbagging in Arapiles, onsighting some of the first 5.12s in Yosemite, access issues threatening Aralipes climbing, putting cultural heritage into context, and how climbers can help save Arapil…

Sol Wertkin is a former rock climber, cancer survivor, nurse, and avid mountain biker. We talked about new routing in the PNW, the “Golden Era” of Leavenworth climbing, the passing of Johnny Goicoechea, Sol’s cancer diagnosis in 2020, the long and difficult road to recovery, how e-biking saved his life, sailing, why life feels richer now that he do…

Stian Christophersen is a physiotherapist, coach, author, and world-class climber. He returns to the podcast to discuss his new book about managing injuries. We talked about why only two days of hard climbing per week is enough to get stronger, the Japanese method for building technique, load management, how to rehab a ruptured pulley, why optimist…

Luke Mehall reads “The Dirtbags Aren’t Dead, They’re Just In Mexico” published in the new issue of The Climbing Zine, Volume 25, now available. Photo by Ivan Ioza https://shop.climbingzine.com/ Our sponsors for Season 6: Kilter: http://settercloset.com (email [email protected] for more information) Scarpa: www.scarpa.com Mountain Project / OnX:…

Dave MacLeod is one of the best all-around climbers in the world. He returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, Moving the Needle. We discuss the simple decisions that led to his success, getting the basics right, how to climb harder in your 40s, the value of daydreaming, writing books, how diet affects mood, Paul Saladino’s meat and fruit …

This is a collection of my favorite moments of the podcast from 2024, including some of the best Patreon segments. Enjoy! Holiday Gift Ideas: patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing/gift Gift a Patreon subscription 👆 frictitiousclimbing.com/products/the-nug The NUG 👆 thenuggetclimbing.com/shop Hello Friends merch 👆 Rhino Skin Solutions: rhinoskinsolutions.co…

April Davidson (yeahapril) is a rock climber and content creator. We talked about what it is like living with her blind fiance Justin Salas, growing up and moving to LA, losing her mom, opiate addiction, finding climbing, her Instagram career, health issues and adrenal fatigue, her experiment with the carnivore diet, responsible meat eating, chocol…

Justin Salas is a legally blind climber who is a 6x National Champion and the 2018 World Champion. He’s also climbed up to V11 outside. We talked about what his visual experience is like, the psychology of an invisible disability, assistive technology, how he climbs, sight guides, projecting tactics, building out a van, the Olympics and paraclimbin…

Eric Jerome is a V15 climber and prolific bouldering developer. We talked about getting hit by a drunk driver, how his injury led to a paradigm shift, why he is actively caring less about climbing, seeking the minimal effective dose, developing new boulders in the Flaming Gorge and The New, buying a house, his career with KAYA, the gamification of …

Beth Rodden is one of the best female rock climbers of all time. We talked about her kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan, facing backlash after her divorce, reflections on her climbing career, her history with Magic Line, disconnecting self-worth from achievement, the unwinnable game of climbing, personal evolution, why she loves human stories, and much more.…

Chris Sharma is one of the greatest climbers of all time. We talked about his rapid ascension as a teenager, the knee injury that almost ended his career, why La Dura Dura was a turning point, reinventing ourselves as climbers, the importance of finishing what you start, what he does in the off-season, mini objectives, embracing competition, findin…

“I climb my best 4,000 feet off the ground” – Alex Honnold. Luke Mehall + Alex Honnold in a dirtbag state of mind. … SourceBy Luke Mehall

Thomas Huber is a German rock climbing and mountaineering legend. We talked about his most recent expedition to Pakistan, how to have fun at basecamp, exploring the impossible, his first trip to Buoux as a teenager, beer diets, his relationship with his brother Alex, challenges, silver linings, partying with the Stone Monkeys in Yosemite, his new b…

Moe’s Valley access is under threat! Todd Perkins returns to the show to talk about what is happening with Moe’s Valley, what actions are being taken to protect it, and what we can do to help. You can sign the petition here! Sign the Petition: Petition to Permanently Protect the Greater Moe’s Valley Area (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf…

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 6 of 6) — If you climb long enough, you’ll inevitably hit a plateau. In part 6, Jesse and I share our top tips and pitfalls for how to break through plateaus and continue progressing in your climbing. We cover the importance of focusing on skills rather than grades, doubling down on the basics, how to continually progres…

Kaizen Asiedu is a Harvard graduate in philosophy, an Emmy winner, and a life coach. We talked about our political backgrounds and values, what happened to RFK Jr, the health crisis in the US, foreign wars, how the coming election could affect the future of democracy, mainstream media, censorship and free speech, abortion, the steel man case for Ka…

Felipe Camargo is a professional climber from Brazil and the first South American to climb 9b (5.15b). We talked about his humble beginnings in climbing and selling soda to fund his first competition, training for 5.15 on a 3-meter spray wall, how signing with Red Bull changed his life, why we climb, what he learned from Patxi Usobiaga, his new fil…

Matt Heyliger guides me through rehab for a minor A2 pulley injury. We talk about how the injury happened, what I should have done to nip it in the bud, the remodeling phase, when to do density hangs, when it's ok to push it, thoughts on taping, pain threshold testing, acupressure rings, how to climb around a pulley injury, and more. Stay tuned for…

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 5 of 6) — Injuries suck. And unfortunately, they happen to most of us who push against our limits. In part 5, we talk about what to do when you get injured. We cover the emotional and psychological side of injuries and share some tips and pitfalls to help you get back to climbing stronger than ever. Listen to more Fundam…

Molly Beard was the first female L5 routesetter in the US. We talked about what climbing gyms were like in the 90s, how she got started in routesetting, learning the language of movement, getting her L5, dealing with misogyny, staying up to speed on setting trends, how to have longevity as a routesetter, budgeting your body dollars, advice for youn…

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 4 of 6) — Everybody wants stronger fingers. In this episode, Jesse and I share our top tips and pitfalls when it comes to building functional finger strength for climbing. We cover our favorite finger training methods, key principles to follow, how to apply your strength to the rock, how to avoid finger injuries, the pow…

Alex Megos is a German professional climber and a living legend. He recorded this podcast from the Flatanger campground during his recent sending spree in Norway. We talked about sending Change 9b+, why he is practicing his kneebar skills, future 9b+ and 9c projects, what it meant to him to send Bibliographie, his America Tour in 2013, how onsighti…

Another phone call with Ron Kauk. Donate to Sacred Rok if you wish: sacredrok.orgBy Ron Kauk

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 3 of 6) — In part 3, we step into the weight room. We cover weight training fundamentals, including the SAID principle, progressive overload, RPE, autoregulation, the big 4, and the rule of 10. We also discuss why we both lift, why climbers should train differently than weight lifters, programming ideas, common mistakes,…

Girls Gone Hueco is an all-female bouldering film now available on Vimeo. In this episode, I sit down with V11 climber Midori Buechli and filmmaker Long Truong to discuss the making of the film, the power of climbing with a girl gang, hidden costs of making a film, trash can showers, pad-less sends, imposter syndrome, advice for aspiring filmmakers…

Yves Gravelle returns to the podcast to help me get stronger fingers. We talked about my current finger strength goal, how to build a 3-month training program, best joint angles for edge lifting, limiting factors, the challenge for climbers with building finger strength, forearm hypertrophy exercises, how to know when you need more rest, how to com…

We finally get to sit down with Mallory Logan, the Art Director for The Climbing Zine, to have a conversation about the history of The Zine and Dirtbag State of Mind. Plus the crux of becoming a Mom at 21 years old. Co-hosted by Shaun Matusewicz, our Publisher Emeritus. Zine links: Support our podcast on Patreon KEEP THE ZINE ALIVE + Subscribe Scor…

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 2 of 6) — In part 2, we share our top tips for training on spray walls and home walls. We cover training setup considerations, route setting tips, best apps for saving and sharing climbs, mastering benchmark climbs, how to iterate on your climbs for incremental progress, hacks for building a home wall on a budget, and mo…

Dr. Amy Frugé (DPT) is a former Martial Arts World Champion, rock climber, and the founder of Converge Physical Therapy. We talked about extremity and finger pain from unusual sources, how to maintain a healthy spine, how emotions and stress affect our pain, psychedelic experiences, the pain, tension, and fear triangle, ways to empty your stress bu…

The last in our series of conversations recorded in Lander, Wyoming this summer, with Kris Hampton of Power Company Climbing. Kris is our first repeat guest, and we discuss climbing friendships, the Olympics, hip-hop and much more. Zine links: Support our podcast on Patreon KEEP THE ZINE ALIVE + Subscribe Score 15% off anything in our online store …

Fundamentals Season 2 (Part 1 of 6) — In this episode, Jesse and I each share our top tips and pitfalls for how to climb on a training board, such as a Tension Board, Moonboard, Kilter Board, Grasshopper Board, etc. This episode contains nuggets for folks who are just getting started with board climbing, as well as seasoned board lords. Listen to m…

We're back with Fundamentals Season 2! Jesse Firestone joins me again for six new episodes covering some of the fundamental elements of becoming a better climber. In season 2, we'll dive deeper into several important aspects of training, injury recovery, and how to break plateaus. Stay tuned for more episodes coming soon. Listen to Fundamentals epi…

Allison Vest joins me to talk about the Paris Olympics! We talked about our biggest surprises from the men’s and women’s combined semifinals, our thoughts on the route setting, what defines an “electric” boulder, why speed was so great to watch, heartbreaking results, men’s and women’s combined finals, who we are most excited to see bring their Oly…

Natalia Grossman is a World Champion and 3x overall World Cup winner and will compete for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. We talked about spending time in Mexico as a kid, her breakout year in 2021, dealing with public criticism, working on her mindset, how to win without being the strongest person competing, hard outdoor sends and goals, her happi…

The second conversation from our series of interviews in Lander, Wyoming. Steve Bechtel is a local legend in Lander, and runs two successful businesses: Climb Strong and Elemental Fitness. We have a really fun conversation ranging from old climbing stories of his with Todd Skinner, to the modern world of work, business, publishing, and climbing. Zi…

Colin Duffy is a 2x Olympian, 3x World Cup winner, and V16 boulderer from Colorado. We talked about puzzles, studying applied math, early competitions, joining Team ABC, getting 70th in his first open event, learning how to lose gracefully, qualifying and competing in Tokyo, how the Olympic scoring has changed, his strategy for Paris, future outdoo…

Emma Hunt is the US speed climbing record holder and will compete in the Paris Olympics. We talked about her intro to speed climbing, how strong you have to be for speed climbing, speed training, how speed shoes compare to other climbing shoes, her mental game and strategy in comps, prejudice against speed in the climbing world, whether the speed r…

The first of our series of conversations recorded this summer in Lander, Wyoming. Shara Zaia wrote a beautiful piece is Volume 24, our current issue, and we discuss that essay and much more. Zine links: Support our podcast on Patreon KEEP THE ZINE ALIVE + Subscribe Score 15% off anything in our online store Our sponsors for Season 6: Kilter: http:/…

Shauna Coxsey is the most successful competition climber in the UK and the first British woman to climb V12, V13, and V14. We talked about becoming a mom, sitting in and sharing our emotions, human nature and the joy of climbing, inspiration vs. aspiration, motivation vs. commitment, competing in Tokyo, retiring from comps, sending Hazel Grace V14 …

Josh Hadley is a leading flexibility coach in climbing and the face behind the Lattice YouTube Channel. I’ve struggled with stretching routines over the years, and this episode completely changed my flexibility training. In this episode, Josh shares his top 4 stretches for inflexible climbers and introduces key concepts like chasing horizontal, wei…

Introducing our first ever mixtape from The Climbing Zine. The Microdose Mixtape pairs Luke Mehall’s spoken word poetry, with the music of Devin Dabney. Enjoy. Merch is available here: https://shop.climbingzine.com/ Tapes and vinyl will be available shortly… SourceBy Luke Mehall

How are granite climbing holds made? Are there benefits to training on rock? In this episode, I am joined by Mads Bulow Duus and Pawel Rogowski from Nature Climbing. We go behind the scenes on the origin story of their brand, the craftsmanship behind their beautiful products, how to build a successful brand, training and skin conditioning on granit…

Justen Sjong (The Climbing Sensei) is a world-class climber and coach who specializes in technique and mental game. This episode is a technique masterclass. We talk about the four stages of technique, how to practice any new skill, how to send faster, his goal to climb 9a before 60, and Justen coaches me on how to float on the wall using his drop-d…

In this episode, I crack open a beer with Tony Bell and David Bress, the two founders of Revival Climbing Coalition. The two of them installed my dream home wall in 2.5 hours and I was blown away by the craftsmanship and elegance of the design. We talked about their backgrounds, how they bootstrapped a climbing wall business, what sets their produc…

Jana Švecová is a professional rock climber from the Czech Republic who has emerged as one of the top female boulderers in the world. We talked about her upbringing and her early success in competitions, her pivot to outdoor bouldering, her inspiration for choosing ‘Terranova’ 8C+/V16 as a project, making the first ascent of ‘Nova’ 8C/V15, using he…

A conversation with Taylor Luneau. Taylor discovered climbing after an injury derailed his ice hockey career. Taylor and Luke have a wide ranging conversation from local climbing organizations to the relationship of climate change and ice climbing, and much more. Plus in the outro is the premiere of the poem 5.6+ from the upcoming Microdose Mixtape…

Aidan Roberts returns to the podcast! Aidan is at the cutting edge of bouldering and is one of the most genuine people I’ve had the pleasure of talking to. We talk about professional climbing and today’s media landscape, and he brings us up to speed on the last year and a half of his climbing and shares the full stories of ‘Spots of Time’ and ‘Arri…