Climbing has changed a lot since Chris Sharma came on the scene over two decades ago.

Now in his early 40s, Sharma has born witness to an entire generation of climbers come up, including his co-guest on today’s GearJunkie Podcast, 23-year-old pro climber Drew Ruana.

In a wide-ranging conversation guest-hosted by GearJunkie’s Seiji Ishii, the young buck and seasoned master discuss how the sport has grown over the last twenty years. Along the way, they touch on project poaching, drinking culture, balancing family with career, fitness, and much more.

While addressing his notable longevity, Sharma emphasized the importance of consistency in his training as he’s aged. He also credited taking breaks and devoting that time to other things to avoid burnout.

Among the first to represent the USA as an Olympic climber, Ruana offered a younger point of view. But regardless, both are among the elite of the sport and continue to push the state of climbing forward.