That's Not Real Climbing

Tom is team GB’s ex-head coach! He personally coached Shauna Coxsey into getting her Tokyo Olympic ticket and has worked with the rest of team GB up until he left the national team earlier this year in April. In this episode, we'll learn about why he’s banned from the USA, the strategy for getting Shauna to qualify for the Olympics, and the politics and public backlash he faced working in the circuit that led to his eventual resignation.

There is an EXTRA FULL-LENGTH EPISODE available with Tom on Patreon available to members only: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Email

Reference links:

Wedge Climbing

Janja Unfiltered Period Talk

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Intro/Recovering from knee surgery

5:49 - Starting climbing + competing + coaching

10:20 - How he got BANNED from the USA

13:18 - How to get into coaching now

18:57 - Thoughts on Instagram coaching + current training philosophies

25:50 - Coaching Shauna Coxsey into the Olympics

34:15 - Why Team GB found such great form in 2024

37:12 - What makes Toby and Erin stand out from the rest

39:12 - Difference between coaching individually vs acting as head coach

40:56 - How GB training camps work

44:30 - Athlete consistency during comps + period cycles

53:45 - Why he quit as head coach of GB

1:01:32 - Dealing with a toxic climbing community

1:08:38 - The most difficult parts of coaching

1:10:56 - Favorite/least favorite travel moments on the circuit

1:14:59 - Recommendation to other coaches on stress management

1:17:25 - The future of comp climbing + athlete money

1:22:45 - "Coaching people to their own individual Olympics"

1:26:45 - Tom's future

1:28:22 - Discord Q: Does cohesion in a national team make a difference?

1:30:48 - Discord Q: Did individual coaching ever interfere with your work as national team coach?

1:32:54 - Final thoughts + where to find Tom

Sofya is a boulderer on team Switzerland and she’s part of the wave of OG climbing Youtubers! In this episode, she gives us a debrief on her last comp of the 2024 season in Prague, we get some insight into team Switzerland and their potential upcoming funding issues, and she opens up about her past struggles with disordered eating and how she overcame it.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Youtube

Reference links:

Weight Vest Video

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Reflections on Prague WC

6:05 - Climbing + Competing start

7:58 - Worldwide childhood and origins of her accent

10:52 - Boulderer getting into lead training?

15:40 - The "no expectations" comp trick

19:55 - Slab is the enemy

22:10 - Being a short climber

26:08 - Training schedule

30:03 - Team Switzerland transformation

31:42 - Swiss athlete funding

35:23 - Money and YouTube

41:41 - Behind the scenes of Youtube

43:31 - Climbing with a weight vest controversy?

48:19 - Climbing, puberty, and eating disorders

54:47 - Bulking & cutting?

1:04:04 - The pro comp climbing dating scene

1:08:47 - Training with Nicolai

1:10:48 - Favorite hobby is...escape rooms?!

1:12:54 - Future goals & being born in the 1900s

1:18:55 - Shoutout from Tom Greenall

1:19:27 - Discord statement: calling Sofya by the wrong name

1:19:51 - Discord Q: Who's your favorite YouTuber?

1:23:35 - Where to find Sofya

Another double-guest episode! Stanley is an IFSC event delegate and judge chair, while Zul is officially a newly minted IFSC judge. In this episode, we’ll talk about how to become an IFSC judge, hear about their relationships and interactions with athletes and coaches, and we’ll hear some crazy stories about their judging experiences under pressure and cancelling events due to rain like in Keqiao.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Stanley’s Instagram

Zul’s Instagram

Reference links:

Appeal against Sorato during Boulder Finals at SLC 2023

Appeal Form

Stickman (Implied beta) on M1 Boulder Finals at SLC 2023

Bee incident during Speed Finals at SLC 2023

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Getting back from Paris Olympics

7:31 - Their IFSC Roles

12:35 - Why become an IFSC judge?

20:34 - How to become an IFSC judge

23:46 - The pressure of judging at the IFSC level

26:51 - Being taken advantage of by coaches

31:09 - Messing up an appeal in Salt Lake City

38:44 - Things route setters do that judges HATE

49:19 - The appeals process

53:55 - Judge relationship with coaches

1:01:27 - Giving athletes yellow cards

1:14:06 - Fixing the weather

1:17:28 - Performing a skit at the World Cup opening ceremony

1:20:59 - Why is the rain issue never fixed?

1:26:58 - Belayer protest walk-out & other crazy stories

1:35:56 - Things to be improved in the IFSC

1:42:25 - Discord Q: How different are WCs based on who's organizing them

1:52:11 - Discord Q: Should corporations host world cups instead of national federations?

1:54:20 - Final thoughts, where to find Stanley & Zul

Jesse is a boulder + lead climber (mostly lead climber) from the USA who is fresh from the Olympics! In this episode, he walks us through his entire Olympics experience, from training through his first ever finger injury, to balancing training with his engineering job, to meeting other athletes in the Olympic village.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Reference links:

Protect Our Winters

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Post-Olympics travels

7:04 - Climbing and competing start

9:41 - Youth training + competition

12:39 - Wanting to work as an engineer

17:55 - Only getting 1 shot on a World Cup lead route

20:52 - Slipping on the Olympics semis lead route

23:12 - Boulder mindset as a lead climber

26:11 - Olympics Combined format strategy

29:42 - Finger injury leading up to the Olympics

35:34 - Olympics training with a hurt finger

42:41 - Olympics village experience - feeling like a real athlete

47:17 - Dealing with post-Olympic blues

51:22 - Goals post-Olympics

52:55 - LA 2028 plans

58:52 - Protect our Winters work

1:04:35 - Discord Q: Why does it seem like you're friends with every climber on the circuit?! (And a discussion on competitiveness)

1:10:03 - Discord Q: Professional and climbing career intersection?

1:12:35 - Final thoughts: Voting and memes, where to find Jesse

Olga is an official IFSC routesetter, and she recently came back from Paris, where she helped set the Olympic boulder rounds. In this episode, we'll learn about what it takes to become an IFSC setter, what it was like setting at the Olympics and trying to make the rounds fair, and how she balances setting, training, and traveling all while being a single mother.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Reference links:

Boulder + Lead routesetting guidelines and point distribution goals

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Break after Paris

2:35 - Climbing since childhood and being a team kid

5:36 - Almost an Olympic snowboarder...

7:28 - First time routesetting...was at an international comp

16:26 - Becoming an IFSC routesetter

20:09 - Setting for boulder vs lead

21:57 - Dealing with the boulder setting guidelines

26:06 - Trying to balance boulder vs lead difficulty at the Olympics

35:36 - Height and route setting - The Ai Mori problem

39:38 - Setting for men vs women

42:30 - Setting for future Olympics?

46:54 - Raising 2 little climbers

48:26 - Competing again after giving birth

53:21 - Hospitalizations in Budapest and Paris

55:54 - Balancing training, traveling, motherhood

57:47 - Non-climbing activities and snowboarding

1:02:08 - Discord Q: How do you deal with negative setting comments?

1:07:31 - Discord Q: Should the 2 zone format stay or go?

1:10:15 - Discord Q: How do you improve your route setting skills?

1:12:59 - Discord Q: Unique challenges you face being a setter and mother

1:15:55 - Where to find Olga

I know Allen from our climbing training class in San Diego, but he is also a boulderer for a brand new IFSC federation, Team Guam. In this episode, we'll learn about what it’s like competing on the world cup circuit as an “average” climber who only started climbing at 23 years old and works a full time engineering job. We’ll also hear about what it’s like as a NEW competitor competing in Innsbruck including the afterparties, and all about the Guam climbing scene.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Reference links:

Climbing Gems Bag

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Our climbing sesh

2:57 - Starting climbing at 23 years old

6:59 - Why he started comp climbing at 29 years old

11:15 - Wanting to bring climbing back to Guam

19:01 - Being a weekend warrior

24:14 - Current training + work balance

29:43 - Never having a personal coach

32:27 - First World Cup experience in Innsbruck

38:31 - The difficulty going to a WC alone

45:23 - What people do in ISO for 8 hours

51:09 - Thoughts while taking on his first WC Boulder

54:07 - Least favorite comp moment

57:02 - Innsbruck afterparty

59:37 - Favorite comp moment

1:05:40 - Climbing Gems chalk bag

1:10:13 - Where is Guam

1:13:02 - Guam climbing scene

1:23:53 - Discord Q: What made you decide to participate in world cups as an average climber?

1:30:15 - Discord Q: Are you going to all future bouldering WCs?

1:35:24 - Final thoughts/where to find Allen

Madison is a boulderer for Team Canada and you may have seen her Youtube videos with her husband Zach on their channel, Richardsons Climbing. In this episode, we'll learn about the issues the Canadian climbing team faces such as not having a head coach, her “lose” streak when it comes to Canadian nationals, Youtube and deleting social media, and we’ll get her take on getting married young and relationships among climbers.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Youtube

Reference links:

Ditching Social Media Blog Post

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - The never-ending 2024 season

6:11 - Climbing + competing start

7:53 - Losing interest in lead climbing

16:37 - Current training program

19:43 - Moving to Germany and then back to Canada

26:42 - Canada's funding struggle/lack of coaching

33:31 - Canadian geographical difficulties

37:26 - Discord Q: What obstacles will Canadian climbers need to overcome with Alannah and Sean retiring?

39:32 - Comparison, competitive mindset, and the nationals curse

44:00 - Deleting all social media

49:31 - Social media and sponsorships

55:11 - Making the exception for Youtube

1:02:26 - Getting married young to another climber

1:08:06 - Siblings or dating?!

1:10:30 - Take on relationships between World Cup climbers

1:14:39 - Competitiveness within the relationship

1:21:40 - Relationship with Alannah Yip

1:24:36 - Discord Q: Thoughts on the current field of comp climbing women compared to other nations?

1:27:28 - Discord Q: Would there be a benefit to a more dedicated training center in Canada?

1:30:09 - Final thoughts + where to find Madison

Sebastian is a German paraclimber. He is also the chair of the paraclimbing commission, and he worked on filing the application to get climbing into the Paralympics for LA 2028, which only recently got approved! In this episode, we'll learn about his journey accepting that his disease would affect his body and climbing forever, what the process was like for getting climbing into the Paralympics, the drama behind the paraclimbing classification process, and we talk about his harrowing 1000km journey to the Innsbruck world cup on just a solar hand bike.

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Guest links:

Instagram

Youtube

Reference links:

IFSC Classification Information

FAQ Video on the bike

Short teaser about the handbike

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Getting into climbing/paraclimbing

9:43 - Learning to live with ankylosing spondylitis

23:58 - Applying for paraclimbing to become a Paralympic sport

35:25 - Onsighting the Paralympic application and beating out surfing

39:53 - What sport classes will be in the Paralympics

44:51 - Requirements paraclimbing must fulfill to participate in the Olympics

49:55 - Classification drama

58:07 - How classification works

1:05:15 - The difficult job of classifiers: fluctuating impairments

1:09:25 - Funding his climbing

1:13:07 - And the solar hand bike was born

1:28:50 - Proudest outdoor climbing achievement

1:33:00 - Closing thoughts/where to find Sebastian

Noah is the Assistant National Belay Coordinator of USA Climbing and has volunteer belayed at events nationally and internationally at IFSC youth worlds in 2022. In this episode, we'll learn about how to get into volunteer belaying, some interesting tidbits on belay devices and catching falls that you may not have thought about before, what the differences are belaying different paraclimbers, and some bad falls that he has had to witness.

NEW PATREON: www.patreon.com/CompetitionClimbing

Guest links:

Instagram

USA Belay Instagram

Reference links:

First draw falls at USA Team Trails

Belay shoe clip incident mentioned from Discord

Leg caught in rope Youth Worlds

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

To help support the podcast, you can become a Patreon member: patreon.com/CompetitionClimbing Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Getting into climbing and belaying

8:43 - Any certifications needed to volunteer belay?

14:53 - Belay devices

21:01 - Climbers falling + getting lowered at the same time

23:34 - Do you get paid to belay?

25:58 - Belayer prep for a comp

37:03 - Do athletes ever get to choose their belayer?

48:29 - NO belay glasses?!

51:49 - Differences between youth, elite, para

1:00:28 - Tandem belaying in paraclimbing

1:03:01 - Nervousness while belaying

59:22 - Team boulder arena com

1:08:46 - Climber interactions

1:11:11 - Bad falls during comps

1:17:06 - How to become an IFSC belayer

1:21:13 - Discord Q: Common bad practices belayers need to stop doing

1:26:52 - Discord Q: Have you ever had to remove a volunteer belayer?

1:29:54 - Discord Q: Have peopled ever submitted appeals for being shortroped?

1:31:27 - Discord Q: Thoughts on the double Fisherman or Yosemite tuck?

1:33:20 - Closing thoughts/where to find Noah

Ross is a boulder and lead climber on Team USA and you may be familiar with his Youtube channel where he documents his climbing adventures and shares coaching tips. In this episode, we'll learn about his bikepacking adventure that he skipped the first half of the 2024 world cup season for, hear about his struggle trying to balance competitions with his desire to travel and all his other hobbies, the importance of mindset and meditation, and if you're a USA bay area gym climber, maybe close your ears when he starts trashing the bay area gym scene. This episode is full of training and mindset tips!

NEW PATREON: www.patreon.com/CompetitionClimbing

Guest links:

Instagram

Youtube

Mind to Motion Clinics

Reference links:

How to Train/Stay Fit While Traveling

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

To help support the podcast, you can become a Patreon member: patreon.com/CompetitionClimbing Or, for a one time donation, buy me a "chalk bag": www.buymeacoffee.com/compclimbing

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Intro/Going over my experience competing in Vail

3:35 - Absolutely TRASHING California Bay Area gyms

11:38 - Why Ross didn't attend the first few 2024 world cups

13:15 - Insane bikepacking adventure

20:16 - What makes going to a World Cup worth it

25:10 - How Ross got into climbing

34:52 - Class5 Climbing Team

42:58 - The importance of who you climb with

44:58 - Struggle balancing travel desires + competition

49:16 - Hometown advantage makes a BIG difference

55:12 - Climbing training tip: strength training staircase

59:22 - Team boulder arena comp

1:04:48 - Mindset: How to turn around negative thoughts

1:08:51 - Fixing his SLC finals mindset

1:15:39 - Meditation for climbing

1:22:43 - "Being comfortable with the uncomfortable"

1:29:40 - Balancing other sports with climbing

1:40:16 - Using your non-dominant hand

1:45:17 - Making time for Youtube

1:50:05 - Proudest moment as a coach

1:55:42 - Discord Q: How to use skincare products for comp climbing?

2:00:27 - Discord Q: How to incorporate outdoor climbing into training? Any projects?

2:07:51 - Discord Q: Favorite non-US teams to train with

2:11:30 - Discord Q: Is the USA team dynamic more competitive or supportive?

2:15:07 - Leave a comment with more questions if you want a pt 2/Where to find Ross