TESTPIECE Climbing

Welcome to the first episode of the ‘Good Temps' podcast!This is a recurring podcast focused on the latest things happening in climbing and what it means for our sport from industry veterans: Carlo Traversi, Will Anglin, Austin Hoyt, and Joshua Horsley.SHOW NOTES:Carlo's InstagramWill's InstagramAustin's InstagramJosh's InstagramThe Dark Side MovieSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Hamish McArthur has been making huge headlines in the climbing world lately with his send of the highly sought after second ascent of Megatron [V17]. He quickly followed that up with another V17 second ascent of No One Mourns The Wicked, on his first session! Yes, that's right, Hamish sent a V17 in a few hours.Hamish is an incredible person through and through and it's a pleasure to get to peer into his process and hear about his path from “Good to Great”.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Mad Rock! Mad Rock's mottos is “CLIMBING SHOULD BE FOR EVERYBODY! Innovative, highly technical and affordable climbing shoes and gear.”SHOW NOTES:Hamish's Last Testpiece Episode, #122Hamish's InstagramHamish Sending No One Mourns The Wicked [V17] In A SessionHamish Does The Second Ascent Of Megatron [V17]Madrock Climbing, This Episode's SponsorSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

You know him, you love him — Dave MacLeod (again!).This episode was ‘snipped' from the original, #158, and focuses on a nuanced discussion of nutrition. It felt very different from the other topics so we made it a standalone.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Tension Climbing! Tension makes the best climbing training tools on the planet.SHOW NOTES:Podcast [Part 1] with DaveDave MacLeod's InstagramDave MacLeod's YouTube ChannelMoving The Needle, Dave's Latest BookDave's Journey To The Ketogenic DietDave Eating McDonalds EverydayTension ClimbingSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

You know him, you love him — Dave MacLeod.This episode focuses on boldness and risk in climbing, as well as some of the key theme's in his latest book, Moving The Needle.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY ORGANIC CLIMBING! Simply put, Organic makes the best and highest quality crashpads.SHOW NOTES:Dave MacLeod's InstagramDave MacLeod's YouTube ChannelMoving The Needle, Dave's Latest BookOrganic ClimbingSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Josh Lowell is THE guy behind the camera and computer who has made all of your favorite climbing videos over the past 25+ years. He is one of the founders of Big UP Productions, Reel Rock, and was the director of The Dawn Wall. The guy even has 2 Emmy's under his belt!Josh shares all of his amazing stories from starting out as an OG dirtbag, picking up his first camera to show the world how ‘badass' climbing is, all the way through winning Emmy's. This guy is a legend and is one of the reasons why climbing is viewed the way it is today.SHOW NOTES:Josh Lowell's InstagramReel Rock's InstagramReel Rock WebsiteRampage on YouTubeSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Tim, my dude, [aka Tim Kang] is back on the pod for another fun episode.Tim and Josh talk about the latest big news stories in climbing and then get into their latest climbing experience. For Tim that means sending Trieste, an iconic Red Rocks V14, while being a ‘weekend warrior'. For Josh that means his recent big trip to the historic bouldering Mecca that is Fontainebleau.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Mad Rock! Mad Rock's motto is “CLIMBING SHOULD BE FOR EVERYBODY! Innovative, highly technical and affordable climbing shoes and gear.”SHOW NOTES:Tim Kang's InstagramFocus: A Bishop Highball Project with Tim KangHamish McArthur Testpiece EpisodeMad RockSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is a behind the scenes discussion right after Episode #154 was finished. Kevin Thibault and Josh go deep on the legendary ‘Karma', the current development happening in Font, skin management, and the issues of weight vs performance.We hope you enjoy this peek into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Tension Climbing! Tension makes the best climbing training tools on the planet.Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Kevin Thibault is a fixture in the Fontainebleau scene. He grew up there, started climbing there, and continues to climb there for almost 40 years now!It runs in the family too, his Dad climbed there and was the one who brushed the legendary ‘Karma' which was sent by Fred Nicole and became one of the most famous boulder problems in the world.Hear from Kevin all about Fontainebleau, what makes it special, and what it has taught him in his journey deep into the 8th grade.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Tension Climbing! Tension makes the best climbing training tools on the planet.Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Tyler Thompson is one of the best young sport climbers in America with multiple 5.15 ascents and over 100 5.14 sends.Tyler shares his perspectives on sport climbing in America and why sport climbing hasn't grown as quickly as bouldering.And we get to hear some of his hard earned wisdom about how to become and better climber and why there are no shortcuts to time on the rock.SHOW NOTES:Tyler's InstagramTyler's YouTube ChannelFull Metal Brisket (15a)Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Ned Feehally is an absolute legend from the UK. He's one of the founders of the iconic climbing company, Beastmaker, and he's flashed up to V14. How's that for an intro?!Ned also wrote one of the best books on training — “Beastmaking”, and lately he's been working on 2 new companies he started with his wife, Shauna Coxsey, “Foxy Climbing” and “Mini Beasts”.SHOW NOTES:BeastmakerBeastmakingFoxy ClimbingSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Shauna Coxsey is an 2x All Around Bouldering World Cup Winner, an 11x Gold Medalist, An Olympian, The First British Woman to do V12, V13, V14, and she's a Mom. Since becoming a Mom, Shauna is back in top form and quickly sending multiple V14's this past year.Shauna is an incredible athlete in every sense of the word and in this episode she shows exactly what makes her so incredible.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Mad Rock! Mad Rock's mottos is “CLIMBING SHOULD BE FOR EVERYBODY! Innovative, highly technical and affordable climbing shoes and gear.”SHOW NOTES:Shauna Coxsey InstagramShauna Sending Mito (8B+/V14)Foxy ClimbingMad RockSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is a behind the scenes discussion right after Episode #149 was finished. Emil shares his longterm goals for YouTube and climbing media in general. Emil shares what he thinks current pro climbers could do better in the media space. Josh and Emil also discuss the number of V17's in the world as well as the possibility of Adam Ondra flashing V15 or doing V18. We hope you enjoy this peek into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Tension Climbing! Tension makes the best climbing training tools on the planet.SHOW NOTES:Emil's InstagramEmil's YouTube ChannelTension ClimbingSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Emil Abrahamsson is one of the most famous climbers today because of his incredibly popular YouTube channel. Some of his videos have been viewed over 10 million times!Emil also is an incredibly strong climber with sends as hard as V15.Find out how Emil balance YouTube with his love of climbing and how he responds to those that say he's just a ‘YouTuber' and not a ‘real climber'.THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY Tension Climbing! Tension makes the best climbing training tools on the planet.SHOW NOTES:Emil's InstagramEmil's YouTube ChannelTension ClimbingSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is a continuation of the last episode with Kenny, #147. Please listen to that episode first for context!Kenny and Josh hop back on to explore even more drama and links between Mad Rock and 5.10, Evolv, Butora, Red Chili, Black Diamond, So iLL, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Mammut, Edelrid, Yosemite Bum, Cypher... did we forget anyone? Oh ya, Unparrallel! You can't miss that one...Enjoy this deep dive on the usually opaque world of climbing gear manufacturing!SHOW NOTES:Kenny's Previous Episode On Testpiece, #147Kenny Suh InstagramArticle About Young Chu (Mad Rock's Founder)Mad Rock InstagramMad Rock WebsiteSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Kenny Suh is the CEO of Mad Rock.Kenny tells us all of the behind the scenes of how climbing shoes are made, WHO actually makes them, the impossible tradeoffs in rubber, how shoes will be made in the future, and some of the innovations of the past and the potential ones in the future.Really fun one that exposes the behind the scenes of shoe making and sheds a surprising light on what's actually going on.SHOW NOTES:Kenny Suh InstagramArticle About Young Chu (Mad Rock's Founder)Mad Rock InstagramMad Rock WebsiteSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Chris Weidner just sent his first 14c at the young age of 50 years old. Hidden beneath that spectacular achievement is a pyramid of climbing all over the world in many different styles, from FA'ing multi pitch 5.13 trad to summiting mountains in Alaska and Argentina. All of this started when he became member #112 at the first climbing gym in the US!You'll also recognize Chris' voice from his years as a commentator for US Nationals and Psicobloc competitions.SHOW NOTES:Chris' InstagramChris on The Green Mile (14c) by LT11Chris on the FA of Galmbers Fallacy (13b multi pitch FA) by LT11Kong Extendo Cheater DrawSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is a behind the scenes discussion with Chris Schulte, right after Episode #144 was finished. We hope you enjoy this peek into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!Don't miss Episode #144 for context!SHOW NOTES:Chris Schulte's InstagramChris Schulte's Black Diamond PageChris Schulte's Testpiece Episode #144Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Chris Schulte has been there and FA'd that. You may know of Chris, but you probably haven't met him because Chris likes to stay off the beaten path. Way off the beaten path! In this episode Chris drops so much knowledge and history about climbing that no matter who you are you'll enjoy some new stories that you haven't heard before.SHOW NOTES:Chris Schulte's InstagramChris Schulte's Black Diamond PageJosh on French Tickler in Hueco (filmed by Chris)Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Simon Lorenzi has done more V17's on the planet than anyone other than Will Bosi (3 vs 4). And by the time you read this, there's a good chance Simon has another one or two under his belt!That's because we chatted with Simon during his trip to Red Rocks where he is working on Return Of The Sleepwalker and Shaolin, the two V17's there.This was an INCREDIBLE conversation with one of the best boulderers in the world. This is a must listen!If you loved Simon as much as we do, we've got great news… you can get trained by him through his company Bushido Climbing!SHOW NOTES:Bushido ClimbingSimon Lorenzi's InstagramSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Tyler Nelson is back on the podcast and this time he brought a friend, Rob Hunter! Rob and Tyler are both seasoned experts in training high level athletes in their businesses, My Therapy Physio and Performance and Camp 4 Human Performance.This chat came about because Tyler worked with Rob to help him prepare for a V14/15 project and in doing so Rob nearly doubled his finger strength on an overcoming isometric test. That's a big deal, but what makes this an even bigger deal is that Rob is a V14 climber, 48 years old, and has 30+ years of hard training already under his belt. Rob is no stranger to training either as he recently retired as the Head Coach of the Irish Climbing Team, and has a degree in Sport Therapy.Tune in to hear more about the subtle change in finger training the was so successful for Rob. How “squeezing the lemon” can help with finger strength gains while simultaneously reducing injury risk and total fatigue. Learn about why we should focus on muscular adaptations during our training rather than connective tissue ones. And how intention is the key to strength gains instead of absolute numbers.Look below at the Show Notes for videos that help demonstrate the training talked about in the episode.SHOW NOTES:Rob Hunter's InstagramTyler Nelson's InstagramRob's Business, My Therapy PhysioTyler's Company, Camp 4 Human PerformanceTyler's YouTube ChannelTyler's Demonstration Of Overcoming IsometricsSqueezing The Lemon / Orange DemonstrationTyler's Demonstration Of “Finger Curling”Tyler's Previous Testpiece Episode, #114Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is the behind the scenes discussion right after Episode #140 was finished. Austin Hoyt shares his thoughts on the Lucid Dreaming, The Process, Devilution, The ‘Earvo' Project, and how they all compare to one another. Austin and Josh talk about why those grades settled the way they did and if that will change in the future.Austin also talks about a well known project that seems to go and be V18.We hope you enjoy this peek into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!Don't miss Episode #140 for context!SHOW NOTES:Austin Hoyt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoyt.austin/Austin Hoyt's / Veez YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ClimbveezAustin Hoyt's Testpiece Episode #140: https://youtu.be/i2unRIlVdHkSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Austin Hoyt is one of the young guns out of the North East crew that has been absolutely crushing lately.Austin recently FA'd the North East's first V15, Big Bad Wolf, as well as sent Lucid Dreaming [V15+] using a new ‘double-clutch' beta for the iconic crux move.Austin shares a ton about what makes the North East special and why it's been producing some of the strongest climbers, such as his close friends Noah Wheeler, Benn Wheeler, and Adam Shahar who have also recently been on the podcast.SHOW NOTES:Austin Hoyt's InstagramAustin Hoyt's / Veez YouTube ChannelIssac Leff's YouTube ChannelBeta labs (Austin's Company)Mad RockDecoy HoldsMimic HoldsTestpiece Podcasts Mentioned:Noah and Benn WheelerAdam ShaharRoss FulkersonSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This episode is brought to you by Mad Rock! Mad Rock is run by REAL climbers, and that's why they supported Ross Fulkerson and Testpiece to go on an awesome trip to Mallorca where they filmed “Between The Tides ft. Ross Fulkerson”.Between the Tides is a deep-water-soloing film that follows Mad Rock athlete Ross Fulkerson as he climbs above the Mediterranean on some of  Mallorca's newest lines. With short weather windows, Ross uses lessons learned from the world of comp-climbing to make the most of the climbing between heavy rain and big swells.This podcast gives a behind the scenes look at the creation of the video and fills in all the gaps that a 20 minute video can't quite capture.SHOW NOTES:“Between The Tides ft. Ross Fulkerson”Filmed and Edited by Raul OnyettRoss Fulkerson's InstagramRoss Fulkerson's YouTubeRoss' Previous Testpiece Episodes:Podcast #3Podcast #4 Podcast #124 Podcast #133Mad RockSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is the behind the scenes discussion right after Episode #137 was finished. Kai Whaley shares a bit more about some of the projects left in Red Rocks, his favorite place to climb in the world, his ticklist for some upcoming trips, and the differences between being a ‘good ‘climber and a ‘strong' climber.We hope you enjoy this peek into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!Don't miss Episode #137 for context!SHOW NOTES:Kai Whaley's InstagramKai Whaley's YouTubeKai Whaley's Episode, #137Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

“What up gangstas and shorties, it's your boy, Kai."Kai Whaley is best known for his amazing YouTube Channel where he has been vlogging his sessions on Return Of The Sleepwalker (V17) and Shaolin (V17). He is close on both of them, especially ROTSW, and it wouldn't be surprising if by the time you read this he's sent!Kai is currently 18 and is unofficially the youngest person to ever climb V10, V12, and V16. And if he climbs one of those V17's in the next few years, he'll also take the title for V17.Kai's YouTube is popular because he is funny, authentic, and an all around good guy (along with being insanely strong). He lives up to all of those attributes and more on this episode!SHOW NOTES:Kai Whaley's InstagramKai Whaley's YouTubeBoard Climb's mentioned in the episode:“Black Widow”, Moonboard 2024“Extendo Clip”, TB2 V13 @ 45“Menacing Creation”, TB2Brian Squire's Board AccountVideos mentioned in the podcast:Off LeashA Little LifeSqu(h)amishTestpiece Podcasts mentioned in the episode:Adam Shahar's episodeMartin Keller's episodeDavid Fitzgerald's episode #1 and #2Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Tim Kang (my dude) is back on Testpiece to discuss the incredible sending spree the youth have gone on these past few months. V17 is just the norm now, and V15's are just for fun and flash attempts.Tim and Josh also discuss what the future may hold in terms of grading, whether 15d is harder or easier than V17, and Tim shares what he things is the best highball in the world as well as what his next highball project may be.Episodes with Tim are always fun and full of hot takes. Enjoy!SHOW NOTES:Timothy Kang's InstagramTimothy Kang's YouTubeFocus - A Bishop Highball ProjectTim's Best Day, Testpiece PodcastTim's Most Recent Testpiece PodcastNoah Wheeler's Testpiece PodcastAdam Shahar's Testpiece PodcastSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is the behind the scenes discussion right after Episode #134 was finished. Zach Galla shares a bit more about some 9A's / V17's he's tried, the project he's currently most psyched on it, how he used simulators to train for The Process (V16), and who he thinks will get the third ascent of it.We hope you enjoy this peak into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!Don't miss Episode #134 for context!SHOW NOTES:Zach Galla's InstagramThe Process, V16, SA by Galla on MellowPretty Tall on MellowPrevious Zach Galla Testpiece Episode #77Previous Zach Galla Tespitece Episode #134Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Zach Galla is back after an insanely amazing year. Catch Zach's first Testpiece Episode, #77, here.Since we last chatted he's been traveling the world with the goal of climbing the best hard boulders in the world. And boy did he achieve that goal… Get the blow by blow breakdown of Zach's second ascent of the iconic “The Process”, V16, one of the proudest and most beautiful V16's in the world that sat for 10 years waiting for Zach after Daniel Woods FA'd it. This could have been a podcast in itself but Zach did many more proud V15's all over the world and FA'd a new V16 in LCC called "Sosa"!Zach also recently partnered with Black Diamond and joined a team called “BD Hex”. Hear more about the core climbing companies that are quickly growing and supporting the sport we all love.SHOW NOTES:Zach Galla's InstagramPrevious Zach Galla Testpiece Episode #77The Process, V16, SA by Galla on MellowPretty Tall on MellowBest Believe It on TensionLost Tapes on MellowUnstoppable by Chief KeefLove Sosa by Chief KeefConfluence on MellowDelayMyBelay on InstagramAustin Ernst on InstagramZach Galla's Board AccountBrain Squire's Board AccountBD Hex TeamBD Hex InstagramToinon BeigneNoah KeithleySean FaulknerFinn StackBobby VannoyAntigravNoiseSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

A couple of Island Boys just trying to make it to the top!We've got Ross Fulkerson, Marco Giacomangeli, and Bryce Belshin with your normal host, Josh Horsley. These boys recently got back from a trip to Mallorca that involved tons of amazing deep water soloing and some world class sport climbing as well.Each of these athletes are  active coaches or professional climbers. Hear from them about what they learned on the trip and how coaches coach each other. They also talk about how to use fear to your advantage which is absolutely crucial when you push your limits.SHOW NOTES:Ross Fulkerson's Instagram and YouTube ChannelMarco Giacomangeli's InstagramBryce Belshin's InstagramMind To MotionAl Rangel Testpiece PodcastsEpisode #120Episode #7Previous Ross Fulkerson Testpiece EpisodesEpisode #124 Episode #4 Episode #3Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is the behind the scenes discussion right after Episode #131 was finished. Nathaniel Coleman shares a bit more about his thoughts on V17 grades, training while he projected “No One Mourns The Wicked”, and what the name truly means.We hope you enjoy this peak into what happens right after episodes are “finished”!Don't miss Episode #131 for context, and make sure you watch the “No One Mourns The Wicked, V17” video on Mellow!SHOW NOTES:Nathaniel Coleman's InstagramNo One Mourns The Wicked, V17 FA, Nathaniel Coleman on MellowNathaniel Coleman, Testpiece Episode #63: Nathaniel Coleman, Testpiece Episode #131Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Special podcast!! Nathaniel Coleman just did a V17 FA, “No One Mourns The Wicked”! This is the first ascent of the highly sought after low start to the iconic V15 testpiece, Defying Gravity.Nathaniel reached out to Testpiece and asked if we could do a podcast to give a behind the scenes story to accompany the video that dropped on Mellow TODAY. Watch the video and listen to the podcast so you get the visuals and the detailed blow by blow!If you don't know who Nathaniel Coleman is (really?!!?), you can listen to the first episode he did with Testpiece back on Episode #63. Nathaniel adds this V17 FA to his already world class ticks and Olympic silver medal.SHOW NOTES:Defying Gravity, Nathaniel Coleman on MellowNo One Mourns The Wicked, V17 FA, Nathaniel Coleman on MellowNathaniel Coleman, Testpiece Episode #63Austin Geiman, Testpiece Episode #129Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This episode is a roundup of 5 climbs from Testpiece guests, some of the BEST climbers in the world, sharing what it takes to go from Good to Great.Josh also shares what's in his personal note titled “What I've Learned From Talking To The Best Climbers In The World”.Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Austin Geiman recently made waves when he sent the iconic testpiece, Defying Gravity, V15, after 11 years and 100+ sessions. Austin started trying this boulder while it was still a project and he was there when Daniel Woods and Jimmy Webb snagged the FA in 2013 in the film Huntsmen. He continued trying it through the years and then he also was there when the younger generation claimed the long awaited repeats. He finally added his name to the list and has even been supporting the next gen on the sit. Austin is deeply connected with all aspects of this iconic boulder and he shares with us the background on Defying Gravity, what makes it special, his epic send, and what he thinks about the next level sit.Austin is also an extremely accomplished life long climber in many other aspects with loads of hard sends and FA's under his belt, as well as being a World Cup Semi-finalist and Nationals Finalist. He's also coached, route set, and owns a climbing gym in Colorado Springs (Springs Climbing Center).SHOW NOTES:Austin's InstagramHuntsmenAustin Sending Defying Gravity, V15Austin's Gym in Colorado SpringsSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Anne-Worley Moelter is one of the most important people in climbing today because she is the CEO of Movement Climbing, the largest network of climbing gyms in the US with a portfolio of 30 gyms and another 3 coming soon. These gyms set the tone and craft the climbing experience for millions of climbers.Anne-Worley is a lifer who has done SO MUCH for our sport. She started her journey in the industry over 20 years ago working as an assistant manager at a gym. She went on to hold many different roles in the industry such as being a founding member of ABS, running USAC, and of course, opening the original Movement in Boulder, CO in 2009 with her husband Mike Moelter.Movement has gone through a lot of changes since that first gym, but now Anne-Worley is back to run the much larger organization.Tune in to hear Anne-Worley share insights on how our industry has evolved and where it's heading. You can't miss these insights from someone who is in a unique position in climbing and has worn almost every hat you can wear in the industry!SHOW NOTES:Movement Climbing WebsiteMovement Climbing InstagramSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Timothy Kang, aka “Tim, My Dude” is back on the pod to talk about the latest climbing news, an update in his life going from a pro-climber to a weekend warrior, and hear about Josh's recent trip to Mallorca.If you are new to the podcast you may not recognize why he is “Tim, My Dude” and that is because of the many many podcasts Josh and Tim recorded previously and how each podcast started. If you like Josh and Tim's vibe on this one, be sure to visit the previous dozens of episodes where Josh and Tim cover all things high level climbing.SHOW NOTES:Shaolin, V17Noise (Sean Bailey Clothing Co)Wheel Rock Defying Gravity SitKai Whaley Trying ShaolinCharles Barefoot V17Pete Whittaker Trying ItTerranova V16 or V17?Spots of TimeDarth GraderFOCUS (Tim climbing highballs in Bishop)Tim Climbing at Moe'sSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Natalia Grossman is one of the top female competitors of all time. She has won an astounding 11 World Cups and 4 World Cup seasons in a row! She also competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics for Team USA.Even though Natalia won the WC season in 2024, it was a tough year for her. She suffered a serious injury during the semi finals in the first World Cup competition of the year. Somehow she pushed through it to win the competition, but afterwards it was clear that the injury was a major one. The worst part? This was just a few months before the Olympic Games.Hear from Natalia about what it was like dealing with her injury through the Olympics as well as the entire season where she ultimately still pulled off multiple World Cup wins and won the all around title. Natalia also goes into the ups and downs of the pressures she has felt over her career. Both when she was the underdog and then the top dog. Natalia also shares how she knows when she's ready for a competition. And here's a hint — it's not when she sends a no-handed slab boulder!SHOW NOTES:Natalias Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalia_grossman/Natalias Board Climbing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalia_boardclimbs/Natalia and Brook Climbing in RMNP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-mvzn_QjAQKilter Climbs Natalia Mentioned:Miami Vice Grips: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChYAAl1FlLI/ Death Touch: https://www.instagram.com/p/CaLdEd6JtMr/Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This is a follow-up episode to the last Melina Costanza podcast, #119. That episode was one of the fan favorites, josh favorites, and even favorites of other professional climbers. Go listen to that one first, because it was amazing and will set the stage for this follow-up episode.It's only been a month since Melina last came on, but in that month she won US Nationals, both in Lead and Bouldering, and did so for the second year in a row. Yes, in 2023 she won Lead and Bouldering and in 2024 she AGAIN won Lead and Bouldering! On top of that she won multiple high level local comps this month and found the time to go outside and do a slew of double digit boulders. One of which was a near flash of a V13 (she still sent 2nd go)!Melina is incredibly articulate and insightful on the intricacies of performing at the highest level of competition. In the last episode she detailed her training leading into Nationals, and since she had such a stellar performance we wanted to sit down and explore exactly how that training turned into perfect execution.Don't miss this one… These two pods together are not just a 2x, it's squared. (Ya, that's a lame joke, but it's true.)SHOW NOTES:Melina Costanza's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melinacostanza/Melina's previous Testpiece Podcast, #1192024 Double Gold ChampV13 Second GoSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

This episode is brought to you by Mad Rock! Mad Rock is run by REAL climbers, and that's why they supported Ross Fulkerson and Testpiece to go on an awesome trip to Mallorca where they recorded this podcast.Ross is back on the pod after a multi year hiatus. Ross was actually the very first guest back on episode #3 and #4! Since then Ross has won tons of comps, competed in tons of world cups, climbed hard boulders, hard sport, even hard trad! In the last few months Ross has been on tear doing all of those disciplines at a high level. Josh went out to Mallorca to join Ross and they sat down for a chat about the thread that connects all of these disciplines together and how Ross manages to perform at such a high level in each of them.Ross also shares what it's like to test new and updated shoes by Mad Rock. How does he make sure they can handle all the things he throws at them? How does he figure out what to suggest to make them even better? How does Mad Rock actually take that feedback and turn it into a better product? This is a cool behind the scenes look at how pro's actually interact with their shoe companies to make the shoes the best they can be.SHOW NOTES:Ross Fulkerson's InstagramRoss Fulkerson's YouTubeAl Rangel Testpiece PodcastRoss' Previous Testpiece Episodes:Podcast #3Podcast #4Mind to Motion Clinics: https://www.mind-to-motion.com/Flair Manual Espresso MakerMad RockSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Adam Shahar is the name that keeps coming up when I ask who is an up and coming star. At 18 he had a breakout year where he won bouldering nationals, climbed V15 in a few sessions while he was on the road doing WC's, and then became IFSC's Athlete of the Week when he narrowly missed finals with a 7th place finish at the Prague WC. He also had perhaps the most incredible board climbing session of all time where he did 5 V13's on the Tension TB2, flashing 1 of them and doing 2 of them second try… Adam is known to be one of the physically strongest climbers in the world, and in this episode he shares his ‘hot take' on how to train for World Cups.Adam also dives into how he's leveled up his mental game recently which he credits a lot of his recent success to. This is an awesome episode with someone you need to keep an eye on!SHOW NOTES:Adam's InstagramAdam climbing The Understanding (V15)Adam's epic Tension TB2 SessionIFSC Athlete of the WeekTransience (V14)Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

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 PostSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: 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 PodcastSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: 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 CameraSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: 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 EpisodeSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Ward Byrum is the Director of Routesetting for all Movement gyms in the East Region. Yes, that Movement. The biggest climbing gym chain in America and probably the world. That means that Ward and his team decide what the climbing will be like for thousands of climbers. Scratch that, ten's of thousands of climbers. It might even be hundreds of thousands of climbers or even millions! But hey, who's counting? The climbs his team puts up will likely be their first experience of climbing and quite possibly the only climbing they ever do.Tune in and hear what the principles are behind one of the biggest route setting programs to ever have been created. And hear about it directly from Ward, who has been behind the scenes during the incredible evolution of indoor climbing and setting these past few decades.SHOW NOTES:Ward's InstagramMovement GymsReTex Holds Support the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

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 LatticeSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: 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 SequenceSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Garrett Gregor was the head routesetter for the Paris Olympics boulders! That's all you need to know. Just stop reading this description and start listening now.Garrett is also an accomplished competitor, placing as high as 4th at Nationals, an experienced coach at the legendary Team ABC, and did we mention he's an elite routesetter?! IFSC Level 5, etc, etc etc…. Didn't you already see that he was the head routesetter for the Paris Olympic boulders?!In this banger episode Garrett shares all of the nuts and bolts of what it's like behind the scenes of high level competition setting. He shares the grades of the boulders and routes at the Paris Olympics, and he tackles the classic question “Do Setters Control the Outcome of Competitions?”.Don't miss this one!!SHOW NOTES:IFSC GuidelinesJiro Dreams of SushiSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Dr. Tyler Nelson is the founder of Camp 4 Human Performance, a company focused on bringing the principles of sport science to climbing. Tyler is focused on being a cutting edge resource for training and rehabilitation of climbers. This means he is always knee deep in research papers from all sorts of sports and asking how we might apply those lessons to climbing. Then he explores these potential findings through testing, ultrasound, and training with some of the best athletes in climbing. Some of his questions and hypotheses have ruffled feathers, but that is exactly what makes Tyler interesting and a valuable asset to our community.In this episode Tyler goes deep on finger morphology, the frame work for how climbers should understand strength training, why training on an unlevel edge could be useful, what a talon grip is, and a paradox we all run into when starting to strength train.SHOW NOTES:Camp 4 Human Performance InstagramCamp 4 Human Performance YouTubeCamp 4 Human Performance WebsiteUnlevel Edges by Zach at Specialized MasochismAllison Vest podcastUltrasound post by TylerThe Wrist WrenchSupport the showSupport us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

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 ChalkSupport the Show.Support us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Professional climber, coach, routesetter, and frequent Testpiece podcast guest, Tim Kang, is on the pod this week to share his thoughts about the Paris 2024 Olympics.Tim may be best known for his highball ascents that culminated in the film Focus, but Tim is also a seasoned competition climber with multiple World Cups under his belt. Tim loves competition climbing and studies in deeply. Hear his thoughts on the most important climbing competition ever. In this episode, Tim and Josh dive into how fair the results were, what the routesetters tested, the grades of those routes, and what we might see in LA 2028 Olympic Games.SHOW NOTES:Nathaniel Coleman Testpiece EpisodeJesse Grupper Testpiece EpisodeSean Bailey Testpiece EpisodeSupport the Show.Support us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE

Tom O'Halloran is arguably the best climber in Australia. He's an Olympian, he's climbed 15a and v14, and done FA's nearly up to those grades as well.But the reason we wanted to have him on the podcast is because of the amazing YouTube content he puts out. He dives into the nuances of hard climbing in a way that actually helps people climb hard. Tom shares his knowledge in an open and honest way that doesn't sugar coat the process or make it seem simple or “black and white”.In this podcast Tom goes deep on the important things, like how to do hard moves, what mental progression actually looks like day-to-day, and how to apply your board climbing to sending equally hard outdoors.SHOW NOTES:Board climbing is KILLING your outdoor climbing How to do hard moves. Olympians simple techniqueTape fingers the RIGHT waySupport the Show.Support us on Patreon: HEREVisit our podcast page: HERESign-up with one of our coaches: HEREFollow us on Instagram: HERE