Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast

Cameron Hörst recently completed the hardest route of his climbing career: Big Bone (5.15a/9a+) , a king line out Utah's massive Fynn Cave. What makes his first ascent especially compelling isn't just the grade—it's the journey. Big Bone was a project that demanded years of training, 60+ working goes and redpoint attempts, countless setbacks, and a level of patience few climbers ever develop. In t...

In this inspiring new "Weekend Crushers" feature, I sit down with Florida-based climber Jessica Jenkins to unpack her incredible journey from a teenager climbing plastic in Orlando to recently sending her hardest route ever: the iconic Red River Gorge testpiece Swingline (5.13d). Her story is far more than a tale of grades and performance—it's a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, patience, a...

In this inaugural Weekend Crushers episode of the T4C podcast, Eric Hörst sits down with Aaron Shamy—an inspiring example of what's possible when passion, persistence, and smart training intersect with real life. Aaron's journey spans elite youth climbing in the 1990s, a 15+ year hiatus, and a remarkable comeback culminating in a 5.14c redpoint at age 45. This is more than a comeback story—it's a...

After a winter of disciplined training, stronger fingers, improved fitness, and high motivation, most climbers head outdoors expecting breakthrough performances. But the reality often hits hard—routes feel awkward, sequencing is unclear, your mind spirals with fear, and the pump sets in faster than expected. In this episode, Eric Hörst breaks down the critical gap between gym strength and outdoor...

Spring climbing season is here—and it's time to translate all those winter training gains into real performance on the rock. In this episode, Eric Hörst shares 15 practical mindset and strategy tips to help you climb your best this season. While physical strength matters, experienced climbers know that mindset, decision-making, strategy, and emotional resilience often determine whether you send or...

In this episode, Eric Hörst and nutrition science graduate student Jonathan Hörst discuss the newly updated U.S. dietary guidance and the concept of a "flipped" or re-prioritized food pyramid that emphasizes nutrient density, whole foods, and protein—rather than carbohydrate-heavy intake patterns of past guidelines. Drawing from current nutrition science and academic discussion at the University o...

If there's one podcast you listen to this week, I hope it's this one! I'm genuinely proud of this episode, as it distills some of the most powerful concepts I've learned, refined, and applied over the past 30 years. I believe you'll find it thought-provoking and impactful—and for some listeners, it may even prove life-changing. To mark the new year, I've intentionally broadened the scope of this e...

In this second installment of a two-part series, Coach Eric Hörst takes the high-level systems philosophy introduced in Episode #122 and brings it down to earth with practical, actionable guidance. This episode walks listeners through the nine elements of an intelligent training system and illustrates how each one applies directly to climbing preparation and long-term improvement. Eric emphasizes...

This episode is the first in a two-part deep dive into designing a comprehensive, long-term systems approach to training. Coach Eric Hörst unpacks—in rich detail—how systems actually function, and he highlights how transformative climbers throughout history "shake up the box" with innovative, highly effective methods to achieve big goals and push the boundaries of our sport. Eric blends a concise...

Modern athletes know that strength and endurance alone aren't enough. The ability to generate power efficiently, resist injury, and recover quickly depends just as much on the health of connective tissues—tendons, ligaments, and the extracellular matrix (ECM)—as on muscle strength itself. Yet, these vital tissues have long been misunderstood as relatively static and untrainable. The latest researc...

If you're a connoisseur of steep routes, this episode is for you! We've assembled a "Red River Pump" roundtable that reveals the training methods, tactics, and insider strategies for climbing your best on the overhanging walls of the Red — or any steep sport crag you love. Kris Hampton, Ryan Devlin, and Eric Hörst dive into Red-specific pre-trip and offseason training, mental strategies for embrac...

Learn five powerful lessons for achieving big, difficult goals that I took away from watching Girl Climber -- the new film that chronicles Emily Harrington's incredible, multi-year journey to free-climb El Capitan's Golden Gate route in under 24 hours. For me, this isn't just a film about climbing—it's about resilience, will power, and the triumph of human spirit, Furthermore, it serves as a bold...

After nine years as an NFL offensive lineman for the Falcons, Commanders, and Jets, Wes Schweitzer has traded 330-pound trench battles for crimps, slopers, and steep boulders! In this inspiring conversation, Wes shares how climbing started as elbow rehab modality, turned into a passion, and even improved his football performance. We dive into the parallels between elite football and high-level cli...

Nothing is more elemental to climbing than fear. The fear of falling, getting hurt, failing, looking foolish, or simply facing the unknown can feel torturous—and even paralyzing. To climb efficiently and confidently—and to pursue your peak performance—you must learn to assess and manage fear effectively. In this 90-minute episode, Coach Hörst delivers a tour de force of 18 fear management techniqu...

Coach Hörst shares 15 game-changing tips to elevate your climbing this season. Performance gains aren't made solely in the gym. As Coach Hörst explains, there's a lot you can do in-season —technically, tactically, and nutritionally—to level up your outdoor climbing. Apply just a few of these strategies today, and you might send your project sooner than expected. Put most or all into practice over...

What does it take to break through to the next climbing grade? With each new milestone, the challenge grows harder—but potentially more rewarding. In this special collaboration with The Struggle Podcast , I coach Ryan Devlin as he works to push past his current limit of 5.13a and lay the foundation for his next breakthrough in sport climbing. No matter your level, the tips and strategies we share...

The podcast is a classic Eric Hörst tour de force of climbing wisdom! No matter your ability level, training background, or goals, listening to this episode will challenge your current approach and inspire you to reinvent your training for better results. In this hour-long lecture, Coach Hörst breaks down 10 common training mistakes. Chances are, one, two, or maybe even several of these missteps w...

In this episode, I reveal a powerful — and often overlooked — strategy for developing the mental, technical, and tactical skills needed to level up your climbing. If you're an intermediate climber passionate about improving — or an advanced climber who's hit a plateau — then this is a must-listen episode. Even veteran climbers and professionals can use this strategy to refine their skills and "sha...

Welcome to the first episode in a special series of performance-focused conversations with my friend, Dr. Thomas Cunningham. In this fast-paced discussion, we dive into a wide range of topics, including tips for optimizing climbing training, injury prevention, key dietary interventions, performance hacks, and the role of self-discipline and sacrifice. We also explore best practices tailored for ha...

Dear Listener, How about -- together -- we all try to SEND 2025? In other words, let's try to upgrade our thoughts and actions in all we do to make 2025 our best year yet! Towards this end, in this episode I will serve up tips for improving your training, elevating your climbing, and advancing in other important life areas! RUNDOWN 0:15 - Eric's greetings... 0:45 - Introductory comments on strivin...

In this brief episode, I invite you to join my "Send 2025" New Year's Challenge! JOIN the SEND 2025 CHALLENGE by filling out this brief Google Form >> I designed this free 6-week challenge to help motivate and inspire a fresh, focused, and optimistic start to the new year...and hopefully help you set off on your best year ever! The challenge is action-oriented -- so we'll ask you to set some achie...

The title of this podcast may have you thinking "WTF?" Well, this is a special episode of the T4C podcast...and I think you're going to really enjoy it! THE Alex Megos has recently launched his own podcast, and during his recent visit to the States he asked me to sit down for a conversation about the history of training, personalized program design, nutrition and recovery, and much much more.  Of...

In this episode, coach Hörst shares 13 little things that can make a BIG difference when it comes to sending your near limit—or, perhaps, beyond limit!—project boulder or route. Quite often it's the tiniest of things that can make or break your ascent. Eric covers a lot of territories including the power of proper breathing, the best time of the day to send, the effects of food and drink on energy...

One of the ironies of climbing performance outcomes is that as hard as you've physically trained in preparation, the outcome often hinges on the quality of your mental game. The power point, here, is that when it comes down to the final days and hours leading up to an important climb, the keys to performing your best are largely mental! While many athletes "shoot themselves in the foot" in any num...

This 20-minute flash episode will delve briefly into two topics: 1. Popular training biohacks, including sauna use, cold plunge, and intermittent fasting.  2. The value of getting an occasional blood work-up to monitor how your health and performance-related biometrics change as a result of diet, training, and aging. This episode features an interview I did earlier this year with Kush Khandelwal o...