Ep 35: Anna Apel - PRESSURE and Expectations as a Young Climber

If it’s not obvious, Carl is Erin McNeice’s dad and I’m so thrilled to get a parent perspective on the podcast. In this episode, we’ll learn about the family’s dedication and honest approach to building Erin’s climbing career, how much it cost to support the training and travel of an athlete, why he’s no longer allowed to watch her comps in person, and get adorable dad-anecdotes from the Olympics.Guest links:Carl’s InstagramReference links:Erin’s EpisodeBudapest Olympic Qualifier Stress(Buzzed) Eurosport interviewHorsin Around Quest for 8CThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:19 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:06 - Returning from Innsbruck5:44 - Carl's climbing and gymnastics background10:47 - Getting involved in competition climbing15:57 - When to push vs when to back off22:43 - The cost of being a comp parent28:32 - Sudden rise between the 2023-2024 season33:59 - Erin's intense training schedule38:37 - Phasing out of Erin's training routine42:53 - Not being allowed to watch the comps in person48:06 - The stress of watching your child compete54:38 - Most stressful competition to watch58:35 - The Olympics experience1:06:13 - Thoughts on dangerous setting1:16:55 - DISCORD Q: How does having a comp kid influence the family dynamic?1:20:02 - DISCORD: How to avoid good results = good vibes only1:25:31 - DISCORD Q: Do you approve shots of yourself on Erin's Youtube channel :p1:27:41 - DISCORD Q: How does it feel to be a worse climber than your child?1:30:49 - Words of wisdom

Ty has done it all: He’s been competition belaying, judging, and coaching for over 10 years, and he started the belay programs at USA climbing and the IFSC. In this episode, we’ll learn about all things belaying, get behind the scenes insight, and hear about how the scene has changed since the Olympics came into play, leading to some toxic parents.Guest links:Ty’s InstagramReference links:Noah Makaiwi InterviewReel Rock Speed Mishap @10:25Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:20 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:08 - Coaching and belaying at USA youth nationals7:36 - Getting into volunteer judging/belaying11:35 - Good belaying vs bad belaying15:40 - You need to train your neck!!18:03 - Dangerous belay practices23:49 - The pressure of belaying at world cups29:29 - Athletes with specific belay requests31:54 - Athletes who are hard to belay for34:32 - Routesetting that makes belaying hard37:28 - Being a speed starter43:57 - Birmingham world games 202247:41 - HOT TAKE: Women are better belayers than men?!51:25 - Paraclimbing belaying54:28 - Manual speed climbing belaying?!57:02 - Extra considerations for para belaying59:37 - Changes in the sport - Olympics desperation1:04:40 - The toxic youth scene1:09:31 - Discord Q: Do belayers get a rundown of the route from setters?1:10:24 - DISCORD Q: Have you ever seen an athlete or coach object to a belayer?1:11:15 - DISCORD Q: Process for removing belayers mid comp?1:13:28 - Ice climbing belaying?!?1:16:03 - Where to find Ty

Antonin is the graphics operator for the IFSC! In this episode, we’ll learn about why the IFSC chooses to use local production teams instead of their own production team and the difficulties that come with that, why graphics don’t show up sometimes, and we’ll hear about his thoughts on why the bouldering format is inherently broken for watching on TV.Guest links:Antonin’s InstagramReference links:Arco Rock MasterThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:21 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:08 - 5 weekends of work5:23 - Best ISO Warm up zone7:07 - What he does for IFSC10:19 - The structure of IFSC broadcast13:30 - Choosing between IFSC production or local19:07 - What guidelines are given to local tv crews?23:08 - Who is in charge of cinematic shot decisions?36:43 - The difficulty showing bouldering on TV43:05 - Considering the elimination boulder format?46:33 - How to satisfy both climber and non-climbing audience49:53 - Why do graphics lag behind/not show up?54:41 - Can we have scores show on screen more often?58:02 - Why putting up a clock is so difficult1:02:39 - Traveling with a full camera set1:07:47 - Dead body in SLC?!1:12:46 - Climbing gym work1:21:05 - Q: Do you ever rewatch comps? 1:23:34 - Q: Is it legal to stream the whole event as a spectator?1:25:02 - Where to find Antonin and send further complaints :p

Erik is an accomplished speed climber from Spain! In this episode, we’ll learn about how politics destroyed climbing in Venezuela, what it was like starting over with life and training in Spain, injuries in speed climbing, and we’ll get his thoughts on other speed climbing formats like relays and yearly route changes. Hear from speed climbing’s most positive athlete!Guest links:Erik’s InstagramReference links:Climb Gurus - Clothing Brand!Old Venezuelan IFSC ProfileThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:11 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!1:59 - Training at a special facility4:12 - How he started climbing and competing11:00 - IFSC athlete page mixup14:46 - Moving from Venezuela to Spain16:07 - Why he moved away from Venezuela24:06 - Venezuela's PREVIOUS climbing dominance31:07 - Starting over in Spain36:54 - The differences in speed training40:10 - Bad speed climbing habits to break46:40 - Reflecting on OQS and not making the Olympics54:37 - Climbing goals for 2025 season57:26 - Being an older climber59:37 - Knowing when to give up1:02:27 - Speed climbing injuries?!1:07:32 - Life outside of speed climbing1:13:54 - Discord Q: What is your opinion on the latest changes in FEDME particularly the firing of David Macia from the Olympics selection for 2028?1:19:57 - Discord Q: Thoughts on relays, changing the route yearly, etc?1:22:09 - IG Q: Why did you run the Chinese top the nobody else was?1:25:30 - IG Q: Advice for people starting out speed climbing?1:26:23 - IG Q: How was training in Indonesia?1:29:52 - Words of wisdom + where to find Erik

So you all probably know who she is, but just in case you don’t, Shauna is a British climber, 2-time bouldering world cup season winner, Olympian, mom, and nowadays she’s still ticking off hard climbs outdoors. In this episode, we’ll learn about how not excited she was to compete in the Olympics, why she has an issue with the word “retirement,” and of course, the difficulty of managing climbing during and after pregnancy both socially and physically.Guest links:Shauna’s InstagramReference links:Foxy HoldsWomen’s Climbing SymposiumThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:36 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2;23 - Running climbing clinics6:18 - Being the "calm" comp climber9:16 - The nightmarish path to Tokyo Olympics14:39 - How she started climbing + competing17:59 - Team GB then vs now19:52 - The evolving comp and social media game28:54 - IFSC Athlete's Commission Goals34:38 - DISCORD Q: Are we actually moving the needle with RED-S testing37:39 - Personal eating disorder experience43:35 - The issue with the word "retirement"48:37 - DISCORD Q: How do you mentally deal with training that used to work well but now doesn't?50:58 - The TRUTH about "having fun"53:28 - Best comp memories 58:42 - Managing climbing while pregnant1:07:32 - DISCORD Q: What was the most helpful postpartum training exercise? 1:12:05 - Thoughts on pulling a Jain Kim?1:20:44 - Current goals: Outdoors and more kids??1:25:16 - DISCORD Q: Thoughts on climbing sponsorships and Adidas sponsorship ending1:31:36 - DISCORD Q: Do you still try to prioritize being well-rounded now that you're no longer a comp climber?1:34:25 - DISCORD Q: Your most controversial climbing opinion?1:37:07 - Words of wisdom + where to find Shauna

Chaz is a blind paraclimber from team Canada and is in the B3 category, meaning he has about 10% of his sight left. What’s crazy is that he didn’t start climbing until after he lost his vision! In this episode, we’ll learn about his rocky journey losing his vision at 32 years old and struggling with alcoholism, how to lead belay blind, and hear some surprising stories about run-ins with famous climbers that he doesn’t know because he can’t “watch” climbing content.Guest links:Chaz’s InstagramReference links:Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:58 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2;27 - Intro/healing from surgery7:49 - Chaz's impairment and how he started climbing13:16 - Losing sight later in life26:16 - Lead belaying blind36:21 - Visually impaired climbing without a caller38:07 - First time competition climbing...getting dumped...bro code broken?!43:25 - Climbing + calling with Alannah Yip46:37 - Accidental run-ins with the most famous comp climbers52:38 - Lack of accessibility with climbing content57:17 - Feeling unsafe on the wall1:03:24 - Hiding his disability1:07:37 - 2028 Paralympics1:14:54 - Climbing blindfolded1:18:02 - Me complaining about outdoor climbing + why he loves outdoor climbing1:23:42 - Playing blind hockey1:25:59 - More of me complaining about outdoor climbing + what is real climbing1:28:57 - Blind ice climbing1:31:12 - Being an inspiration for his son1:33:47 - Blind hockey show and tell1:41:46 - IG Q: How long does it take to get in sync with your caller?1:42:54 - IG Q: Does speed climbing work well for blind people?1:49:26 - DISCORD Q: Would paraclimbers want to compete in bouldering?1:55:25 - Words of wisdom + where to find Chaz

Tijl is currently the IFSC Europe president but he is now running for the president of IFSC with elections taking place in April. In this episode, we’ll learn about how IFSC politics works, hear about the changes he wants to make within the IFSC, and get his take on some hot topic issues like national federation quotas, RED-S testing, and the NEOM games.Guest links:Tijl’s InstagramReference links:Info on elections and candidatesThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:27 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:16 - Climbing, coaching, and IFSC history5:50 - Coaching the Belgian team10:56 - How IFSC Presidency works 15:11 - Moving on from the Olympics18:53 - Changes Tijl wants to see in the IFSC24:43 - Increasing funding through Eurosport and routesetter education33:25 - HOT TOPIC: Big names taking a break from world cups38:38 - HOT TOPIC: New national federation quotas for world cups41:38 - HOT TOPIC: RED-S Policy Implementation48:20 - HOT TOPIC: NEOM Games50:15 - DISCORD Q: What changes do you think we'll see to the World Cup format?56:40 - DISCORD Q: Plastic vs rock preference?1:00:47 - Words of wisdom + where to find Tijl

Gregor was a boulder & lead climber from team Slovenia but he recently retired a few months ago from competitions. In this episode, we’ll get insight into the powerful Slovenian team, how he made the decision to retire and all the planning around it, what it’s like climbing with Janja, and we get to hear him geek out about holds and hold shaping.Guest links:Gregor’s InstagramReference links:Gregor’s hold brandThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:21 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:08 - Spray wall noob questions5:34 - Feeling competitive against his brother10:45 - Why Slovenia is so dominant at climbing17:13 - Slovenian team training and funding19:36 - Slovenian young guns to watch out for21:21 - Career highlights and traveling25:35 - Being a picky eater on the road27:57 - Competing with migraines30:55 - Making the decision to retire37:52 - How to be okay with "getting weaker"42:14 - Setting vs competing45:43 - IFSC setting aspirations47:55 - What is hold shaping52:52 - Do we really need more holds?55:40 - IG Q: what's your creative process for designing a new hold?1:02:23 - Hot takes on hold shaping and no tex1:06:30 - Discord Q: How do you see World Cup routesetting changing in the next 10 years?1:10:18 - DISCORD Q: Does hold shaping inspire your setting more or vice versa?1:11:41 - DISCORD Q: What's it like climbing with Janja?1:19:09 - Matt Groom trolling1:20:44 - Final thoughts and where to find Gregor

Anna is a boulder & lead climber from team Germany and one of the younger athletes I’ve interviewed so far as she still competed in youth world champs last year. In this episode, we’ll talk about the differences between the youth and senior circuit, the pressure of expectations after FLASHING all qualis boulders in Innsbruck, and we get some insight into team Germany.Guest links:Anna’s InstagramReference links:Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:24 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!3:50 - Starting climbing at 3!8:18 - Competing in youth and Senior Circuit at the same time12:27 - Youth setting vs senior setting14:42 - Big performance boost in 202417:23 - Flashing all Innsbruck quails boulders22:22 - Why younger climbers dominate the WC circuit25:09 - German national team30:04 - German military sponsorship34:04 - 2025 season36:19 - Finding out if the combined format will be in LA 202839:05 - Non-climbing hobbies + sewing!42:23 - Outdoor projects43:28 - IG Q: What is the hardest part of being an athlete?49:06 - IG Q: Tips on improving arm strength50:27 - IG Q: Where can I buy the Germany down jacket?51:12 - IG Q: Non-climbing related goal52:58 - IG Q: Thoughts on the minimum BMI requirement57:29 - Outro and where to find Anna

Rodrigo is a boulder & lead climber from team Brazil. He actually started climbing fairly recently in 2018, but since then has been a 2x south american cup winner and is working his way up the ranks on the world cup circuit! In this episode, we talk about what makes training and climbing in Brazil difficult, how he feels like a “weaker” climber due to starting out as a chubbier kid, and mindset tips he uses while competing.Guest links:Rodrigo’s InstagramReference links:Brazilian Hold Brand - CruxNight Moves - Outdoor Brazilian ClimbingThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:28 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:29 - Starting climbing only 8 years ago!7:24 - How to mentally recover from knee injury10:38 - The importance of hold and movement exposure13:57 - Living in Australia16:38 - Competing in Prague with a knee brace21:45 - The difficulties of climbing hard in South America25:31 - Brazil climber funding30:19 - Climbing scene in Brazil36:15 - Thoughts on the upcoming 2025 Brazil WC39:27 - Mindset and overcoming being a "weaker" climber48:43 - Once a fat kid, always a fat kid51:47 - Discord Q: Top 3 slab tips56:13 - Discord Q: Thoughts on limiting country participation? Does it actually help smaller nations?1:02:20 - Discord Q: Outdoor climbing projects in Brazil?1:05:19 - S/O to South American climbers and where to find Rodrigo