EP 299: Herm Feissner — A Unique Training Philosophy at Age 53, Understanding Hard Moves, and Balancing an Engineering Career with Travel & Climbing

Herm Feissner is a lifer climber based in Fort Collins, CO. We talked about doing the FA of The Practitioner V11 in Leavenworth, WA, in the early 2000s, his training philosophy at 53 years old, how his relationship with climbing has improved, balancing an engineering career with traveling and climbing, discovering and understanding moves, the boulder he is most psyched to complete, and much more. Free Masterclass (Unlock Your Full Potential in Climbing) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com Climb Accelerator (Direct Link to Course) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com/climb-accelerator Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/herm-feissner Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:01:38) – FA of The Practitioner V11 (00:08:38) – Getting into climbing in 1987 (00:22:18) – Climbing with stronger people (00:27:51) – Evolving through the disciplines (00:33:12) – CATS (00:37:11) – Herm’s training philosophy (00:44:32) – Aging & improving (00:55:22) – Avoiding the expiration date (01:01:05) – How Herm’s climbing has changed (01:07:35) – How hard Herm climbs (01:10:27) – Who will push bouldering to the next level? (01:20:27) – Herm’s grading criteria (01:27:25) – How his relationship with climbing has improved (01:30:35) – Relationships (01:38:22) – Boarding school & engineering (01:50:12) – How to be outside (01:58:57) – Discovering & understanding moves (02:02:59) – I Portici (02:08:02) – Wrap up

Sonnie Trotter is a Canadian professional rock climber and one of the most accomplished and respected climbers of his generation. We talked about his goal to climb 5.15, my impression of meeting him at Smith Rock, our parallel family histories, treating life as a game, how the Cobra Crack changed his career, how he trained as a teenager, stamina vs. strength, what makes Dave Graham so strong, and his book, Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life. Free Masterclass (Unlock Your Full Potential in Climbing) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com Climb Accelerator (Direct Link to Course) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com/climb-accelerator Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/sonnie-trotter Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:03:38) – Connor Herson’s 5.15a FAs (00:09:35) – Gunning for 5.15 (00:11:49) – Meeting Sonnie at Smith Rock (00:20:37) – His life routine (00:24:43) – Sonnie’s kids (00:29:24) – Time warp (00:33:24) – Family history (00:39:35) – Life is a game (00:42:45) – The business side of Sonnie’s life (00:53:19) – Choices & constraints (01:03:07) – Cobra Crack (01:09:20) – The progression of climbing (01:16:24) – Getting sponsored (01:20:07) – The age of print media (01:24:34) – Rifle in the 90s (01:30:52) – How he trained as a teenager (01:36:04) – Stamina vs. strength (01:45:30) – Sticking to the basics (01:49:31) – What makes Dave Graham so strong (01:54:33) – Writing his book

Peter Mortimer is an award-winning filmmaker (King Lines, Valley Uprising, The Dawn Wall, The Alpinist) and co-creator of the Reel Rock Film Tour. We talked about his latest project, The Dark Wizard, a new 4-part documentary series now streaming on HBO Max about Dean Potter, which shares the full story of Dean in all of his human complexity—as a visionary, climbing legend, and a tormented soul. Free Masterclass (Unlock Your Full Potential in Climbing) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com Join Climb Accelerator (Earlybird Sale) 👉 https://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com/climb-accelerator Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/peter-mortimer Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:01:21) – Peter’s film career (00:11:54) – Hustling (00:15:28) – The Dark Wizard (00:31:14) – Inside Dean’s mind (00:38:34) – Dean’s rivalry with Alex Honnold (00:49:42) – Everything on the table (00:51:25) – Where to watch (00:52:34) – Where to follow Peter

Dave Thompson is a 5.14 and V14 first ascentionist, alpinist, and coach for Evoke Endurance. We talked about his early climbing in the North Cascade mountains of Washington State, doing the first ascent of some of the best hard boulders in Leavenworth (Beautification, God is in the Details, The Teacup), how he got so strong, how to apply your strength on the wall, the challenges of endurance training in climbing, and more. Free Masterclass (Unlock Your Full Potential in Climbing) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/dave-thompson Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:02:29) – Dave’s path to rock climbing (00:07:31) – Bob Buckley (00:10:42) – The Teacup FA (00:14:54) – Dave’s coaching philosophy (00:25:53) – How Dave got up to V14 (00:37:05) – A way of moving (00:43:19) – How to improve your gym sessions (00:48:11) – Training (00:55:54) – Dave’s climbing and coaching (00:58:53) – Dave coaches me on The Teacup (01:02:48) – FAs in the Methow Valley (01:06:59) – FAs in Leavenworth (01:11:16) – How strong can adults get at climbing? (01:13:18) – Personal agency (01:20:34) – Catching a wave (01:23:46) – Bouldering efficiency session (01:30:32) – Evoke success (01:36:47) – Training for sport climbing (01:43:25) – Not thinking (01:44:17) – How to connect with Dave

Sam Watson is the current world record holder in speed climbing (4.64 seconds) and an Olympic Bronze medalist. We talked about breaking the world record in Paris, how he makes a living, building a social media following in China, the future potential of speed climbing, recovery routines and tools, chess, favorite books, airport stoicism, and more. Free Masterclass (Unlock Your Full Potential in Climbing) 👉 http://masterclass.thenuggetclimbing.com Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/sam-watson Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:01:38) – Winter Olympics (00:05:48) – Breaking the World Record in Paris (00:14:20) – Winning Bronze in Paris (00:25:50) – LA Olympics (00:30:11) – How Sam makes a living (00:34:49) – Building a following in China (00:38:40) – Different speed formats (00:42:38) – Pro Climbing League (00:51:15) – Sam’s intro to speed climbing (01:12:35) – Sam’s future career arc (01:20:48) – Recovery routines & tools (01:24:15) – Journaling & Chris Sharma (01:29:31) – The culture of speed climbing (01:32:08) – The potential of speed (01:38:43) – Speed Classic (01:40:42) – Sam’s potential & the 0.1 rule (01:46:03) – Sub 6 for the women (01:47:33) – Hobbies & books (01:51:23) – Sam’s upcoming goals (01:52:08) – Airport stoicism (01:53:34) – Where to find Sam

Melissa Strong is a boulderer and restaurateur based in Estes Park, CO, who nearly lost her life in an electrocution accident in April 2017. We talked about her accident, what she experienced on the other side of the veil, having her arms sewn together, what climbing was like before and after the accident, skin graft DNA, the healing process of writing Climbing Through, and much more. You can learn more about Melissa at melissaistrong.com Buy Her Book: Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing, and Second Chances by Melissa Strong Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/melissa-strong Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:01:40) – Melissa’s hands (00:04:54) – Life before her accident (00:09:05) – The accident (00:14:56) – The Forest & The Tunnel (00:30:55) – Arms sewn together (00:47:25) – Climbing before & after the accident (00:58:29) – Skin graft DNA (01:00:20) – The expiration date of climbing (01:08:34) – What comes after climbing (01:14:40) – Writing her book (01:21:03) – What’s next (01:24:46) – Where to buy the book (01:26:13) – How Bird & Jim got its name

Joel Unema is a high-performance rock climber and coach for Climb Strong, and has climbed V14 and 5.14b. We talked about how Tyler Nelson helped him unlock V14 finger strength, how Steve Bechtel helped him send a 20+ move roof boulder, how to optimize your power endurance for a sport climbing trip, and much more. Buckle up for a good old-fashioned training chat. The Nugget Training App (14-Day Free Trial) 👉 http://training.thenuggetclimbing.com FREE Finger Training PDF 👉 thenuggetclimbing.com/grinds The NUG 👉 https://frictitiousclimbing.com/products/the-nug Show Notes: http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/joel-unema Nuggets: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:02:00) – Hurricave (00:04:37) – Dirtbike crash (00:07:22) – Balance vs. compromise (00:12:30) – The bigger picture (00:16:22) – Joel’s breakthrough season (00:22:43) – Finger Training with Tyler Nelson (00:37:20) – Roof Training with Steve Bechtel (00:46:51) – Ice cube moments (00:58:58) – Hi-Low (01:05:53) – Training for a sport climbing trip (01:11:54) – Pacing & metabolic specificity (01:15:45) – Training for a sport climbing trip continued (01:18:10) – Riding the rollercoaster (01:26:18) – Floor & ceiling (01:35:55) – Achievement to experience (01:39:00) – Strength training (01:45:39) – My Hueco goals (01:49:03) – Joel’s goals (01:52:13) – The Teacup (01:56:03) – Wrap up

Today, I am resharing one of the most valuable episodes I have ever recorded. This episode with Tom Randall was originally aired on Patreon in Feb, 2022. We talked about how to use your friends to discover your strengths and weaknesses, how to work backward from goals, how long it takes to make major changes in your climbing, like switching from bouldering to sport climbing, and much more. Don’t skip this episode if you are a self-coached climber.The Nugget Training App (14-Day Free Trial) 👉 http://training.thenuggetclimbing.comThe NUG 👉 https://frictitiousclimbing.com/products/the-nugKey Takeaways PDF 👉 https://thenuggetclimbing.squarespace.com/s/Key-Takeaways_Updated.pdfFull Show Notes  👉 thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tom-randall-repost-from-patreon 

Charlie Boscoe is a former IFSC commentator, writer, and co-founder of the Pro Climbing League, a bold new head-to-head bouldering series debuting on February 28. We talked about his first experience in the outdoors, why Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra are the G.O.A.T.s, and why climbing competitions are about to get a lot more exciting. You can learn more at proclimbing.comThe Nugget Training App 👉 http://training.thenuggetclimbing.comShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/charlie-boscoeNuggets:(00:00:00) – Intro(00:02:48) – The perfect phrase(00:10:55) – Hooked on climbing(00:15:49) – The impermanence of achievements(00:22:56) – Commentating(00:26:01) – Janja Garnbret & Adam Ondra(00:30:39) – IFSC Broadcasting(00:34:11) – Pro Climbing League(00:45:50) – Adjustable comp walls(00:48:44) – Can two climbs be identical?(00:53:59) – The viewing experience(01:02:07) – Goals for PCL(01:06:22) – Logistical challenges(01:11:04) – The first comp (London, Feb 28)(01:13:06) – Broncos, Seahawks, Mariners(01:17:29) – Wrap up

Chris Schulte is an elite boulderer known for bold first ascents, compression mastery, and a thoughtful approach that prioritizes style over grades. We talked about his evolution as a climber, developing his own style, how Fred Nicole inspired him, redefining progress with age, tips for compression problems and wide cracks, and the state of elite bouldering and cutting-edge grades.Increase Your Finger Strength by 10% 👉 http://training.thenuggetclimbing.comDownload My Finger Training PDF 👉 http://thenuggetclimbing.com/grindsSupport on Patreon 👉 http://patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-schulteNuggets:(00:00:00) – Intro(00:01:13) – Being an introvert(00:13:49) – Becoming a boulderer(00:24:56) – First ascents vs. repeating(00:37:09) – Climbing in Yosemite(00:47:00) – How Chris developed his climbing style(00:51:28) – Fred Nichol's inspiration(01:11:25) – Putting brakes on grades(01:33:02) – What drives Chris & what progress looks like(01:40:20) – How climbing has changed with age(01:50:37) – The Big Island(01:51:56) – Pairing projects(01:55:31) – Compression climbs(01:59:16) – Elbow tendonitis(02:03:08) – What makes for a beautiful line(02:08:51) – Best V10+ compression in the Front Range(02:14:28) – Tips on wide cracks(02:18:43) – Where Chris would like to climb next